Will the 2027 Social Security COLA Exceed 4%? Here’s What the Latest Estimate Says.
After an unimpressive 2.8% Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) this year, followed by months of high inflation, you’re not alone in hoping that the 2027 COLA will bring better news. We’re still a few months away from the official announcement, but projections have already been circling for nearly a year.
The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), a nonpartisan senior group, estimated a 3.8% COLA in July 2026, but it has since updated its prediction. There’s still time for it to change, but anyone hoping the COLA might cross the 4% mark is likely to be disappointed.
Image source: Getty Images.
The latest 2027 Social Security COLA estimate dipped
Following the release of the July 2026 inflation data, TSCL updated its 2027 Social Security COLA prediction to 3.6%. This is slightly higher than the 3.4% inflation rate in July and indicates that TSCL’s model expects inflation to increase slightly over the coming months. But only time will tell whether this is accurate.
A 3.6% COLA would raise the $2,086 average monthly retirement benefit (as of July 2026) to $2,161. That’s a $75 monthly increase. It’s larger than the 2.8% boost seniors got this year, but it may still fall short of what you were hoping for.
The COLA percentage isn’t locked in yet, though. We’re still waiting on inflation data for August and September, and if inflation rises sharply during that period, a 4% COLA could still be a possibility. But this doesn’t seem especially likely.
When to expect the 2027 Social Security COLA announcement
The Social Security Administration will announce the official 2027 COLA on the morning of Oct. 14, 2026. That’s the day it gets the September inflation data necessary to complete the calculation. But you won’t have to wait that long for a more accurate estimate. TSCL will share another update on Sept. 11, 2026, and this will likely be close to the actual 2027 COLA, as the only remaining variable will be the September inflation number.
Once we know the COLA, you can add this to your Social Security checks to get an idea of how much more you’ll receive next year. Keep in mind that if you’re on Medicare, the government will withhold your Part B premiums from your checks, and these are likely to increase next year as well.
You should receive a personalized COLA notice in December, detailing your exact benefit amount and how much will be withheld for Medicare. If you still have questions about your benefits after this arrives, reach out to the Social Security Administration for more information.
