*Social Security beneficiaries could get a 3.5% cost-of-living adjustment in 2027, according to The Senior Citizens League. The figure is only a projection. The Social Security Administration has not approved it and expects to announce the official COLA on Oct. 14.
The New York Post reports the raise would top the 2.8% adjustment for 2026. It would also beat the 2.5% increase recipients saw in 2025.
Monthly gains would depend on benefit size. The Senior Citizens League says a $2,000 payment would rise by $70. A $1,000 benefit would gain $35, and a $1,500 benefit would reach $1,552.50. A $2,500 payment would climb to $2,587.50, while a $3,000 benefit would add $105. The increase applies automatically, so beneficiaries do not need to apply.
Social Security calculates the COLA with the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, known as CPI-W. The formula uses inflation data from July, August, and September. July’s CPI-W showed a 3.4% annual increase, and August reached 3.5%. September’s reading will complete the calculation, so the final COLA could land above or below the projection. The Social Security Administration says it will announce the adjustment in October.
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Many older Americans say past raises have not kept pace with their expenses. In The Senior Citizens League’s 2026 survey, 89% of respondents called the 2026 COLA too low. The group also found 44% depend entirely on Social Security income.
Shannon Benton, executive director of The Senior Citizens League, said, “The biggest thing we’re watching with the COLA announcement coming are short-term shocks to the economy that push inflation way up or down in the next 30 days.”
Until the agency makes an announcement, beneficiaries should treat 3.5% as a forecast, not a guaranteed raise.
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