2027 Social Security COLA: 3.3% projected.
A planning estimate from published inflation data. SSA has not announced this year’s official COLA.
What that means in dollars.
On an illustrative $2,071 monthly gross benefit, this rate adds $68.34, for $2,139.34 before Medicare and withholding.
The starting amount is the SSA published 2026 average retired-worker benefit, rounded in SSA’s fact sheet. Your benefit will differ.
The numbers behind the percentage.
| Reference month | CPI-W | Status |
|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 327.104 | Official BLS observation |
| August 2026 | 328.481 | Official BLS observation |
| September 2026 | Not published in this dataset | Missing |
The prior comparison quarter is 2025, with an average of 317.265. The available-month average is 327.793.
(327.793 ÷ 317.265 − 1) × 100 = 3.3% after rounding.
A little historical perspective.
| Benefit year | COLA | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.0% | Official |
| 2017 | 0.3% | Official |
| 2018 | 2.0% | Official |
| 2019 | 2.8% | Official |
| 2020 | 1.6% | Official |
| 2021 | 1.3% | Official |
| 2022 | 5.9% | Official |
| 2023 | 8.7% | Official |
| 2024 | 3.2% | Official |
| 2025 | 2.5% | Official |
| 2026 | 2.8% | Official |
Questions, answered.
When will the 2027 COLA be announced?
SSA generally determines the COLA in October of the prior year, after September CPI-W is available. This site does not present an unconfirmed exact date as an announcement.
When does the 2027 increase reach my payment?
A December benefit adjustment is generally reflected in Social Security payments in January. SSI January payments usually arrive in late December because January 1 is a holiday.
Can the COLA go below zero?
The statutory formula does not reduce benefits for a falling quarter. It uses the prior highest qualifying quarter; a later increase must exceed that benchmark.
Does the percentage equal my take-home increase?
No. Part B premiums, IRMAA and withholding can reduce the change in your net check. Enter your actual deductions in the increase calculator.
Is a partial-quarter estimate a forecast?
It is a provisional arithmetic comparison of published readings. It does not predict the missing month and can change when that month is released.
Check the sources.
Data checked October 1, 2026.