economy
February 14, 2026
Early estimates point to lower Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2027
Social Security beneficiaries saw a 2.8% boost to their checks in 2026. New estimates for 2027 find the cost-of-living adjustment may not be much higher.
TL;DR
- The 2026 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was 2.8%, an increase from previous years but lower than the record highs of 5.9% (2022) and 8.7% (2023).
- New government inflation data suggests the 2027 COLA may be significantly lower, with estimates ranging from 1.2% (Mary Johnson) to 2.8% (Senior Citizens League) and 3.1% (Congressional Budget Office).
- A 2.8% COLA for 2027 is projected to be the lowest since 2017, raising concerns that it will be insufficient for seniors to keep up with rising costs.
- Surveys indicate that a 3% COLA is considered insufficient by most seniors, with 77% stating it's not enough to cover rising prices, and 72% believing a 5% or higher increase is ideal.
- The COLA is calculated annually by comparing third-quarter Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) data from the current year to the previous year.
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