Social security 2027 COLA announcement: How much will checks increase?

0Millions of Social Security recipients are just days away from learning exactly how much their monthly benefits could increase in 2027.

The Social Security Administration is expected to announce the official 2027 cost-of-living adjustment, known as COLA, on Wednesday, Oct. 14, after the latest inflation data is released. The annual adjustment affects retirement, survivor, disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits and helps determine how much money beneficiaries will receive beginning in January.

While the official figure has not yet been announced, forecasts from groups including AARP and The Senior Citizens League currently place the 2027 COLA in the mid-3% range, higher than the 2.8% increase beneficiaries received for 2026.

A 3.5% increase would add roughly $73 per month to the average retired worker's benefit, while a 3.6% increase could add approximately $75 per month, according to recent estimates. Actual increases will vary based on individual benefit amounts.

The Social Security Administration is expected to announce the official 2027 COLA on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The announcement comes after the release of September inflation data, which completes the government's annual COLA calculation.

The exact increase won't be known until Wednesday, but current forecasts generally range from about 3.2% to 3.6%. AARP recently projected a 3.6% COLA, while The Senior Citizens League estimated a 3.5% increase. Other projections have generally fallen within the low-to-mid 3% range.

If the final adjustment lands near those estimates, beneficiaries would receive a larger increase than the 2.8% COLA announced for 2026.

The projected increase is being driven by inflation data collected during July, August and September, the three months used in the official COLA formula.

The Social Security Administration calculates the annual adjustment using changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, commonly known as CPI-W. The average inflation reading from those three months is compared with the same period a year earlier.

Because inflation has remained above year-ago levels, forecasts are pointing to a larger increase than beneficiaries received for 2026.

Using the average retired worker benefit, recent estimates suggest:

A 3.4% COLA would increase benefits by about $71 per month.

A 3.5% COLA would increase benefits by about $73 per month.

A 3.6% COLA would increase benefits by about $75 per month.

Actual increases will vary depending on a person's monthly benefit amount.

Any increase announced this month would take effect in January 2027 payments. Beneficiaries typically receive personalized notices from the government later in the year showing their updated benefit amounts.

The official Social Security COLA for 2026 was 2.8%. Current projections suggest the 2027 increase could exceed that amount if inflation data remains in line with recent forecasts.

Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist covering trending and breaking topics across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions for USA Today Network. Reach her at mfrancis@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Social security 2027 COLA announcement: How much will checks increase?