When Will the Official 2027 Social Security COLA Be Announced?
- Author: Alicia Cole
- Posted: 2026-07-28
If you receive Social Security, you might already be wondering how much your monthly payments will go up in 2027.
While early forecasts suggest recipients could see a bigger raise than in 2026, the official Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) has not been announced yet.
Here is everything you need to know about when the 2027 increase will be officially announced and how it works.
When Is the Official Announcement?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is expected to announce the official 2027 COLA in mid-October 2026.The government cannot set the final percentage sooner because it must wait for the Bureau of Labor Statistics to release inflation data for September.
How Is the COLA Calculated?
The annual adjustment is designed to help benefits keep up with rising prices for everyday items like food, housing, and healthcare.
To determine the percentage, the SSA looks at inflation data—specifically the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)—during the third quarter of the year (July, August, and September).
It then compares those prices to the same three months from the previous year.
Because those three months of data are not complete yet, any percentage you see online right now is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
When Do the New Payment Amounts Take Effect?
Once the official figure is revealed in October 2026, the higher payments will start on the following schedule:
- Social Security Retirement & Disability: Benefits reflecting the new increase will begin in January 2027.
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI): Increases begin with the December 31, 2026 payment (since SSI is paid on the first of the month).
What Should Beneficiaries Keep in Mind?
- Projections will change: Advocacy groups like The Senior Citizens League publish monthly estimates, but those numbers fluctuate as new inflation reports come out each month.
- Wait for official word: Financial experts advise against planning your budget around early estimates. The exact raise won't be locked in until the SSA makes its official announcement in October.
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Check out: Social Security Payments in July 2026: When Will You Get Yours?
