SOCIAL SECURITY UPDATE
Social Security COLA 2027: Announcement Date and Timeline
The official 2027 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment has not been announced. The key date to watch is October 14, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases September inflation data.
How the COLA is calculated
Federal law uses the average CPI-W inflation measure for July through September. SSA compares that average with the same three months a year earlier. If the measure is higher, benefits can increase. This is why one monthly inflation report does not set the final COLA.
What we know now
SSA says the 2026 COLA was 2.8%. That does not predict the 2027 number. Unofficial estimates often appear after each CPI report, but SSA is the only source for the official 2027 figure.
When payments change
After SSA announces the official number, Social Security benefit amounts generally begin in January. SSA’s published 2026 calendar shows that SSI increases began at the end of the prior December. Confirm the 2027 payment date in the SSA notice when it is released.
This page will be updated the day SSA announces the official number.
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