Key Points
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The next Consumer Price Index report will go out on June 10, 2026.
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This will give us some insight into what inflation is doing and where the 2027 COLA may end up.
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The Social Security Administration will officially announce the 2027 COLA in mid-October.
With everything from gas to groceries getting more expensive these days, your 2027 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) probably can’t come soon enough. We’ve still got more than six months until then, but that hasn’t stopped people from trying to predict where the COLA will end up.
A new Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, set for release on June 10, 2026, will shed some new light on inflation trends, and that’ll give us a few more clues about what the 2027 COLA might be. Here’s a closer look at what to watch for.
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What the next CPI report will and won’t tell us
The next CPI report will provide details on inflation in May 2026. It’ll tell us the overall inflation rate over the last 12 months and give a breakdown of inflation rates across various spending categories, like food and energy.
In the April report, energy prices were the key driver behind inflation, and that will likely continue into May. But we may see this trickle into other areas as well. For example, if the cost of shipping groceries to stores increases, food prices may also tick upward.
Nothing in this report will technically influence the 2027 Social Security COLA, because the COLA is based on average third-quarter inflation data — that is, data from July, August, and September. But the May report will give us some insight into whether inflation is rising, holding steady, or falling.
If the next CPI report shows inflation has risen above the 3.8% reported in April, we’re likely to see the 2027 COLA projections increase. If the inflation rate holds steady or falls, COLA estimates may follow suit.
What to expect as the 2027 Social Security COLA approaches
The latest Social Security COLA estimate is 3.9%, according to The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), a nonpartisan senior group. Expect this number to be somewhat flexible, at least until the July CPI data comes in. At that point, we’ll be dealing with numbers that will actually influence the 2027 COLA, which tends to make projections more accurate.
The Social Security Administration will officially announce the 2027 COLA on Oct. 14, 2026. This is when the September CPI report comes out. At that point, you’ll be able to estimate how much your benefits will be next year by adding the COLA percentage to your current checks.
You’ll also get a personalized COLA notice from the Social Security Administration in December. This should tell you exactly how much you’ll get in 2027, so you can start planning your budget for next year.
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