A larger Social Security increase may be waiting for beneficiaries in 2027. Current forecasts put the next cost-of-living adjustment at 3.5% to 3.6%, which would be higher than the 2.8% increase that took effect this year. The difference is less dramatic than it sounds, but it can still change the amount arriving in a retiree’s monthly bank account. For people living mostly on fixed income, even a modest change can affect how far that check stretches.
The estimate is not final yet. September inflation data still have to be added to the calculation, and that last month can change the forecast. That leaves retirees with a fairly clear range to watch, but not an exact number to put into a 2027 budget.
