August CPI-W Due Sept. 11 to Shape 2027 Social Security COLA Near 3.4%-3.6%
Updated
Updated · The Motley Fool · Sep 6
August CPI-W Due Sept. 11 to Shape 2027 Social Security COLA Near 3.4%-3.6%
3 articles · Updated · The Motley Fool · Sep 6
Summary
Sept. 11 brings the August CPI-W reading, the next key data point for estimating Social Security’s 2027 cost-of-living adjustment before the official mid-October announcement.
Third-quarter CPI-W data determines the COLA, and with only July reported so far, the August figure will either shift or reinforce current forecasts.
3.6% is the Senior Citizens League’s current estimate, while independent analyst Mary Johnson projects a 3.4% increase for 2027 benefits.
Higher COLAs usually reflect higher inflation, meaning a bigger benefit increase may still be offset by rising costs for groceries, gas and other essentials.
For retirees under financial strain, the adjustment may offer limited relief, leaving expense cuts or a few hundred dollars a month in part-time income as more meaningful support.
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