The Social Security COLA 2027 announcement is getting closer. The expected date is October 14, 2026. The current 2027 COLA estimate is 3.6%. That would beat the 2.8% increase for 2026. But the final number still depends on July, August and September CPI-W data. Derived from third-quarter inflation tracking by the Labor Department, this final figure establishes how much monthly benefit payments will rise starting this January. The upcoming announcement directly impacts over 70 million retirees and beneficiaries navigating persistent living costs nationwide.