2027 Social Security COLA Announced at 3.6%, Impacting Spousal Benefits
The Social Security Administration announced on October 14, 2026, that the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will be 3.6%. This is a significant increase and marks the highest COLA since 2023's 8.7% boost. The adjustment aims to offset inflation by increasing Social Security benefits for retirees and those receiving spousal benefits. Spousal beneficiaries, who can receive up to half of their spouse’s primary insurance amount (PIA), will also see a proportional increase due to the COLA. For example, if a spouse receives $2,000 per month in 2026, they would get an additional $72 by 2027 under this adjustment, and spousal benefits would rise accordingly from $1,000 to $1,036. The COLA is calculated using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners (CPI-W), with a year-over-year increase of 3.62% in third-quarter CPI-W data leading directly to this adjustment.
Topics: COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) Social Security spousal benefits