Social Security Benefits Have Lost 14% of Their Buying Power Since 2016. Will the 2027 COLA Reverse That Trend?

Social Security's buying power is declining in part because of how the government calculates COLAs.

The 2027 Social Security COLA is expected to be above average.

It still might not be enough to cover all your increased costs next year.

If you used to manage all right with just your Social Security checks and personal savings and now find yourself struggling, it's not all in your head. Social Security checks actually don't go as far as they used to. Recent research from The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) reveals that they buy 14% less today than they did 10 years ago.

Many hope that the 2027 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) might turn things around, but we don't know yet. But it might not change as much as you expect.

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The good news is that an above-average 2027 COLA is likely. Recent estimates suggest it will be around 3.8%, a full percentage point higher than the 2026 COLA and above average over the last 50 years.

But this amounts to only about a $79 boost for seniors claiming the $2,084 average monthly retirement benefit as of June 2026. It's possible this may not cover the rising costs you've faced so far this year.