# Social Security COLA 2027 Holds Up?

> Social Security's 2027 3.6% COLA may not hold up against inflation after history shows benefits lose value.
- Title: Social Security COLA 2027 Holds Up? · The Motley Fool
- Summary: Social Security's 2027 3.6% COLA may not hold up against inflation after history shows benefits lose value. Social Security's 2027 3.6% COLA likely fails to…
- Keywords: social security, colas, purchasing power, senior citizens league, consumer price index, cpi-w, cpi-elderly, finance, money, Social, Security, COLA
- Source: The Motley Fool — https://fool.com/retirement/2026/10/23/will-social-security-s-3-6-2027-cola-hold-up-here-s-what-history-says
- Author: Maurie Backman
- Published: 2026-10-23T17:21:02+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: social security, colas, purchasing power, senior citizens league, consumer price index, cpi-w, cpi-elderly, finance, money
## 2027 Social Security COLA
Social Security benefits will get a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment in 2027.
## Historical COLA Shortfall
Social Security benefits have lost 13.7% of purchasing power since 2016 due to insufficient COLAs.
## Why COLAs Fail
Social Security COLAs use CPI-W, which doesn't reflect seniors' healthcare costs that rise faster than inflation.
## What to Expect
Seniors may need to return to work, relocate, or adjust finances if their 2027 COLA doesn't hold up.
## Key takeaway

Social Security's 2027 3.6% COLA likely fails to keep up with inflation as historical data shows benefits lose 13.7% purchasing power since 2016.