Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. <\/p>\n
Social Security recipients could see a smaller cost-of-living adjustment in 2027 after U.S. inflation cooled in July. The Senior Citizens League now expects a 3.6% increase, while AARP projects a 3.5% adjustment. <\/p>\n
The Consumer Price Index rose 3.4% year over year in July, down from 3.5% in June, while core inflation eased to 2.5% from 2.6%. <\/p>\n
COLA Estimates Fall <\/p>\n
The Senior Citizens League lowered its 2027 COLA forecast to 3.6% from 3.8% a month earlier, while AARP lowered its estimate to 3.5% from 3.6%. Both groups released their updated estimates on Wednesday. <\/p>\n
Don’t Miss: <\/p>\n
The Senior Citizens League based its estimate on July’s Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or CPI-W, which rose 3.4% year over year. The group expects a 3.6% increase to be the highest COLA in four years. <\/p>\n
AARP’s 3.5% estimate is based on current inflation data, including CPI-W data and Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland projections for August and September. AARP said the forecast could change as inflation trends develop. <\/p>\n
The COLA is calculated using the CPI-W, which tracks the spending patterns of working households. However, the measure may not fully reflect expenses faced by older Americans, particularly housing and medical costs. <\/p>\n
Inflation Data Draws Mixed Views <\/p>\n
July’s inflation data drew different interpretations from economists. Former Federal Reserve economist Claudia Sahm said the data continued to support the view that inflation is moving in the right direction, while economist Peter Schiff called the report “misleading.” <\/p>\n
Shelter was the biggest contributor to the monthly increase in consumer prices, while the energy index fell 1.5% and gasoline prices declined 2.9%. Food prices rose 0.1%, while airline fares increased 2.2% and medical care costs rose 0.4%. <\/p>\n
Trending: Avoid the #1 Investing Mistake: How Your ‘Safe’ Holdings Could Be Costing You Big Time<\/a> <\/p>\n Official COLA Coming In October <\/p>\n The official 2027 COLA has not been determined. The Social Security Administration will announce the adjustment on Oct. 14 after September inflation data is released. <\/p>\n The government calculates the COLA using the average yearly change in CPI-W for July, August and September. The adjustment will take effect with Social Security payments received in January 2027. <\/p>\n Story Continues <\/p>\n For the average retired worker, AARP estimates that a 3.5% COLA would add about $73 to the monthly benefit. The Senior Citizens League estimates a 3.6% increase would raise its average benefit figure by $69.75. <\/p>\n “Seniors don’t experience inflation as a percentage on a chart. They experience it at the grocery store, at the pharmacy, in their insurance premiums and when they pay the rent,” Senior Citizens League Executive Director Shannon Benton said. <\/p>\n Photo courtesy: Shutterstock\/ zimmytws <\/p>\n Read Next:\u00a0 <\/p>\n Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market <\/p>\n Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry. <\/p>\n Arrived <\/p>\n Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100<\/a>. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly. <\/p>\n Realberry <\/p>\n Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities <\/a>backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U.S. states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests. <\/p>\n FarmTogether <\/p>\n Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000<\/a> \u2014 fully managed, with no landlord headaches. <\/p>\n Fundrise <\/p>\n Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate<\/a> and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth. <\/p>\n Mode Mobile <\/p>\n Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day.<\/a> Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.\u00a0 <\/p>\n EquityMultiple\u00a0 <\/p>\n For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000<\/a>,<\/a> with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process. <\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. 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