For Polish retirees in the US and their families, one of the most important pieces of news in October concerns the annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. According to industry reports from organizations such as the Senior Citizens League and PSCA, the Social Security Administration will announce the official rate for 2027 on October 14. On the same day, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics schedule, the September CPI inflation report will be released.
How the adjustment is calculated
The adjustment is based on the CPI-W index, which is the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. As industry reports describe, readings from July, August, and September are averaged and compared to the average of the fourth quarter of the previous year. Therefore, the final figure will only be known after the September data is published. The current adjustment is 2.8 percent. The Social Security Administration states that the increase applies to benefits starting with December 2025, paid in January 2026, and affects both Social Security and SSI benefits (ssa.gov).
What is already known about inflation
According to the latest BLS report for August 2026, the CPI-W index rose by 3.5 percent over the past 12 months, reaching 328.481 (bls.gov). This is one of the factors that industry analysts take into account in their forecasts. According to reports in September US media editions, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates the adjustment at 3.4 percent, while AARP and the Senior Citizens League estimate it at 3.6 percent. These are estimates, not decisions. The actual rate may differ from them, especially since September data is still missing.
What to look out for after the announcement
Currently, the maximum Social Security contribution and benefit base for 2026 is $184,500 (ssa.gov); the amount for 2027 should be checked after the announcement is released. Separately, usually in the following weeks, Medicare publishes premiums for the next year. Therefore, a higher adjustment does not necessarily mean a correspondingly higher take-home payout if the Part B premium is deducted from the benefit. Contribution amounts for 2027 have not been announced yet, so there is no basis for calculation here.
How this will translate into your payout
The adjustment is applied as a percentage to your current benefit. For illustration: with a hypothetical 3.5 percent increase, a benefit of $1,000 per month would increase by $35, and a $2,000 benefit by $70. This is a simple calculation, not a prediction of a specific amount. The actual result depends on the official rate. Current data about your own benefit can be checked in your my Social Security account.
Why the Polish-American community should follow this
In Polish-American families, retirees, their adult children, and grandchildren often live together, and Social Security benefits are frequently an important part of the household budget. Therefore, when planning expenses for the next year, it is better to wait for the official announcement rather than relying on early media estimates. Caution is all the more justified because summer forecasts changed from month to month with successive inflation readings.
Individuals who are planning for retirement or applying for benefits should check their own calculations in their my Social Security account and consult a financial advisor or accountant if they have any doubts. This text is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice. We will update it as soon as the official announcement is released.
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