Social Security COLA for 2025 May Be 2.7%

The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security recipients in 2025 is projected to be among the lowest in recent years due to cooling inflation. Estimates from The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) and other analysts suggest the COLA will be between 2.63% and 2.7%, significantly lower than the 3.2% adjustment in 2024 and much lower than the 8.7% in 2023. This reduction is attributed to a slowdown in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which guides the COLA calculation. Despite this, high costs for essential items like food and housing continue to strain seniors, with many reporting that previous COLA increases have not kept pace with their expenses. Official COLA figures will be announced in October, but the current forecasts indicate limited financial relief for Social Security beneficiaries.