Social Security’s annual cost-of-living adjustment is coming soon. Here are the states where the biggest hike in years could have the most impact

This year’s inflation uptick will result in the biggest hike in Social Security benefits since 2023, according to estimates, with the official number due next month.

The annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is based on a subset of the consumer price index, known as the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. By extrapolating from recent months’ data and projecting where the September print will land when it comes out on Oct. 14, advocacy groups already have a good idea of what to expect.

For instance, the Senior Citizens League estimated the COLA for 2027 will be 3.5%, while the AARP projected a 3.6% hike. Either way, that represents a significant upgrade over 2026’s COLA of 2.8% and the most since 2023’s massive 8.7% jump, when post-COVID inflation and supply shocks collided with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine that spiked energy prices.

This time, it’s a different conflict driving oil prices up: President Donald Trump’s war on Iran. As a result, Mideast fighting, coupled with Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries, have sent fuel prices even higher. The price of diesel in the U.S. has topped $6.50 a gallon, rippling through........

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