How the NYSTRS COLA works
The NYSTRS COLA equals 50% of the increase in the Consumer Price Index for the year ending March 31, rounded up to the next 0.1%, with a floor of 1% and a ceiling of 3%. It applies to the first $18,000 of your maximum retirement benefit and is paid each September. You are eligible at age 62 after five years of retirement, or at 55 after ten years, or after five years of disability retirement.
What to expect in 2027
The September 2027 COLA will be half of the CPI increase for the year ending March 31, 2027, between 1% and 3%.
What a COLA is worth over time
On a $3,000 monthly pension, a 2% simple increase adds $60 a month every year, so after 20 years the check is $4,200. A 2% compounded increase reaches about $4,460. A plan with no automatic increase stays at $3,000 unless lawmakers act, and at 3% inflation that check buys about 45% less after 20 years. Our COLA guide compares how other plans handle it.