Inflation calculator with official BLS CPI 1913 to the latest month, raise vs inflation, SS COLA.
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Adjusts a dollar amount for inflation between any two periods from 1913 to the latest month the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has published, using the official CPI-U (or CPI-W or core CPI). Checks the BLS Public Data API live for months newer than its bundled data (bundled through September 2026, fetched 2026-11-03), so it knows CPI figures newer than a model's training data. Handles the October 2025 gap: BLS published no October 2025 CPI because of the 2025 lapse in appropriations. Returns the adjusted amount, cumulative and average annual inflation, and the exact index values used.
Starting period, e.g. "1995" or "2020-01": "YYYY" for the annual average, "YYYY-MM" for one month, or "latest".
Dollar amount in the 'from' period.
Ending period, default "latest": "YYYY" for the annual average, "YYYY-MM" for one month, or "latest".
cpi_u (default, the headline CPI), cpi_w (wage earners, used for Social Security COLAs) or core (CPI-U less food and energy).
Pick your client. Values in capitals, like YOUR_TOKEN, are yours to fill in.
claude mcp add --transport http cpi-inflation-calculator-mcp https://cpi-inflation-calculator-mcp.lipmichal.workers.dev/mcp
Adjusts a dollar amount for inflation between any two periods from 1913 to the latest month the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has published, using the official CPI-U (or CPI-W or core CPI). Checks the BLS Public Data API live for months newer than its bundled data (bundled through September 2026, fetched 2026-11-03), so it knows CPI figures newer than a model's training data. Handles the October 2025 gap: BLS published no October 2025 CPI because of the 2025 lapse in appropriations. Returns the adjusted amount, cumulative and average annual inflation, and the exact index values used.
| Argument | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| to | string | Ending period, default "latest": "YYYY" for the annual average, "YYYY-MM" for one month, or "latest". |
| from* | string | Starting period, e.g. "1995" or "2020-01": "YYYY" for the annual average, "YYYY-MM" for one month, or "latest". |
| amount* | number | Dollar amount in the 'from' period. |
| series | string | cpi_u (default, the headline CPI), cpi_w (wage earners, used for Social Security COLAs) or core (CPI-U less food and energy). |
{
"type": "object",
"$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
"required": [
"amount",
"from"
],
"properties": {
"to": {
"type": "string",
"maxLength": 10,
"minLength": 4,
"description": "Ending period, default \"latest\": \"YYYY\" for the annual average, \"YYYY-MM\" for one month, or \"latest\"."
},
"from": {
"type": "string",
"maxLength": 10,
"minLength": 4,
"description": "Starting period, e.g. \"1995\" or \"2020-01\": \"YYYY\" for the annual average, \"YYYY-MM\" for one month, or \"latest\"."
},
"amount": {
"type": "number",
"maximum": 10000000000000,
"minimum": 0,
"description": "Dollar amount in the 'from' period."
},
"series": {
"enum": [
"cpi_u",
"cpi_w",
"core"
],
"type": "string",
"description": "cpi_u (default, the headline CPI), cpi_w (wage earners, used for Social Security COLAs) or core (CPI-U less food and energy)."
}
},
"additionalProperties": false
}Computes the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for a year with the statutory formula: average CPI-W for July-September of the prior year over the same quarter a year earlier, rounded to 0.1%. Uses official BLS CPI-W values (live check). Reproduces the 3.6% COLA for 2027 that SSA announced in October 2026, and shows the Q3 index values behind it. Covers 1976 onward.
| Argument | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| cola_year* | integer | Year the COLA is paid, e.g. 2027 (measured on Q3 2026 CPI-W). |
{
"type": "object",
"$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
"required": [
"cola_year"
],
"properties": {
"cola_year": {
"type": "integer",
"maximum": 2100,
"minimum": 1976,
"description": "Year the COLA is paid, e.g. 2027 (measured on Q3 2026 CPI-W)."
}
},
"additionalProperties": false
}Compares a pay change with CPI inflation over the same period using official BLS data through the latest published month (checked live). Returns the nominal raise, inflation, the real (inflation-adjusted) raise, the pay needed to keep pace, and the gain or shortfall. Works for salaries, hourly wages, rents or any recurring amount.
| Argument | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| to | string | When to measure, default "latest": "YYYY" for the annual average, "YYYY-MM" for one month, or "latest". |
| from* | string | When the old pay started, e.g. "2024-01": "YYYY" for the annual average, "YYYY-MM" for one month, or "latest". |
| series | string | cpi_u (default, the headline CPI), cpi_w (wage earners, used for Social Security COLAs) or core (CPI-U less food and energy). |
| new_pay* | number | Pay after the change, same unit. |
| old_pay* | number | Pay before the change (annual salary or hourly rate). |
{
"type": "object",
"$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
"required": [
"old_pay",
"new_pay",
"from"
],
"properties": {
"to": {
"type": "string",
"maxLength": 10,
"minLength": 4,
"description": "When to measure, default \"latest\": \"YYYY\" for the annual average, \"YYYY-MM\" for one month, or \"latest\"."
},
"from": {
"type": "string",
"maxLength": 10,
"minLength": 4,
"description": "When the old pay started, e.g. \"2024-01\": \"YYYY\" for the annual average, \"YYYY-MM\" for one month, or \"latest\"."
},
"series": {
"enum": [
"cpi_u",
"cpi_w",
"core"
],
"type": "string",
"description": "cpi_u (default, the headline CPI), cpi_w (wage earners, used for Social Security COLAs) or core (CPI-U less food and energy)."
},
"new_pay": {
"type": "number",
"maximum": 10000000000,
"minimum": 0,
"description": "Pay after the change, same unit."
},
"old_pay": {
"type": "number",
"maximum": 10000000000,
"description": "Pay before the change (annual salary or hourly rate).",
"exclusiveMinimum": 0
}
},
"additionalProperties": false
}Returns the official U.S. inflation rate for a calendar year from BLS CPI data: annual-average change (BLS annual averages, including the 2025 average published despite the missing October 2025 index), December-to-December change, and for the current year the latest 12-month rate. Years 1914 to the present for CPI-U and CPI-W, 1958 onward for core CPI.
| Argument | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| year* | integer | Calendar year, e.g. 2025. |
| series | string | cpi_u (default, the headline CPI), cpi_w (wage earners, used for Social Security COLAs) or core (CPI-U less food and energy). |
{
"type": "object",
"$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
"required": [
"year"
],
"properties": {
"year": {
"type": "integer",
"maximum": 2100,
"minimum": 1914,
"description": "Calendar year, e.g. 2025."
},
"series": {
"enum": [
"cpi_u",
"cpi_w",
"core"
],
"type": "string",
"description": "cpi_u (default, the headline CPI), cpi_w (wage earners, used for Social Security COLAs) or core (CPI-U less food and energy)."
}
},
"additionalProperties": false
}Returns the most recent CPI index values published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, checked live against the BLS Public Data API: the latest month, the 12-month inflation rate for headline CPI-U, CPI-W and core CPI (less food and energy), the not seasonally adjusted 1-month change, and the year-to-date change. Use it to answer 'what is inflation right now'. If the live check fails it says so and falls back to bundled BLS data (through September 2026).
No arguments.
{
"type": "object",
"$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
"properties": {}
}We read every tool's name, description and inputs the way the model will, looking for instructions hidden from you. A clean result means no warning signs, not a guarantee. Scanned Nov 3, 2026.