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As of October 4, 2026, the 2027 COLA amount and 2027 Medicare premium and IRMAA figures are not established in the official sources cited here. Under Social Security’s general two-year tax lookback rule, 2025 income is the expected ordinary basis for a 2027 IRMAA determination—but the individual notice, not that inference, tells you which data SSA used.
Why two notices can affect the same Social Security payment
The COLA and IRMAA can both show up in the amount you receive, but they are not two parts of one calculation. The COLA adjusts your benefit. IRMAA is an income-related addition to Medicare Part B and Part D premiums. If Medicare premiums are deducted from your Social Security payment, an IRMAA charge can offset some or all of the increase in your deposit.
| Notice or calculation | Purpose and basis | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| COLA | Social Security adjusts benefits using the CPI-W, an inflation measure. The adjustment affects the underlying primary insurance amount; claiming-age factors, offsets, and rounding also affect the final benefit calculation. Social Security Administration (SSA) | Your new gross benefit and the effective month. |
| IRMAA | SSA determines income-related additions to Medicare Part B and Part D premiums using modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) and filing status from tax data for a prior year. SSA defines MAGI for this purpose as adjusted gross income plus tax-exempt interest. SSA Medicare premiums | The tax year, income, filing status, premium charges, and any appeal or reconsideration rights shown in your notice. |
What is known about the 2027 raise and Medicare charges
SSA’s last confirmed COLA cited here is the 2.8% adjustment for 2026, announced October 24, 2025. Benefits began reflecting it in January 2026. It is not the 2027 increase. SSA says the next COLA will be announced in October 2026; as of October 4, 2026, the official material cited here does not state its amount. SSA 2026 COLA fact sheet SSA COLA page
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe same caution applies to Medicare figures: SSA’s published standard Part B premium for 2026 is $202.90, but that is not a 2027 premium. The 2026 IRMAA thresholds and premiums likewise should not be treated as 2027 amounts. SSA Medicare premiums
Why Medicare may be using your 2025 income
SSA generally uses the most recent tax information it can obtain from the IRS, usually from two years before the premium year; in some cases it may use data from three years before. Applying that general rule to 2027 points to a 2025 return. That is a rule-based expectation, not confirmation of what a particular 2027 notice will use. Check the tax year and filing status printed on your notice and compare them with the relevant return and IRS records. SSA Medicare premiums
MAGI for IRMAA is not simply a paycheck or take-home income. SSA defines it as adjusted gross income plus tax-exempt interest. The applicable threshold and charge depend on MAGI and filing status; the 2027 thresholds and amounts are not supplied by the 2026 figures.
Why your deposit may not rise by the COLA percentage
The announced COLA does not necessarily translate into the same percentage increase in your net deposit. The adjustment is applied to the underlying benefit amount, while the benefit actually payable reflects such factors as when you claimed, applicable offsets, and rounding. Medicare premium deductions—including any IRMAA—can further change the amount deposited.
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Can you get IRMAA lowered after income falls?
It may be possible if a qualifying life event reduced your income. A lower current income by itself does not automatically change an IRMAA determination based on an earlier tax return. SSA allows beneficiaries to request a new determination in certain circumstances, including a work reduction or stoppage, marriage, divorce, death of a spouse, loss of income-producing property, loss of pension income, or an employer settlement payment. Form SSA-44 and instructions
- Review the determination notice. Confirm the tax year and income figures SSA used, your filing status, the Part B or Part D charges, and the deadline and instructions for challenging the decision.
- Check whether a qualifying event applies. Identify the event and how it changed your income; a general decline in income without a qualifying circumstance may not support this request.
- Use Form SSA-44 if appropriate. Follow the current form’s instructions for the event, estimated or actual income, and required supporting evidence. Submit it through the route specified by SSA or your notice.
- Keep copies and follow up. Retain the form, evidence, and submission confirmation. The notice or SSA can explain how to check the status of a request.
What if the tax information is wrong?
If the IRS data SSA used is inaccurate, or the notice has the wrong filing status or other information, read the notice’s instructions promptly. The correct route depends on what is wrong and whether you are asking SSA to make a new initial determination or formally appealing an existing determination. SSA’s appeal process can include reconsideration, a hearing before an administrative law judge, review by the Medicare Appeals Council, and federal court action. Your notice gives the applicable appeal rights and directions. SSA appeals process
Quick Recap
How to read the notices without mixing them up
- For the COLA notice, look for the new gross benefit and when it takes effect. The 2.8% figure confirmed by SSA applies to 2026, not 2027.
- For the Medicare notice, look for the tax year, MAGI, filing status, Part B and Part D charges, and instructions for a new determination or appeal.
- If your deposit changed, distinguish the gross benefit from Medicare deductions before concluding that either notice is wrong.
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