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Your Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increases your gross benefit, but it does not tell you how much more you will have left to spend. Medicare premiums deducted from Social Security—and, for some people, income-related adjustments—can change the net increase. As of October 3, 2026, the 2027 COLA had not been announced. The latest official COLA was 2.8% for 2026.
What is official—and what is still an estimate
The Social Security Administration (SSA) said it would announce the next COLA in October 2026. Its latest completed determination was a 2.8% increase for 2026, which applied to benefits payable beginning in January 2026 and affected nearly 71 million beneficiaries. The 2027 COLA was still pending on October 3, 2026; do not treat any forecast as an announced increase. SSA’s COLA page and its 2026 COLA fact sheet provide the official figures.
Medicare figures have different statuses. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) set the 2026 standard Part B premium at $202.90 per month. The 2026 Medicare Trustees Report estimates a $209.50 monthly Part B premium for 2027, but that is a projection, not the final rate. CMS’s 2026 premium and deductible fact sheet gives the current official rate; the Trustees Report contains the 2027 estimate.
Why the COLA is not the same as your take-home increase
A COLA applies to your gross Social Security benefit. If your gross monthly benefit is $2,000, a 2.8% adjustment would equal $56 before deductions. That is an illustration of the calculation, not a forecast for 2027 or a statement of anyone’s actual payment.
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For someone whose standard Part B premium is deducted from Social Security, the premium change can offset part of the gross increase. The standard premium rose from $185.00 per month in 2025 to $202.90 in 2026—a $17.90 monthly increase. That figure is the change in the standard premium, not a universal deduction or a prediction of how much a 2027 COLA will be reduced. The 2026 Part B deductible is $283, up from $257 in 2025; a deductible affects covered services, not the monthly premium withheld from a benefit. CMS attributes the premium and deductible changes mainly to projected price changes and assumed utilization increases consistent with historical experience. CMS’s 2026 fact sheet
To estimate your own monthly change, start with the gross benefit increase, then subtract the change in the Medicare amount actually withheld from your payment and any other applicable deductions. You need your benefit amount, Medicare enrollment and actual premium to do that calculation; a standard premium alone cannot establish your net result.
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Who may pay more than the standard Part B premium
Some beneficiaries pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) in addition to the standard Part B premium, and IRMAA can also add a charge to Part D costs. SSA generally calculates IRMAA using the most recent tax information available, usually from two years earlier. For 2026 premiums, that generally means 2024 tax data. SSA defines modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) for this purpose as adjusted gross income plus tax-exempt interest. SSA’s Medicare premium guidance
For 2026, the usual IRMAA thresholds are income above $109,000 for individual filers and above $218,000 for married couples filing jointly. Married people filing separately have different rules, so use the official table rather than applying the individual or joint thresholds to that filing status. SSA’s 2026 premium table
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →At listed higher-income levels, SSA’s 2026 sliding-scale table shows monthly Part B premiums of $284.10, $405.80, $527.50, $649.20 or $689.90, depending on income and filing status. The separate Part D IRMAA is added to the premium charged by the beneficiary’s selected drug plan. These are 2026 amounts; check SSA’s table for the applicable premium year and your filing status. SSA’s 2026 premium table
What the hold-harmless rule does—and does not promise
The Medicare hold-harmless provision limits the dollar increase in Part B premiums to the dollar increase in an individual’s Social Security benefit for most beneficiaries whose benefits are subject to the provision. It can prevent the Part B premium increase from exceeding the benefit increase for those people; it does not guarantee that every beneficiary will keep the same share of a COLA or receive a particular net increase. The Trustees Report describes the rule as applying to “most beneficiaries,” not everyone. 2026 Medicare Trustees Report
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SSA policy says total Part B premiums can include the standard premium, a late-filing surcharge and IRMAA; a Medicare Advantage plan may reduce the premium in some cases. SSA also states that beneficiaries who pay IRMAA do not receive variable SMI premium protection. Because enrollment, income adjustments and other circumstances differ, the hold-harmless rule is not a reliable stand-in for checking your own withholding. SSA policy on Medicare premiums and hold-harmless
How to check what will actually be withheld
- Find your updated Social Security amount. Check your personal COLA notice or sign in to your my Social Security account. SSA says beneficiaries with Medicare can see their new benefit amount in December through the mailed notice and Message Center. The actual notice is more useful than applying a general COLA percentage to someone else’s benefit.
- Confirm your Medicare premium and deductions. Check whether Part B is being withheld and whether your amount includes IRMAA or another adjustment. For income-related amounts, use the SSA table for the relevant year and your filing status; the 2026 calculation generally uses 2024 tax data. SSA’s Medicare premium guidance
- If your income has fallen, check whether you can request review. SSA has a process for asking it to use updated information after certain life changes. Review SSA’s current Medicare premium instructions for the applicable process and requirements; the qualifying events and evidence depend on your circumstances.
- If Medicare costs are difficult to afford, check for assistance. Contact your state Medicaid or medical assistance agency about Medicare Savings Programs; states determine eligibility. You can also check whether you qualify for Part D Extra Help with prescription costs. SSA’s Extra Help information
What to watch for the 2027 calculation
Wait for the official 2027 COLA and final CMS premium before treating a projected number as your personal outcome. The Trustees’ $209.50 estimate can change, and even final nationwide rates do not determine one person’s net payment without that person’s Social Security amount, Medicare deductions and any applicable adjustments.
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