About the Social Security COLA Calculator
This Social Security COLA calculator shows what your monthly benefit becomes after the annual cost-of-living adjustment and how much actually lands in your bank account once the Medicare Part B premium is deducted. It also projects your benefit forward using an assumed future COLA.
The defaults use the 2.8% COLA that took effect with benefits paid in January 2026 and the standard Part B premium, which rose from $185.00 in 2025 to $202.90 in 2026. Because the premium rose more than many people’s COLA in dollars, it is common for the net deposit to grow by less than the headline percentage — this calculator shows that gap. The COLA for 2027 is announced each October from third-quarter inflation data; when it is published, simply type it in.
Social Security rounds the adjusted benefit down to the next lower dime, and the amount actually paid after deductions down to the whole dollar. This tool applies those rules to the benefit amount you enter; SSA applies the COLA to your unrounded primary insurance amount, so your letter can differ by a few cents. Higher earners paying an income-related Part B surcharge (IRMAA) or a Part D surcharge should enter their own premium.
With the default inputs, the new monthly benefit (before deductions) is $2,056.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the social security cola calculator
- 1Enter your current monthly benefit before Medicare and other deductions.
- 2Keep the 2.8% COLA or enter the newly announced percentage.
- 3Leave Part B on if your premium is deducted from your check, and adjust the premiums if you pay IRMAA.
- 4Set an assumed future COLA to project your benefit forward.
- 5Compare the gross increase with the change in your net deposit.
Formula and method
The COLA is a percentage increase equal to the rise in the CPI-W from the third quarter of the previous year to the third quarter of the current year. The calculator multiplies your current benefit by (1 + COLA) and truncates to the dime, mirroring how SSA rounds benefit amounts.
The net deposit subtracts the Medicare Part B premium (if you choose) and truncates to the whole dollar, which is how SSA pays benefits. The projection repeats the COLA step each year at the assumed future rate; actual future COLAs depend on inflation and are announced each October.
- COLA
- Cost-of-living adjustment percentage (2.8% for 2026)
- Part B premium
- Monthly Medicare Part B premium deducted from benefits ($202.90 standard in 2026)
Worked examples
$2,000 benefit with the 2026 COLA
A 2.8% COLA raises $2,000 to $2,056.00. After the Part B premium, the deposit goes from $1,815 ($2,000 − $185.00) to $1,853 ($2,056 − $202.90, rounded down), so the take-home increase is $38 rather than $56.
$1,543.70 benefit, no Medicare deduction
$1,543.70 × 1.028 = $1,586.92, which rounds down to $1,586.90. With no premium deducted the payment is rounded down to $1,586.
Higher benefit with a 3% COLA and 5-year projection
A 3% COLA lifts $3,200 to $3,296, or $1,152 more a year. Five more years at 2.5% (rounded down to the dime each year) takes the benefit to about $3,729 a month.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Social Security COLA for 2026?+
The cost-of-living adjustment for 2026 is 2.8%, applied to benefits payable for December 2025 and received starting in January 2026. SSI payments increased by the same percentage from December 31, 2025.
When is the 2027 COLA announced?+
SSA announces the next COLA in October, after the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes September CPI-W data. The 2027 COLA will apply to benefits paid from January 2027; enter it here as soon as it is released.
Why did my check go up by less than the COLA?+
Medicare Part B premiums are usually deducted from Social Security. In 2026 the standard premium rose from $185.00 to $202.90, which absorbs part of the COLA. IRMAA surcharges, Part D premiums and tax withholding can reduce the net increase further.
How is the COLA calculated?+
The COLA equals the percentage increase in the average Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for July–September compared with the same quarter of the previous year in which a COLA was paid. If there is no increase, there is no COLA.
Does the COLA apply to everyone?+
Yes. Retirement, survivor, disability and SSI benefits all receive the COLA. If you are 62 or older but haven’t claimed yet, COLAs still apply to your benefit calculation from the year you turn 62.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Rates, fees and terms vary — confirm with your lender or a licensed advisor before making decisions.