SOCIAL SECURITY · 2026 & SCENARIOS
Social Security COLA calculator
Apply a COLA to your gross benefit before Medicare deductions. The official 2026 increase is 2.8%; the adjustable 3.5% scenario is hypothetical, not an official 2027 rate or forecast.
Your benefit estimate
PIA sketch from average monthly earnings
2026 bend points for someone turning 62 in 2026: 90% of the first $1,286 of AIME, 32% to $7,749, 15% above. Source: SSA bend points. This is the initial primary insurance amount before later COLAs and claiming-age adjustments. It is not a substitute for an SSA statement.
SSA uses whole-dollar AIME. Any cents entered are rounded down before calculating the benefit.
How the 2026 Social Security COLA is calculated
The official 2026 cost-of-living adjustment is 2.8%, according to the SSA 2026 COLA fact sheet. Multiply your gross benefit before that increase by 0.028 to estimate the monthly increase, then add it to your previous benefit.
For example, a $2,000 monthly benefit before the 2026 increase rises by $56 to an estimated $2,056 before Medicare deductions. This is a percentage estimate; actual SSA award rounding and individual adjustments can differ.
Does COLA increase my Medicare deduction too?
The calculator applies COLA to the gross benefit, then subtracts the Medicare amount you enter. It does not forecast premiums or other deductions. Use your expected deduction after the increase.
The 2025 rate is 2.5% and the 2024 rate is 3.2%; see SSA COLA history. The adjustable scenario is hypothetical. Review the Social Security calculation scope.