Married Couples Could Get $117 More From Social Security in 2027 - But There’s a Catch

For people living on just Social Security, the upcoming 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, may be very welcome news. A 3.6% boost to Social Security checks could help many seniors more easily make ends meet in the new year, not to mention boost their buying power.

Married couples where both parties collect Social Security may benefit even more from a 3.6% COLA, since that raise gets applied to both sets of benefits. But it's important for couples collecting Social Security to understand the mechanics behind the upcoming raise, and to understand what potentially surprising financial implications it might have.

What a 3.6% COLA does for the typical married couple today

After months of speculation about the 2027 COLA, the Social Security Administration recently made its 2027 number official. Benefits will be getting a 3.6% increase. The average monthly retirement benefit will rise from $2,095 to $2,170 once that raise takes effect.

Meanwhile, the average married couple on Social Security should see their benefits rise from $3,238 to $3,355. That's a boost of about $117. However, that boost may not be split evenly.

COLAs apply to each Social Security benefit separately. So if one spouse collects a benefit that's considerably larger than the other, that higher benefit will get a bigger boost.

Be on the lookout for Medicare Part B increases

Now that you know what the official Social Security COLA is for 2027, you and your spouse can apply that figure to your current benefits to see what sort of increase to expect. But do keep in mind that if you're both enrolled in Medicare, you'll have to factor in an increase in the cost of Part B.

Seniors who are signed up for both Social Security and Medicare pay Part B premiums out of their benefits automatically. So any increase in the cost of Part B next year will reduce your COLA on a dollar basis.

In 2026, the cost of Part B rose by $17.90 per month compared to 2025. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has not announced 2027's standard Part B premium yet. If it follows last year's timeline, that news should arrive in mid-November.

Be mindful of the income thresholds that trigger taxes on Social Security

If both you and your spouse are going to see your Social Security checks increase a lot in 2027, another thing to be mindful of is what your provisional income looks like. Provisional income determines whether you owe taxes on your Social Security benefits or not. It's calculated as the sum of your adjusted gross income, tax-exempt interest income, and 50% of your annual Social Security benefits.

If you're married filing jointly and your provisional income falls between $32,000 and $44,000 after accounting for your upcoming COLA, you could be subject to taxes on up to 50% of your Social Security benefits. If your provisional income as a married couple exceeds $44,000, you could face taxes on up to 85% of your Social Security benefits.

Beware the potential for Medicare surcharges

Another thing to keep in mind about a large Social Security COLA is that it could cost you more in Medicare outside of an increase in the program's standard Part B premium. Higher earners can face surcharges on their Part B and Part D premiums known as income-related monthly adjustment amounts, or IRMAAs.

Like provisional income, IRMAAs are based on joint income. So if both you and your spouse get a large boost to your Social Security checks in 2027, it could potentially push you toward higher Medicare costs in the future. IRMAAs are based on income from two years prior, so if your 2027 income triggers IRMAAs, the surcharges wouldn't apply until 2029, buying you a little bit of time to prepare.

Bottom line

Your Social Security benefits may be necessary to cover your expenses and meet your retirement goals. And a 3.6% COLA should hopefully make it easier to pay your bills and have more breathing room.

But it's important to understand how a 3.6% COLA might play out if you're married and are collecting two sets of Social Security benefits. Once an official Part B premium for 2027 is announced by Medicare, you should have a better idea of how much of a raise your COLA will result in. You may want to plan to check your Social Security accounts in November to see what your upcoming checks will look like individually and jointly.

Remember, too, that if one of you is a much higher earner than the other, if the higher earner passes away first, the lower-earning spouse is typically eligible for survivor benefits from Social Security. Those benefits equal 100% of the higher earner's check. A generous 2027 COLA boosts that benefit, so don't just think of the upcoming 3.6% raise as a bonus for the new year. Think of it as more long-term financial protection.

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