Retirement Social Security

If Your Social Security Check Is $1,600, Here’s How Much More You’ll Get in 2026

Take a look at what a 2.8% COLA does to a $1,600 check.

By Katy Willis

Edited by Amanda Machado

Updated Dec. 22, 2025

If you rely on Social Security for some or all of your income, you know how tight it can get. One unexpected expense, and you're juggling, trying to figure out what you can cut or delay this month to take care of the surprise cost. And if your check is only $1,600 a month, you're probably frequently trying to figure out how far your benefit will stretch.

Starting in January, your gross benefit should increase with the cost-of-living adjustment. However, your net deposit could be impacted by increased Medicare costs or voluntary tax withholdings. Here's what's changing in 2026.

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What a 2.8% COLA does to a $1,600 check

The 2026 COLA is based on inflation data from the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), and is set at 2.8%. We take $1,600 and multiply it by 0.028 to get the gross increase, which is $44.80. That takes your check to $1,644.80 before deductions.

You can find your own exact benefit amount, including the actual net deposit you'll receive after deductions, in your "my Social Security" account. It's a smart idea to sign up as soon as possible and view your COLA notice so you know how much to expect in your 2026 deposits.

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What your 2026 Social Security income looks like for the full year

In 2025, a $1,600 gross benefit would've been $19,200 for the year.

With the 2.8% COLA, your new gross monthly amount of $1,644.80 becomes a gross annual total of $19.737.60 for 2026. That's an annual increase of $537.60.

Just remember that these are example figures based on a $1,600 check, and that's before deductions.

How does this compare to the average retired worker's benefit?

A $1,600 check is pretty common, but it is considerably below the estimated average for retired workers. Someone at this benefit level may have filed early or have a comparatively low 35-year earnings record.

In 2025, the average retired worker's benefit was around $2,015. In 2026, with the COLA, that's increasing to $2,071. That's an increase of $56.

Yes, the average retiree is getting a bigger dollar bump than someone getting $1,600. That's because the COLA is applied to the base benefit. Therefore, the bigger the base benefit, the bigger the dollar increase the COLA provides.

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Medicare premiums can make your net benefit smaller

If you're enrolled in Medicare and your Part B premium is taken out of your Social Security check, you need to be aware of this change.

For 2026, the standard monthly Medicare Part B premium is $202.90, rising almost $18 from 2025's $185. The part B deductible is also rising to $283. That roughly $18 increase consumes a significant chunk of your COLA raise. In fact, if you factor in that $18 extra deduction, your COLA increase drops from $44.80 to $26.90.

Also, not everyone pays the standard Part B premium. Some people pay more because of income-based adjustments (IRMAA). Some pay less due to the "hold harmless" rule that can limit premium increases for certain beneficiaries when the premium hike would otherwise eat up the COLA.

If you're claiming and working, remember the earnings test

If you're claiming and working before full retirement age (FRA), the earnings test can temporarily reduce a $1,600 check even further. In 2026, if you'll be under FRA all year, Social Security will automatically start withholding $1 from your check for every $2 that you earn above $24,480.

If 2026 is the year you'll reach FRA, then withholding won't start until you reach $65,160. At which point, you'll get $1 held from your check for every $3 that you earn. At the start of the month you reach full retirement age, the withholding stops.

How to find your exact 2026 deposit amount before January

Your exact deposit depends on your earnings record and any deductions, like Medicare or voluntary tax withholding. The fastest way for you to confirm your real numbers is to set up or log into your "my Social Security" account.

You'll find your COLA notice in the Message Center. You can see your gross benefit amount, all the monthly deductions, and the net deposit. It's the net amount you want to see, as that's the figure that actually lands in your bank account and is what you should base your 2026 retirement planning budget around.

Bottom line

A $1,600 Social Security check is below the typical average. However, it still gets the same 2.8% COLA applied. That gets you an extra $44.80 per month before deductions.

If you want to find out whether you'll be getting more or less than this amount, use your "my Social Security" account. You can check your earnings history, your total benefit, and, if you haven't claimed yet, you can use the calculators to see how much you'll receive in benefits at different claiming ages. This helps you plan your retirement more effectively.

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