2026 Social Security Changes: EDU #2546

The Retirement and IRA Show

Jim Saulnier, CFP® & Chris Stein, CFP®

Business, Investing

4.3 • 730 Ratings

🗓️ 12 November 2025

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Chris’s Summary
With Jim away this week, I review the 2026 Social Security changes from the recently released SSA Fact Sheet covering the 2.8% COLA, the new taxable maximum, quarters-of-coverage earnings, and earnings test limits. I also walk through projected Medicare Part B premiums and the deductible, explain the hold harmless provision, and outline 2026 IRMAA brackets for joint and single filers, including how compressed brackets affect survivors.

Jim’s “Pithy” Summary
With me out in the Utah mountains chasing elk, Chris takes the mic solo to dig into the updated Social Security Administration Fact Sheet—and he brings plenty of insight to go with it! He explains how the 2.8% COLA will show up in January payments, what the new taxable maximum means for workers, and how the earnings test still trips up retirees earning wages before full retirement age. He even touches on the grace-year rule, breaking it down in the clear, detailed way only Chris can.

He also reviews projected Medicare changes, walking through the expected $206.50 Part B premium, the $288 deductible, and the timing behind the official release delays. From there, he unpacks the hold harmless provision—who qualifies, who doesn’t, and why IRMAA can still sting even with protections in place.

Finally, Chris connects it all to real-world planning, outlining the 2026 IRMAA brackets and showing how compressed thresholds hit surviving spouses hardest. He ties these updates back to our 2-1-0 Tax Ordering Number philosophy, showing how tax strategy, IRMAA, and retirement income all intersect.

The post 2026 Social Security Changes: EDU #2546 appeared first on The Retirement and IRA Show.

Transcript

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0:26.7	without first consulting your financial legal or tax advisor.
0:29.5	Financial planning services offered through Jim Solnier and Associates LLC, a registered investment advisor. This is the retirement and IRA show coming to you from beautiful Northern Colorado.
0:47.5	Join us as certified financial planner Jim Sonier, as well as Colorado State University
0:52.5	Finance instructor and certified financial planner Chris Stein teach you about IRAs,
0:57.9	borrow-en-case, annuities, social security, pension plans, and estate planning in a fun and enjoyable show.
1:05.1	Whether you are listening live in Colorado or streaming from their website or iTunes podcast,
1:10.5	Jim and Chris want you to know that
1:12.1	they're available to help you plan for your retirement.
1:15.0	Just visit their website at Jimhelps.com.
1:18.2	That's Jim H-E-L-P-S dot com and click the Meet the Team button on the homepage.
1:24.5	Now here's Jim and Chris with today's show.
1:30.3	Well, hello everybody and welcome to the Retirement and IRA show EDU edition for this
1:35.3	week. It's just going to be a solo show for me today. This is Chris. Jim is not with me today.
1:44.4	And so as we typically do during hunting season when Jim is out, he's out attempting to harvest an elk in the beautiful state of Utah.
1:55.3	I'm pretty sure is where he said he was going.
1:58.2	This is the time of the year where we usually do a what's changing with
	...

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