"In 2021, Part B increased 2.70% to $148.50 monthly from $144.60. Annually that was a $47 increase."
That is correct, but remember that the 2021 was supposed to be four times this amount or $15.60 ($3.90 x 4). It was limited to 25% by the law that was passed to help with Covid (can't remember the law's official name).
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stillers: As my wife likes to say, "Good remembering!" Here's an article about that from 09/21/20:
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/29/congress-may-limit-medicare-part-b-premium-increase-for-2021-.html
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It is my understanding that this will be deducted this year in addition to the new calculated amount for 2022, so whatever this year's amount calculates out to, this $11.70 ($3.90 x 3) will be added as well. Of course, this assumes that your particular SS benefit increase exceeds this Medicare increase, otherwise you are held harmless.
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stillers: Not sure how that's your "understanding " of that. I've never seen that written but I could have missed it. Do you have a reference/link? Having worked in other areas of the Program for a coupla decades, it would knock me off my chair to learn that was correct, or even contemplated as something that could pass, or pass-through, as it were. But I digress.
All that aside, and cutting to the chase, here's medicareresources.org's take on it as of 10/05/21:
https://www.medicareresources.org/faqs/how-much-does-medicare-part-b-cost/
Excerpts:
Medicare Part B costs: key takeaways
Standard Part B premiums are $148.50/month in 2021; projected to be $158.50/month in 2022...
...As described below, the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment can sometimes limit the increase in Part B premiums, but that’s not expected to be the case for 2022, as the COLA is expected to be historically large.
The Part B premium increase from 2020 to 2021 was smaller than initially projected, thanks to a short-term government spending bill that was enacted in the fall of 2020, and that included a provision to cap the increase in the Part B premium for 2021.
That ($158.50-148.50 or) $10 increase is in line with some other estimates I've seen and does not quite compute with what you posted.
And in relation to the subject of my post, a response to another poster's comment, "Medicare will eat it anyhow," even if correct, the absolute Medicare Pt B increase in 2022 will be small relative to the SS COLA increase for the vast majority of recipients.
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Just my two cents worth
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stillers: As we used to say in the bizness, "Noted."
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Volcker raised the federal funds rate, which had averaged 11.2% in 1979, to a peak of 20% in June 1981.

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I did quickly, and while the equity part of WBALX may be "solid", I question the performance of the bond portion in the current rising interest rate environment. It makes up 42% of the fund's portfolio, and of that 67% consists of short term US Treasuries and AAA bonds. It's the only balanced fund I have come across where the SEC dividend yield is negative, according to M*.
The majority of the fund's bonds may actually be a detractor from its future performance, unless management makes a change. Holding cash instead may actually be a better choice in the current environment.
My other question is why a "solid" fund like WBALX has accumulated only $223 million in assets over the past 18 years? What am I missing?
Fred

Check out WBALX for a solid 30%- 50% alloc fund.