COLA
COLA Watch – 2.8% Looking More Certain, But…
It’s looking more and more like the 2019 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security beneficiaries will land at 2.8%. Yes, that’s the largest since 2012 and yes, it’s 40% higher that the 2018 adjustment. But as MarketWatch reporter Alessandra Malito points…
Chained CPI: Taking a Look at the (Fuzzy) Math
It’s a not a new concept, but it just keeps coming around for discussion–the shift away from CPI-W for Social Security cost-of-living calculations in favor of a “Chained CPI” approach. As you’ll recall, the logic behind this proposal is that…
COLA Watch: Some Ups and Downs, Maybe?
While some news accounts are predicting Social Security cost of living adjustments (COLAs) in the 3% range for 2019–highest since 2012–others are discussing the potential for a drop in certain Medicare premium rates. In the coming days and weeks, we’ll see…
Social Security COLA Watch – A Six-Year High?
USA Today’s Karl Gelles, in a post on www.usatoday.com, offers COLA watchers some new excitement: The highest cost-of-lving adjustment since 2012 may be on the horizon. It all depends on the August and September, but there’s even the possibility that a 3%…
COLA: A Look at the Impact of Using CPI-E
As we near the time of the year when Social Security publishes its cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for next year, we hear more and more about how this adjustment is calculated and what it means for seniors’ ability to keep pace…
Living on Fixed Resources: An Accountable View
For seniors grappling with the dichotomy of a relatively fixed income in the face of continually rising prices, and situations like the shock of Social Security COLA adjustments being eaten up by Medicare premium increases, it’s refreshing at times to…