COLA
The Rumor Mill in Action…No, you’re not getting a bonus Social Security Check in June
Several less-than-reputable sources have been trumpeting the rumor that Social Security recipients will be getting a $600–or $638–increase in their benefits this month. Here’s a piece of advice…don’t spend it in advance! In many cases, these types of rumors result…
Another Push for CPI-E
The potential for use of a measurement more reflective of senior spending patterns has been under investigation for some time, and is the subject of pending legislation to adopt this senior-friendly tool. A recent post on planadvisor.com by Paul Mulholland…
A Perspective on Social Security COLA Increases
Let’s face it. We all like to get a large raise. This includes seniors receiving Social Security benefits. The only problem is, when we get a large COLA increase, that means inflation is out of control. Please read this article…
Ask Rusty – About Social Security’s “guaranteed” annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)
Dear Rusty: I’ve been reading a lot lately about speculation on what next year’s benefit increase will be, and it seems like most of the experts are suggesting a range of 2.5% to 3%. My neighbor says don’t worry about…
Surprise! 2025 COLA Won’t Offset True Inflation
Inflation is an insidious thing – inexorably creeping prices for most everything we buy. And while there is often a lot of hoopla about how Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) are designed to help seniors keep up with inflation, the…
Early Prediction of 2025 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
It’s way too early to say with any degree of certainty what next year’s COLA will be, but it’s still interesting to take a look at what might be. Inflation, of course, is the driver of any COLA increase to…
Warning: Retirees Are Likely to Continue Losing Ground to Inflation
You’ve probably seen the reports stating that seniors have lost considerable ground to inflation since 2000. If you’re a retiree living on Social Security benefits, you’re well aware of the cost increases that have outstripped your income for some time,…
Will Medicare Part B premiums wipe out COLA
After the government released the inflation rate for April, Social Security analysts began to estimate the cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) for 2025. As you may know, the Social Security Administration bases its COLA each year on average annual increases in CPI-W from…
The two problems with COLA
The Social Security Administration calculates the COLA by comparing the average of the CPI-W for July, August, and September of the previous year with the average for the same three-month period in the current year. The percentage change is the…
Forget About Next Year’s COLA…At Least, Until October
As happens in most years, media projections for next year’s Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) have been surfacing over the past few months. Many folks are aware, of course, that the projections are merely guesses during the early months of…