COLA
Exploring a Myth: Social Security’s COLA is Guaranteed
Let’s start with some background…each year’s cost of living adjustment (COLA) results from comparing the third quarter average Consumer Price Index each year to the same average from the preceding year. The result of dividing the current year’s average by…
How is the Buying Power of your Social Security benefit?
Social Security’s annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is intended to help recipients keep pace with inflation – but does it? The historic 8.7% increase in 2023 and the more moderate 3.2% COLA increase for 2024, were, without question, welcome…
The One Social Security Metric that Doesn’t Change
Most Social Security “metrics” (the various factors which affect your monthly benefit amount and the SS payroll taxes you pay) change each year to account for inflation and changes to the national Average Wage Index (AWI). Inflation, obviously, has an…
Is Social Security COLA keeping up with inflation
The purpose of Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is to ensure that the purchasing power of Social Security benefits keeps up with inflation. But does it? According to Brandon Selfors, the CEO of life settlement and Medicare insurance company Bridge,…
Estimating the COLA for 2025
With the release of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for January, the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) estimates have begun. The Senior Citizens League estimates it at 1.75 percent, but the Congressional Budget…
Tax Time…Has Last Year’s COLA Put You Over the Threshold?
Many seniors with taxable income close to the threshold for including Social Security benefits as part of the calculation may wind up with a tax bill as a result of last year’s higher-than-usual cost of living adjustment. The threshold for…
Will the Annual COLA Increase Ever Be Enough?
All Social Security recipients received a historically high 8.7% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2023, yet a recent survey found that over half felt that wasn’t enough. And this year’s 3.2% COLA will likely receive the same reception from…
Federal Income Tax on Social Security Benefits
That historic 8.7% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) last year was a welcome addition to everyone’s monthly Social Security benefit, but some beneficiaries may be in for a surprise when they file their 2023 taxes this year. A portion of…
Prepared for Higher Healthcare Costs in Retirement?
Retirement planning usually focuses a lot on maximizing monthly income and that, of course, is totally appropriate. Logically, the more income we have in retirement, they more comfortable we’ll generally be. But part of that whole retirement planning exercise is…
Predictions for 2025 COLA
Although the 2025 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment announcement is not until mid-October of this year, experts are already predicting it could be the lowest since 2020. Mary Johnson, Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for the Senior Citizens League, stated,…