# 2016 Social Security Benefits Letter



## jujube (Dec 21, 2015)

Received one today, and I quote, " There was no increase in the cost of living during the past year....".  Translation: no increase in SS benefits this year.

No increase in the cost of living during the past year?  What alternative universe are these people living in?  My auto insurance went up, the mortgage went up (insurance and taxes), my Medicare supplement and drug plan went WAY up.  What hasn't gone up, except for gas?  Apparently nobody got around to telling Walmart and Publix and Target and every other retailer in the frickin' world that prices weren't supposed to go up.  Heads will roll....


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## AZ Jim (Dec 21, 2015)

It's a ripoff.


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## Son_of_Perdition (Dec 21, 2015)

There should be a more concerted effort to get your representatives in congress to change the basis of how SS increases are based.  Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) is a more fair index.


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## Warrigal (Dec 21, 2015)

In OZ the aged pension is tied to the average male wage and it is adjusted twice yearly.
It is also means tested so changes in your income and assets will also be taken into account which means that the adjustment can be up or down depending on your financial situation.


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## imp (Dec 21, 2015)

In addition, the FEDS are the ones determining how much to pay back some poor working stiff, when benefits first become payable. No negotiating, no complaining.   imp


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## Linda (Dec 21, 2015)

We opened ours up a couple hours ago.  I'd already heard we wouldn't get an increase this year but I just wanted to make sure they hadn't thought of some reason they should take more away from us.


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## Davey Jones (Dec 21, 2015)

I'm quite satisfied with my monthly S.S.check. I find out a long time ago that there is no limit to the size of ones S.S. check so I worked many hours to get something I could live on.


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## Ken N Tx (Dec 22, 2015)

jujube said:


> Received one today, and I quote, " There was no increase in the cost of living during the past year....".  Translation: no increase in SS benefits this year.
> 
> No increase in the cost of living during the past year?  What alternative universe are these people living in?  My auto insurance went up, the mortgage went up (insurance and taxes), my Medicare supplement and drug plan went WAY up.  What hasn't gone up, except for gas?  Apparently nobody got around to telling Walmart and Publix and Target and every other retailer in the frickin' world that prices weren't supposed to go up.  Heads will roll....





Son_of_Perdition said:


> There should be a more concerted effort to get your representatives in congress to change the basis of how SS increases are based.  Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) is a more fair index.





imp said:


> In addition, the FEDS are the ones determining how much to pay back some poor working stiff, when benefits first become payable. No negotiating, no complaining.   imp




_*How is a COLA calculated?*
     The Social Security      Act specifies a formula for determining each COLA.  According to the formula, COLAs      are based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical       Workers (CPI-W).  CPI-Ws are calculated on a monthly basis by the Bureau of Labor      Statistics.
_
_         A COLA effective for December of the current year is equal to the percentage increase      (if any) in the average CPI-W for the third quarter of the current year over the average      for the third quarter of the last year in which a COLA became effective.  If there is an      increase, it must be rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent.  If there is no      increase, or if the rounded increase is zero, there is no COLA._

Gas/oil prices are figured in here..

Our wealthy politicians have no clue as to what us seniors are going through.


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## Don M. (Dec 22, 2015)

A few months ago, there was talk about using a "Chained CPI" which would have downplayed most Seniors expenses.  It seems that such a CPI may have been quietly adopted.


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## SifuPhil (Dec 22, 2015)

Well, I suppose they _have_ to do something to stretch out the failing SS funding system. Time to recognize this and make other plans.


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## Manatee (Dec 22, 2015)

If congress was on the same rules, it would really change quickly.


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## Karen99 (Dec 22, 2015)

Well, maybe it's a mess up ..like that huge Steve Harvey gaffe..and we're really getting a 10% increase.. 

:yeahright:


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## nitelite (Dec 22, 2015)

Wondering why they call it "Social Security Benefits"....????


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