Author Topic: Social Security COLA  (Read 1764 times)

HankB

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Social Security COLA
« on: December 09, 2017, 10:35:40 AM »
My mother got a Cost of Living Adjustment to her Social Security check - a whopping 2%, dwarfing last year's 0.3%.   Yay!

Her Medicare premium - automatically deducted from her SS amount - went up over 20%.

Now wait just a minute . . .  :facepalm:
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HeroHog

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2017, 03:07:16 PM »
Yup, I'm up a whopping $14 this year! yay...
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charby

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2017, 08:11:15 AM »
Not retired but my insurance went up $140 a month for 2018.
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grampster

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2017, 10:23:55 PM »
Mine stayed the same.  My wife's went down.
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Jamisjockey

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2017, 08:26:44 AM »
The government giveth....
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BobR

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2017, 03:04:26 PM »
My wife's stayed the same, I am still workin' for the man!!


bob

Scout26

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2017, 04:06:09 PM »
Last year the COLA raise was equal to the increase in Medicare premiums so everyone netted out the same amount as 2016.
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Scout26

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2017, 06:45:26 PM »
Came home to find my Social Security notification in the mail I go up $22 a month starting January 24th, woohoo!!!  I can supersize a couple happy meals.  Considering this is the first increase in 3-4 years...
Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants won't help.


Bring me my Broadsword and a clear understanding.
Get up to the roundhouse on the cliff-top standing.
Take women and children and bed them down.
Bless with a hard heart those that stand with me.
Bless the women and children who firm our hands.
Put our backs to the north wind.
Hold fast by the river.
Sweet memories to drive us on,
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grampster

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2017, 09:42:58 PM »
Mine stayed the same.  My wife's went down.

I was wrong.  I went back and looked again and did the math on the calculator.   I got the SS notification and it discussed the fact that we are now allowing an auto deduction of our prescription plan premium from the SS.  It's $22.60.  So I add $22.60 to the amount they are paying for 2018 and it would have been increased by $15.00.

As for my wife, when I add the $22.60 back in, her SS is exactly the same as 2017.  Go figure.
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Pb

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #9 on: December 13, 2017, 10:15:41 AM »
Well, with SS is such bad financial shape, it doesn't make sense to give everyone a big COLA.  If they were trying stop it from going bankrupt, they would cut the payments instead... or raise, taxes, or both.

BobR

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #10 on: December 13, 2017, 11:39:14 AM »
Well, with SS is such bad financial shape, it doesn't make sense to give everyone a big COLA.  If they were trying stop it from going bankrupt, they would cut the payments instead... or raise, taxes, or both.

I can see that, in fact the public sector should take up that model. If a company doesn't do as well from one year to the next they should cut everyone's salary in order to make up the projected deficit. It's only fair, who cares if the price of consumer goods continues to increase, if your company is having financial issues the employees should be the first ones to feel the crunch (for the good of the company, of course*).  >:D

bob

*Yes, I know it happens occasionally, I worked for a hospital that needed to save a bunch of money one year so they did an across the board 9% pay cut. I left before it took effect so I got full value from my accrued vacation, instead of losing 9% of its value also.

Scout26

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #11 on: December 13, 2017, 12:18:11 PM »
I would happily go back to having Mutual of Oooooooomaha paying me 100% of my disability....
Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants won't help.


Bring me my Broadsword and a clear understanding.
Get up to the roundhouse on the cliff-top standing.
Take women and children and bed them down.
Bless with a hard heart those that stand with me.
Bless the women and children who firm our hands.
Put our backs to the north wind.
Hold fast by the river.
Sweet memories to drive us on,
for the motherland.

grampster

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #12 on: December 13, 2017, 12:36:44 PM »
What some of you are conveniently forgetting is that the money put into the SS system was exclusively paid for by employees and employers.  The sons of bitches we sent to DC since FDR have been stealing the money and leaving IOU's.  My suggestion is they pay that money back before they spend another effing dime on anything else.  I'm a reasonable man and wouldn't even require they pay back their theft with interest.  I would allow though, that any living and sitting congresscritter have their ass thrown in jail for 6 mos....and I think that would be a bargain for the bastards and bastardettes.
"Never wrestle with a pig.  You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it."  G.B. Shaw

DittoHead

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #13 on: December 13, 2017, 01:16:12 PM »
What some of you are conveniently forgetting is that the money put into the SS system was exclusively paid for by employees and employers.

I'm certainly not forgetting, I see it come out of every paycheck. Not that I ever expect to see any of it come back to me, the boomers are getting it all.  :mad:
By the time I retire I doubt we'll be able to con the next generation into paying for us.
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Cliffh

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Re: Social Security COLA
« Reply #14 on: December 13, 2017, 07:39:15 PM »
It's happened more than once where my fed.gov annuity has gone up ~$20 and medical insurance rates have increased ~$40. 

Both senators and congressman have answered my letters - usually with a letter addressing a completely different subject.