Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Social Security Benefits to Increase 5.9% for 2022 (because of highest inflation in 40 years)
Wall Street Journal ^ | October 13, 2022 | Amara Omeokwe

Posted on 10/13/2021 6:30:48 AM PDT by karpov

Seniors and other Americans receiving Social Security benefits in 2022 will see the largest increase in their payments in four decades, reflecting surging inflation during the pandemic.

Next year’s cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, will be 5.9%, the Social Security Administration said Wednesday. The increase will translate to an addition of $92 to retirees’ average monthly benefit next year, bringing the amount to $1,657.

The nearly 6% cost-of-living adjustment is the largest since 1982, according to Social Security Administration data. The adjustment is calculated based on the Labor Department’s measure of inflation faced by blue-collar workers.

The Social Security Administration also said the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax will increase to $147,000 in 2022 from $142,800 this year.

The extent to which the projected larger-than-usual Social Security adjustment makes retirees’ and other recipients feel more well off will largely depend on whether inflation eases next year compared with 2021, said Naomi Fink, a retirement economist at Capital Group, an investment manager.

Consumer prices have risen at the fastest rate in more than a decade this year because trillions of dollars in economic stimulus have supported consumer demand at a time when supplies for everything from toilet paper to new cars have been constrained because of pandemic disruptions.

“If price rises turn out to be fleeting and reflect temporary supply shocks and they subsequently show much more modest rises in 2022, then that would be quite positive for those that got that windfall cost-of-living adjustment,” said Ms. Fink, who added that scenario could position Social Security recipients to boost consumption.

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: inflation; socialsecurity
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-58 last
To: joshua c

But it’s better on crackers 😉


41 posted on 10/13/2021 9:01:11 AM PDT by hoosierham (Freedom isnt free)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: karpov

Social Security Benefits to Increase 5.9%

Inflation at 5.5%

Net gain 0.4%

What a deal that democrat math is really something huh.


42 posted on 10/13/2021 9:02:16 AM PDT by Vaduz (women and children to be impacIQ of chimpsted the most.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tell It Right

BINGO! Just as any pay wage hike, everything spikes.


43 posted on 10/13/2021 9:03:30 AM PDT by TribalPrincess2U
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: karpov

1. And are FICA (payroll) taxes going up to help pay for the higher benefits??? (No.)

2. The social security fund will just become insolvent sooner. Which is the part the politicians are not going to talk about.


44 posted on 10/13/2021 9:25:43 AM PDT by Wuli
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OldGoatCPO

Actually it’s really 10%.


45 posted on 10/13/2021 9:37:21 AM PDT by caww ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Tell It Right
"People expected to see a 5.9% increase in their SS pension check"

I got a 1.4 percent COLA raise in my State pension this September. That averages out to $21 a month before taxes.

46 posted on 10/13/2021 9:39:27 AM PDT by mass55th ("Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway." ~~ John Wayne )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: joshua c

I continue to check Shadow Stats website for the “true” rate of inflation.


47 posted on 10/13/2021 9:46:37 AM PDT by Sam Gamgee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: mass55th

Do you pay for health insurance through your pension check? Here in Alabama some (not all) state retirees are on an insurance plan with their premiums paid from their pension check (much like Medicare paid from SS check).


48 posted on 10/13/2021 10:10:17 AM PDT by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: Savage Rider
The price of my Kombucha has increased 9%. How will I get by with a 5.9% increase? Will I have to resort to buying Cat Kombucha?

Is there such a thing? We buy Kombucha weekly, and see the price increases. I mix it with other drinks half and half and it's got great flavor. Mix with Mexican coca-cola, mango juice, Sprite, hard seltzer, the Kombucha makes it all taste good.

49 posted on 10/13/2021 11:39:45 AM PDT by roadcat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Tell It Right

I have secondary insurance with the State, which I pay for out of my pension check. I’m fortunate in that whatever the government takes out of my Social Security each month for Medicare, the State reimburses me for each month.


50 posted on 10/13/2021 12:45:04 PM PDT by mass55th ("Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway." ~~ John Wayne )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: mass55th

That is fortunate.


51 posted on 10/13/2021 2:15:08 PM PDT by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau
Medicare Part B rises by $10.

Where did you get that figure?

52 posted on 10/13/2021 2:37:31 PM PDT by Irish Eyes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Irish Eyes

google is your friend


53 posted on 10/13/2021 2:41:11 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau

got it


54 posted on 10/13/2021 5:58:30 PM PDT by Irish Eyes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Yo-Yo

And it will buy about as much, if not much less, than it did last year . . .


55 posted on 10/13/2021 6:34:40 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Florida: America's new free zone.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: mass55th

I got a 3% raise in my pay in January. Entirely earned, since I’m good at my job, where the normal raise is around 2%. But it’s still not going to cover all this crap completely.

And neither will 5.9%.


56 posted on 10/13/2021 6:42:28 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Florida: America's new free zone.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
"I got a 3% raise in my pay in January."

My oldest son works for an international company. They give very minimal raises each year, but focus more on bonuses. Believe it or not, last year was their best year financially, despite the lockdowns all across the globe. My son got a very nice bonus this past spring, and it looks like his department will be getting another good bonus this year. Not bad for sitting on your ass in front of a desk in your dining room every day. Until the lockdown last year, he had to drive into work every day. With gas prices so high, it's fortunate he doesn't have to fill his tank up very often.

It will be 20 years in December that I've been retired. I worked in uniform, in NY State's Dept. of Corrections. I had to belong to the union, especially because some of the benefits were tied to the contracts. Contracts usually ran 3 years. When Mario Cuomo was Governor, there were contract periods when we got 0-0-1, or 0-0-3. We never got a negotiated raise over 3% in the 25 years I worked for the State. We were allotted performance advancement rates once a year on our anniversary. I can't complain about any of it. Up until I took the job, I was working as an office clerk for the county, while raising two sons alone. My salary before I took the job was $5579. When I became a C.O. trainee, my salary started at about $11,500. I retired as a Sergeant making about $65,000. Between working for the County, and the State, I ended up with almost 33 years of service. Between my pension, and Social Security, I now make almost the same as I was making when I was working full-time. Not bad for sitting on your ass on the sofa watching TV, and fiddling on the computer every day.

57 posted on 10/13/2021 7:15:04 PM PDT by mass55th ("Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway." ~~ John Wayne )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Tell It Right

That’s part of the equation. There are a couple other things that more than eat it up. Saying this is the biggest S.S. increase since ‘82 doesn’t mean much when you look at what everything costs. They sure want to make it sound like a big deal, tho. Well, there’s this to consider too: suppose prices hadn’t skyrocketed in the last few months, then that raise could have been much smaller & the money has to come from somewhere. Stable S.S. income & lower prices would have been much better, I think. If prices had actually decreased, then S.S. wouldn’t have to. I could have said maybe S. S. could decrease slightly, but it seems it is rather behind everything else anyway, if that’s your only income.


58 posted on 10/14/2021 9:26:36 PM PDT by oldtech
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-58 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson