COLA, SSI

An Increase in Social Security Benefits in 2017

October 18, 2016 • By

Reading Time: 1 Minute

Last Updated: March 17, 2021

cola2017The annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) usually means an increase in the benefit amount people receive each month. By law, the monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) federal benefit rate increases when there is a rise in the cost of living. The government measures changes in the cost of living through the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI-W).

The CPI-W rose this year. When inflation increases, your cost of living also goes up. Prices for goods and services, on average, are a little more expensive.  Since the CPI-W did rise, the law increases benefits to help offset inflation. As a result, monthly Social Security and SSI benefits for over 65 million Americans will increase 0.3 percent in 2017.

Other changes that would normally take effect based on changes in the national average wage index will begin in January 2017. For example, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security payroll tax will increase to $127,200.

Information about Medicare changes for 2017, when announced, will be available at www.Medicare.gov.  For some beneficiaries, their Social Security increase may be partially or completely offset by increases in Medicare premiums.

You can find more information about the 2017 COLA at www.socialsecurity.gov/cola.  For changes in the national average wage index, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/COLA/AWI.html.

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About the Author

Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications

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Comments

  1. Marjorie S.

    Retiree’s are hostages.The Government does not care if we live or die.We pay
    Social Security all our working lives and you cannot pay for your medicines,the
    property taxes increases every year, utility bills increases. The COLA increase is
    a slap in the face. These politicians don’t know the cost of grocery…. they do not shop. They keep giving themselves raises …saying they deserve it …..then there is this office in Washington 10G Street NE Suite60O that demands membership fees .Social Social Security recipients can’t afford these memberships.
    Damn shame how we are reduced to poverty.
    Wake Up Everybody….they do not care about us. We continue to gets craps from the table

  2. Frederick L.

    We need to import about a million more Muslims into this country and give them all a free ride.Forget about the elderly, forget about the military personal that gave up lots to defend this country. Lets give the increases to all those individuals that do not need it.
    The whole system is corrupt and in need of change.

  3. James

    We need a total change in Washington. The Democrats as well as the entrenched Republicans are not willing to give the retired workers who built the USA into a strong and caring country any attention. They have abandoned us!!!

  4. JMR

    It’s gonna go to medicare anyway so it’s nil

    • WE T.

      WASHINGTON we the people have had enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!if you want to stay in office, fix it. WE THE PEOPLE would like a 16% raise like OBAMA. OF,BY,and FOR THE PEOPLE WILL ENDURE UNDER GOD.

  5. LORRAINE M.

    3.00 DOLLARS IS BETTER THAN NOTHING STOP THE DAM COMPLAINING DON’T LIKE IT GO LIVE IN USSR WITH THEM AND SEE WHAT YOU GET……..lol

    • Tony F.

      Good idea! Let’s go there, become citizens and them migrate back to the US and take advantage of all the free benefits we’ll get.

      • Dee D.

        Well said

    • Rosemary

      This site is available to voice your own opinion so why are you so upset? That so call increase is a rip off.

    • blanc_dragon

      Why should I have to leave the country I’ve helped build and the SS account I’ve paid into for decades??????

      Lorraine Morgan, another SSA apologist/employee.

  6. Haddox

    With Food & other perishables being ‘left-out’ of the computation on inflation by our Fed Govt(see our el-presidente’ for party hook-up) it’s a wonder we were not asked to give some of our past raises back? To leave food out is nothing but silly & self-serving(Party Politics). Common sense out the window for (dems) those who now directly control the govt. Funny-there is no shortage of money for immigrants>I just don’t ‘get-it’!! But then I’m clinging to religion & guns.

    • Tony

      Yeah those illegals get SS deducted from there checks every week like you and federal ncome tax withheld. They dont claim none of that cause there illegal as you say , where is all that money ? Get your facts straight and not just rant K like a chicken with no head ,are you going to work in the fields with 100 degrees weather at minimum wage? NO YOU WILL NOT SO PUT A CORK IN IT AND BE QUITE you IGNORANT PEOPLE, YOUR PROBABLY LAZY AS HECK LOSERS, GET A LIFE AND GET LAID ,LMFAO!!!!! YOU SHOULD HAVE SAVED MONEY IN A SAVINGS ACCOUNT WHEN YOU DID WORK!! SO QUIT BLAMING OTHER PEOPLE FOR YOUR OWN MISTAKES AND STUPIDITY!!!!

  7. HW

    Give this so called RAISE back to the gov. they need it more than us HAHAHAHAHAHA !

  8. GreyD

    There should not be ANY cap on earnings subject to SS withholding. The “pain” to those earning well above $100,000 per year of continuing to contribute 6.2% of their earnings is so much less than the “pain” of seniors trying to live on the low fixed income that SS offers.

    • Tony F.

      You are absolutely right! Many of the top earners only pay minimum income taxes due to corporate breaks and tax loopholes so at least make them pay into SS. Our sweat and sacrifices made them rich, it’s only right they give something back. And I don’t want to hear the excuse that as employers they paid toward our SS. I bet they’ve found a way to get that back too….

  9. Jim B.

    The use of the Cost of Living Index for Social Security raises is so flawed it is unbelievable. A senior citizen’s cost of living has little to do with the cost of gasoline which lately has driven the index. Just look at the cost of the three things that affect senior citizens: medicine, insurance premiums, and food.
    Can you tell me that a 0.3% increase in social security will compare to the % increase in those items. Gasoline, we drive very little except to the doctor’s office and the grocery store. While the government is giving away the treasury to illegal aliens and refugees, they should look first at the folks that paid into the system with their own money for a lifetime.

    • Darryl

      I agree with you 100% on this one I could of not said it better my self.

    • Tony

      When you go work in the fields at 100 degrees weather at minimum wage then you can complain about illegal immigrants as you say!!! You should take a look at lazy people as yourself and save money in savings account when you do work and maybe you wouldn’t have financial problems right now. Blame yourself for your own stupidty and not someone else, you’re what is wrong with America you think your entitled. News flash your not , there are plenty of jobs and resources available to help u find a job . Disabled or not, so quit blaming everyone else and dont be lazy as you probably are . Your whats wrong not illegals Jim Bergett

  10. jane b.

    WOW one third of one percent? you know we are all writing our comments and their is not one person in the government who cares about what we feel or think.. its a joke and a crying shame.

    • Dee D.

      God cares, sees and knows; Im taking all my complaints to him.

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