COLA, SSI

No Cost-of-Living Adjustment for 2016

October 15, 2015 • By

Reading Time: 1 Minute

Last Updated: March 17, 2021

pink piggy bank Social Security’s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is an increase in the benefit amount people receive each month. By law, the monthly Social Security and 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 has not risen since the last cost-of-living adjustment in 2015. As a result, your SSI benefit rate and, for most people, your Social Security benefit amount will stay the same in 2016.

This news isn’t necessarily bad. When inflation stays at the same rate, your cost of living also stays the same. Prices for goods and services, on average, haven’t increased enough to affect the COLA.

Other changes that would normally take effect based on changes in the national average wage index also won’t begin in January 2016. Since there is no COLA, the statute also prohibits a change in the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax, as well as the retirement earnings test exempt amounts. These amounts will remain unchanged in 2016. The new fact sheet provides more information on 2016 Social Security and SSI changes.

For additional information about the 2016 COLA, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/cola.

For additional information about changes in the national average wage index, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/COLA/AWI.html.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications

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Comments

  1. Hank

    As I read through all of these comments I could not help but notice that all the democrats want to blame the republicans and all the republicans want to blame the democrats when in fact we are all responsible for the situation this country is in.
    We the people, have no one to blame but our self’s. We work all of our life believing that our government will take care of us in our golden years. Giving part of our hard earned money, year after year, waiting for our time to get back what we gave plus some small amount of interest. Watching as our government wastes away the money promised back to us. Hoping that the next president, senate and congress will fix the problems while making promise after promise, always saying that nothing can be done because of the other party.
    But why should they? They do not have any reasons to fix a broken system that gives them a an above average salary, free medical care for life and after 5 years they become fully vested it the government’s pension plan. So, who’s to blame, the people that make the promises or the people who put them there. That’s one heck of a conundrum.
    We the people tried to fix this before, there was an email that was in circulation in 2011 called the ‘Congressional Reform Act of 2011’ you can read about it at this location; http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/Why-The-Congressional-Reform-Act-Will-Never-Pass.htm.
    It’s an interesting articular, a good read and for the life of me I can’t imagine why the political leaders of our country would not want it as a amendment to this nations constitution. So maybe for a start we the people, and by this I mean all of the baby boomer generation, should try it again.
    I know this can be a futile attempt to make any real change to this government or political system but maybe, just maybe it could be a start. Maybe the politicians in D.C. will start to take notice if they get slammed with e-mails.
    I sit back and think of that moment in the movie ” Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” when Jimmy Stewart’s character does his filibuster, he’s all most worn out, on the brink of collapse, then they bring in all those wires and letters. Well we all know how Capra movies end.

    I know one thing I can’t afford to go to D.C. for a million boomer march but I can afford to send some e-mails maybe I’m just hoping for that “Capraesque”, moment, wanting the system to work like it should.
    We can complain all we want and sometimes it just feels good to vent but I do know one thing, nothing will be done as long as we the people keep doing nothing.

  2. melissa w.

    i dont like it either, the cost of living, how do they know.? how much it cost to live on SSI? how can u pay ur rent, bills, so on. ur making this harder for ppl

  3. John O.

    It is a well recognized fact that the so called “cost of living” has gone up substantially and further that the Government has been faking the figures for years. In fact every figure, unemployment, crime and so on are not to be believed. These fake figures along with an artificially low % rate are necessary so that the government does not have to borrow so much to pay it’s bills

  4. Helene

    I have a real problem with this. We have elderly people that eat dog food because that is all they can afford. Lets give money to illegals, medi-cal, food stamps it is disgusting when you think about how many homeless there are & what about the homeless that are mentally ill with no medication. I think our politicians are pitiful & we are all going to hell in a handbag.

  5. Martin C.

    Totally disgusting what you are doing to this country, you have no idea what this is going to do, think about no COLA for the needy both young and old. Try getting by on what we make as retired citizens of these United States of America. Just give us an idea on where all the money is going, someone who gets money and sits on their ass and gets fat and ugly, no job, no ambition and no shit.

  6. Marcia

    I bet all the politicians will get their pay raises next year. My Disabled Vet son surely doesn’t need another raise!
    Yeah, right. Need to fire them all and start over again!
    Get out and Vote!!!

  7. john

    This government is the biggest club of crooks.
    It is sickening and so shameful. So many poor people in this country and yet the have billion for war. US is not God’s country but Evil’s country

  8. ray

    HEY GANG DO YOU SERIOUSLY THINK THE PEAPLE IN POWER READ THESE WORDS OF WIT THEY ALL AIN’t polittions BUT WE NEED TO WRITE, [PEN AND , PAPER,] TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS CONSTANTLY. THEN KICK EM OUT TERM LIMITS. YALL BITCH ABOUT LIBS AND RINOS! ITS REALLY DIVIDE AND CONQUER. THEIR WINNING!

  9. Bill

    For 50+ years “if it feels good, do it” liberalism has gotten exponentially worse; liberalism run amok has downgraded our country’s status to the low point it is to date. I pray it’s not too late to reverse!

  10. MJean

    Every Socialist country is Failing!
    Because their High Taxes = Low Birth Rate, so immigrants with High Birth Rates come in but do Not assimilate!
    Native populations are actually dwindling down to Extinction.
    https://youtu.be/6-3X5hIFXYU

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