No Cost-of-Living Adjustment for 2016
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: March 17, 2021
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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Tags: Cost of living adjustment, Disability, Medicare, SSA, SSI
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Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
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Colleen B.
Social Security was not created for bailing out other programs that are failing. Disability has grown out of control as just about anyone gets qualified these day. “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.” I do not know where you shop but a pound of the (20+ percent fat) crappy hamburger is over $5… bread over $2 a loaf, dairy products are all up and DO NOT tell me the family dairy farmers are marking the prices up…because that is a lie. The only price that has dropped is gasoline. But we know they will get the difference somewhere else…hence no cost of living raise. I cry BullShit.. This government is so corrupt. Politicians are nothing but bald faced liars for the most part. Time to bring them back to earth
Mike C.
Idon’t want to go on a RANT but I can’t understand how we can be taxed again on SS when retired and making just slightly more than poverty level in income. The Gov’t in stealing from the SS funds we paid into all of our working lives and we get no Cola. I fought in Veitnam I’m proud to be living in the Greatest country in the world and yet I feel as though WE Seniors are being ROBBED.
Mike
Thanx Betty, I’ve found someone that is just as pissedas I. Not only are we not gitting a COLA this year, Congress has decided to rob 152 BILLION Dollars from the SS fund for their special intrest groups. Our Government is full of crooks.
Yvonne
Where do these people shop who determines that the cost of living didn’d go up??? My 17 yo niece mentioned to me about how much eggs went up.The only thing someone has to do is give these senators around $194.00 a month for food and have them shop and see how full their refrigerator is and the $755.00 on living expenses. Do this for a year and I’ll guarantee that they’d come back with a different answer in a year!!!
Albert
If we don’t get a COLA raise than no one on public assistance should get a raise either. Fair is fair and it’s not our fault people have more children that they can’t afford to feed. In other words no increase for them in SNAP.
Lori
So the elderly, and those of us disabled, and our service men, are the ones who get the raw deal.
The president who made things so crappy, and the illegals who are getting everything handed to them.
It’s so not right. How can the government let this happen?
Help OUR UNITED STATES first! If you’re coming here illegal, you should be returned. You getting a pass so easy, are robbing from those who have grown up up here, lived and worked here. And the president and any government that allowed this to be, should have be the ones that take a pay cut and they can pay these Robbers.
And ooh let’s makes sure the government her THEIR badly needed raises.
And sorry, once a president, why shouldn’t they have to get another job. 4-8 yrs and bam they get money for the rest of their lives and I bet they don’t have to worry about not getting a pay hike.
Take all these and take away their rights their raises, their money I’m sure we would see a big stink and they would get everything and then some.
We didn’t ask to get old or to be come disabled.
Dennis
I think EVERY sitting politician in Washington, D.C. should be charged with RAPE. They continue to screw the citizens of America; but feed benefits to non-citizens. You notice, when the politicians retire; do THEY have to live off of Social Security? You bet your ass they don’t. They continue to get their 5 and 6 figure pay check for as long as they live. What’s wrong with that picture? If THEY had to retire on the slap on the face they call Social Security, you can bet things would be a hell of a lot different. They find the money to give THEMSELVES raises every year for sitting on their asses and not even being able to balance a budget. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM are criminals. They are liars and thieves. We put them in office; we should be able to take them out of office. If you or I didn’t do our job as it’s supposed to be done; we would be terminated. WHY isn’t it the same with the morons WE, as citizens put in office? WE should be the deciding factor on whether or not they stay in office. And I don’t mean having to wait for the next election. We should be able to call up an election, whenever we feel the need to clean house. They know they are screwing the citizens. That’s why people like Boehner are getting out while they can. Biden doesn’t even want any part in it after this year. President Osama Hussein Hitler Obama is nothing but a terrorist sympathizer. He is bringing in all his muslim cohorts to take over America and we are letting him do it. I say SHAME ON US. It’s time for change and it better be done immediately or this country is DOOMED.
Bill
Why is this not a hot topic in these presidential debates ? Why aren’t these politicians held to telling the truth or impeached ? (You have to be a dumb as to not know prices have went up way more than ss has! ) why hasn’t congress been made to repay ss instead of giving the banks , car companies , foreign governments , I’ll eagles , wall street , and many more handouts ? See the squeaky wheel it’s the one that gets the grease ! Or In a lot of cases the wheel who has the most trash on them ! We are voices unheard , start calling and call everyday until something is done !
Ashley C.
I am a recipient of Social Security benefits. This email is about me thanking the Social Security administration for letting me receive my pension from Social Security.
R.F.
Thank you Ashley, for taking the time and communicating with us through our blog. We are glad we could help and look forwards to continue servicing you and the American public for years to come.
george b.
my health costs have already increased by approximately 7%, excluding whatever the medicare costs go up.
When is the government goingto tie in the costs of heathe care for the elderly to determine our increase in Social Secuity.In addition, I go shopping every week and I have seen my grocery bill increase at least 5% over last year. Where the Hell are they getting their figures from.
Please tell me Where there has been no increase in inflation this year!!!!!!!!!!
Bill
They know they can lie and nobody can do a damp thing about it ! And they say they don’t have socialist ?