Oct 18, 2016
Small 0.3% Federal COLA Increase for 2017
"...The cost of living adjustment (COLA) for many federal retirees and Social Security recipients did not go up in 2016.
The news for 2017 is a little better but, overall, federal retirees will still see their overall income go down. The COLA increase for 2017 will be 0.3%.
This will be the smallest increase on record with the exception of the several years without any COLA increase.
With an average increase of 6.2% in premiums for health insurance under the Federal Employees Health Insurance Program (FEHB), the 0.3% COLA will not provide an increase in income for many retirees..."
Sep 24, 2016
Federal Retirees Have Difficult Choice with Rising Premiums
"...Federal employees and retirees are facing a cascade of tough decisions over the next month as they think about funding their benefit contributions.
Even if employees receive the President’s proposed increase of 1.0 percent across-the-board and 0.6 percent locality pay, benefit costs are increasing faster.
For retirees, the picture is worse as the current 2017 COLA appears to be coming in at the 0.2 to 0.3 percent range depending on the CPI index number to be announced October 18.
If you are lucky, that might translate to an extra $6 to $15 per month, depending on your present annuity..."
Sep 21, 2016
Retirees Prepare for Minimal COLA
"...With one month left to go in the cost of living adjustment countdown, federal, military and Social Security retirees are braced for what could be an almost invisible COLA.
Something like $10.59 per month for the average retiree under the old Civil Service Retirement System and $4.07 for the average retiree under the FERS retirement program.
The amount of the January inflation catch-up won’t be determined until price data for this month (September) is compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The final COLA figure will be released Oct. 18..."
Aug 30, 2016
Federal Retirement August Update
"...If you are just back — whether from an exotic vacation or an economical stay at home — welcome. You haven’t missed much. It won’t take long to bring you up to speed. So here it goes:
- With two months to go in the cost-of-living adjustment countdown, federal-military-Social Security retirees are looking at a very, very small COLA in January. The exact amount won’t be announced until mid-October. As of today, it stands at 0.23 percent.
- No new word on buyouts or early retirement offers.
- After four years in the works, the phased retirement program is up and running, in some places..."
Aug 26, 2016
2017 COLA and Medicare Part B
"...The chances of a tepid cost-of-living-adjustment for 2017 could soon have federal retirees cautiously watching how health insurance premiums will rise this fall.
But the kicker is for some retirees, no COLA will be a lot better than a small COLA.
The COLA determines how much select retirees—including many former federal employees—will be able to offset the rise in their Medicare premiums, and there’s a chance it will be very low this year..."
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