Social Security recipients could see a roughly 3% boost next year, according to new estimates on Thursday following the release of July’s consumer-price data, which showed the first increase in 13 months.
The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is expected to be about 3%, compared with the 8.7% increase in 2023’s COLA, according to the Senior Citizens League, a pro-senior think tank. This is unchanged from the group’s forecast last month.
Read: U.S. inflation rate creeps back up, CPI shows. Fed’s fight not over.
Read: Social Security’s COLA could be just 3% in 2024 — after an 8.7% increase in 2023
The consumer-price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers, known as CPI-W, is the index that’s used to determine the annual COLA.
A COLA of 3% would raise an average monthly benefit of $1,789 by $ 53.70, said the Senior Citizens League’s Social Security and Medicare policy analyst Mary Johnson.
Read: Here’s the real story of next year’s Social Security COLA
In 2023, Social Security recipients received the highest COLA in more than 40 years, but 79% of retirees report that lingering high prices continue to significantly impact household budgets, the Senior Citizens League said.
High costs have significantly impacted older Americans’ ability to access healthcare, the group said.
In its recent survey of retirees, the Senior Citizens League found that more than 66% of survey participants said they have postponed dental care including major services such as bridges, dentures, and implants. Another 43% said they have delayed optical exams or getting prescription eyeglasses. Almost one third of survey participants said they have postponed getting medical care or filling prescriptions due to deductibles, out-of-pocket costs, and unexpected bills.
Persistent high prices aren’t the only problem. Findings from the new survey suggest more than one in five Social Security beneficiaries (23%) report they paid tax on a portion of their benefits for the first time this past tax season.
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