Re: No COLA for Social Security

momtochloe · ‎11-03-2013

My mom used to live and die with that COLA raise. She was a stay at home mom (she passed a few years ago at 92) who also took a part time job when my dad got sick.

After he passed, she lost all of his benefits and would have lost her home if I hadn't helped pay her bills. That woman never took a dime for herself, never had her hair done and had two dresses that she alternated in and out of the wash (and for the record we had no clothes dryer or dish washer). Everything was plowed back into the home and the family.

Not everyone is a bad planner or saver. People (especially women) are living longer and outliving their husband's benefits. This will slowly decrease but right now COLA is a huge deal to them and a lot of people.

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

It's based on a formula and when they factored in the low cost of gasoline, a SSA cost of living increase was not justified. Not a big deal because the raises are so low anyway. I know there were years when my sister actually lost money. Whatever she got from the cola, she lost when the Part B premium went up.

AnikaBrodie · ‎03-10-2010

@151949 wrote:
After my husband was killed I was a single Mom raising his children from his first marriage, working for barely enough to get by after I had to make monthly payments on his medical bills, and his funeral and the loans we had taken out for him to start a business. I could not afford a car so did without one for years, riding the bus to work in the middle of the night, and me & the kids dragging our grocery order home on the bus, and laundry for 3 people to the laundromat.I do know what it is to be poor, so you all go ahead and tell me again all about how fortunate I have been.

@151949

In other words until you have walked in my shoes keep your mouth shut and your lips closed. Good advice. I have been through good times and BAD times but I elect not to share specifics on a public forum.

No one here knows another person's situation unless/until they share it. A COLA would be nice; however, as long as the powers that be do not give it, IMO they should NOT accept a raise either. Let's see how that works!!!

"Faith, Hope, Love; the greatest of these is Love." ~The Silver Fox~

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

@catwhisperer wrote:
As already mentioned, food prices. Then there are the rising costs of rents and utilities. Our rent is 45% of our monthly income! Those in charge just don't care. They HAVE money, so COLA is non of their concern.

Get real, that 1.5% increase wasn't going to change your life anyway.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Everyone has a sad story - but the fact is that it's not the government's responsibility to support you in your old age. SS benefits are based on what you paid in while you were working. Above and beyond that is your own responsibility, and people who do not plan for caring for themselves will suffer in the end.

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

@Silver Lining wrote:
I understand what you're saying, 151949, but what about those who don't drive? There are many elderly people who don't. I know of some who either take a taxi or otherwise pay for transportation to get to their medical appointments, grocery store or pay for deliveries and those costs aren't lowered when gas prices are. Also, some don't have a spouse with whom to share household expenses. Also, through no fault of their own, some people have only SS as income.

SSA isn't a welfare program. It was never intended to be anyone's sole source of income. And the cola increases were minute, you know that. Usually less that 2% and often that eaten up by the Part B premium increase. No one is going to feel a pinch because they aren't getting a $14 increase in their check this year.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Whoever is in charge - neither the congress or the president - have anything to do with if we do or do not get a COLA raise. The formula is already law. They can't do anything about that unless they change the law.

Mj12 · ‎03-09-2010

Not just social security recipients; no COLA increase for disabled vets or for retired military.

AngusandBuddhasMom · ‎03-10-2010

@151949 wrote:
Everyone has a sad story - but the fact is that it's not the government's responsibility to support you in your old age. SS benefits are based on what you paid in while you were working. Above and beyond that is your own responsibility, and people who do not plan for caring for themselves will suffer in the end.

Yes so why should women who never worked outside the home be entitled? A lot of money would be saved not handing them a check just because they are married.