COLA

There Will Be a 1.5% Increase in Social Security Benefits Next Year

The Social Security administration announced there will be a 1.5% increase in social security benefits next year.  The cost of living adjustment is fairly low, but if chained CPI had passed Congress and was used, the situation for social security increases would be much worse.

Don't Count on a 1.5% Social Security Increase, the Figures Have not Been Released Yet

The press is announcing a low social security cost of living adjustment for 2014, a 1.5% increase.  The problem with this headline announcement by the press is the social security cost of living increase has not been announced yet and is highly dependent on government inflation statistics for September.  These September statistics have not been released and due to the shutdown, probably will not be this week.

CPI Jumps 0.5% on Higher Gas Prices for June 2013

The June Consumer Price Index increased 0.5% from May.  CPI measures inflation, or price increases.  This is the largest monthly CPI increase since February where inflation rose 0.7%. The culprit this time is gasoline, which caused two thirds of the increase in CPI and by itself rose 6.3%.  Take food and energy items out of the index and core inflation rose 0.2% from May.

 

CPI Increases 0.1% on Rent, Prescription Drug Prices Drop for May 2013

The May Consumer Price Index increased 0.1% from April.  CPI measures inflation, or price increases.  The culprit this time isn't gasoline, but shelter, which increased 0.3% for the month.  This is the largest monthly increase in the shelter index since July 2011 and was responsible for half of the overall 0.1% inflation monthly increase.  Take food and energy items out of the index and CPI actually rose 0.2% from April.  Shelter is part of this figure.

CPI Shows Inflation Dropped -0.4% on Volatile Gas Prices in April 2013

The April Consumer Price Index dropped -0.4% from March.  CPI measures inflation, or price increases.  The culprit is gas prices again, which plunged -8.1% for the month.  This is the biggest monthly decline in overall CPI since December 2008, when the economy was at risk of a deflationary spiral.  Take food and energy items out of the index and CPI actually rose 0.1% from March, so once again volatile retail gasoline prices are wreaking havoc in the overall consumer price index, as well as consumer's monthly budgets.

CPI Jumps 0.7% on High Gas Prices for February 2013

The February Consumer Price Index jumped 0.7% from January.  CPI measures inflation, or price increases.  The culprit is gas prices again, which skyrocketed 9.1% for the month and is 75% of the monthly increase.  This is the biggest monthly jump in CPI since June 2009.    Take food and energy items out of the index and CPI actually rose 0.2% from January.

Consumer Price Index Declines 0.3% on Falling Gas Prices for November 2012

The November Consumer Price Index decreased -0.3% from October. CPI measures inflation, or price increases. The culprit is gas prices. The gasoline index declined by -7.4%, the largest decline in gas prices since December 2008. The dramatic drop in gas prices offset inflation in other areas for the month which resulted in a decline not seen since May 2012 Below are CPI's monthly percentage changes.