What will COLA be in the future?

[mickeyd]

Trying to keep up with the next COLA? This may help a bit.

Quote:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently announced the monthly consumer price index (CPI) for April. The April figure is a 0.7% increase from March and is also a 3.5% increase over the 2007 COLA base. Has the COLA midway through the Fiscal Year foreshadowed the year-end COLA?

MOAA: Military Officers Association of AmericaCOLA Watch

[Independent]

I don't know about military pensions, but the COLA for Social Security will be based on the growth in the CPI-W from the 3rd quarter of 2007 to the 3rd quarter of 2008. We're already about about 2/3 of the way there.

This chart has the raw numbers: Bureau of Labor Statistics Data

It looks like we've got an increase of about 3% though April, with 3 1/2 months to go.

[OAG]

Both (benefits) are calculated the same way for the same period. The preceding LINK does not work as of when I posted this. "Sorry, the survey does not exist. If you need to contact someone about the program or its data, please send a message to the data questions e-mail address below or call the phone number below."

[Independent]

It doesn't work for me, either. It's a "custom table", so maybe they take it down after some time limit.

Try this: Go to the BLS website at :

Consumer Price Index Home Page

scroll down the page to: Create Customized Tables (one screen)

click on:Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (Current Series)

highlight "US City Average" and then "All Items"
then click on "Get Data"

You should get two tables of CPI-W indices from 1998 thru 2008. One is seasonally adjusted, the other isn't.