Social Security and/or VA Benefits for 2014

[amber]

Does anyone know if the Social Secutity Administration or the VA is going to increase our benefits for 2014? I so, by how much? Usually by now we start to hear something about it. I'm not holding my breath.

[p246]

Probably not they need that money for Obama care....

[raymeketa]

I think I read just recently that SS will see a COL increase of less than 2% in 2014. Probably not enough to offset Medicare premium increases, (again). I haven't seen anything about VA.

I'm going to hold off buying that new Cadillac.

[Nick Riviezzo]

ray, me likewise. I'm driving[well ,the wife's driving] a 1992 Brougham de Elegance with 70,000 miles on it that looks like show room new, but I want a new high performance Caddy. Looks like I'll have to wait too! You can't eat a Caddy next year! Nick

[Weasel]

They'll just raise Medicare again.

[BudT]

Do they make a Caddy here anymore? COLA's are a real kick in the @ss arent they, you get one and everything goes up just about double the cola. I keep getting cola's and my taxes go up but I don't have as much money in hand as I used to. So even if we do get the COLA we end up on the short end of the stick, aint life wonderful. I dont want anymore dam cola's I want prices to stay stable but we all know that isnt going to happen.......is it.

[Art]

I think I read just recently that SS will see a COL increase of less than 2% in 2014. Probably not enough to offset Medicare premium increases, (again). I haven't seen anything about VA.

I'm going to hold off buying that new Cadillac.

Its going to be 1.7%. The way they've figured the COLA has changed from being indexed to salary increases to being indexed to the cost of goods and services which is lower. Under the old system your COLA might be as high as 2%-2.2%. For two years there was no COLA at all because of the new indexing system.

Be glad you get a COLA at all. Many private pensions (the handful that exist anymore) don't get COLAs and trust me, the Federal COLA, and any other Fed. benefits, could change again with the stoke of a couple of pens. Example: our son in the Air Force told us that his commander has let it be known that under new proposals his health care is no longer going to be "gratis" but will henceforth have deductibles and co pays, and there was a real good chance that his quarters allowance would be cut; at least that's the plan. Speaking of the Military, it's being cut right to the bone right now, they're offering retirement at 45% to guys with 15 years in service and they're looking for ways to throw people out. You guys who bellyache about Federal employee benefits should remember that your Social Security and Medicare benefits are tied directly or indirectly to their salary and benefits. The Fed. COLA is pretty much your Social Security COLA.

Right now the government is making money out of air, and when it craters you only have to look at Russia in the early 1990s to know how bad it can get. How bad can it get? Lets just say that for a couple of years the Rooskles couldn't meet payroll for the army.

[alvinM]

Everyone is required to pay into social security during their working years in order to receive benefits during retirement. However, many problems are being faced by the members. Social Security taxes increased for most Americans on January 1, decreasing their take-home pay. According to the Conference Board, that is reason for a plummeting consumer confidence. Read more: Social Security Taxes (http://personalmoneynetwork.com/moneyblog/2013/01/30/consumer-confidence-drops/).