Best Estimate for 2018 COLA: 2.2% (by Ralph Smith – FedSmith)
A topic of interest to many current and soon-to-be retired federal employees is the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security recipients and federal retirees. The annual increase has averaged about 1% since 2012. This average includes Social Security and federal retirees not receiving any increase in 2016.
The latest monthly inflation figures have been released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Insofar as this impacts the annual cost-of-living-adjustment to civil service annuities and Social Security recipients, the news may be disappointing.