Is a 5.9% raise enough in 2022?

Greetings, everyone! Social Security checks will be 5.9% higher, starting with the batch of payments that go out tomorrow for people whose birthdays are between the 1st and 10th of the month. (Here’s a quick roundup of the major Social Security changes for 2022: https://www.thepennyhoarder.co…al-security-changes/)

If you get Social Security: Is a 5.9% raise enough for you? The COLA will add $92 to the average retiree’s check and $76 to the average disability check. But for a lot of people, the Medicare premium increase will eat up a chunk of this year’s COLA. That’s not to mention all the cost increases we’re seeing for housing, groceries, heating, etc.

If you work, do you plan to ask for a raise this year? Would you be happy with the 5.9% raise Social Security recipients are receiving? Also, if you do plan to ask for a raise, will you mention inflation when you make your request? Or will you keep the focus on your performance, accomplishments, etc.?

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As usual, in an attempt to be fair, the goverment went with an increase by percentage. This means the people who needed the most received the least. In short, if you get $100 you get $5.90. If you get $1000 you received $59.00. Not really well thought out. Can thet really be the dense? You might want to drop your State Rep a note.

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I haven’t mentioned inflation only because I am grant funded. But you better believe that I do push pretty hard on my performance.

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YEAR COLA

2009 0.0

2010 0.0

2011 3.6

2012 1.7

2013 1.5

2014 1.7

2015 0.0

2016 0.3

2017 2.0

2018 2.8

2019 1.6

2020 1.3

2021 5.9 received 2022 last I looked inflation 6.4%

In my never humble opinion, this whole thing is gallows humor. Oh, and obscene theft at the highest levels in the hallowed halls of Congress. And let’s not forget that Medicare has jumped every year taking a chunk out of the “entitlements”. I for one have never been “entitled” to anything. I worked for decades while my money was literally stolen along with millions of others. Social Security is the height of depravity. No wonder they’re importing the new underclass, and those in the FIRE movement are growing by leaps and bounds. 5.9% p.s. some joke.

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I think 5.9% is fair. But what’s fair-er is probably something someone mentioned above, which is:

5.9%, or some requisite $/mo, whichever is higher.

The 5.9% protects against inflation, and the requisite $/mo means you don’t just get $5.9 more from a $100/mo paycheck.

Insofar as asking for a raise, I’m quite anti-corporate so I think working a W-2, a 5.9% raise (unless getting a promotion) is quite unlikely. The best way to get a raise is to make lateral moves and keep finding new jobs once every 2 years. Your manager will never work with you to just give you free money.

I used to push on performance but they just have objections like:

“We don’t have the budget” or

“Well, you didn’t tell us what you could do better so we can use that excuse to not give you a raise, so we’re not giving you more than a 2% raise”.

That said, if you’re still young-ish and still have somewhat of decades of careers left, I don’t recommend depending on social security. I think by the time I am at retirement age, that system will be gone completely. Unpopular opinion: your goal should be to be filthy, Scrooge McDuck rich, because even if you fail those goals, you’ll end up in a decent enough place to be financially free.

Point is: Relying on anyone or anything else, like your boss or social security to make money for me is pretty much as risky as going to Vegas and putting your entire net worth on red. It’s up to us to take fate into our own hands and side-hustle our way out of wage slavery. Nobody can liberate you financially but you.

https://goodmoneygoodlife.com

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Some senior have to pay for their health care coverage so they don’t get the full raise

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My parents saw any increase in SS eaten up in Medicare. Honestly, even working full-time often a raise isn’t what it seems. Inflation and taxes take a big bite out of any small increase. I’m not expecting any raise this year. I expect nothing and am never disappointed.

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sorry everyone… i have no idea who to believe or whats going on, except time will tell…on how all this play out. but something has to let go… and all we can do is pray and hope for the best outcome over all… as for ss …for me… i dont expect it…if we do get it …thats would be fantastic!!! just keep the faith for the best outcome !!!

I work for a large corporation, so I expect to get my 3% raise this year even as inflations stands at 7.5%. With the hot labor market, my company is having a hard time retaining employees. The sad truth is that the only real way to get what you’re worth is to get an offer from another company. People say Millennials are not loyal to companies anymore, but it goes both ways. I’d rather stay, but they basically force you out if you want to keep pace with market wage growth.

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Insightful!

I just became eligible for Medicare this year and was so hoping to get at least one check reflecting the SS increase, but it was not to be. The increased Medicare premium pretty much wiped out the SS increase. Oh, well…

Why not? I think Covid 19 is gone, and now is time to raise. We had a lots of possibilities to change our future. God luck

seeing the current scenario of the world , the value should be lower than 5.9