| VETERANS' COLA FOR 2010 STILL
TRACKING AT ZERO
Although CPI has seen slight increase, disabled veterans still
stand to get zero COLA in 2010.
by Larry Scott, VA Watchdog
dot Org
Earlier this month
we reported:
It is projected that
Social Security
recipients will not have a cost-of-living allowance (COLA)
increase for two years.
Since VA disability COLA is
tied to Social security COLA, this is some very bad news.
Before anyone starts screaming
at this politician or that one, remember that the COLA amount is
not just arbitrarily assigned or even voted on. It is
computed using a formula specified by law.
Budget figures indicate the
prospect of zero compensation (comp) COLA for disabled veterans and social security
recipients could go into 2012.
 New
Consumer Price Index (CPI) numbers are released around the middle
of every month for the previous month.
We just got the numbers for
April 2009 ... and the CPI took a slight swing upward ... just a
0.3% increase.
That means the CPI is still
-3.5% for the year. And, as long as that number stays
negative or is zero, there's no comp COLA for veterans.
To break even, the CPI would
have to rise 0.7% a month for the next five months (on average)
... something that doesn't look likely to happen ... and, the
increase would have to be higher than that to see any COLA in
2010.
You can find more information on
the CPI (be sure to use the CPI-W) at
Bureau of Labor Statistics web
site.
A great way to track the CPI,
and veterans COLA, is at the Military Officers Association of
America (MOAA) web site.
Here is their Cola Watch
page.
Below is the latest COLA chart.
Click it for a larger image.
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TOPICS:
veterans, veterans' benefits, VA, Department of Veterans' Affairs,
disabled veterans, COLA, cost-of-living allowance |
