The government announced that because inflation was so low this past year. Americans receiving Social Security and federal retirees would not see a cost of living adjustment in their checks. Washington claims that because of sluggish economic growth and a falling deficit, inflation was less than zero which won't trigger the automatic increase in payments. Washington Times: The Social Security payments freeze will have the most immediate impact on the largest group of Americans. The government reported that since the price index used to calculate inflation actually dropped last year, the law says there’s no need for a cost-of-living raise because the average senior’s expenses didn’t go up. It’s just the third time in the last four decades that inflation was too low to earn seniors a raise, and seniors advocacy groups said it will be particularly difficult to swallow because a large number of elderly will still have to pay more in premiums and...(Read Full Post)