The announcement of the Social Security COLA adjustment is still a couple months away. But a look at the numbers so far suggest that there will be no adjustment.

If I’m remembering right, the present-year, October CPI-W number becomes the basis for calculating the following year’s COLA. Thus, for there to be an adjustment, CPI-W would have to climb from its present 208.774 to above 212.182. But with oil prices backing off and markets beginning to roll over, getting from 208 to above to 212 is hard to envision.

No adjustment would be a very good thing. It will save the US government a lot of money and help toward the recovery. So do your patriotic duty and don’t grumble.

Also, as long at the Treasury can keep interest rates at historic lows, the US government can save on its borrowing costs. So do your patriotic duty and don’t grumble about that, either.

The upside? The recovery is coming soon. Be patient. The government is doing its very best to fix the problems, and life again will soon become the enchanted life of Lake Woebegone, where all investors are winners.

Whee. This investing stuff is easy.
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		CPI-W	12-month rolling average	
2008	Jan	206.744		
	Feb	207.254		
	Mar	209.147		
	Apr	210.698		
	May	212.788		
	Jun	215.223		
	Jul	216.304		
	Aug	215.247		
	Sep	214.935		
	Oct	212.182		
	Nov	207.296		
	Dec	204.813		
2009	Jan	205.700	-0.50%	
	Feb	206.708	-0.26%
	Mar	207.218	-0.92%
	Apr	207.925	-1.32%
	May	208.774	-1.89%