Expect a 1.7 percent Increase in 2015 Social Security Benefits

 

social security benefitsSocial Security Claimants get a Bigger Check in 2015

Monthly Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for nearly 64 million Americans will increase 1.7 percent in 2015, the Social Security Administration announced today.

The 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits that more than 58 million Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2015.  Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 31, 2014. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated.  To read more, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/cola.

Some Individuals will Pay More Social Security Taxes in 2015

Some other changes that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages.  Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $118,500 from $117,000.  Of the estimated 168 million workers who will pay Social Security taxes in 2015, about 10 million will pay higher taxes because of the increase in the taxable maximum.

Medicare Costs Will Basically Remain the Same in 2015 

Details about 2015 Medicare are available at www.medicare.gov . The following is an overview of Medicare costs for 2014 and 2015:

A Comparison of 2014 and 2015 Medicare Costs
Part B premium Most people pay $104.90 each month.(This amount won’t change in 2015.)
Part B deductible $147 per year. (This amount won’t change in 2015.)
Part A premium Most people don’t pay a monthly premium for Part A. If you buy Part A, you’ll pay up to $426 each month. (Reduced to $407 in 2015.)
Part A hospital inpatient deductible  You pay:

  • $1,216 deductible for each benefit period ($1,260 in 2015)
  • Days 1-60: $0 coinsurance for each benefit period ($0 in 2015)
  • Days 61-90: $304 coinsurance per day of each benefit period ($315 in 2015)
  • Days 91 and beyond: $608 coinsurance per each “lifetime reserve day” after day 90 for each benefit period (up to 60 days over your lifetime) ($630 in 2015)
  • Beyond lifetime reserve days: all costs

 

About ksindell

Kathleen Sindell, Ph.D. is the author of numerous academic, popular, and professional finance articles, Web sites, proposals, and books. This includes the bestselling reference book, "Investing Online for Dummies, Eds 1-5" (listed for two consecutive years on the Wall Street Journal's Bestselling Business Book List). Her most recent book "Social Security: Maximize your Benefits" has been listed in Amazon's Top 100 Bestselling Retirement Planning Books. It is important to note that "Social Security: Maximize Your Benefits, 2nd Edition" was just released. Sindell has an in-depth understanding of the financial services industry and has held Series 7, 63, and 65 licenses. Dr. Sindell is regularly tapped as a financial services expert on ABC World News, The Nightly Business Report, and at popular online and print outlets. Kathleen Sindell, Ph.D. is a member of the Board of Directors for the Financial Planning Association, National Capital Area (FPA NCA), is on the Editorial Advisory Panel of the Journal of Financial Planning, and is Co-Chair of the Metro Washington Financial Planning Day. Sindell is a Course Chair II, CFP Program Academic Officer, and adjunct full-professor at the University of Maryland, UMUC, School of Undergraduate Studies. Contact Information: ksindell@kathleensindell.com or 703-299-1700
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