Because of the federal government shutdown, the data used to set the Social Security Administration’s annual cost-of-living adjustment is not available.
The data, which is part of the monthly Consumer Price Index report, was not released Wednesday as intended. The Social Security Administration bases its cost-of-living adjustment on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases monthly.
The consumer price index weighs the costs of goods based on their importance. Items like food, shelter and energy typically carry heavier weight.
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Last year’s cost-of-living adjustment was 2.5%, which closely mat