WASHINGTON (AP) – One advocate for the elderly says they’re facing “another blow to their retirement income.” Mary Johnson of The Senior Citizens League is reacting to the news that there will be no benefit increase for the tens of millions of people receiving Social Security, or for disabled veterans or federal retirees. Their benefits are tied to the government’s measure of inflation at the consumer level — and because of falling gas prices, prices overall have remained the same over the past year. Not counting gasoline, prices are up 1.9 percent during that time. The announcement will affect benefits for more than 70 million people, more than one-fifth of the nation’s population. Advocates for seniors say years of small increases or no increase are eroding the buying power of benefits, regardless of the official inflation numbers. In a letter to members of Congress, the executive vice president of AARP argues that the inflation index reflects the spending patterns of workers — who tend to be younger and healthier than most people on Social Security. Nancy LeaMond writes, “Social Security recipients spend more of their monthly budget on health care, food and housing than do younger workers.”
