Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) sustain the value of retired pay, survivor annuities, and social security payments by adjusting these payments to track inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W - Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers).
The following is a fourteen-year history of monthly CPI-W changes.
COLA History
Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) sustain the value of retired pay, survivor annuities, and Social Security payments by adjusting these payments to track inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W - Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers).
The following is a fourteen-year history of monthly CPI-W changes.
|
|
FY02
|
FY03
|
FY04
|
FY05
|
FY06
|
FY07
|
FY08
|
FY09
|
|
Oct
|
174.0
|
177.3
|
180.7
|
186.5
|
195.2
|
197.0
|
204.3
|
212.2
|
|
Nov
|
173.7
|
177.4
|
180.2
|
186.8
|
193.4
|
196.8
|
205.9
|
207.2
|
|
Dec
|
172.9
|
177.0
|
179.9
|
186.0
|
192.5
|
197.2
|
205.8
|
204.8
|
|
Jan
|
173.2
|
177.7
|
180.9
|
186.3
|
194.0
|
197.6
|
206.7
|
205.7
|
|
Feb
|
173.7
|
179.2
|
181.9
|
187.3
|
194.2
|
198.5
|
207.3
|
206.7
|
|
Mar
|
174.7
|
180.3
|
182.9
|
188.6
|
195.3
|
200.6
|
209.1
|
207.2
|
|
Apr
|
175.8
|
179.8
|
183.5
|
190.2
|
197.2
|
202.1
|
210.7
|
207.9
|
|
May
|
175.8
|
179.4
|
184.7
|
190.0
|
198.2
|
203.7
|
212.8
|
|
|
June
|
175.9
|
179.6
|
185.3
|
190.1
|
198.6
|
203.9
|
215.2
|
|
|
July
|
164.1
|
179.6
|
184.9
|
191.0
|
199.2
|
203.7
|
216.3
|
|
|
Aug
|
164.6
|
180.2
|
185.0
|
192.1
|
199.6
|
203.2
|
215.2
|
|
|
Sep
|
177.0
|
181.0
|
185.4
|
195.0
|
198.4
|
203.9
|
214.9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
July -
Sep Avg:
|
176.6
|
180.3
|
185.1
|
192.7
|
199.1
|
203.6
|
215.5
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| COLA* |
1.4
|
2.1
|
2.7
|
4.1
|
3.3
|
2.3
|
5.8
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| *The 2009 COLA is calculated by subtracting the 2007 Jul - Sep CPI-W average from the Jul - Sep 2008 CPI-W average. Then dividing that amount by the Jul - Sep 2007 CPI-W average and multiplying by 100. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FY95
|
FY96
|
FY97
|
FY98
|
FY99
|
FY00
|
FY01
|
|
|
Oct
|
147.0
|
151.0
|
155.5
|
158.5
|
160.6
|
165.0
|
170.6
|
|
|
Nov
|
147.3
|
150.9
|
155.9
|
158.5
|
160.7
|
165.1
|
170.9
|
|
|
Dec
|
147.2
|
150.9
|
155.9
|
158.2
|
160.7
|
165.1
|
170.7
|
|
|
Jan
|
147.8
|
151.7
|
156.3
|
158.4
|
161.0
|
165.6
|
171.7
|
|
|
Feb
|
148.3
|
152.2
|
156.8
|
158.5
|
161.1
|
166.5
|
172.4
|
|
|
Mar
|
148.7
|
152.9
|
157.0
|
158.7
|
161.4
|
167.9
|
172.6
|
|
|
Apr
|
149.3
|
153.6
|
157.2
|
159.1
|
164.7
|
168.0
|
173.5
|
|
|
May
|
149.6
|
154.0
|
157.2
|
159.5
|
164.8
|
168.2
|
174.4
|
|
|
June
|
149.9
|
154.1
|
157.4
|
159.7
|
164.8
|
169.2
|
174.6
|
|
|
July
|
149.9
|
154.3
|
157.5
|
159.8
|
163.3
|
169.4
|
173.8
|
|
|
Aug
|
150.2
|
154.5
|
157.8
|
160.0
|
163.8
|
169.3
|
173.8
|
|
|
Sep
|
150.6
|
155.1
|
158.3
|
160.2
|
164.7
|
170.4
|
174.8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
July -
Sep Avg:
|
150.2
|
154.6
|
157.9
|
160.0
|
163.9
|
169.7
|
174.1
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| COLA |
2.6
|
2.9
|
2.1
|
1.3
|
2.4
|
3.5
|
2.6
|
|
| |
|
