2018 COLA ANNOUNCED FOR FEDERAL RETIREES
copied from UPMA GOLD
The 2018 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security recipients and annuitants in both the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees
Retirement System (FERS) will increase 2.0 percent, the Social Security Administration announced today. Because the COLA amount is not more than 2%, both CSRS and FERS retirees will receive the
same percentage. CSRS COLA and FERS COLA are awarded based on the following formula:
• If the CSRS COLA is more than 3%, the FERS COLA is 1% less
• If the CSRS COLA is more than 2% but less than 3%, then the FERS COLA is 2%.
• If the CSRS COLA is less than 2%, then the FERS COLA is the same.
The 2018 federal retiree COLA is much larger than last year's 0.3 percent increase and the zero COLA in 2016. It's also the first year the CSRS and FERS COLA has been 2.0 percent or more since
2012.