Seniors have lost almost one-third of their buying power since 2000, according to the Annual Survey of Senior Costs, released today by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). TSCL is one of the nation’s largest nonpartisan seniors advocacy groups.
In most years, seniors receive a small increase in their Social Security checks, intended to help them keep up with the costs of inflation. But since 2000, the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) has increased just 31 percent, while typical senior expenses have jumped 73 percent, more than twice as fast.
In 2011, for the second consecutive year, seniors received no COLA. Prior to 2010, seniors had received a COLA every year since 1975, when the automatic COLA was introduced. Seniors are forecast to receive a very small COLA next year.
The following table shows how various types of expenses have changed since 2000
C ategory
| E xpense | C ost in 200 0 | C ost in 201 1 | P ercent Increase, 200 0- 201 1 | ||
| H ousing | Ownership costs | N /A | N /A | 32 % | |
| Apartment rental | N /A | N /A | 39 % | ||
| Home owner’s insurance (annual ) | $508 . 0 0 | $969 . 0 0 | 91 % | ||
| Real estate tax (annual) | $690 . 0 0 | $1 , 275 . 9 6 | 85 % | ||
| Heating oil (gallon) | $1 . 1 5 | $3 . 3 4 | 190 % | ||
| Natural gas (gallon) | $1 . 0 1 | $2 . 7 4 | 171 % | ||
| Electricity (per kw hr) | $ . 0 8 | $ . 1 2 | 50 % | ||
| T ransportation | Gas, all grades (gallon) | $1 . 5 3 | $3 . 5 3 | 131 % | |
| New & used vehicles | N /A | N /A | (- 4 %) | ||
| Oil change | $23 . 1 1 | $49 . 6 8 | 115 % | ||
| Maintenance/ repair | N /A | N /A | 44 % | ||
| M edical | Total out- o f- pocket medical expenses | $1 , 074 . 5 0 | $1 , 526 . 1 8 | 42 % | |
| Prescription drugs, generic, brand , special | $623 . 7 0 | $708 . 0 7 | 14 % | ||
| Dental, general visits | $377 . 4 0 | $528 . 6 1 | 40 % | ||
| Medicare Part B premiums (monthly ) | $45 . 5 0 | $115 . 4 0 | 154 % | ||
| Medicare Part D premiums | $25 . 9 3 | $40 . 7 2 | 57 % (since 2006 ) | ||
| F ood | 1 0 l b s. potato es | $2 . 9 8 | $5 . 9 8 | 101 % | |
| 1 l b . butter | $2 . 5 2 | $3 . 4 2 | 36 % | ||
| M ilk (gallon) | $2 . 7 8 | $3 . 3 0 | 19 % | ||
| Eggs (dozen) | $0 . 9 3 | $1 . 8 1 | 95 % | ||
| Ground chuck (lb.) | $1 . 9 0 | $2 . 9 9 | 57 % | ||
| Bread, white loaf | $ . 9 1 | $1 .40 | 54 % | ||
| 1 l b . coffee | $3 . 5 4 | $4 . 4 2 | 25 % | ||
| Oranges (lb.) | $ . 6 1 | $1 . 0 5 | 72 % | ||
| R ecreation | Recreation, misc. | N /A | N /A | 10 % | |
| C ommunication | First class postage | $ . 3 3 | $ . 4 4 | 33 % | |
| Basic phone service, local | $55 . 3 7 | $ 68. 4 1 | 24% | ||
| A pparel | Clothing | N /A | N /A | (- 8 %) | |
| O ther | Personal care products | N /A | N /A | 5 % | |
| Personal care services | N /A | N /A | 32 % | ||
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For many years, seniors have watched helplessly as the value of their benefits has eroded. Those losses have added up, and millions of seniors – among our most vulnerable citizens – are barely able to scrape by today,” said Larry Hyland, chairman of The Senior Citizens League. “To put it in perspective, for every $100 worth of expenses seniors could afford in 2000, they can afford just $68 today.”
A senior with an average Social Security benefit in 2000 received $816 per month, a figure that rose to $1,072.30 by 2011. However, that senior would require a Social Security benefit of $1,414.70 per month in 2011just to maintain his or her 2000 lifestyle.
The study examined the increase in costs of 30 key items between 2000 and 2011. The items were chosen because they are typical of the costs seniors must bear. Price increases for 22 out of the 30 costs exceeded the COLA. The selected items represent eight categories, and each category was weighted (based on typical expenditure levels) in order to calculate the overall loss of buying power.
A majority of the 37 million Americans aged 65 and over who receive a Social Security check depend on it for at least 50 percent of their total income, and one in three beneficiaries rely on it for 90 percent or more of their total income.
