美国国家公共电台 NPR--High inflation leads to the biggest raise in Social Security in more than 40 years

High inflation leads to the biggest raise in Social Security in more than 40 years

Transcript¹

Tulsa retiree Lynn Christophersen relies almost entirely² on Social Security to pay her bills, whether it's covering the rising price of gasoline or another increase in the cost of electricity.

"I quit using my dryer³ today," she said. "I'm back to hanging up my clothes in my apartment. And I've heard rumors⁴ that it's going up again, and it was like, 'Good grief!'"

Consumer prices rose 8.2% for the 12 months ending in September, the Labor⁵ Department said Thursday. That's down slightly from the previous month but prices remain stubbornly high.

Relief might not be coming soon. On Tuesday, the Energy Department warned that electric heating bills will likely be 10% higher this winter than last. For families who heat with natural gas, the increase could be 28%.

Rent on a two-bedroom apartment in a Tulsa senior community gobbles up much of Christophersen's monthly income. She's worried that before long she'll have to downsize.

"I just got my rent increase notice Tuesday," she said, noting that her lease expires in December. "It's another $100 a month."

Luckily, Social Security benefits will also be going up substantially in January.

The annual increase is automatic — pegged⁶ to inflation the previous July, August and September. Most years, when prices are stable, it's a trivial adjustment. Now though, with prices climbing rapidly, retirees can look forward to the biggest cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, in four decades: 8.7%. That will boost the average benefit by $141 a month.

"Wow!" Christophersen exclaimed when told about the expected boost to her benefits. "That's huge. That will make a difference."

More than 65 million people will see the increased payments, including disabled workers and survivors⁷ as well as retirees. The jump is significantly more than the typical worker is getting.

"People on Social Security always get referred to as being on a fixed⁸ income, but they're the only group in the country that is not on a fixed income," says Bill List, a retiree in Lititz, Pa. "They at least get a COLA. Whereas a lot of people in the working world, it depends on how the business is doing whether they get a raise or not."

Social Security benefits still aren't all that generous. The average retiree currently receives around $1625 a month. About 1 in 5 seniors rely on Social Security for at least 90% of their income, so adjusting payments to keep pace with inflation is critical.

"This is one way we can be sure that they can afford their housing costs and their food costs and other important necessities in their lives," said Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Retirees, who don't have to commute⁹ every day, are typically less sensitive to rising gasoline prices than other consumers, but they do have to buy food. Grocery prices jumped 13% over the last 12 months. Miriam Garcia, a retiree in Florida, has cut back on buying fresh salmon¹⁰, even though she says it's good for you and "better than taking pills."

"Now I'm eating canned tuna," Garcia said with a rueful laugh. "Or pasta and sauce. And then a piece of chicken that I've bought when it's on sale."

Garcia's retirement¹¹ savings¹² have also taken a hit from the falling stock market.

"As a result of the market we've had, it's been a downward spiral," she said.

Social Security recipients¹³ lost ground this year, because the cost of living increase they got in January — 5.9% — was no match for inflation that reached 9% in June.

List is hoping his buying power will be stronger in the year ahead.

"If we get a better-than-average increase in January this year and inflation at least doesn't go up any further, we should be OK," he said.

Many people are hoping to see inflation cool off soon. While prices for some things, like used cars, have come down, many prices continue to climb. And Federal Reserve officials have cautioned that their effort to curb¹⁴ inflation with higher interest rates will likely take time to bear fruit.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

3 dryer   

n.干衣机，干燥剂

参考例句：

• He bought a dryer yesterday.他昨天买了一台干燥机。
• There is a washer and a dryer in the basement.地下室里有洗衣机和烘干机。

4 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

6 pegged   

v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的过去式和过去分词 )；使固定在某水平

参考例句：

• They pegged their tent down. 他们钉好了账篷。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She pegged down the stairs. 她急忙下楼。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

8 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

9 commute   

vi.乘车上下班；vt.减(刑)；折合；n.上下班交通

参考例句：

• I spend much less time on my commute to work now.我现在工作的往返时间要节省好多。
• Most office workers commute from the suburbs.很多公司的职员都是从郊外来上班的。

10 salmon   

n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的

参考例句：

• We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
• Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗？

11 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

12 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

13 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

14 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。