WASHINGTON (AP) - Come January, Social Security benefits for nearly 50 million Americans are going up 2.3 percent, the smallest increase in four years. It will mean an extra $24 per month in the average check, the government announced Wednesday.

The cost of living adjustment means that the monthly benefit for the typical retired worker in 2008 will go from $1,055 currently to $1,079 next year.

The adjustment, announced by the Social Security Administration, will go to more than 54 million Americans. Nearly 50 million receive Social Security benefits and the rest get Supplemental Security Income payments aimed at helping the poor.

The adjustment, announced by the Social Security Administration, will go to more than 54 million Americans. Nearly 50 million receive Social Security benefits and the rest get Supplemental Security Income payments aimed at helping the poor.

The 2.3 percent increase is the smallest since a 2.1 percent rise in 2004. It compares to an increase of 3.3 percent last year and a jump of 4.1 percent in 2006, which had been the biggest advance in 15 years.

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Social Security Going Up by 2.3 Percent

Well, isn’t THAT special?? We spend BILLIONS in Iraq for a people that don’t want us there, we send BILLIONS to other nations to feed and care for their hungry or homeless, and to help provide health care for foreigners but our own retired and disabled get a 2.3% increase in their benefits, I am almost moved to tears by the generosity of the federal government…

For folks my age and older Social Security is what we were told was our retirement options, we didn’t have all the super-duper financial advice and electronic advantages that the young folks have today, we weren’t encouraged to do IRA’s and set up our own retirement like kids are today, we worked jobs for years and took the company retirement or service retirement and at 65 we expect Social Security to kick in and pay US back for all the years we payed in to it…

And God help the poor guy that is on Social Security disability and that’s the only source of income, you make just enough to survive and too much to get food stamps and welfare…

And for any asshat that thinks Social Security is a hand out or welfare, think again, if you went to work today, YOU paid Social Security tax, it’s YOUR money, it’s MY money, it’s OUR money and we’re never going to see the bulk of it back to us, welfare is for the no working lazy bastards that want everyone to do it for them, the entitled that think they are OWED something, the welfare baby makers, the people that have kids one right after the other because they KNOW that every kid will get them another WELFARE check, that is NOT what Social Security is all about, Social Security recipients EARNED their check, by God, they WORKED for it…

Social Security funds are robbed to fund other projects I suspect, they have to fund Iraq from somewhere, and what the hell, Seniors say cat food isn’t too bad with a bit of onion and salt, Bon Apetite’…