Number: 94-834 Title: Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Civil Service Annuities Authors: Patrick J. Purcell, Domestic Social Policy Division Abstract: Congress passed the first law requiring automatic COLAs for federal civil service retirement benefits in 1962, and it has adjusted either the formula by which they are calculated or the date on which they take effect more than a dozen times since then. The next COLA for civil service retirees will be effective in December 2008 and will appear in checks issued in January 2009. CSRS retirement benefits will increase by 5.8%. FERS retirement benefits will increase by 4.8%. Pages: 5 Date: October 16, 2008