Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 20, 2011

SCHUMER: OVER 246,000 ROCHESTER-FINGER LAKES SENIORS TO RECEIVE $500 INCREASE IN SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS THIS YEAR – SCHUMER HAS LONG SUPPORTED COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT TO HELP NY SENIORS

Schumer Has Pushed Congress & The Administration To Boost Seniors’ Checks To Keep Up With Rising Costs of Energy, Food, Prescription Drugs

New County-By-County Report Details The Number of SS Recipients In Each County Who Will See Their Social Security Checks Grow By $500 This Year

Schumer: This Will Help Millions Of Seniors Each Month

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer released a new, county-by-county, report detailing the number of Rochester-Finger Lakes social security recipients who will see a cost of living adjustment of $500 in their Social Security checks this year. Schumer, who has long fought to ensure that Social Security checks keep up with inflation, applauds the Obama Administration for approving the cost of the living adjustment. This boost in funding will help seniors handle the rising cost of energy, food, and prescription drugs.

“Each month, Rochester-Finger Lakes seniors can head for their mailbox with a little more spring in their step,” said Schumer. “Costs for so many goods that our seniors depend on are on the rise, and it’s up to the federal government to ensure that Social Security keeps pace. I’m pleased that Social Security payments are going up this year, and will do everything I can to ensure that seniors aren’t shortchanged in the future.”

Schumer has long pushed to have seniors’ Social Security cost of living adjustment keep up with inflation. In 2010, after seniors had been denied a cost of living adjustment for two consecutive years, Schumer introduced legislation to provide a one-time $250 payment to help seniors with their living expenses. Due to rising prices on a host of goods, the inflation rate this year has triggered the cost of living adjustment, which will provide $123,489,500 to 246,980 seniors across the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region. Here is how the beneficiaries break down across the region:

- In Genesee County, 12,760 seniors will receive$6,380,000 more in Social Security benefits this year

- In Livingston County, 12,780 seniors will receive$6,390,000 more in Social Security benefits this year

- In Monroe County, 145,920 seniors will receive$72,960,000 more in Social Security benefits this year

- In Ontario County, 23,095 seniors will receive$11,547,500 more in Social Security benefits this year

- In Orleans County, 9,070 seniors will receive $4,535,000more in Social Security benefits this year

- In Seneca County, 7,575 seniors will receive $3,787,500more in Social Security benefits this year

- In Wayne County, 21,350 seniors will receive $10,675,000more in Social Security benefits this year

- In Wyoming County, 8,655 seniors will receive $4,327,500more in Social Security benefits this year

- In Yates County, 5,775 seniors will receive $2,887,500more in Social Security benefits this year

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