Stagnant Social Security check could pose hardship for some

The government said Thursday there will be no benefit increase next year for millions of Social Security recipients, disabled veterans and federal retirees. It's just the third time in 40 years that payments will remain flat. USA TODAY

Millions of Social Security recipients who depend on the program for most of their income will have to cut back on necessities such as food and medical care as a result of the government's announcement Thursday that there will be no cost-of-living increase next year, retiree advocates say.

"They're going to be asking themselves, 'How do I pay my bills?'" says Mary Johnson, a policy consultant for the Senior Citizens League. "They don't have any safety net to turn to."

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