In today’s paycheck, we got a long-anticipated pay increase. It was retroactive to last June. In fact, we were to get not only a performance-based increase, but also a 2.9-percent cost-of-living increase. I knew I’d be getting my new paycheck today, including not only my new salary but also the retroactively-owed amount from June to the present. Visions of increased monthly student loan payments danced in my head, as well as a nice little retroactively-created lump sum — the sooner to pay off that pesky loan! (I know, I’m boring when it comes to money.)

But there are two things I didn’t realize.

One, we already got the cost-of-living increase back in July. I just didn’t realize it at the time.

Two, more of the increase goes to taxes than I’d realized.

So I’ll be increasing my monthly student loan payment, but not by much.

Sigh.

It’s almost enough to make me a Republican.

(Ow! I was only kidding.)