If you haven't paid attention, we are actually getting a small cost of living adjustment this year, after many years of freeze or smaller-than-the-cost-of-living increases. While private sector professionals have been seeing significant pay increases since 2008, government employees have been burdened with pay freezes or, after calculating inflation, reductions.

But, surprisingly, the Trump Administration let the cost of living increases go into effect this year, while simultaneously threatening a future pay freeze. Here's the new salary table for the Washington, DC area....