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Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund: Background and Solvency Issues – R43318
The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program provides benefits to insured workers with disabilities under Social Security’s full retirement age and their dependents based on an individual worker’s earnings and work history in covered employment. Recently, some Members of Congress and the public have expressed concern over the sustainability of the SSDI program. Between 1990 and 2012, spending on SSDI benefits doubled as a share of the economy, from 0.42% of gross domestic product (GDP) to 0.84% of GDP. This increase has placed financial pressure on the Disability Insurance (DI) trust fund, from which SSDI benefits are paid. This report provides an overview of the DI trust fund and examines potential solutions to improve the DI trust fund’s solvency in the short term. Read more…