Some Interim Steps–Not Fixes–to Improve Social Security
The Center for Retirement Research (CRR) at Boston College recently published a paper discussing proposals that should be considered to address the plight of “economically vulnerable” Americans. Richard Eisenberg, Forbes contributor and Editor of the Money and Work channels for NextAvenue.org, examines the CRR proposals and provides a context for understanding what their implementation would mean for the elderly, widows, and low-lifetime earners. Read his post here…
In examining Eisenberg’s article, note that the CRR proposals support several of the primary sections of the Association of Mature American Citizens’ (AMAC) “Social Security Guarantee Act of 2017.” For example, their support of the bill by Rep. Al Lawson (D-Fla.) to increase the widow benefit is in concert with AMAC’s legislative framework, as is the general interest they have in improving the cost-of-living adjustment process for beneficiaries. The AMAC proposal differs in approach, but the objective is the same: provide more benefits for those who need it most.
As Eisenberg notes, the CRR proposals do not represent a fix to the overall woes of Social Security, but rather provide some interim relief for some segments of the elderly population. His quote from CRR’s director, Alicia Munnell, puts this point in perspective: “Making these changes wouldn’t be instead of solving Social Security’s solvency problem, Munnell noted. They would be “other problems to think about as you’re doing it,” she said.” Take a look at AMAC’s proposal here to see a larger approach to correcting Social Security’s overall solvency issue.