Social Security solvency

Don’t Obsess over Social Security!

At least one pundit who regularly watches what’s happening with the nation’s most important retirement program isn’t personally obsessing over Social Security’s looming financial issue. The issue at hand is a fact which has been reported by the Trustees of…

Should “means testing” exist for Social Security and Medicare?

In this somewhat unconventional opinion piece, the author opines that both the Social Security and Medicare programs are suffering financial difficulties, largely because many who receive benefits do not actually need them. The author, himself a fairly affluent businessman, contends…

Is the Social Security issue even worse than reported?

The latest (June) report from the Trustees of Social Security predicts that the SS Trust Funds will be fully depleted in 2033, unless Congress acts soon to reform the program. But, according to at least one retirement research outfit, the…

What Would a 23% Cut in Social Security Mean?

The Trustees of Social Security have warned Congress: There will be a 23% cut in everyone’s Social Security benefit in 2033, unless Congress reforms the program. Hopefully, Congress will act soon to prevent cuts from happening – but what if…

Some Sacrifice needed to save Social Security

As most Americans know from media articles on the topic, the Social Security program is forecasted to experience financial trouble soon. The Social Security Trust Funds, which now contain over $2.7 trillion in assets, will be depleted in 2033, according…

Demystifying the Federal Payroll Tax

Nearly all workers pay it, but very few understand it – the Federal Payroll Tax. With few exceptions,[1] everyone who works and earns pays the federal payroll tax from their earnings – that’s about 175 million American workers. The tax, first…

Social Security: Once upon a time – and Today

Once upon a time, there was no real social security in the United States of America.  Oh, there were a few early 19th century attempts at public programs to limit poverty, especially for the elderly. However, all of these early…

Definition Time: “Wage Indexing” and How it Works

Yesterday’s headline post on this site discussed a paper by AEI senior fellow Andy Biggs identifying “wage indexing” as a key culprit in Social Security’s long-term funding problem. As our post pointed out, wage indexing is the process of using…

A Quick Summary of the Insolvency Problem

Social Security’s steadily deteriorating financial situation receives considerable attention in the press, with pundits continually assessing the causes, assigning blame, and discussing the potential implications. At this point, the vast majority of folks receiving Social Security benefits or aging into…

Focusing on the Insolvency Problem: A Look at One of the Fundamental Drivers

In this first part of a two-part study, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) senior fellow Andrew G. Biggs challenges one of the basic narratives associated with Social Security’s steadily eroding financial picture. Specifically, his article addresses the issue of wage indexing…

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