Trust Funds
A Discussion on Strenghtening the “Guardrails” for Social Security and Medicade
The crisis in Social Security and Medicare funding is drawing attention from many quarters, especially as the flashpoints draw closer. We’ve reached the point where the luxury of deferring action on the insolvency issues facing these two critical programs will…
The Social Security/Medicare Funding Picture in a Nutshell
Quite a bit of rhetoric is surfacing on the media airwaves about the operation and financial stability of America’s primary senior benefit programs, Social Security and Medicare. With much of the commentary dealing with the issue of the insolvency projections…
Social Security’s Uncertain Future Leading to Strategy Changes for Millennials
It’s certainly no secret that the long-term future of Social Security is a little shaky, This should come as no surprise to anyone who’s given thought to how this once predictable component of retirement financial plans will fit into their…
Social Security’s Looming Insolvency–Know the Facts
Most folks tuned into current economic affairs are well aware of the projections that Social Security’s trust fund reserves, valued at nearly 3 trillion dollars just a few years ago, will be depleted by 2033 (or 2032, depending on the…
An Argument for Better Investment of Social Security Funds
In a post yesterday on marningstar.com, finance writer Brent Arends takes exception to how Social Security’s trust fund reserves have been invested over the years, suggesting that deploying the balance in selected U.S. stocks could have produced a return far…
Social Security’s Rumored Demise
“Social Security benefits will end in about a decade.” This is an ongoing, frequently reported rumor that indicates misunderstanding about how Social Security is financed. The reality is that Social Security’s trust fund reserves have, since 2021, been used to…
Point of View: Perspectives on the Social Security Trust Fund
The rhetoric on Social Security’s looming solvency issue is free-flowing these days, and much of it deals with the program’s trust funds and their role in the overall benefit funding process. A post on shepherdexpress.com by William Holahan, emeritus professor…
CBO estimates a funding shortfall in 2032
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates federal spending on Social Security and Medicare will outpace the revenues and the economy overall. They quoted a variety of factors, including rising costs of medical services, large cost-of-living adjustments, and the last of…
Social Security’s Mythical Demise Continues to be a Concern for Many
We’ve discussed this point several times via posts on this website, but the concern that Social Security will not be around for future retirees just keeps coming up. The latest incarnation of this long-standing concern was highlighted in a post…
Social Security’s Problematic Trifecta
Let’s start with an understatement: the COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc on the nation’s economy. The projections dealing with unemployment, corporate earnings, small business continuity, etc. are horrendous, both short-term and long-term. We see alerts every day telling us how…