What is the Future of Social Security? Essay

Social Security has been a very beneficial government program for elderly people, and those whom they support, when being an active member in the workforce is no longer an option for reasons such as old age, disability, or death. Destruction of the program, or worse, lack of the aid, would be catastrophic. Without it, it could leave many senior citizens that can no longer

Perhaps no group has as much at stake in the debate over Social Security reform as African Americans. Elderly African Americans are much more likely than their white counterparts to be dependent on Social Security benefits for most or all of their retirement income. Yet Social Security benefits are inadequate to provide for the retirement needs of the elderly poor, which leaves nearly 30 percent of African-American seniors in poverty.

In the United States of America, there exists a two-party system comprised of the U.S. Democratic Party and the U.S. Republican Party. Although these two parties have become somewhat neutral on many issues of national policy, each party has a unique perspective of how the ever-looming Social Security problem should be alleviated. First, the U.S. Democratic Party believes that in order to fix the Social Security problem, pension plans must be reformed and savings incentives must be expanded nationwide. Also, the U.S. Democratic Party has persistently argued against the recent idea of privatizing Social Security. On the other hand, the U.S. Republican Party believes the Social Security system is in need of much more drastic change. According to statistics provided by the official website of the Republican National Committee, "Under the current system, today's 30-year-old worker will face a 26% benefit cut when he or she reaches normal retirement age." Also according to the RNC website, "By 2041, when workers in their mid-20s begin to retire, the system will be bankrupt - unless we act now to save it." In order to fix this troubled system, the U.S. Republican Party believes that the only answer is privatization.

Our nation ensures social welfare through Social Security. However, the United States cannot ensure the welfare of its own welfare system. To save Social Security, Americans in general do not favor an increase in the payroll tax, a cut in benefits or an increase in the retirement age. Furthermore, Americans are relying upon Social Security as their sole source of income at increasingly alarming rates. Social Security is intended to supplement retiree income, not account for 100% of it. Through elimination of the potential options, that leaves one necessary action: invest the Social Security trust fund in the stock market.

I believe we need government policies that will guarantee that the funds for social security and Medicare will be filled each year. The government’s budget should cut unnecessary spending on things we can survive without, and pump more money into social security and Medicare. Our retirees depend on their social

It will leave my generation, our children and grandchildren, with back breaking taxes, which will have its own domino effect of causing ever increasing inflation (Trust). To be eligible for Social Security, which once was at age sixty-two for full benefits and now is age sixty-six and soon will be sixty-seven and as the years go by who knows what the retirement age will be for us (SSA). Social Security is paid through payroll taxes which pay for the benefits of today’s retirees (SSA). Money in excess of what is needed to pay today’s benefits is invested in special treasury bonds. This system works well when there is a rather high ratio of workers to beneficiaries or retirees. For instance, in 1960, there were 5.1 workers for every Social Security recipient or retiree, but the demographics are changing because Americans are living longer and are having fewer children (Crane). Today, there are 3.3 workers paying Social Security payroll taxes for every one person collecting Social Security benefits (Crane). That number will drop to 2 to 1 in less than forty years (Crane). At this ratio there will not be enough workers to pay scheduled benefits at currents tax rates. The last reason why social

For many years the social security program has been operating successfully. In recent times however, it is becoming apparent to some that social security is in need of reform. Their argument is that with the amount of people getting older in the next couple of decades, there will not be enough money left in the social security reserves to pay for everyone who needs it. That is why the idea of separating social security up into private funds has been brought to the attention of the American citizens. This idea of reform has been around for quite a long time; however it has been pushed on by pro reform supporters more in recent times because they think it is necessary for the

President Obama acknowledged that it is not his “ideal plan” for reducing the deficit or growing the economy, according to a CBS News article by Stephanie Codon. Last year, the AARP released a national survey showing that eighty-four percent of voters fifty years and older oppose reducing Social Security benefits to reduce the Federal budget deficit. An entitlement reform would threaten benefit security–“a core value” of the Democratic Party. Cutting benefits when pensions are disappearing is the wrong direction.

(Life Expectancy) This means, on average, people are around 13 years away from death by the time their social security kicks in. While many people could probably use the help provided by Social Security at this age due to their weakening bodies, they clearly are a much broader demographic and, on average, in less need of support from the program. Many people reaching retirement age in the modern day are still active and take up hobbies. (Novak) Clearly they can still provide for themselves by working. It should not be the job of the government to provide for people who do not need the

It will leave my generation, our children and grandchildren, with back breaking taxes, which will have its own domino effect of causing ever increasing inflation. To be eligible for Social Security, which once was at age sixty-two for full benefits and now is age sixty-six and soon will be sixty-seven and as the years go by who knows what the retirement age will be for us. Social Security is paid through payroll taxes which pay for the benefits of today’s retirees. Money in excess of what is needed to pay today’s benefits is invested in special treasury bonds. This system works well when there is a rather high ratio of workers to beneficiaries or retirees. For instance, in 1960, there were 5.1 workers for every Social Security recipient or retiree, but the demographics are changing because Americans are living longer and are having fewer children. Today, there are 3.3 workers paying Social Security payroll taxes for every one person collecting Social Security benefits. That number will drop to 2 to 1 in less than forty years. At this ratio there will not be enough workers to pay scheduled benefits at currents tax rates. The last reason why social Security is unstable is because the government does not guarantee the benefits. According

     Social Security is a public program designed to provide income and services to individuals in the event of retirement, sickness, disability, death, or unemployment. In the United States, the word social security refers to the programs established in 1935 under the Social Security Act. Societies throughout history have devised ways to support people who cannot support themselves. In 1937 the government began issuing Social Security identification cards to all citizens. Each card had a unique number that the government used to keep track of a person’s earnings and the taxes collected from those earnings that went to finance Social Security benefits. The Social Security Act is an act in which

By looking at the ratio of young to elder citizens at that time, idea of providing benefits to retirees from young employees’ taxes was logical. Only thing that Roosevelt was unaware of was the period of “baby boom” that was going to create trouble in the future with providing benefits. With the retirement of “baby boomers” in around 2018, real crisis will start for Social Security Administration with providing higher amount of benefits from lower amount of incomes.

First, Social Security has a poor return on investment. Most folks could double their earnings by simply investing money that goes into SS into a decent mutual fund. Secondly, Social Security isn't your money. When you and your wife die, that's it - no money goes to your kids. Money invested in the private sector is yours to will to anyone you want. Third, Social Security is anything but secure. It will eventually go bankrupt in the coming decades if SS taxes are not raised, benefits decreased, or the eligible age to receive SS funds increased. The reason it's going to go bankrupt is because Americans are living longer and the ratio of workers supporting the program to retirees benefiting the program has reversed in the last 20 years. It's

To understand what the retirement earning test is and how it works, you must first understand how social security works. Social security in the United States of America is a program run by the government that provides income to millions of Americans who cannot work due to retirement, disability, or death (nasi.org). However the true function of Social Security is to provide supplemental income to people after retirement. It roughly replaces 40% of average worker’s income after retirement, requiring many social security receivers to continue working after their normal retirement age. How it works essentially is workers’ pay part of their income into a pool, that immediately gets disbursed to citizens getting benefits right now. They sacrifice a slice of their paycheck in the present, to be able to claim benefits when they go into retirement. The social security system has been changed constantly over the years. One thing that has not changed over the years, is the ability to claim benefits early.

Since its creation in 1935 the Republican Party has been trying to change it. In 1935 the Republican party opposed its creation, in 1964 the Republican party tried to make it 'voluntary', and now there is a new debate on Social Security and 'privatizing' it or parts of it.