In the past decades, Social Security Administration has had annual revenue that excesses the amount it pays to beneficiaries. However, U.S. economy situation has created a long-term effect in many of the public organizations and departments. Social Security Administration is one of many departments that will face some economy issues during U.S. economy recovery. Social security will post nearly $600 billion in deficits over the next decade as the economy struggles to recover and millions of baby boomers stand at the brink of retirement, according to new congressional projections, (Ohlemancher, 2011). The funds that Social Security has save to payout their beneficiaries have an expiration date. In the upcoming years more people will be eligible for retirement, however, many of them will only be pay 78 percent of their benefits, (Ohlemancher, 2011). The government needs to find solutions for the upcoming deficits and be able to help Social Security Administration to no run out of funds.
Issues
In 2011, Social security administration will collect about 4.6 million retirement, survivor, and Medicare claims. 3.3 million Social Security and SSI claims and 326,000 SSI aged claims, (Social Security, 2011). These claims have to go to procedures that can take months to be approval. During these procedures, many more applicants are eligible to apply for social security and more money is pay to beneficiaries. In 2011, social security will collect $45 million less in payroll that it pays out in retirement, disability and survivor benefits, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, (Ohlemacher, 2011).
54 million people receive retirement, disability or survivor benefits with an average payment of $1,076 a month, (Ohlemacher, 2011). Social Security Administration has being able to save and invest taxpayers money into U.S. Treasury department. The money save into U.S. treasury department accumulates interest for future Social Security beneficiaries. Social Security has built up $2.5 trillion surplus since the retirement program was last overhauled in the 1980s, (Ohlemacher, 2011)
The money that Social Security invested in the treasury department is no physically available for social security beneficiaries. The $2.5 trillion has been borrowed over the years by the federal government and spent on other programs. In a promised to pay off the surpluses Treasury department has issued bonds to Social Security, Guaranteeing payments with interest (Ohlemacher, 2011). If the situation gets worst for social security and asks federal government to pay off, there’s no way that social security will obtain the money because there’s no federal funds to pay off the debts to Social Security.
Throughout the 20th century governmental responsibility has made remarkable progress. One major milestone of the widening of the responsibility of the federal government was it’s making an obligation to care for the elderly and retired in the form of social security. In 1935, the Social Security Act was enacted by the federal government to provide financial security to the elderly, retired citizens in America. Although the federal government first took on this responsibility in 1935, it is still affecting our lives today. However, social security would not have advanced this far without many organizations and individual reformers to begin and improve social security throughout history.
The act is rich in programs and benefits for old-age workers, physically handicapped, dependent mothers and the unemployed. After retirement at the age of 67, you may begin receiving government payments in order to remain above poverty level. Money in the programs comes from direct payroll taxes on individual workers. Workers who suffer from disabilities sure as lasting injures or who are blind are covered under the act. Without the SSA the number of American’s below poverty level would drastically increase.
In order to keep social security for future retirees, there needs to be some effective changes. Social Security was created in 1935, and since then, times have changed drastically. Using a law that was created when life expectancy was not high, or not considering the possibility of a large generation retiring around the same time would not ECONOMICAL ISSUES WITH SOCIAL SECURITY 7 be practical and a good idea. If anything, there should be changes made to the law. Instead of everyone contributing to the social security pot, why not have a personal social security savings account.
Social Security Administration, Social Security Programmes Throughout the World, Washington, 2008/2009; Heymann, J. et all, 2007.
The Social Security Act was enacted in 1935, and since then it has undergone numerous revisions and amendments. Today the act covers a wide range of benefit programs, including Medicare, unemployment compensation, and Supplemental Security Income. The major portion for which the Social Security Act has become known, however, is the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program, or OASDI. While today the OASDI program is most frequently referred to as “Social Security,” it is only a thread in what has been called the “social safety net.” Therefore, throughout this paper, it should be understood that Social Security will be the term used to refer to all its encompassed programs as a group, as a matter of convenience.
Social Security is a system that was set up in 1935 after the Great depression to help people get through tough times. "Social Security is now used by nearly 44 million Americans"(policy.com). Only people who payed into social security are eligible to collect when they retire. Many people think that they receive the money they pay in but that is not total true. The money that you pay in is used for the people that are receiving it now. "In 1950 there were 16 workers for every beneficiary; today there are only three workers per beneficiary"(policy.com). There is more money going into social security then coming out now. The extra money goes into a trust to be used when it is needed. By the year 2032 those numbers are going to drop. By this time most baby boomers will be retired and collecting social security. This will put a big strain on the funds. There will be more money going out then coming in. And it will not take long to use all the money that is in the trust. By the year 2034 they will only be able to pay 75 percent of the beneficiaries. "The projected average monthly Social Security benefit in 2032 of about 1,100 (in 1998 dollars) would fall to about $800, and would drop further in later years. Average benefits for low-wage earners would drop from $670 to $480"(www.ssab). Theses cut would effect the people just starting to receive benefits and those who are already receiving benefits. And with each year these benefits will decrease. As these benefits continue to decrease "the percentage of aged people living in poverty would rise"(www.ssab).Most people believe this is happening because of the baby boomers generation. There will be more people taking from social security then giving in. By the time my generation is eliable to receive social security there may not be any money to give.
United States federal budget. Social Security is the largest entitlement program in the United States. In 2013, the total Social Security expenditures were $1.3 trillion, 8.4% of the $16.3 trillion GNP (SSA.gov). There has been an issue in the White House of either opposing the cut in Social Security spending or advocating for a hike in payments. Expanding Social Security instead of reducing it would benefit seniors, especially considering America’s struggling middle class and that there are more impoverished people than ever before.
This summation of the state of Social Security was written more than a twenty years ago. Looking back, it seems as though the Social Security system frequently reaches a state of crisis in which predictions of its end arise. Since it was enacted in 1935, Social Security has been amended often, most recently in 1983, when Congress imposed a tax on the benefits of high-income retirees, raised the retirement age, and revised the tax-rate schedule.
Under current law, an alien who worked illegally in the U.S. can only become eligible for Social Security benefits by becoming a legal U.S. resident. However, officials at the State Department and Social Security Administration (SSA) are preparing a plan that would pay benefits to illegal aliens who have returned to Mexico. This law exports the poverty out of Mexico and to the US where we are to care for the less fortunate. Social Security was not implemented to serve and aid poor immigrants of other countries that came into the US illegally. The agreement with Mexico is expected to cost Social Security between $78 milion at least rising to $650
The program targets those who are the neediest, those who are too limited by their disabilities or too elderly to be expected to provide fully for their own needs. Supplemental Security Income went into operation as a result of the Social Security Amendments of 1972. SSI is like Social Security in that both programs pay monthly benefit payments and both are administered by the SSA. There are four reasons why SSI is different from Social Security benefits. The first reason is that SSI payments are not based on your prior work or a family member's prior work.
Sahadi, J. (2013, October 30). Treasury: $680 billion deficit for 2013. CNNMoney. Retrieved January 26, 2014, from http://money.cnn.com/2013/10/30/news/economy/deficit-2013-treasury/
Social security, the federal retirement system, is one of the most popular government programs in United State?s history. Today, Social Security benefits are the backbone of the nation's retirement income system. The long road to the successful development of social security began in 1935. Before 1935, very few workers received job pensions. Those workers that were covered never received benefits because they were not guaranteed.
Social security, since instituted in 1935, has kept many elderly people from running below the poverty line (Hosansky). In 2015, the Social Security Administration predicted that the funds would be depleted by 2034 (Max). This poses a serious threat to the living situation of future generations when they retire. Our elderly, by today’s standards, enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. They are able to retire and still make over one thousand dollars a month. Some people also have private pensions which allow them to live even more comfortably. But with social security funds running out, we must ask the inevitable question. Is it worth having social security anymore? Social security should be kept. One must never fully rely on social security. In addition
Many Americans depend on Social Security benefits--from retirees, disabled workers, and dependents. Furthermore, numerous retirees have not saved enough money for retirement through other sources, so they count on Social Security as their basic source of income during their later years. Recently, the number of persons receiving Social Security has increased dramatically. This is largely due to the increasing number of persons in the baby boomer generation retiring and also people living many more years past retirement age. This increase in beneficiaries has initiated concerns and questions about the future of Social Security for persons still working. Recent studies have shown that in its current trend, the surplus of funds for Social Security will be depleted in the near future as the increase of payments will begin to exhaust the fund’s resources. To that end, reform of some kind is needed to help sustain this benefit for future generations to come (Social Security Administration, 2014).
Richard A. Gephardt, Being Careful with Social Security [article online], Newsweek Inc. Accessed 15 January 1997; Page A19. Social Security Administration. Available from http://www.ssa.gov