Key Points
Without action, the latest estimates show that the Social Security trust fund will run dry by 2032.
So far, only one recent bill regarding Social Security benefits has been passed.
It will take Congressional action to shore up the Social Security system.
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Since 2012, Social Security Trustees Reports have indicated the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trust Fund will become depleted between 2033 and 2035 if no legislative change is enacted. According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, its estimates show that recent legislation will accelerate insolvency by one year, to 2032.
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It's up to Congress to find ways to save the trust fund if full retirement benefits are to be continued. The trick at this point is getting the two major parties on the same page long enough to make it happen. Legislators are surely aware of the bipartisan polls showing widespread support for saving Social Security without cuts.
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What's happening now
While nothing concrete has been done to shore up Social Security for the future, there are members of both houses of Congress working on the issue. They include:
Bills in Congress
A group of Democrats in Congress has introduced the Social Security Expansion Act. If passed, the bill would:
- Expand benefits by approximately $2,400 per year for retirees
- Raise money for the program by taxing earnings above $250,000
- Work on ways to extend Social Security solvency for decades
Bipartisan bills
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced the Save Our Seniors Act. The act requires the Congressional Budget Office to include realistic projections of Social Security's financial health, so the program's financial condition is clearly visible.
A single (tangentially related) bill passed
Congress passed the Social Security Fairness Act late last year. This act eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The WEP and GPO reduced benefits for many public-sector retirees, including teachers and police officers. The Social Security Fairness Act is intended to restore full retirement benefits to those affected by earlier laws.
What voters are saying
Last summer, the research group Public First conducted a poll, surveying over 4,000 American adults about Social Security. That poll found that a significant number of respondents have serious anxiety about the future of the program they've paid into. The poll also found:
- 93% of Americans consider Social Security a valuable federal program. It was the highest rating of the programs testing.
- 83% believe that addressing the program should be a top priority for legislators in Congress.
- 74% are nervous about the future of Social Security.
- 80% are worried that Congress will allow benefits to be cut.
- Not everyone has a brokerage account to draw from, and 41% expect Social Security to be their main source of income in retirement.
Where things stand today
While nothing, other than the Social Security Fairness Act, has been passed, the larger issue of insolvency remains. Bipartisan think tanks have provided potential solutions to the issue, including these three popular ideas:
- Raising or eliminating the payroll tax cap
- Increasing the full retirement age (FRA)
- Expanding taxation of benefits, particularly for high-income retirees
There's no denying that the issue of Social Security solvency remains on Americans' minds. For everyday citizens, not knowing how much they can expect in benefits makes retirement planning more difficult. And for members of Congress, it's a problem that won't go away.
It's not a matter of if Congress will act. It's a matter of when and how.
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