Social Security and Medicare Sustainability
Social Security and Medicare sustainability is the question of whether the two programs can keep paying promised benefits as the population ages. Both are funded largely through payroll taxes and run by federal agencies. Trustees issue regular reports on their finances, and Congress decides any changes.
People usually ask how the programs are paid for, why their finances are under strain, and what options exist to close any gap. They also ask how changes in birth rates, wages, health costs, and immigration affect them, and how proposals to change taxes or benefits are debated.
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All Articles on Social Security and Medicare Sustainability
How Social Security and Medicare Face a Crisis as America Ages
The United States is undergoing a demographic shift that threatens the future of Social Security and Medicare. Longer lifespans, fewer births, and 73 million…
America’s Declining Birth Rate and What It Means for the Future
The United States is experiencing a demographic shift that could reshape the nation's future. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows…
How the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ Impacts Medicare and Medicaid
What the 2025 reconciliation law changes in Medicaid and Medicare, when its rules begin, who may be affected and where enrollees can get help.
How the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ Impacts Social Security
The "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA) represents one of the most significant overhauls of federal fiscal policy in recent history. Passed on narrow,…
Debate: U.S. Payroll Taxes
Every American worker knows the sting of seeing their paycheck shrunk by taxes. Payroll taxes are different from the income taxes that get all…
Debate: How to Address America’s Retirement Savings Gap
How much Americans have actually saved, what Social Security can pay once its reserves run down, and how the main proposals to close the gap would work.
Challenges Facing the Social Security Administration
Looming financial shortfalls, bureaucratic hurdles, and aging technology threaten the SSA's ability to serve the public effectively.