The $7 Trillion Issue Presidential Candidates Are Avoiding
Social Security has promises to pay out $41.4 trillion in future benefits, but it has just $34.5 trillion in assets and expected income to cover those promises. You do the math.
trust fund
Point: The Complete Overhaul Social Security Needs to Survive
Ahead of AARP's planned "secret" salon on the future of Social Security, we offer two retirement experts' dramatically different proposals for solving the crisis. Chuck Saletta's view: You can't fix the program with tweaks and small changes.
Social Security's Failing Even Faster Than We Thought
Last year, the Social Security Administration warned that the program's trust fund was likely to run out of money in 2036, leading to deep cuts in benefits. Now, the Congressional Budget Office says that projection may have been too optimistic.
A Simple Money Move That Could Save Social Security
With so many pundits fretting about Social Security's possible collapse in 2036, it's hard to be optimistic about the entitlement program's future. But one insurance expert thinks that giving retirees a bit more flexibility could save the entire system.
What'll You Do When Social Security's Trust Runs Dry?
In 2036, Social Security's Trust Fund is set to run out of money, after which it's anticipated that the program's benefits will be cut by about a quarter. And if you're likely to be around when that happens, you need a plan to make up the difference.
Create a Trust, in Case of Tragedy
Most parents know how important it is to choose a guardian to take care of their children in case something terrible happens. But what about your children's financial needs? There needs to be a plan in place for those, too. That's why parents should consider creating a trust. Here's what you need to consider.
Social Security Isn't Broke, But We Still Should Fix It
It's true that Social Security paid out more than it collected in 2010. But the Trust Fund owns $2.6 trillion in Treasury bonds, and though some people may claim those holdings are an illusion, they aren't. Still, there are some fairly painless steps we could take to shore up the program's balance sheet for the long term.
Social Security Is in Far Worse Shape Than You Think
For years, policymakers have reassured the public that Social Security will be solvent for decades. But outlay and income data from the Treasury reveal that Social Security is already deep in the red -- by $76 billion in 2010 alone. That's just the beginning.
Trustafarians as Useful Economic Indicators
The unmotivated, slacking child of privilege, the trustafarian resembles a very well-funded vagrant. A new book notes how the behavior of these wealthy dropouts can be good economic indicators.
