The Demographic Ponzi Scheme is coming undone.
In 1945, there were approximately 42 taxpayers per beneficiary.
Today we're around 3; and within a couple of decades, the ratio will drop to 2.
The only way to solve the problem is to move to a Chilean type of system of privatized accounts with the safety net for only the truly needy. Anyone who is not retired today, even older than 45, should not count on SS.
Social Security is currently solvent until about 2037 so it is bullshit to say that 45 year olds won't get SS.
That is a load of crap.
From the SS Trustees' Report:
Social Security expenditures are expected to exceed tax receipts this year for the first time since 1983. The projected deficit of $41 billion this year (excluding interest income) is attributable to the recession and to an expected $25 billion downward adjustment to 2010 income that corrects for excess payroll tax revenue credited to the trust funds in earlier years. This deficit is expected to shrink substantially for 2011 and to return to small surpluses for years 2012-2014 due to the improving economy. After 2014 deficits are expected to grow rapidly as the baby boom generationÂ’s retirement causes the number of beneficiaries to grow substantially more rapidly than the number of covered workers. The annual deficits will be made up by redeeming trust fund assets in amounts less than interest earnings through 2024, and then by redeeming trust fund assets until reserves are exhausted in 2037, at which point tax income would be sufficient to pay about 75 percent of scheduled benefits through 2084. The projected exhaustion date for the combined OASI and DI Trust Funds is unchanged from last yearÂ’s report.
Trustees Report Summary
Starting in 2014, the Trust Fund will have to be used to pay beneficiaries. What does that mean? General tax receipts will have to be diverted to paying SS via Trust Fund IOUs - or the government will take on even more debt.
In 2037, benefits will have to be cut by 25%.