A quote from Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social
Security seems to say it all:
This year’s Trustees Report contains troubling, but not unexpected,
projections about Social Security’s finances. It once again emphasizes
that Congress needs to act to ensure the long-term solvency of this important
program, and needs to act within four years to avoid automatic cuts to people
receiving disability benefits.
Particularly
troubling facts:
The combined assets of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance,
and Disability Insurance Trust Funds (OASDI), what we commonly call Social
Security benefits, will be exhausted in 2033.
The Disability Insurance trust fund will be exhausted by
2016.
2010 was the first year since 1983 that there was not
sufficient non-interest income to cover program costs. Projections calculated
by the Social Security administration office show that this trend will continue
through the entire 75 year long-range period.
In 2011 the OASDI trust funds paid out a total of $736
billion in benefits and fees to administer the fund. Of this amount, $725
Billion was paid in Social Security benefits to an estimated 55 million
beneficiaries.
To cover the short-fall and fully fund the OASDI over the
entire 75 year long-range period would require $8.6 trillion in present value
dollars (or 2.27 times the entire government budget for 2012).
Synopsis:
Social Security as it
is currently structured is dying a slow death. Major reforms are needed to
solve not only the solvency issue, but also reform the system for the long
term. Congressional action is the only recourse to provide stability to this
system, however Congress men and women who are more interested in their own
Congressional seats have some incentive to leave hard decisions up to someone
else. One fact seems to be clear; the current Social Security system is in
peril. When will it be fixed? Who will fix it? Is it a system that can be
fixed? I guess not enough people care, otherwise it would be bigger news; at
least the news covers weather a minimum of three times every half hour, so we
will know whether it is going to rain tomorrow.
