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Social Security

Social Security: A Fresh Look at Policy Alternatives
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Trustees' Projections Mask Social Security Shortfall

Social Security officials have long been misdiagnosing the program's financial condition.

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Still a Better Deal: Private Investment vs. Social Security

A worker who had invested privately over the past 40 years would have earned, on average, more income than if they relied on Social Security.

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Bankrupt: Entitlements and the Federal Budget

Ducking entitlement reform will condemn our children and our grandchildren to a world of mounting debt and higher taxes.

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The Case for Social Security Personal Accounts

We're in a deep hole, but it will be easier to climb out if we implement real reform.

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From the Cato Blog

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Multimedia on Social Security

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Recent Social Security Publications

Social Security Experts

  • Jagadeesh Gokhale, Senior Fellow (Non-financial reasons for reform, personal accounts, Social Security's financial crisis)
  • José Piñera, Co-chairman, Project on Social Security Choice (International Social Security reform, non-financial reasons for reform, personal accounts)
  • Michael D. Tanner, Senior Fellow (Bad ideas for reform, Cato's 6.2 Percent Solution, non-financial reasons for reform, personal accounts, Social Security's financial crisis)

Position Statement

Social Security is not sustainable without reform. Simply put, it cannot pay promised future benefits with current levels of taxation. Yet raising taxes or cutting benefits will only make a bad deal worse. However, allowing younger workers to privately invest their Social Security taxes through individual accounts will improve Social Security's rate of return; provide better retirement benefits; treat women, minorities, and low-income workers more fairly; and give workers real ownership and control of their retirement funds.