Member-only story
What’s Up With Social Security?
If you’re worried whether the program is shutting down or here to stay, it may help to know the intriguing backstory
Like more than 71 million fellow Americans, I receive monthly checks from Social Security. As a recent retiree, I marvel at the elegance of this 90-year-old program: The payroll taxes I contributed over the many years of my employment are now returning to me as a monthly benefit — ensuring my financial stability as I age.
But now, this program is no longer guaranteed. Amid the Republican outcry for deep cuts, the Trump administration recently announced a at the agency — including plans to cut jobs, close offices, and require in-person office visits for identity checks.
All this is happening to a program that remains overwhelmingly popular among Americans of all ages, incomes, and party affiliations. More than . And as the primary source of income for most older adults, it’s a lifeline keeping millions out of poverty.
