Diane Rehm: On My Mind cover image

Diane Rehm: On My Mind

Trump, Social Security and the future of retirement in America

Dec 5, 2024
Teresa Ghilarducci, a leading economics professor at The New School and author of "Work, Retire, Repeat," dives into the pressing issues surrounding Social Security. She reveals how President Trump's proposals could hasten the program's insolvency by two years, raising alarms about its future. Ghilarducci discusses the complexities of Social Security taxes, urges urgent reforms, and emphasizes the necessity of government-run retirement plans. Her insights shed light on the fragility of retirement funding and the contradictions in public support for government programs.
45:44

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The Social Security system, while currently stable, faces a looming insolvency crisis by 2034 due to demographic and economic shifts.
  • Trump's proposed policies, including tax cuts for high-income retirees and raising the retirement age, threaten to exacerbate Social Security's funding issues.

Deep dives

Social Security's Current Stability

Social Security is presently functioning effectively, providing reliable benefits to millions of Americans, including children of disabled or deceased parents. The system operates on funds collected from both employees and employers through FICA taxes, which currently make up 6.2% of wages up to a cap. This means that for the majority of workers, Social Security reliably supports their retirement income, safeguarding many individuals from poverty. However, while the system is currently stable, there are concerns about its long-term viability as demographic changes and economic factors could lead to reduced funding in the future.

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