Social Security

             Our society has gone through tremendous change in the last 100 years.
             Thanks to tremendous advances in medical technology, life expectancy has
             been increased significantly. During that period, we also had a surge in
             the birth rate starting shortly after the end of World War II. The
             resulting generation was dubbed the "Baby Boomers" reflecting the boom in
             population growth during that time. The oldest of these "Baby Boomers" are
             now approaching or at the 50-year-old mark. The Baby Boomer generation is
             headed for retirement and Social Security payments. Because of how social
             security is currently structured, they will rely on the generation
             following them to support their retirement checks through the contributions
             the younger people make to Social Security.
             This leaves younger people feeling quite edgy about how Social
             Security is structured, because economists predict that eventually, Social
             Security will run out of money. When these younger people retire, will
             Social Security be there for them, or will they support the Baby Boomers in
             their old age only to find that when their turn comes, the funds are no
             Experts report that those approaching retirement age now do not have
             to worry about Social Security funds, because currently Social Security
             revenues are higher than payouts. The fund is still growing. However, a
             variety of specialists predict financial troubles for Social Security in
             the near future. Triest (1997) predicted that expenditures would outstrip
             revenues by 2012. Predictions on how long the fund, as currently
             structured, could survive one that pattern begins. Triest predicts the
             fund will be exhausted by 2029, while more optimistic experts predict 2038
             (Rich, 2001) or 2042 (Howling, 2003).
             Not everyone agrees. Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for
             Economic and Policy Research, is more optimistic, predicting that Social
             Security c...

More Essays:

APA     MLA     Chicago
Social Security. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 08:42, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/201110.html