3 New Social Security Surprises That Will Change Everything For Millions Of Beneficiaries

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in 1937, kicking off a series of initiatives that would eventually come into existence starting in 1973. A complicated set of requirements has emerged since then, along with the creation of new programs. With time, safer and more modern payment methods have taken the place of outdated ones like paper checks, direct transfers, and EBT cards (Electronic Benefits Cards).

Moreover, with the information age, the availability of data, not only to profile the target population of each program but also to define the necessary documentation to ensure that the actual beneficiaries correspond to that segment of the population, has helped to leverage the available resources for the Americans who will need them the most. Even to the point of attempting to link information systems such as company payrolls to have direct access to a list of employees and their salaries, allowing calculations to be performed more accurately.

What is the relationship between Social Security and COLA?

The Social Security Administration, which manages all of these aid programs, is undergoing constant change. Whether you are simply paying your Social Security taxes on time each month, are a retiree, receive a disability payment, or your circumstances are so bad that you must apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you need to be aware of these three changes to stay informed.

Every year around this time, different sectors of the government and the general public hold a conversation regarding the future of Social Security programs and how retirees’ benefits will change in the coming year. The cost of living adjustment (COLA) is a percentage used to calculate how much a retiree’s monthly payment, the cost of each Social Security credit, and other monetary quantities used in SSA programs will change from year to year.

The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) is the primary source for this calculation. It groups a set of approximately 200 products and services, tracks their price changes over time, and adjusts the relevance of each one based on the consuming preferences of families whose main breadwinner (the one who provides 50% or more of the household income) works in a wage-paying position.

Will Social Security be viable?

This is an emotionally charged subject, as the program’s feasibility has been widely debated throughout the years. Several pressures stem not only from the government’s budget issues but also from the fact that it may have been viewed as a solution that is not well suited to the current circumstances. Due to the pyramidal nature of the scheme, which essentially requires large sums of money from employers and the labor force in the form of Social Security taxes to support a smaller number of retirees.

But that is no longer the case because the declining birthrate has caused the structure to flip. needing the government to use not just the money collected from Social Security contributions but also, over time, an increasing portion of the insurance fund’s principle? As a result, the government will shift its stance and alter the system in several ways as the reserves run out over the next ten to fifteen years, including lowering the maximum contributions, raising the retirement age, or raising Social Security taxes.

What changes will happen regarding the Social Security Disability Program?

On June 26, 2024, the Social Security Administration announced a reform in their disability insurance process, which will reduce the amount of time applicants must wait for a judgment. Previously, candidates were required to present a 15-year employment history; now, only 5 years will be required to make a more accurate judgment of the applicant’s status.