Keep Social Security Strong

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For more than 50 years, AARP has been fighting to protect and strengthen Social Security. Now, we're launching a conversation about how to strengthen it so future generations will receive the benefits they've earned when they're ready to retire. With shrinking pensions, dwindling savings and longer life expectancies, we know that future generations will depend on Social Security even more.
 
Join us in the fight to keep Social Security strong...

Strengthening Social Security

For more than 75 years, Americans have been paying into Social Security and collecting earned benefits when they retire. Without any changes, Social Security will be able to pay 100 percent of benefits for the next 25 years. After that, it will still be able to pay 75 percent of promised benefits, but that's not good enough. With gradual and modest changes, however, we can ensure that future generations get the benefits they've earned.

Social Security Values

Throughout the debate over how to strengthen Social Security, AARP is going to fight to ensure that any final plan is based on these critical values:

• You will receive the benefits you've earned over a lifetime of hard work if you pay into Social Security.

• Your guaranteed Social Security benefit will keep up with inflation for as long as you live.

• Your spouse will be protected and you will receive a benefit if you become disabled and can no longer work.

• Your family will be protected if you die.

— Photo by Elena Dorfman /Index Stock Imagery, Inc.

Retirement Security

Social Security's guaranteed benefits are a rock-solid commitment to American families. Companies can go out of business. Pensions can be terminated. The stock market can take a nose dive. Social Security benefits are there in good times and bad.

Americans earn and pay for Social Security's guaranteed retirement benefits by making contributions out of each and every paycheck throughout their working lives. Today, the average retirement benefit is about $1,200 per month and is adjusted annually to keep pace with inflation.  

On average, Social Security benefits replace $4 out of every $10 dollars a person earns while working.

In addition to providing benefits to retirees, Social Security also protects workers who become disabled and the families of workers who die. 

Among seniors, 20% of married couples and about 41% of singles rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their income.  For middle income seniors, Social Security provides 54 percent of their family income.

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