How Social Security Works

Few things in American life touch as many lives as Social Security. More than 1 in 5 U.S. residents receives a monthly Social Security payment, and 94 percent of workers support the system through payroll taxes.

A program that large and important will inevitably seem complex, especially as Social Security has expanded over its 90-plus years from a support system for retirees to also protecting workers’ families and people with disabilities.

This series breaks it down in everyday language, helping you understand what Social Security is (and what it isn’t), the basics about benefit types (including how to apply and when you get paid), and how Social Security and Medicare work together, among other core elements of this crucial program.