What Can Congress do, Really, to Restore Social Security?

The latest Social Security trustees’ report alerts Congress that they’ll have additional funds until 2027, having around $5.5 trillion, and that will keep benefits paid until 2041. If no action is taken, it might be the end. Is Congress listening and will they propose some solutions? More importantly can they offer solutions? Can this situation be helped without jeopardizing the American people?

This may seem like a long way off to be on alert, but maybe Congress should take this anonymous quote to heart: “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

We must think ahead and we must do it now to offer security to our nation’s future generations.

Regardless of how far in the future Social Security will go bankrupt, Congress needs to think about the fact that to keep our countries citizens ‘secure’ it must act hastily.

One thing that may help the future of Social Security would be to increase the maximum amount of earnings subject to taxing. Billions of dollars are not taxed each year due to the current maximum of $102,000 a year. Only 6 percent of the workforce earns more than this a year, but the incomes of highly paid workers increase much more dramatically than those under the maximum. This alone would bring in a great deal of money for Social Security.

Congress could also allow Social Security to broaden its horizons and function as other public and private pension plans, by allowing it to expand its portfolio and invest in equities.

Lastly, Congress could accumulate more money for Social Security by dedicating the estate tax to Social Security funds, forcing those who benefit from our nation’s bounty to give back to the common wealth to continue the success of our nation.

All of these solutions are without increasing taxes, cutting benefits or raising the retirement age. Now, we wait….




For information on Social Security Disability, visit the

Social Security Disability SSI Resource Center
Medicare Information




Additional Resources

Social security disability and protective filing
Social security disability and trial work
Social Security Disability Expedited reinstatement
Social Security Disability date of entitlement