According to the 2025 Trustees Report estimates, Social Security will only have sufficient funds to pay full benefits until 2033. After that, payroll tax and other revenues would cover only 81% of benefits. However, this financing gap can be closed if lawmakers act on proposed solutions.
A bipartisan survey found that across party lines, generations, and income and education levels, Americans want lawmakers to strengthen Social Security’s finances by increasing program revenues rather than cutting benefits. When asked about their views, 85% of those surveyed responded that benefits should not be reduced, or benefits should be increased, even if that meant raising taxes on some or all Americans. Here are a few key solutions that respondents weighed in on.
Sources: Social Security Administration, 2025; National Academy of Social Insurance, January 2025
