economy
Social Security recipients face looming benefit cuts. Can the program be saved?
June 17, 2026 / 11:39 AM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- Social Security's trust fund is projected to run out of money in six years, necessitating benefit cuts.
- Experts agree the program's financial problems are fixable through adjustments to revenue and benefits.
- Proposed solutions include eliminating the Social Security tax cap, increasing payroll taxes, raising the retirement age, cutting benefits for high-income earners, and taxing investment income.
- Eliminating the tax cap could close 22% to 67% of the funding gap.
- A 4.6% payroll tax hike could erase the gap entirely.
- Raising the retirement age could address 16% to 64% of the funding gap.
- Cutting benefits for high earners could close up to 9% of the gap, while capping benefits could close 20%.
- Taxing investment income, as proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders, could fully close the funding gap.