Released on March 19, 2001, the 2001 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance Trust Funds reports on the current status of the Social Security and Medicare trust fund. According to this year's report, Medicare's financial condition has improved over the past few years. It will, however, probably face severe financial...

"Privatizing Social Security: The Troubling Trade-Offs," by Gary Burtless and Barry Bosworth of the Brookings Institution, argues that most of the "economic advantages of privatization can be obtained in either a public or a private retirement system." The Social Security system currently collects more in taxes than benefits paid out, with the excess held in the Trust Fund. But this is expected...

"Privatizing Social Security: The Wall Street Fix," by Dean Baker of the Economic Policy Institute, argues that "Social Security is sound now and will continue to be sound indefinitely," and sees privatization as a serious threat. The Social Security system currently collects more in taxes than benefits paid out, with the excess held in the Trust Fund. But this is expected to change in 2014 when...

The resources discussed in this week's In The News address saving Social Security. Perhaps the most successful and certainly the most popular of the New Deal social welfare programs, Social Security has made a critical difference in the living standards of many older Americans, especially women. However, the program faces difficulty in the years ahead because of the shifting demographic of the...

A Heritage Foundation article, "Social Security Privatization in Britain: Key Lessons for America's Reformers," by Louis D. Enoff and Robert E. Moffit, looks at Britain's effort to privatize its pension system and what lessons it holds for Americans. The Social Security system currently collects more in taxes than benefits paid out, with the excess held in the Trust Fund. But this is expected to...

Alan Greenspan's testimony to the Senate highlights concerns about the sustainability of Social Security in its current form in the future. The Social Security system currently collects more in taxes than benefits paid out, with the excess held in the Trust Fund. But this is expected to change in 2014 when the baby boomers and increased longevity of retirees is likely to result in benefits...

The Social Security Administration's 1997 Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance (OASDI) Trustees Report provides data and projections about the state of the Social Security Trust Fund. The Social Security system currently collects more in taxes than benefits paid out, with the excess held in the Trust Fund. But this is expected to change in 2014 when the baby boomers and...