September 4, 2008
CBO's Social Security Projections Differ from Trustees—but We're Still in Trouble
By Nicola Moore
(WebMemo #2049)
Given the uncertainty involved in long-term economic projections, the fact that CBO and Trustees estimates of the year of deficits and insolvency are actually fairly ...
June 19, 2008
Courageous Reforms in Ryan's Entitlements Road Map: Where Is the Democratic Response?
By J. D. Foster
(WebMemo #1958)
For years, political deadlock has stymied pressing reforms from health care to taxes to entitlements. Congressman Paul Ryan (R–WI), ranking member of the House Budget ...
March 26, 2008
2008 Social Security Trustees Report Continues to Show the Urgent Need for Reform
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1868)
David C. John answers frequently asked questions about Social Security's financial outlook.
March 25, 2008
Medicare and Social Security: The Challenge of Giant Entitlement Costs
By David C. John and Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1867)
Today's report affirms the need for Congress to begin a serious overhaul of both of these vital programs.
February 25, 2008
Tax Hikes, Economic Clouds, and Silver Linings: A Review of Deficits and the Economy
By J. D. Foster, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #2095)
Recent empirical work using different approaches affirms the traditional view that there is a clear and robust relationship between lower taxes and higher economic output. ...
February 25, 2008
Executive Summary: Tax Hikes, Economic Clouds, and Silver Linings: A Review of Deficits and the Economy
By J. D. Foster, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #2095)
Recent empirical work using different approaches affirms the traditional view that there is a clear and robust relationship between lower taxes and higher economic output. ...
February 19, 2008
Rethinking Social Insurance
By Stuart M. Butler and Maya MacGuineas
(White Paper )
The single greatest threat to the fiscal health of the United States is the runaway growth of the nation's major retirement and health care entitlement ...
October 15, 2007
Congress Should Act on Social Security "No Match" Sharing for Immigration Enforcement
By James Jay Carafano, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1663)
Rather than wait for a court battle to resolve the issue, Congress should craft legislation making it more difficult for persons unlawfully present in the ...
September 24, 2007
Congress Should Add Auto-Enrollment to the Thrift Savings Plan, But Resist Interfering in Its Investment Choices
By David. C. John
(WebMemo #1637)
While making enrollment in TSP easier, Congress should avoid policies that risk distracting the TSP from its core mission of improving the retirement incomes of ...
August 29, 2007
Restoring the American Social Contract
By Stuart M. Butler, Ph.D.
(Heritage Lecture #1039)
Returning to the principles of mutual obligation within a financially responsible framework will restore the American social contract to its original principles as a bargain ...
April 24, 2007
2007 Social Security Trustees Report Shows the Urgency of Reform
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1429)
This briefing explains the important facts and answers the frequently asked questions about Social Security's financial outlook.
January 23, 2007
Raising the Wage Cap No Painless Solution to Social Security’s Fiscal Woes
By David C. John and Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
(WebMemo #1319)
Raising payroll taxes is the wrong solution to Social Security’s long term financing problem, and it is not the way to achieve retirement security for ...
July 28, 2006
Pension Protection Act's Special Treatment for Airlines and Other Industries Merits a Veto
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1182)
A veto would reduce the chance that companies could transfer the costs of their pension obligations to the taxpayer.
July 12, 2006
Real Estate Investment Bill Risks Slippery Slope for Thrift Savings Plan
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1155)
H.R. 1578, introduced by Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV) with 177 cosponsors, would require the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), a part of the federal government's employee ...
June 29, 2006
Increasing Retirement Security Through Automatic IRAs
By David C. John and J. Mark Iwry
(Testimony )
With the looming retirement security crisis facing our country, policy-makers from both parties are focused on ways to strengthen pensions and increase savings. Our proposal ...
May 3, 2006
Avoiding the Next Taxpayer Bailout: A Strong Pension Bill or No Pension Bill
By David John
(WebMemo #1056)
Special treatment of the airline industry mars pension reform legislation.
May 1, 2006
Medicare and Social Security: Big Entitlement Costs on the Horizon
By David C. John and Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1054)
Social Security and Medicare have promised $37 trillion more in benefits to senior and disabled workers than the programs will be able to pay.
March 27, 2006
Public Policy in the Age of Entitlements
By William W. Beach
(Heritage Lecture #931)
The present value of the crisis in U.S. pension and health programs exceeds by five times the current size of the U.S. economy. Social Security ...
February 12, 2006
Pursuing Universal Retirement Security Through Automatic IRAs (Draft)
By J. Mark Iwry and David C. John
(White Paper #02122006)
This paper proposes an ambitious but practical set of retirement savings initiatives to expand dramatically retirement savings in the United States—especially to those not currently ...
October 5, 2005
Special Treatment for Airlines Flaws a Strong Senate Pension Bill
By David C. John
(WebMemo #872)
If Congress fails to act responsibly, pensions will be at risk and taxpayers will be on the hook for a massive bailout.
September 27, 2005
Guaranteeing Retirees' Social Security Benefits: An Important First Step Toward Reform
By David C. John
(WebMemo #864)
Fixing Social Security will not affect today's senior citizens. A guarantee would make this clear.
September 22, 2005
Voinovich Repeats Bill Clinton's Mistake
By David C. John
(WebMemo #858)
Government investment of Social Security's surpluses is still a bad idea.
July 29, 2005
Improving Retirement Security: Three Reforms
By David C. John
(Executive Summary )
Social Security is only one part of a comprehensive approach to retirement security.
July 29, 2005
"Stop the Raid": Fiction vs. Fact
By The Heritage Foundation
(Executive Summary )
Truth about the DeMint/GROW proposal to create accounts with Social Security's surplus.
July 28, 2005
The House Pension Reform Bill: A Good, But Not Perfect, Start
By David C. John and Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
(WebMemo #867)
While the bill would give a boost to pensions and PBGC, it still leaves several loopholes wide open.
July 27, 2005
AmeriSave: Recycled Good Ideas that Avoid the Main Problem
By David C. John
(WebMemo #807)
There are some good ideas here, but nothing new and nothing significant.
July 12, 2005
Beyond Just Social Security: The Need To Fix Our Pension System
By David C. John
(WebMemo #792)
How to strengthen the other pillars of retirement security.
June 30, 2005
Hispanic Workers Should Back Personal Accounts
By William W. Beach and Andrew M. Grossman
(WebMemo #782)
Contrary to a recent report, Hispanics would benefit from personal accounts.
June 24, 2005
DeMint Plan Uses the Social Security Surplus for Retirement Instead of More Federal Spending
By David C. John
(WebMemo #773)
A good first step to promote fiscal honesty and ownership.
June 23, 2005
Social Security Reform Is Crucial for Small-Business Entrepreneurs
By James Morrison, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1864)
Personal accounts offer two fundamental advantages for small business: actions that the government would not have to take (unnecessarily raising taxes or cutting Social Security ...
June 23, 2005
Executive Summary: Social Security Reform Is Crucial for Small-Business Entrepreneurs
By James Morrison, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1864)
Personal accounts offer two fundamental advantages for small business: actions that the government would not have to take (unnecessarily raising taxes or cutting Social Security ...
June 21, 2005
The Likely Economic Effects of Solving Social Security's Financial Imbalance Through Revenue Enhancements
By William W. Beach
(Testimony )
The Subcommittee on Social Security of the House Ways and Means Committee.
June 14, 2005
Appropriate Investments for Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts
By David C. John
(Testimony )
A simple and effective administrative structure is essential to the success of a PRA system. Proba¬bly the simplest and cheapest structure would be to use ...
June 14, 2005
Public Pension Reform in the United Kingdom: Lessons for Americans
By David C. John
(Testimony )
In 1997, just eight years ago, reforms made to the United Kingdom's pension system under both Conservative Party and Labour Party governments were regarded as ...
June 7, 2005
A "Supply-Side" Success Story
By Daniel J. Mitchell
(WebMemo #755)
Why is the 2003 tax cut working so much better than the 2001 tax cut?
June 7, 2005
Are Pensions the Next Fiscal Crisis?
By David C. John, Tim Kane, Ph.D., and Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
(WebMemo #756)
A federal pension bailout could cost $100 billion if Congress doesn't act soon.
May 17, 2005
Courageous Folly: The Democrats' First Plan To Fix Social Security
By Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
(WebMemo #747)
Rep. Wexler deserves credit for stepping forward with a plan...even a misguided one.
May 2, 2005
How the President's Plan Benefits Younger Workers
By Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
(WebMemo #734)
Even with slower growth of benefits, younger workers win out.
May 2, 2005
Bush's Progressive Indexation Plan: A Key Step to Preserve Social Security
By David C. John and Stuart Butler
(WebMemo #733)
A fair and equitable way to fix Social Security.
April 28, 2005
Building Assets for Low-Income Families
By David C. John
(Testimony )
A growing body of research has shown a con¬nection between asset accumulation and several positive intergenerational effects, especially among lower-income families. These reports usually emphasize ...
April 22, 2005
Keep the Social Security Wage Cap: Nearly a Million Jobs Hang in the Balance
By Rea S. Hederman, Jr., Tracy L. Foertsch, Ph.D., and Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D.
(Center for Data Analysis Report #05-04)
Eliminating the cap on taxable earnings would merely delay Social Security's insolvency by seven years. Even after implementing this tax increase, the OASI program in ...
April 19, 2005
Reversing the Bush Tax Cuts Would Not Fix Social Security
By Rea S. Hederman, Jr., and Andrew Grossman
(Backgrounder #1844)
President Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cuts stimulated investment and expanded employment, adding some strength to the Social Security system in the process. Extending these ...
April 19, 2005
Raising the Social Security Wage Cap Would Hurt Small Businesses
By Norbert J. Michel, Ph.D., J. Scott Moody, and Ralph A. Rector, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1845)
Raising the Social Security wage cap would not fix Social Security's finances, but it would directly increase taxes for 3 million small-business owners by as ...
April 18, 2005
The Bush Plan To Reform Social Security: Case Studies from the Heritage PRA Calculator
By Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
(WebMemo #726)
Three examples of how the Bush plan would affect regular people.
April 11, 2005
Government-Controlled Investment: The Wrong Answer to the Wrong Question
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1841)
The AARP and other interests want to have the government make private investments in order to increase government's control of national economic output. This would ...
March 29, 2005
What Could Have Been: How PRAs Would Have Benefited the Baby Boomers
By Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1836)
If workers retiring this year had been allowed to put part of their payroll taxes into personal retirement accounts, their retirement income would be approximately ...
March 29, 2005
The President's Savings Plans: Good for Retirees?and Everyone Else
By Norbert J. Michel, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #704)
Social Security can be helped by allowing workers to invest part of their payroll taxes in their own accounts while also removing barriers to saving ...
March 24, 2005
A Guide to the 2005 Social Security Trustees' Report
By David C. John
(WebMemo #702)
The annual report of the Social Security's Trustees was released to the public March 23. This briefing provides the important facts in order to get ...
March 21, 2005
Social Security's Inevitable Future
By David C. John
(WebMemo #696)
What year the deficits start matters less than the deficits themselves.
March 17, 2005
Raising the Social Security Wage Cap Would Hurt Small Business
By Norbert J. Michel, Ph.D., and J. Scott Moody
(WebMemo #694)
Raising the payroll tax cap would impact millions of small businesses, slow economic activity, and cost jobs.
March 17, 2005
Raising Returns on Trust Fund Bonds: Simple, Easy To Explain, and Completely Wrong
By David C. John
(WebMemo #695)
Why not just increase interest on the Trust Fund bonds?
March 14, 2005
Add-On Accounts: At Best, a Bad Fix for Social Security
By David C. John
(WebMemo #686)
No matter how they're structured, add-on accounts are a bad deal.
March 7, 2005
AARP's Social Security Plan Would Raise Taxes for AARP Members Without Fixing Social Security
By Rea Hederman, Jr., and Tracy Foertsch
(WebMemo #678)
AARP's Social Security plan would raise taxes on its members and threaten their jobs.
March 4, 2005
Michael Kinsley's "Meathead Proposition" Reveals Why Actors Make Poor Financial Advisors
By David C. John
(WebMemo #677)
Another 'irrefutable' argument bites the dust.
March 3, 2005
Social Security State Reports
By The Heritage Foundation
(WebMemo )
How will Social Security reform affect your state?
March 2, 2005
How Today's Social Security Works
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1827)
Few people understand how Social Security operates. In many cases, the meanings of terms used (e.g., trust fund) are different from the meanings conveyed when ...
March 2, 2005
Executive Summary: How Today's Social Security Works
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #1827)
Few people understand how Social Security operates. In many cases, the meanings of terms used (e.g., trust fund) are different from the meanings conveyed when ...
February 24, 2005
Social Security and the Baby Boomers: What Could Have Been
By Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #673)
With personal accounts, the baby boomers would have been even wealthier today.
February 16, 2005
Raising the Social Security Payroll Tax Cap Does Not Fix Social Security
By David C. John
(WebMemo #667)
Raising the wage cap would just make Social Security a greater burden.
February 16, 2005
Government-Controlled Investment: The Wrong Answer to the Wrong Question (draft)
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo )
A government-controlled pension fund would not make investments solely for the economic benefit of future retirees.
February 10, 2005
What If the Baby Boomers Had Personal Retirement Accounts? An Analysis of Retirement Security for Americans Age 40–58
By Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D.
(Center for Data Analysis Report #05-02)
If Social Security personal retirement accounts had been available to baby boomers, they would have substantially increased the baby boomers' net worth, especially among low-wealth ...
February 10, 2005
Behind Social Security's Big Numbers
By Andrew Grossman
(WebMemo #662)
All these big numbers--what do they mean?
February 5, 2005
PRA Basics: How the President's Plan Prevents Unfair Double-Dipping
By David C. John
(WebMemo #654)
A simple mechanism to ensure that retirees get their fair returns.
February 4, 2005
Would Social Security Reform Lead to a 40 Percent Cut in Benefits?
By David C. John and Keith Miller
(WebMemo #652)
Political rhetoric aside, the answer is no.
February 4, 2005
PRA Basics: Locking in Earnings with Lifespan Accounts
By David C. John
(WebMemo #653)
Accounts that automatically rebalance will provide those near retirement with security.
February 3, 2005
The State of the Union: A New Frontier of Freedom
By Michael Franc
(WebMemo #649)
The President opens a new frontier of freedom on the domestic front.
February 3, 2005
Bold and Responsible: The President's Plan To Improve Retirement Security
By David C. John
(WebMemo #650)
This is leadership.
February 3, 2005
Fixing Social Security
By David C. John
(Testimony )
Social Security is an extremely important part of a larger debate about retirement and overall retirement security. As the basis for retirement income security in ...
January 19, 2005
Rising Benefit Levels Drive Social Security's Fiscal Crisis
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #640)
Whether or not reform goes through, benefit growth must be slowed.
January 13, 2005
The Unacceptable Costs of Raising Payroll Taxes to "Save" Social Security
By Rea S. Hederman, Jr., William W. Beach, and Andrew Grossman
(WebMemo #639)
Small fixes turn out not to be so small.
January 10, 2005
The President Should Take Charge on Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(WebMemo #636)
On some issues, the president must lead.
November 17, 2004
How to Fix Social Security
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1811)
A conservative plan to create personal retirement accounts and save Social Security from insolvency.
November 17, 2004
Executive Summary: How to Fix Social Security
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #1811)
October 25, 2004
Dividend Policy and the 2003 Tax Cut: Preliminary Evidence
By Norbert J. Michel, Ph.D., and Ralph A. Rector, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #594)
Research suggests that these tax cuts did influence corporate behavior.
September 30, 2004
The Top 10 Myths About Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1802)
Looking at the actual facts about Social Security and personal retirement accounts (PRAs) shows that the arguments against PRAs are either incorrect or irrelevant to ...
September 30, 2004
Executive Summary: The Top 10 Myths About Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #1802)
September 24, 2004
Manipulating Numbers: The Mythical $940 Billion Fee for Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts
By David C. John
(WebMemo #573)
A 'windfall' for the financial industry? Get real.
September 10, 2004
Using Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts to Create Family Nest Eggs
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1785)
A reformed Social Security with personal retirement accounts can do much more than reducing the program's coming fiscal problems. It would also allow workers to ...
September 10, 2004
Peace of Mind in Retirement: Making Future Generations Better Off by Fixing Social Security
By William W. Beach, Alfredo B. Goyburu, Ralph A. Rector, Ph.D., David C. John, Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D., and Thomas Bingel
(Center for Data Analysis Report #04-06)
American workers could accumulate wealth in the thousands (in some cases, hundreds of thousands) of dollars through a Social Security reform that includes personal retirement ...
September 2, 2004
Misleading the Public: How the Social Security Trust Fund Really Works
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #940)
There is no cash in the Social Security trust fund, and there never has been any. The best way to fix Social Security, so that ...
September 2, 2004
The Seven Principles of Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(WebMemo #557)
These seven principles outline how real Social Security reform would resolve Social Security's problems and provide workers with greater retirement security.
September 2, 2004
A Poor Critique: Personal Retirement Accounts and Transition Costs
By Alison Acosta Fraser
(WebMemo #559)
The President laid out his vision, and the critics are ready to pounce. But do their arguments add up?
April 16, 2004
Final Pension Agreement Places Corporate Interests Above Taxpayer Interests
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #924)
The Pension Funding Equity Act constitutes corporate welfare and is a step toward a multi-billion dollar taxpayer-sponsored pension plan bailout. Several industries receive significant exemptions ...
March 25, 2004
A Guide to the New 2004 Social Security Trustees' Report
By David C. John
(WebMemo #459)
On March 23, 2004, the latest annual report of the Social Security's Trustees was released to the public. Most stories about this report focused on ...
March 25, 2004
Providing Social Security Benefits in the Future: A Review of the Social Security System and Plans to Reform It
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1735)
Most summaries and studies examine Social Security reform from the viewpoint of federal budget impact, tax rates, and the survivability of the system, but few ...
March 25, 2004
Executive Summary: Providing Social Security Benefits in the Future: A Review of the Social Security System and Plans to Reform It
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #1735)
Most summaries and studies examine Social Security reform from the viewpoint of federal budget impact, tax rates, and the survivability of the system, but few ...
February 8, 2004
The Forgotten Savings Plans
By Norbert Michel, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #417)
This year may be the second in a row that one of the President's best ideas remains largely unnoticed: his proposed savings plans.
January 21, 2004
Social Security Reform: And Now for the Hard Part
By David C. John
(WebMemo #393)
President George W. Bush's pledge in his State of the Union Address to make Social Security reform a priority is a welcome step. For the ...
November 6, 2003
Ways & Means Tax Bill a Step in the Right Direction
By Dan Mitchell
(WebMemo #361)
The Committee on Ways and Means recently approved a bill recently that repeals the preferential tax rate for export-related corporate income: the Extraterritorial Income Act ...
October 29, 2003
The Pension Underfunding Crisis: How Effective Have Funding Reforms Been?
By David C. John
(Testimony #1003)
What a difference a year makes. Last year, there was a great deal of discussion about the "dangers" of 401k retirement plans and other types ...
October 14, 2003
America's Pensions: The Next Saving and Loan Crisis?
By David C. John
(Testimony )
Congress should consider a close examination of the entire retirement situation ranging from Social Security to private pension plans to incentives for people to work ...
September 17, 2003
Congress Should Revive KidSave as an Innovative Step Toward Better Retirement Security
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #899)
Senator Robert Kerrey's KidSave plan, especially if improved to allow workers to divert a portion of their Social Security retirement taxes into KidSave accounts in ...
May 29, 2003
Six Important Rules for Real Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #884)
Real Social Security reform should not only protect current retirees' benefits, but also provide higher retirement income for working Americans, regardless of whether Washington faces ...
May 28, 2003
Social Security Reform Must Protect the Benefits of the Disabled
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #883)
Establishing personal retirement accounts within Social Security does not require any changes in Social Security's Disability Insurance program. Even though both that program and Social ...
March 19, 2003
Telling Americans the Truth About Social Security: The Straight Talk About Social Security Act
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #866)
Proposed changes in the SSA's "Your Social Security Statement" would give Americans user-friendly access to information previously hidden in highly technical publications of the SSA, ...
March 17, 2003
A Guide to the new 2003 Social Security Trustees' Report
By David C. John
(WebMemo #221)
This briefing gives you an idea of how to get to the important facts behind the obvious in order to get a real picture of ...
March 17, 2003
Social Security: Texas Teachers Learn to Cheat
By David C. John
(WebMemo #222)
Explores the question: Why would Texas teachers use a questionable loophole in the law to get Social Security benefits that they are not qualified for? ...
March 3, 2003
Why Reforming Social Security Is Not About Saving the Trust Fund
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #864)
Congress see the sole objective of reform as increasing its size and extending the date when it will run out of its paper assets. This ...
February 6, 2003
President Bush's Tax Plan Would Improve the Ability to Deal with Future Social Security Deficits
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #858)
President George W. Bush's proposed tax cut plan would increase economic growth and make it easier to afford the additional money required for Social Security ...
February 3, 2003
The Economic and Fiscal Effects of Ending the Federal Double Taxation of Dividends
By Norbert J. Michel, Alfredo Goyburu, and Ralph Rector, Ph.D.
(Center for Data Analysis Report #Working Paper)
Economic analysts at the Center for Data Analysis (CDA) at The Heritage Foundation found, in a study of a dividend reform proposal similar to President ...
February 3, 2003
Reforming Social Security: A Change in the Climate of Opinion
By William G. Shipman
(Heritage Lecture #776)
One solution to the significant problem of recordkeeping, for example, would be to structure investment options, not all of which require timely and detailed contribution ...
January 16, 2003
How a U.S.-Mexico Social Security Agreement Can Benefit Both Nations
By David C. John and Stephen Johnson
(Executive Memorandum #849)
The U.S.–Mexico Social Security totalization agreement that is now being negotiated provides an opportunity to boost sagging relations and benefit both countries without enacting complicated ...
January 7, 2003
Who Really Benefits from Dividend Tax Relief?
By Norbert J. Michel
(Center for Data Analysis Report #03-02)
The fact that many American hold equities in tax-deferred accounts will not, in the long run, diminish the impact of eliminating the double taxation of ...
November 19, 2002
Answering the Top 10 Myths About Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1613)
America's workers deserve a more informative debate on Social Security reform than they're getting. Personal retirement accounts can address the impending insolvency of the system ...
November 19, 2002
Answering the Top 10 Myths About Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #1613)
bg1613es: Answering the Top 10 Myths About Social Security Reform
September 16, 2002
Continued Bear Markets Do Not Hurt the Case for Social Security Retirement Accounts
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1587)
Social Security pays extremely low rates of return and faces significant financial problems. Even with market fluctuations, workers could expect to earn significantly more from ...
September 12, 2002
Social Security Basics
By The Heritage Foundation
(WebMemo #143)
A brief overview of the Social Security program.
March 29, 2002
A Guide to the New 2002 Social Security Trustees' Report
By David C. John
(WebMemo #91)
The important facts behind the obvious in order to get a real picture of Social Security's financial outlook.
March 8, 2002
Guaranteeing Retirees' Social Security Benefits: An Important First Step Toward Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #804)
Congress can and should provide senior citizens with assurance that they have nothing to fear from Social Security reform by guaranteeing their benefits in writing. ...
February 26, 2002
Perspectives on the European Pension Crises: Some Lessons for America
By Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D., Peter Peterson, Estelle James, Wilfried Prewo, David Harris, Michal Rutkowski
(Heritage Lecture #729)
Some agenda for pension reform is critical for all countries. But it is remarkable to consider how much has already changed in Central and Eastern ...
January 11, 2002
Social Security Commission Report Shows Value and Feasibility of Individual Accounts
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1512)
Social Security personal retirement accounts would provide a vehicle for future generations to improve the rate of return on their Social Security taxes and to ...
October 17, 2001
Social Security Reform Helps Small Business
By James Morrison, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1494)
Small business has much to gain and very little to lose if Congress establishes Social Security personal retirement accounts. These accounts, which would allow taxpayers ...
October 17, 2001
Social Security Reform Helps Small Business
By James Morrison, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1494es)
BG1494es: Social Security Reform Helps Small Business
October 17, 2001
Removing Social Security's Tax Cap on Wages Would Do More Harm Than Good
By D. Mark Wilson
(Center for Data Analysis Report #01-07)
Eliminating the Social Security maximum taxable wage cap will do little good and too much economic harm.
September 10, 2001
The New Kolbe-Stenholm Plan: A Solid Framework for Reforming Social Security
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1471)
The Kolbe-Stenholm proposal represents a very positive step toward serious Social Security reform. It would be fiscally responsible and would make many of the hard ...
August 30, 2001
A Look at Who Pays the Payroll Tax
By D. Mark Wilson
(Center for Data Analysis Report #01-06)
In order to make knowledgeable decisions regarding Social Security reform, it is particularly important for policymakers to understand the differences among those who pay the ...
August 23, 2001
Ten Deceptive Myths About Social Security, the Budget and the Economy
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1467)
lawmakers should focus on increasing economic growth and expanding prosperity by lowering tax rates and reducing the size of government. Yet these central matters are ...
August 22, 2001
Hispanic Americans' Growing Stake in Social Security Reform
By Naomi Lopez Bauman
(Backgrounder #1465)
Rather than attempting to perpetuate an outdated Social Security system that excludes Hispanics from fully participating in the American dream, lawmakers should pursue reforms that ...
August 21, 2001
The Myth of 40 Percent Benefit Reductions Under Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #768)
Through 2038, American taxpayers are going to spend $5 trillion in additional tax dollars in order to pay for Social Security benefits that are already ...
August 15, 2001
How Personal Retirement Accounts Create Wealth for Low and Moderate-Income Families
By The Heritage Foundation
(WebMemo #30)
If Congress changes Social Security by allowing workers to invest a small portion of their payroll taxes in in their own Personal Retirement Accounts, their ...
July 26, 2001
Congress Should Give Retirees a Guarantee to Their Social Security Benefits
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #761)
Creating an explicit property right to Social Security retirement benefits would protect those who are least able to afford benefit reductions and give them the ...
July 26, 2001
Social Security Q&A With Heritage's Social Security Project Manager James Hamilton
By James Hamilton
(WebMemo #25)
Americans should follow the citizens of other countries, such as Britain and Sweden, in recognizing that the best way to achieve real income security during ...
May 1, 2001
Bear Markets Do Not Hurt the Case for Social Security Retirement Accounts
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #742)
Because Social Security still pays extremely low rates of return and faces significant financial problems, workers could expect to earn significantly more from personal retirement ...
April 26, 2001
A Commission Must Avoid the Wrong Social Security Debate: It's Not About Trust Funds
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #741)
Neither Congress nor President Bush's commission should waste time arguing the wrong Social Security debate. Talking about trust funds will neither save Social Security nor ...
March 13, 2001
The Straight Talk About Social Security Act: Telling Americans the Truth About Social Security Benefits
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #728)
The Straight Talk About Social Security Act
February 26, 2001
Protecting Benefits for the Disabled in Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #722)
Protecting Benefits for the Disabled in Social Security Reform
February 15, 2001
Tax Cuts For Today and Tomorrow
By The Heritage Foundation
(WebMemo #4)
Tax Cuts For Today and Tomorrow
February 6, 2001
Six Rules for Real Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #717)
Six Rules for Real Social Security Reform
February 6, 2001
Women and Social Security Reform
By The Heritage Foundation
(WebMemo #2)
Women and Social Security Reform
October 27, 2000
KidSave: An Innovative Step Toward Better Retirement Security
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #704)
KidSave: An Innovative Step Toward Better Retirement Security
October 4, 2000
How Railroad Retirement Investment Scheme Threatens Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #698)
Railroad Retirement Investment Threatens Social Security Reform
July 14, 2000
Switzerland's National Retirement Approach
By David O. Harris
(Heritage Lecture #672)
hl672: Switzerland's National Retirement Approach
June 29, 2000
Pension Reform in Sweden: Lessons for American Policymakers
By Goran Normann, Ph.D. and Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1381)
Pension Reform in Sweden: Lessons for American Policymakers
June 29, 2000
Pension Reform in Sweden: Lessons for American Policymakers
By Goran Normann, Ph.D. and Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1381es)
Pension Reform in Sweden: Lessons for American Policymakers
June 27, 2000
The Social Security Government Pension Offset
By David C. John
(Testimony )
The Social Security Government Pension Offset
June 12, 2000
Congress Should Give Retirees a Guarantee to Their Social Security Benefits
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #681)
Congress Should Give Retirees a Guarantee to Their Social Security Benefits
May 19, 2000
The Social Security Right to Know Act: Telling the Truth About the Future
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1371)
The Social Security Right to Know Act: Telling the Truth About the Future
April 4, 2000
Social Security's Trustees' Report Shows Bigger Long-Run Deficit
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Memorandum #666)
Social Security's Trustees' Report Shows Bigger Long-Run Deficit
March 3, 2000
Who Pays the Payroll Tax? Understanding the Tax and Income Dynamics of the Social Security Program
By D. Mark Wilson
(Center for Data Analysis Report #00-03)
Who Pays the Payroll Tax? Understanding the Tax and Income Dynamics of the Social Security Program
February 25, 2000
Time to Retire the Social Security Earnings Test
By David C. John and Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
(Backgrounder #1348)
Time to Retire the Social Security Earnings Test
February 8, 2000
Avoiding Hard Decisions: The President's Retirement Savings Account Program
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #648)
Avoiding Hard Decisions: The President's Retirement Savings Account Program
February 4, 2000
Why Critics of Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts Are Wrong
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Executive Summary #1344)
Why Critics of Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts Are Wrong
February 4, 2000
Why Critics of Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts Are Wrong
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D.
(Backgrounder #1344)
Why Critics of Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts Are Wrong
February 2, 2000
Faster Economic Growth Will Not Solve the Social Security Crisis
By Gareth G. Davis
(Center for Data Analysis Report #00-01)
Faster Economic Growth Will Not Solve the Social Security Crisis
January 21, 2000
