Description: Social Security poses a substantial financing challenge for the future, largely due to demographic changes. This article explores the reasons behind this issue and possible changes that will be needed in the future.

Description: Senate Resolution 350, June 26, 1974, provided for an expert, independent analysis of the actuarial status of the social security system, to be made for the Senate Committee on Finance. Robert Myers provides comments on this report and finds it an excellent example of how an actuarial report should be presented to the public.

Description: In 1938 and 1941, tax rulings were issued that Social Security benefits were not subject to income tax. This was done largely on the grounds that they are governmental gratuities probably based on the fact that the benefits and the taxes financing them were in different titles of the Social Security Act. Periodically over the years, proposals were made to include the benefits in taxable income in the same manner as private pensions.

Description: This article analyzes the proposals in the recent state of the union address to support Social Security. The recommendation contains two plans - to transfer surplus tax revenue to Social Security and to invest part of the transfers in equities.

Description: This is an article about the lack of savings by the baby boomers and how it will affect retirement and the ramifications for Social Security. The author believes that baby boomers will choose to continue to work and alleviate some of the burden on social security.

Description: Argues that the budget for the Social Security program should not be 'unified'with the rest of the federal budget in evaluating the federal deficit.

Description: Discusses those Disability Insurance program changes, brought about by the Social Security Disability Amendments of 1980, which fall into two major categories: benefit amounts and program administration.

Description: Article Book Review by Ray in The Actuary, January 1979, Volume 13, Number 1

Description: Discussion of the need to understand the implications of demographic and family diversity for the design of retirement programs. The design of retirement programs is a design of programs for the elderly, who are more often women, because women live longer and because their work histories often lead to reduced levels of pension and social security benefits.

Description: This article discusses key excerpts from testimony in June and July 1981 by James R.Swenson, Chairman of the Academy’s Committee on Social Insurance, to the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and to the Senate Subcommittee on Social Security. The testimony recommended that the long term problems of Social Security be addressed at the same time as the short term imbalances, that benefits be adjusted to affordable levels e.g. gradual increase in retirement age, that more attention be paid to pessimistic actuarial projections, that the actuaries be given more latitude in selecting assumptions, and that the law be amended to require actuarial certifications for Social Security.