73% worry Social Security won’t pay promised benefits: Survey

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(NewsNation) — A majority of Americans expect to rely on Social Security benefits when they retire, but according to a new survey, most are worried they won’t get them.

A Bankrate survey found that more than half (53%) of nonretired U.S. adults expect to count on their Social Security checks to cover necessary expenses in retirement. At the same time, 73% are concerned they won’t receive their promised benefits when they retire.

Those fears are not unfounded: Social Security is facing a financial shortfall.

In roughly a decade, Social Security recipients could see their benefits cut by hundreds of dollars a month if Congress doesn’t take action.

While it’s highly unlikely federal lawmakers will let that happen, so far, they have opted to kick the can down the road, avoiding major changes that could be politically unpopular.

Experts say the longer Congress waits, the more drastic the changes will have to be later on.

“There’s a vast divide between Americans’ concern about the looming Social Security funding shortfall and the lack of serious and thorough conversation among elected officials about what to do about it,” Bankrate Senior Economic Analyst Mark Hamrick said in a statement. “The result is that the American public’s financial well-being is not being tended to.”

Keep in mind: Even if Congress does nothing — and the trust funds that pay out Social Security benefits run out — retirees will still receive a monthly check, but it could be lower than what was promised.

The Brookings Institution says today’s financing challenge is “at least double” what it was in 1983, the last time Social Security was in dire straits. Back then, insolvency was just months away before Congress stepped in.

How much do retirees rely on Social Security?

Bankrate found that more than three-quarters (77%) of current retirees are reliant on Social Security to pay necessary expenses, including 62% who said they are “very reliant.”

The rising cost of living has hit seniors on fixed incomes especially hard in recent years. Among beneficiaries 65 and older, about 12% of men and 15% of women rely on Social Security to meet 90% of their needs, according to government data.

Social Security is meant to replace about 40% of past earnings, but roughly 4 in 10 retirees receive more than 50% of their income from the program.

A recent AARP survey suggests retirees could be even more reliant on Social Security in the years ahead, with 20% of adults 50-plus saying they have no retirement savings.

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to ease the burden by ending taxes on retirees benefits, but experts say that would require bipartisan buy-in and is unlikely to happen.

What is the average retirement check?

In October, the average monthly benefit for a retired worker was $1,924, according to the Social Security Administration. Retirees will see a 2.5% bump in January thanks to the annual cost-of-living adjustment.

The size of your monthly retirement check is based on several factors, including how long you worked, how much you made over your career and when you started collecting. You can calculate your estimated benefit here.

There’s no perfect age to start collecting benefits because everyone’s circumstances are different, but research suggests it’s typically better to wait until age 70. At that point, you can receive up to 124% of your full Social Security benefit.

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