Knowledgeable and savvy individuals are looking at ways they may deal with, even offset, a possible reduction in Social Security benefits. Given the lack of interest by Congress and this administration in fixing the funding problem, having your own backup plan seems avoid idea.
According to the 2025 Social Security Trustees Report (the most recent official projections as of late 2025), if no legislative changes are made to funding or benefits:
Let’s review the facts and current dire predictions.
• The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) trust fund — which covers retirement and survivor benefits for the vast majority of beneficiaries — is projected to deplete its reserves in 2033.
• At that point, ongoing payroll tax revenue would be sufficient to pay only 77% of scheduled benefits, resulting in an automatic 23% reduction across the board for all OASI beneficiaries (retirees, survivors, and dependents).
The Disability Insurance (DI) trust fund is projected to remain solvent through at least 2099.
On a theoretically combined basis (OASI + DI, often used as a benchmark since Congress has reallocated funds between them in the past), the combined reserves would be depleted in 2034, at which time incoming revenue could cover 81% of scheduled benefits — meaning a 19% reduction.
Over the longer term, without reforms, the payable percentage for combined benefits is projected to decline further (e.g., to around 72–86% by mid-century, depending on assumptions), as costs continue to outpace revenue due to an aging population and fewer workers per retiree.
These reductions would apply suddenly and to all beneficiaries equally under current law (no exemptions for current retirees or low-income individuals). The Trustees and analysts strongly recommend timely reforms to avoid such abrupt cuts, allowing gradual changes instead.
Sources include the official 2025 SSA Trustees Report, analyses from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), and Bipartisan Policy Center.
I used AI to help compile this information from several sources.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
According to the Congressional Research Service, once the Social Security (SS) Old Age and Survivors trust fund is depleted, because outgo > inflow, the conflict of two laws complicates the next steps.
Under the Social Security Act, until Congress changes the law, folks are legally entitled to full scheduled benefits. But, the Antideficiency Act prohibits spending > available trust funds. That is, the trust will have a $0 asset balance, but will be accumulating a liability from unpaid benefits due per the Social Security Act.
Some say, the government will get the money from other sources. However, using, say, general revenues would further increase our annual deficits and national debt. More importantly, if the Treasury Secretary spent monies to “gap fill” for Social Security, I doubt that spending would legally discharge SSA’s obligation to pay full benefits from the trust fund. People who got monies from the Treasury could still collect the delayed Social Security benefits. So, I don’t think we’ll see the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the Secretary of Treasury violate laws to bail out Congress.
Instead, should there be no solution prior to trust fund exhaustion, I expect SSA will pay full benefits on a “first in, first out” (FIFO) basis, paying full amounts in order until funds are exhausted, then delaying others’ payments until new revenues come in. I don’t see SSA paying partial benefits on time (less than the scheduled benefit) – that would require changes in processing, and keeping track of underpayments. Instead, because the Commissioner has discretion over the payment schedule … so, the Commissioner, without any guidance from Congress, could simply say, we owe you as promised, and we will pay you once we have the funds. .
If paid in their usual order, the first get paid the 3rd of the month, then the 2nd Wednesday, etc. until trust balance is exhausted. Further payments would be delayed until more tax receipts are credited to the trust – then payments would pick up where they left off.
The delay & restart cycle could continue indefinitely … until Congress took action.
However, 2032 is a general election year, so, I would expect to see some sort of a solution prior to November 2032.
I also think the idiot ass Trump might want to step in late in 2028 and “solve” the funding gap, and take credit for “solving” the Social Security funding challenge. By then, it will have been updated from “gap” or “challenge” to “CRISIS”.
Our “savior” – the Donald…
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I, personally, have not given any thought to a potential cut in 2033. My birthday in that year would be my 87th and my wife would turn 83 a few months later. Not our high spending years if we , or at least one of us is spending at all. At present we still have about one fourth of the annual Social Security benefits left in reserve. So we would feel slighted but not penniless.
On a national scale, the gray lobby is still there and visions of granny with her walker standing in a breadline will appear. There will be enough sentiment to raise some taxes and make some adjustments. What these will be I don’t know. I don’t see cuts for every oldster but maybe the better off class. Again, I don’t know. This is about as much thought as I care to waste on it.
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