How The Government Could Use "Smoke And Mirrors" To Camouflage Lower Future Benefits

Politics For Those Already Retired

Reducing Social Security benefits for those already retired is political suicide!   The retiree does not have to be a rocket scientist to know that this month's check is lower than last month's check. Retirees also have strong organizations, like the AARP, to lobby for them.

Reducing the rate of increase in future benefits to those already retired might be politically feasible. Smoke and Mirrors!

Politics For Those Not Yet Retired

It is more politically expedient to reduce benefits of those  who will retire 5 or more years into the future, since many of them don't know what they should be earning. With the complexity of the present Social Security benefits computation, this is likely to be a major part of the solution. By tinkering with the benefits computation for future retirees, the pain factor will be present but not as obvious, since the many of future beneficiaries will not even know they are hurting. Smoke and mirrors!