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Many Americans are anxious about the health of Social Security. A 2024 AARP poll found that 75 percent of Americans age 50 and older are concerned the program won’t be there when they need
it. Many listeners participating in the tele-town hall echoed these concerns. Their worries are valid. Social Security’s finances are on shaky ground: The program currently pays out more in
benefits than it collects in revenue annually. If no action is taken, Social Security will be unable to pay benefits in full in 10 years, according to the latest Social Security trustees’
report. “It's something that Congress needs to fix, but it's an absolutely fixable problem,” Sweeney said, noting that Social Security has faced fiscal issues like this before. It
is unknown when and how Congress will next address Social Security’s solvency — “That’s the question we’ve been asking Congress for a long time now,” Sweeney said — but he is confident
federal lawmakers will fix the program, which has near-universal support from Americans, before funds run out. AARP is urging Congress to address the issue sooner rather than later. “The
longer Congress waits, the worse their options are, so we’ve really been pushing [them] hard … to get focused on this,” Sweeney said. Richardson, a former regional communications director
for the SSA, agreed with Sweeney and encouraged those worried about the future of Social Security to examine what happened in 1983, when President Ronald Reagan passed a set of sweeping
changes to shore up the program's financial footing. “It should ground you to see that [a fix] happened in the past, it was done effectively, and we should be able to do it going
forward,” Richardson said. Read our story on the future of Social Security to learn more about the program’s financial status and options for boosting its future stability. 5. AARP IS
FIGHTING FOR YOU AND YOUR HARD-EARNED SOCIAL SECURITY During the event, this question came in from Denise in California: Who is lobbying for us in Congress? “Well, Denise, I’m happy to say
that I’m your lobbyist, and I have a great team,” Sweeney replied. “We have AARP teams that fan out all over the country, supported by an incredible team of volunteers, who raise your voice
and make sure your interests are heard.” AARP advocates on issues important to older Americans in Washington D.C., but also in state legislatures and city halls all over the country. For
more than 65 years, AARP has been working to strengthen Social Security, and we will continue to do so in the weeks, months and years ahead, Hishta said. On August 14, Social Security turns
90. To coincide with the milestone, AARP will launch a 90-day coast-to-coast campaign from May through August to emphasize why Social Security matters now more than ever. Video: Inside
AARP’s Fight for Social Security “We want [lawmakers] to understand one thing loud and clear: Social Security is not just a budget line item. It's a lifeline,” Hishta said. “This is
money Americans have earned every paycheck every year over a lifetime of work. They're not asking for favors. They're expecting what they were promised.”