{ "id": "RL33028", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "RL", "number": "RL33028", "active": true, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov, EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source_dir": "crsreports.congress.gov", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Funds", "retrieved": "2024-06-20T04:03:44.031348", "id": "RL33028_47_2024-05-23", "formats": [ { "filename": "files/2024-05-23_RL33028_54cd0d65b62552a2ab504bf4da3ea4a33c1c6c2f.pdf", "format": "PDF", "url": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33028/47", "sha1": "54cd0d65b62552a2ab504bf4da3ea4a33c1c6c2f" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/2024-05-23_RL33028_54cd0d65b62552a2ab504bf4da3ea4a33c1c6c2f.html" } ], "date": "2024-05-23", "summary": null, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov", "typeId": "RL", "active": true, "sourceLink": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=RL33028", "type": "CRS Report" }, { "source_dir": "crsreports.congress.gov", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Funds", "retrieved": "2024-06-20T04:03:40.236503", "id": "RL33028_45_2023-05-16", "formats": [ { "filename": "files/2023-05-16_RL33028_c9988fb99f386ac78e7f75527a05144183c6f349.pdf", "format": "PDF", "url": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33028/45", "sha1": "c9988fb99f386ac78e7f75527a05144183c6f349" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/2023-05-16_RL33028_c9988fb99f386ac78e7f75527a05144183c6f349.html" } ], "date": "2023-05-16", "summary": null, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov", "typeId": "RL", "active": true, "sourceLink": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=RL33028", "type": "CRS Report" }, { "source_dir": "crsreports.congress.gov", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Funds", "retrieved": "2024-06-20T04:03:40.235108", "id": "RL33028_43_2022-06-29", "formats": [ { "filename": "files/2022-06-29_RL33028_d1edcbc8dbafcd7e1fcae7fa92bdc95537e21c07.pdf", "format": "PDF", "url": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33028/43", "sha1": "d1edcbc8dbafcd7e1fcae7fa92bdc95537e21c07" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/2022-06-29_RL33028_d1edcbc8dbafcd7e1fcae7fa92bdc95537e21c07.html" } ], "date": "2022-06-29", "summary": null, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov", "typeId": "RL", "active": true, "sourceLink": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=RL33028", "type": "CRS Report" }, { "source_dir": "crsreports.congress.gov", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Funds", "retrieved": "2024-06-20T04:03:40.233970", "id": "RL33028_41_2021-09-21", "formats": [ { "filename": "files/2021-09-21_RL33028_98aefc2447572e610cf5b465feaf4064062c8b2f.pdf", "format": "PDF", "url": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33028/41", "sha1": "98aefc2447572e610cf5b465feaf4064062c8b2f" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/2021-09-21_RL33028_98aefc2447572e610cf5b465feaf4064062c8b2f.html" } ], "date": "2021-09-21", "summary": null, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov", "typeId": "RL", "active": true, "sourceLink": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=RL33028", "type": "CRS Report" }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 624988, "date": "2020-05-15", "retrieved": "2020-05-19T13:36:37.979977", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Funds", "summary": "The Social Security program pays monthly cash benefits to retired or disabled workers and their family members and to the family members of deceased workers. Program income and outgo are accounted for in two separate trust funds authorized under Title II of the Social Security Act: the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund. Projections show the OASI fund remaining solvent until 2034, whereas the DI fund is projected to remain solvent until 2065, meaning that each trust fund is projected to be able to pay benefits scheduled under current law in full and on time up to that point. Following the depletion of trust fund reserves (2065 for DI and 2034 for OASI), continuing income to each fund is projected to cover 92% of DI scheduled benefits and 76% of OASI scheduled benefits. The two trust funds are legally distinct and do not have authority to borrow from each other. However, Congress has authorized the shifting of funds between OASI and DI in the past to address shortfalls in a particular fund. Therefore, this CRS report discusses the operations of the OASI and DI trust funds on a combined basis, referring to them collectively as the Social Security trust funds. On a combined basis, the trust funds are projected to remain solvent until 2035. Following depletion of combined trust fund reserves at that point, continuing income is projected to cover 79% of scheduled benefits. \nSocial Security is financed by payroll taxes paid by covered workers and their employers, federal income taxes paid by some beneficiaries on a portion of their benefits, and interest income from the Social Security trust fund investments. Social Security tax revenues are invested in U.S. government securities (special issues) held by the trust funds, and these securities earn interest. The tax revenues exchanged for the U.S. government securities are deposited into the General Fund of the Treasury and are indistinguishable from revenues in the General Fund that come from other sources. Because the assets held by the trust funds are U.S. government securities, the trust fund balance represents the amount of money owed to the Social Security trust funds by the General Fund of the Treasury. Funds needed to pay Social Security benefits and administrative expenses come from the redemption or sale of U.S. government securities held by the trust funds.\nThe Social Security trust funds represent funds dedicated to pay current and future Social Security benefits. However, it is useful to view the trust funds in two ways: (1) as an internal federal accounting concept and (2) as the accumulated holdings of the Social Security program.\nBy law, Social Security tax revenues must be invested in U.S. government obligations (debt instruments of the U.S. government). The accumulated holdings of U.S. government obligations are often viewed as being similar to assets held by any other trust on behalf of the beneficiaries. However, the holdings of the Social Security trust funds differ from those of private trusts because (1) the types of investments the trust funds may hold are limited and (2) the U.S. government is both the buyer and seller of the investments.\nThis report covers how the Social Security program is financed and how the Social Security trust funds work. The report also covers the projected financial operations of the trust funds using data from the 2020 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees. The 2020 annual report reflects the trustees\u2019 understanding of the OASDI program at the start of 2020; thus, it does not include potential effects of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33028", "sha1": "ec5b536fe2fd4b33304ccdda44ca99bef5a349fa", "filename": "files/20200515_RL33028_ec5b536fe2fd4b33304ccdda44ca99bef5a349fa.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33028_files&id=/0.png": "files/20200515_RL33028_images_0d765759806f2db4391f7ddf4e2767b41569284b.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33028", "sha1": "2f66cbf94a1511e64835b7c3f01f31e3174d094c", "filename": "files/20200515_RL33028_2f66cbf94a1511e64835b7c3f01f31e3174d094c.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4796, "name": "Social Security" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 616769, "date": "2020-02-12", "retrieved": "2020-02-12T23:11:05.980352", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Funds", "summary": "The Social Security program pays monthly cash benefits to retired or disabled workers and their family members and to the family members of deceased workers. Program income and outgo are accounted for in two separate trust funds authorized under Title II of the Social Security Act: the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund. Projections show that the OASI fund will remain solvent until 2034, whereas the DI fund will remain solvent until 2052, meaning that each trust fund is projected to be able to pay benefits scheduled under current law in full and on time up to that point. Following the depletion of trust fund reserves (2052 for DI and 2034 for OASI), continuing income to each fund is projected to cover 91% of DI scheduled benefits and 77% of OASI scheduled benefits. The two trust funds are legally distinct and do not have authority to borrow from each other. However, Congress has authorized the shifting of funds between OASI and DI in the past to address shortfalls in a particular fund. Therefore, this CRS report discusses the operations of the OASI and DI trust funds on a combined basis, referring to them collectively as the Social Security trust funds. On a combined basis, the trust funds are projected to remain solvent until 2035. Following depletion of combined trust fund reserves at that point, continuing income is projected to cover 80% of scheduled benefits. \nSocial Security is financed by payroll taxes paid by covered workers and their employers, federal income taxes paid by some beneficiaries on a portion of their benefits, and interest income from the Social Security trust fund investments. Social Security tax revenues are invested in U.S. government securities (special issues) held by the trust funds, and these securities earn interest. The tax revenues exchanged for the U.S. government securities are deposited into the General Fund of the Treasury and are indistinguishable from revenues in the General Fund that come from other sources. Because the assets held by the trust funds are U.S. government securities, the trust fund balance represents the amount of money owed to the Social Security trust funds by the General Fund of the Treasury. Funds needed to pay Social Security benefits and administrative expenses come from the redemption or sale of U.S. government securities held by the trust funds.\nThe Social Security trust funds represent funds dedicated to pay current and future Social Security benefits. However, it is useful to view the trust funds in two ways: (1) as an internal federal accounting concept and (2) as the accumulated holdings of the Social Security program.\nBy law, Social Security tax revenues must be invested in U.S. government obligations (debt instruments of the U.S. government). The accumulated holdings of U.S. government obligations are often viewed as being similar to assets held by any other trust on behalf of the beneficiaries. However, the holdings of the Social Security trust funds differ from those of private trusts because (1) the types of investments the trust funds may hold are limited and (2) the U.S. government is both the buyer and seller of the investments.\nThis report covers how the Social Security program is financed and how the Social Security trust funds work.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33028", "sha1": "48f11bb9275687950959d5b789d4bedf84fa4364", "filename": "files/20200212_RL33028_48f11bb9275687950959d5b789d4bedf84fa4364.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33028_files&id=/0.png": "files/20200212_RL33028_images_d6212b55fb43e7cea90071da207b3f25dd72b383.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33028", "sha1": "9dcd95653118bac59ee47286ffb72e197e74a605", "filename": "files/20200212_RL33028_9dcd95653118bac59ee47286ffb72e197e74a605.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4796, "name": "Social Security" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 597930, "date": "2019-05-08", "retrieved": "2019-12-20T19:15:55.484700", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Funds", "summary": "The Social Security program pays monthly cash benefits to retired or disabled workers and their family members and to the family members of deceased workers. Program income and outgo are accounted for in two separate trust funds authorized under Title II of the Social Security Act: the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund. Projections show that the OASI fund will remain solvent until 2034, whereas the DI fund will remain solvent until 2052, meaning that each trust fund is projected to be able to pay benefits scheduled under current law in full and on time up to that point. Following the depletion of trust fund reserves (2052 for DI and 2034 for OASI), continuing income to each fund is projected to cover 91% of DI scheduled benefits and 77% of OASI scheduled benefits. The two trust funds are legally distinct and do not have authority to borrow from each other. However, Congress has authorized the shifting of funds between OASI and DI in the past to address shortfalls in a particular fund. Therefore, this CRS report discusses the operations of the OASI and DI trust funds on a combined basis, referring to them collectively as the Social Security trust funds. On a combined basis, the trust funds are projected to remain solvent until 2035. Following depletion of combined trust fund reserves at that point, continuing income is projected to cover 80% of scheduled benefits. \nSocial Security is financed by payroll taxes paid by covered workers and their employers, federal income taxes paid by some beneficiaries on a portion of their benefits, and interest income from the Social Security trust fund investments. Social Security tax revenues are invested in U.S. government securities (special issues) held by the trust funds, and these securities earn interest. The tax revenues exchanged for the U.S. government securities are deposited into the General Fund of the Treasury and are indistinguishable from revenues in the General Fund that come from other sources. Because the assets held by the trust funds are U.S. government securities, the trust fund balance represents the amount of money owed to the Social Security trust funds by the General Fund of the Treasury. Funds needed to pay Social Security benefits and administrative expenses come from the redemption or sale of U.S. government securities held by the trust funds.\nThe Social Security trust funds represent funds dedicated to pay current and future Social Security benefits. However, it is useful to view the trust funds in two ways: (1) as an internal federal accounting concept and (2) as the accumulated holdings of the Social Security program.\nBy law, Social Security tax revenues must be invested in U.S. government obligations (debt instruments of the U.S. government). The accumulated holdings of U.S. government obligations are often viewed as being similar to assets held by any other trust on behalf of the beneficiaries. However, the holdings of the Social Security trust funds differ from those of private trusts because (1) the types of investments the trust funds may hold are limited and (2) the U.S. government is both the buyer and seller of the investments.\nThis report covers how the Social Security program is financed and how the Social Security trust funds work.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33028", "sha1": "ae4e046f3717b3769f24087883acf2dfc58a3e90", "filename": "files/20190508_RL33028_ae4e046f3717b3769f24087883acf2dfc58a3e90.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33028_files&id=/0.png": "files/20190508_RL33028_images_d6212b55fb43e7cea90071da207b3f25dd72b383.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33028", "sha1": "f165c97aa9cfe3bf559265a94aebc970b32b2e32", "filename": "files/20190508_RL33028_f165c97aa9cfe3bf559265a94aebc970b32b2e32.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4796, "name": "Social Security" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 582729, "date": "2018-07-10", "retrieved": "2018-07-13T13:00:16.414740", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Funds", "summary": "The Social Security program pays monthly cash benefits to retired or disabled workers and their family members and to the family members of deceased workers. Program income and outgo are accounted for in two separate trust funds authorized under Title II of the Social Security Act: the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund. Projections show that the OASI fund will remain solvent until 2034, whereas the DI fund will remain solvent until 2032, meaning that each trust fund is projected to be able topay benefits scheduled under current law in full and on time up to that point. Following the depletion of trust fund reserves (2032 for DI and 2034 for OASI), continuing income to each fund is projected to cover 96% of DI scheduled benefits and 77% of OASI scheduled benefits. The two trust funds are legally distinct and do not have authority to borrow from each other. However, Congress has authorized the shifting of funds between OASI and DI in the past to address shortfalls in a particular fund. Therefore, this CRS report discusses the operations of the OASI and DI trust funds on a combined basis, referring to them collectively as the Social Security trust funds. On a combined basis, the trust funds are projected to remain solvent until 2034. Following depletion of combined trust fund reserves at that point, continuing income is projected to cover 79% of scheduled benefits. \nSocial Security is financed by payroll taxes paid by covered workers and their employers, federal income taxes paid by some beneficiaries on a portion of their benefits, and interest income from the Social Security trust fund investments. Social Security tax revenues are invested in U.S. government securities (special issues) held by the trust funds, and these securities earn interest. The tax revenues exchanged for the U.S. government securities are deposited into the General Fund of the Treasury and are indistinguishable from revenues in the General Fund that come from other sources. Because the assets held by the trust funds are U.S. government securities, the trust fund balance represents the amount of money owed to the Social Security trust funds by the General Fund of the Treasury. Funds needed to pay Social Security benefits and administrative expenses come from the redemption or sale of U.S. government securities held by the trust funds.\nThe Social Security trust funds represent funds dedicated to pay current and future Social Security benefits. However, it is useful to view the trust funds in two ways: (1) as an internal federal accounting concept and (2) as the accumulated holdings of the Social Security program.\nBy law, Social Security tax revenues must be invested in U.S. government obligations (debt instruments of the U.S. government). The accumulated holdings of U.S. government obligations are often viewed as being similar to assets held by any other trust on behalf of the beneficiaries. However, the holdings of the Social Security trust funds differ from those of private trusts because (1) the types of investments the trust funds may hold are limited and (2) the U.S. government is both the buyer and seller of the investments.\nThis report covers how the Social Security program is financed and how the Social Security trust funds work.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33028", "sha1": "e5f18d7ff9929ee6fa42e3fd62c9aef99d7e1f89", "filename": "files/20180710_RL33028_e5f18d7ff9929ee6fa42e3fd62c9aef99d7e1f89.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33028_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180710_RL33028_images_6e9e8c28e430cb3a5ec770168599f05d67d147c6.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33028", "sha1": "f90836cde3518d75ad1f0693745f97afb432c8df", "filename": "files/20180710_RL33028_f90836cde3518d75ad1f0693745f97afb432c8df.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4796, "name": "Social Security" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 574051, "date": "2017-09-12", "retrieved": "2018-05-10T12:35:33.116312", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Funds", "summary": "The Social Security program pays monthly cash benefits to retired or disabled workers and their family members and to the family members of deceased workers. Program income and outgo are accounted for in two separate trust funds authorized under Title II of the Social Security Act: the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund. Projections show that the OASI fund will remain solvent until 2035, whereas the DI fund will remain solvent until 2028, meaning that each trust fund can pay benefits scheduled under current law in full and on time up to that point. Following the depletion of trust fund reserves (2028 for DI and 2035 for OASI), continuing income to each fund is projected to cover 93% of DI scheduled benefits and 75% of OASI scheduled benefits. The two trust funds are legally distinct and do not have authority to borrow from each other. However, Congress has authorized the shifting of funds between OASI and DI in the past to address shortfalls in a particular fund. Therefore, this CRS report discusses the operations of the OASI and DI trust funds on a combined basis, referring to them collectively as the Social Security trust funds. On a combined basis, the trust funds are projected to remain solvent until 2034. Following depletion of combined trust fund reserves at that point, continuing income is projected to cover 77% of scheduled benefits. \nSocial Security is financed by payroll taxes paid by covered workers and their employers, federal income taxes paid by some beneficiaries on a portion of their benefits, and interest income from the Social Security trust fund investments. Social Security tax revenues are invested in U.S. government securities (special issues) held by the trust funds, and these securities earn interest. The tax revenues exchanged for the U.S. government securities are deposited into the General Fund of the Treasury and are indistinguishable from revenues in the General Fund that come from other sources. Because the assets held by the trust funds are U.S. government securities, the trust fund balance represents the amount of money owed to the Social Security trust funds by the General Fund of the Treasury. Funds needed to pay Social Security benefits and administrative expenses come from the redemption or sale of U.S. government securities held by the trust funds.\nThe Social Security trust funds represent funds dedicated to pay current and future Social Security benefits. However, it is useful to view the trust funds in two ways: (1) as an internal federal accounting concept and (2) as the accumulated holdings of the Social Security program.\nBy law, Social Security tax revenues must be invested in U.S. government obligations (debt instruments of the U.S. government). The accumulated holdings of U.S. government obligations are often viewed as being similar to assets held by any other trust on behalf of the beneficiaries. However, the holdings of the Social Security trust funds differ from those of private trusts because (1) the types of investments the trust funds may hold are limited and (2) the U.S. government is both the buyer and seller of the investments.\nThis report covers how the Social Security program is financed and how the Social Security trust funds work. It will be updated annually to reflect current projections of the financial status of the Social Security trust funds.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33028", "sha1": "2983eba84d4f24b90b6fe46ed14ef064a8efea29", "filename": "files/20170912_RL33028_2983eba84d4f24b90b6fe46ed14ef064a8efea29.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=RL/html/RL33028_files&id=/0.png": "files/20170912_RL33028_images_ad3fc35ea3fe1b29354f6e8991948caa2fa19fbd.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33028", "sha1": "49afe2429d375c4375649e84f0cfbf1c50f5ffbd", "filename": "files/20170912_RL33028_49afe2429d375c4375649e84f0cfbf1c50f5ffbd.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4796, "name": "Social Security" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 459417, "date": "2016-08-04", "retrieved": "2017-03-09T17:53:40.714852", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Funds", "summary": "The Social Security program pays monthly cash benefits to retired or disabled workers and their family members, and to the family members of deceased workers. Program income and outgo are accounted for in two separate trust funds authorized under Title II of the Social Security Act: the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund. Projections show that the OASI fund will remain solvent until 2035, whereas the DI fund will remain solvent until 2023, meaning that each trust fund can pay benefits scheduled under current law in full and on time up to that point. Following the depletion of trust fund reserves (2023 for DI and 2035 for OASI), continuing income to each fund is projected to cover 89% of DI scheduled benefits and 77% of OASI scheduled benefits. The two trust funds are legally distinct and do not have authority to borrow from each other. However, Congress has authorized the shifting of funds between OASI and DI in the past to address shortfalls in a particular fund. Therefore, this CRS report discusses the operations of the OASI and DI trust funds on a combined basis, referring to them collectively as the Social Security trust funds. On a combined basis, the trust funds are projected to remain solvent until 2034. Following depletion of combined trust fund reserves at that point, continuing income is projected to cover 79% of scheduled benefits. \nSocial Security is financed by payroll taxes paid by covered workers and their employers, federal income taxes paid by some beneficiaries on a portion of their benefits, and interest income from the Social Security trust fund investments. Social Security tax revenues are invested in U.S. government securities (special issues) held by the trust funds, and these securities earn interest. The tax revenues exchanged for the U.S. government securities are deposited into the General Fund of the Treasury and are indistinguishable from revenues in the General Fund that come from other sources. Because the assets held by the trust funds are U.S. government securities, the trust fund balance represents the amount of money owed to the Social Security trust funds by the General Fund of the Treasury. Funds needed to pay Social Security benefits and administrative expenses come from the redemption or sale of U.S. government securities held by the trust funds.\nThe Social Security trust funds represent funds dedicated to pay current and future Social Security benefits. However, it is useful to view the trust funds in two ways: (1) as an internal federal accounting concept and (2) as the accumulated holdings of the Social Security program.\nFor internal accounting purposes, certain accounts within the U.S. Treasury are designated by law as trust funds to track revenues dedicated for specific purposes (as well as expenditures). There are a number of trust funds in the U.S. Treasury, including those for Social Security, Medicare, unemployment compensation, and federal employee retirement.\nBy law, Social Security tax revenues must be invested in U.S. government obligations (debt instruments of the U.S. government). The accumulated holdings of U.S. government obligations are often viewed as being similar to assets held by any other trust on behalf of the beneficiaries. However, the holdings of the Social Security trust funds differ from those of private trusts because (1) the types of investments the trust funds may hold are limited and (2) the U.S. government is both the buyer and seller of the investments.\nThis report covers how the Social Security program is financed and how the Social Security trust funds work. It will be updated annually to reflect current projections of the financial status of the Social Security trust funds.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33028", "sha1": "aa5b79d27fb1c741b65bc85daeb1f6e2163887b0", "filename": "files/20160804_RL33028_aa5b79d27fb1c741b65bc85daeb1f6e2163887b0.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33028", "sha1": "d4590acf90ae0ae12f08b1f3457076aa19fabdd8", "filename": "files/20160804_RL33028_d4590acf90ae0ae12f08b1f3457076aa19fabdd8.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4796, "name": "Social Security" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 443651, "date": "2015-08-05", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T18:40:00.955897", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Funds", "summary": "The Social Security program pays monthly cash benefits to retired or disabled workers and their family members, and to the family members of deceased workers. Program income and outgo are accounted for in two separate trust funds authorized under Title II of the Social Security Act: the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) trust fund and the Federal Disability Insurance (DI) trust fund. Current projections show that the OASI fund will remain solvent until 2035, whereas the DI fund will remain solvent only until the end of 2016, meaning that each trust fund can pay benefits scheduled under current law in full and on time up to that point. Following the depletion of trust fund reserves (2016 for DI and 2035 for OASI), continuing income is projected to cover 81% of benefits paid from the DI fund and 77% of benefits paid from the OASI fund. While the two trust funds are legally distinct and do not have authority to borrow from each other, Congress has authorized the shifting of funds between OASI and DI in the past to address shortfalls. Therefore, this CRS report discusses the operations of the OASI and DI trust funds on a combined basis, referring to them collectively as the Social Security trust funds. On a combined basis, the trust funds are projected to remain solvent until 2034, at which point continuing income is projected to cover 79% of program costs. (For details on the DI fund, see CRS Report R43318, Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund: Background and Solvency Issues.)\nSocial Security is financed by payroll taxes paid by covered workers and their employers, federal income taxes paid by some beneficiaries on a portion of their benefits, and interest income from the Social Security trust fund investments. Social Security tax revenues are invested in federal government securities (special issues) held by the trust funds, and these federal government securities earn interest. The tax revenues exchanged for the federal government securities are deposited into the general fund of the U.S. Treasury and are indistinguishable from revenues in the general fund that come from other sources. Because the assets held by the trust funds are federal government securities, the trust fund balance represents the amount of money owed to the Social Security trust funds by the general fund of the U.S. Treasury. Funds needed to pay Social Security benefits and administrative expenses come from the redemption or sale of federal government securities held by the trust funds.\nThe Social Security trust funds represent funds dedicated to pay current and future Social Security benefits. However, it is useful to view the trust funds in two ways: (1) as an internal federal accounting concept and (2) as the accumulated holdings of the Social Security program.\nFor internal accounting purposes, certain accounts within the U.S. Treasury are designated by law as trust funds to track revenues (and expenditures) dedicated for specific purposes. There are a number of trust funds in the U.S. Treasury, including those for Social Security, Medicare, unemployment compensation, and federal employee retirement.\nBy law, Social Security tax revenues must be invested in U.S. government obligations (debt instruments of the U.S. government). The accumulated holdings of U.S. government obligations are often viewed as being similar to assets held by any other trust on behalf of the beneficiaries. However, the holdings of the Social Security trust funds differ from those of private trusts because (1) the types of investments the trust funds may hold are limited and (2) the U.S. government is both the buyer and seller of the investments.\nThis report covers how the Social Security program is financed and how the Social Security trust funds work. It will be updated annually to reflect current projections of the financial status of the Social Security trust funds.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RL33028", "sha1": "5dc9ea6651286a17ff202a7cd9741f847f990cc0", "filename": "files/20150805_RL33028_5dc9ea6651286a17ff202a7cd9741f847f990cc0.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL33028", "sha1": "c381bb1d21bb6b168f16a19350401f59d1a3886e", "filename": "files/20150805_RL33028_c381bb1d21bb6b168f16a19350401f59d1a3886e.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 328, "name": "Social Security" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc461903/", "id": "RL33028_2014Jul31", "date": "2014-07-31", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Fund", "summary": "This report covers how the Social Security program is financed and how the Social Security trust fund works.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140731_RL33028_c83a48b8acf67d59f48972f86ef159c260d5b436.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140731_RL33028_c83a48b8acf67d59f48972f86ef159c260d5b436.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Social security", "name": "Social security" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Social security finance", "name": "Social security finance" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc811709/", "id": "RL33028_2013Jun04", "date": "2013-06-04", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Fund", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, 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"id": "RL33028_2012Jan06", "date": "2012-01-06", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Fund", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120106_RL33028_ee070ecc7bbda83cac48e52bbca6cb205b4f39ab.pdf" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc810530/", "id": "RL33028_2011May25", "date": "2011-05-25", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Fund", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20110525_RL33028_9f19b4b0f60f9d339af2ef9c12f3e97eebf0eb53.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20110525_RL33028_9f19b4b0f60f9d339af2ef9c12f3e97eebf0eb53.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc813353/", "id": "RL33028_2010Aug20", "date": "2010-08-20", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Fund", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20100820_RL33028_2861ed17c3cde9f46bb602d036b93f5ef254e913.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20100820_RL33028_2861ed17c3cde9f46bb602d036b93f5ef254e913.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc811042/", "id": "RL33028_2009Jun16", "date": "2009-06-16", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Fund", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090616_RL33028_f4a1a26b6fc3bbfdab7039e950dafb644f92f9ac.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090616_RL33028_f4a1a26b6fc3bbfdab7039e950dafb644f92f9ac.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc805985/", "id": "RL33028_2007Apr24", "date": "2007-04-24", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Social Security: The Trust Fund", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20070424_RL33028_d3c0c17568e05ae38b867e1fdbcbf7b11829f5be.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20070424_RL33028_d3c0c17568e05ae38b867e1fdbcbf7b11829f5be.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs7303/", "id": "RL33028 2005-08-11", "date": 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