Social Security
In: Social Justice, Equality and Empowerment
Intro -- SOCIAL SECURITY: POLICY OPTIONS AND LONG-TERM PROJECTIONS -- SOCIAL SECURITY: POLICY OPTIONS AND LONG-TERM PROJECTIONS -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- Chapter 1 SOCIAL SECURITY POLICY OPTIONS* -- Summary -- The Outlook for Social Security's Finances -- Policy Options -- Effects of the Options -- Introduction -- An Overview of Social Security -- Social Security Projections -- Assessing Options for Changing Social Security -- Key Elements of Social Security -- Scope of the Options -- Effects of the Options on the System's Finances -- Effects of the Options on Payroll Taxes Paid and Benefits Received by Various Groups -- Effects of the Options on Work and Saving -- Options That Would Change the Taxation of Earnings -- Option 1: Increase the Payroll Tax Rate by 1 Percentage Point in 2012 -- Option 2: Increase the Payroll Tax Rate by 2 Percentage Points Over 20 Years -- Option 3: Increase the Payroll Tax Rate by 3 Percentage Points Over 60 Years -- Option 4: Eliminate the Taxable Maximum -- Option 5: Raise the Taxable Maximum to Cover 90 Percent of Earnings -- Option 6: Tax Covered Earnings above the Taxable Maximum -- Do Not Increase Benefits -- Option 7: Tax Covered Earnings up to 250,000 -- Do Not Increase Benefits -- Option 8: Tax All Earnings Above the Taxable Maximum at 4 Percent -- Do Not Increase Benefits -- Option 9: Tax All Earnings above 250,000 at 4 Percent -- Do Not Increase Benefits -- Options That Would Change the Benefit Formula -- Option 10: Raise from 35 to 38 the Years of Earnings Included in the AIME -- Option 11: Index Earnings in the AIME Formula to Prices -- Option 12: Reduce All PIA Factors by 15 Percent -- Option 13: Reduce the Top Two PIA Factors by Roughly One-Third -- Option 14: Reduce the Top PIA Factor by One-Third -- Option 15: Reduce All PIA Factors by 0.5 Percent Annually