Key Points
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Social Security is six years away from a possible 22% benefit cut.
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This could reduce average benefits by up to $556 per month in some states.
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Washington will likely intervene to prevent these cuts from occurring.
Social Security faces a possible 22% benefit cut across the board in just six years if it continues on its current track. That’s enough to slash average checks by more than $500 per month in 28 states plus the District of Columbia, and some seniors could lose a lot more.
This isn’t guaranteed to happen, and in fact, it’s not likely. But it’s still worth knowing what the worst-case scenario could look like so you can budget accordingly.
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The 28 states that could see Social Security cuts of $500 or more
Residents in the following 28 states would see average Social Security benefits cut by $500 or more in six years, according to data from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
- Connecticut ($556)
- New Jersey ($554)
- New Hampshire ($553)
- Delaware ($549)
- Maryland ($541)
- Washington ($531)
- Minnesota ($530)
- Massachusetts ($527)
- Michigan ($523)
- Utah ($523)
- Virginia ($522)
- Kansas ($520)
- Pennsylvania ($519)
- Rhode Island ($519)
- Vermont ($516)
- Colorado ($515)
- Indiana ($515)
- Wisconsin ($513)
- Wyoming ($512)
- Arizona ($511)
- New York ($511)
- Nebraska ($509)
- Illinois ($507)
- South Carolina ($505)
- Iowa ($504)
- Oregon ($504)
- Hawaii ($501)
- North Carolina ($501)
Washington, D.C. weighs in with an average of $506.
Keep in mind that these numbers are only averages. Residents in all states could see cuts of more or less than $500, depending on their current benefit. Fortunately, cuts this extreme are unlikely.
What will likely happen to Social Security instead
The government will almost certainly intervene to avoid major Social Security benefit cuts, though any fix will come with its own trade-offs. Avoiding cuts will likely involve raising benefit taxes on workers and possibly seniors. That could make it difficult for younger adults to save for retirement.
We don’t know yet what changes the government will make, so it’s important to keep saving as much as you can for retirement on your own right now. If you’re currently receiving checks, expect your benefits to continue as usual for the next few years, with a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) giving them a small boost each January.
Once Washington announces its plan to keep Social Security sustainable for future generations, everyone will need to revisit their retirement plans. At that point, you might need to start saving more, reduce expenses, or adjust your retirement timeline to make sure you’re able to reach your savings target.
We don’t have a timeline for when those changes will take effect. It depends on how long it takes Congress to come up with a plan that a majority can agree upon. But a fix could still be a few years away.
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