Those close to retiring think they have much of it figured out: their pension
payments, 401(k) balance, and even their estimated Social Security benefit
payment. But a recent report from the Social Security Trustees changed the
narrative for many future retirees.
Learn how Social Security funding issues may affect senior benefits,
and what you can do to preserve your retirement plan.
What’s at stake
The 2026 Social Security Trustees Report projects the Old-Age and Survivors
Insurance (OASI) trust fund will be depleted in 2032, unless Congress takes
action to shore up the gaps. OASI is the bucket of money that retirees get their
monthly payments from, and it’s not taking in enough cash from payroll taxes to
remain solvent.
Yes, future workers continue to add to the balance, but they would cover only
78% of scheduled retirement benefits. That means, if nothing changes, your
payment amount would be around 22% less than what Social Security calculators
are estimating now.
Shopping for cheaper auto insurance? Enter your zip code here to get started.
What a cut would actually mean for you
Let’s put this into practical math. A 22% cut would look like this for different
benefit amounts:
$2,000 would be $1,560, or $440 less a month
$3,000 would be $2,340, or $660 less a month
These reductions are significant and could equal a car payment, much-needed
prescriptions, or property tax bills. Those without a backup plan could find
themselves going without or drawing down from their retirement plans at a faster
rate than anticipated.
These steps can help you reframe your thinking and form a plan for “just in
case.”
Rethink your Social Security claiming strategy
Someone retiring at 62 in 2026 will be 68 in 2032; this is still mid-retirement
and not at their maximum Social Security benefit yet if they claimed early.
Despite this, there are rumors that if you claim before full retirement age
(FRA), you’ll lock in the old benefit payment amount (before cuts). This simply
isn’t true.
In fact, claiming at 62 permanently reduces your monthly benefit by as much as
about 30% compared with waiting until your full retirement age. So, you’re
effectively shorting yourself independently of any benefit cuts the government
needs to make to keep Social Security running. Unless you think you’ll have a
shorter life expectancy, lack other income, or need the money to pay for health
concerns, waiting to claim generally gets you the largest monthly payment, with
or without benefit cuts.
Stress-test your retirement budget
You’ve heard the saying, “hope for the best, prepare for the worst,” and this is
a good time to employ that strategy. Assuming Congress fixes the situation with
higher payroll deductions or other funding strategies, your benefits won’t
change. But if cuts happen, you’ll need to prepare for that new reality.
Look at your current budget and see what it would take to live within the
reduced amount. Is it even possible? What would need to go? Where could you find
the difference if needed? Play out both scenarios and know your numbers. It
beats guessing, even if you don’t like what you see.
Build an income floor without Social Security
An income floor is the minimum monthly income you can reasonably count on, no
matter what the market or the Social Security Administration does. This cash can
come from pensions, annuities, dividend-paying investments, rental income, or
other business income, but it’s dependable.
The higher your income floor, the less disruptive a Social Security cut will be,
as you can lean into it to cover core needs. If you’re still far away from a
healthy income floor, this is one place to focus on before 2032.
Use the pre-RMD Roth conversion window wisely
You can use this tax-planning opportunity between retirement and the start of
your required minimum distributions (RMDs) to your advantage. If you retire in
your early 60s, you’ll have some low-income years before the RMD age of 73.
During this time, moving money from a traditional IRA or 401(k) into a Roth IRA
forces you to pay income tax on the converted income at the time of the move —
when total income is lower. Then, you can enjoy tax-free qualified withdrawals
later, when you collect Social Security and your income may be higher.
The advantage here is that, if Social Security benefits are cut and you need to
withdraw more from other accounts, you won’t trigger such a large tax penalty.
Working with a tax professional can help you plan for this possibility.
Retirement News: Almost 80% of Americans fear a retirement age increase — here’s the real reason why
Make a health insurance plan
One last thing to consider is a possible health coverage gap. Since Medicare
eligibility generally begins at age 65, not when you retire, you’ll possibly be
without insurance if you retire at 62. You could look at COBRA, a spouse’s plan,
marketplace plans, or part-time employer coverage (if available).
Each one comes with its own cost, which can run hundreds of additional dollars
per month. These costs should be priced into the retirement budget both with the
full Social Security payment and with the trimmed-down version. Also, ACA
subsidies depend on taxable income, so Roth conversions and withdrawal
strategies can affect net premiums. A financial planner can tell you more.
Bottom line
News about the 2032 funding gap can feel scary, especially when it’s up to
Congress to create a fix. They’ve stepped in before during similar crises, and
many experts expect them to do it once again.
But just because reform is likely doesn’t mean you have to give up control of
the situation to someone else. Instead of waiting for lawmakers, create your own
retirement plan — one
that takes the reality of the situation into account and leaves you with enough
cushion to enjoy retirement in any scenario. With a clear plan, retiring before
2032 can still be realistic and comfortable.
Subscribe Today
Unlock the Best Banking Deals and Bonuses
From high-yield savings accounts to cashback checking and sign-up bonuses, we bring you the best banking offers to grow your money smarter.
Author Details
Chris Lewis, CEPF
Chris Lewis has spent his career turning data into answers. As the Head of Research at FinanceBuzz and a Certified Educator in Personal Finance, he oversees the data journalism and media relations teams, digging into the personal finance topics that shape Americans’ lives at every stage, from Social Security and retirement income to 401(k) strategies, jobs, and real estate.
