Brenton Smith
Brenton Smith (A.K.A. Joe The Economist) writes nationally on the issue of Social Security reform with work appearing in Forbes, FedSmith.com, MarketWatch, TheHill.com, and regional media like The Denver Post.
Social Security’s Deficits Still Rising According to 2017 Trustees Report
The 2017 Trustees report shows some significant improvements for Social Security, and yet the costs to fix the program are exploding higher.
Social Security Needs More Independent Oversight
Social Security hasn’t had Public Trustees in two years, and the author says the fact that President Trump hasn’t nominated a replacement should frighten the average person worried about the financial stability of the program. Who is producing the numbers that guide the discussion of Social Security?
Is Social Security a Safety-Net or a Stipend For Wealthy Seniors?
Most people consider Social Security a safety net, but new research suggests that benefits fall disproportionately to the wealthy in retirement. The author provides an analysis.
Debating Privatizing Social Security
Two writers debate the pros and cons of privatizing Social Security. The author summarizes their positions and offers his analysis.
Challenges for Social Security Under a New Administration
2016 was a great year for Social Security, however, the author says that this doesn’t mean President Trump has an easy job of balancing Social Security for the next four years.
COLA Wars
Recently proposed legislation would apply a new COLA for all federal benefits programs. While the bill claims to be an improvement for benefits recipients, the author says that “better” in this case means that everybody would ultimately pay more.
Where is Esurance Beatrice When You Need Her?
The author says that it appears that the Trump administration’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget has a fundamental misunderstanding of Social Security’s relationship to the federal debt.
What The Latest Social Security Numbers Mean to You
The author suggests that the consequences of Social Security will arrive much sooner than the experts are predicting and says that we may actually have to repay the Trust Fund.
Donald Trump’s Middle Class Tax ‘Cut’
The author notes that a tax plan proposed by Donald Trump would cut many Americans’ taxes but at the same time might actually create a tax increase for others.
Legislation Introduced to Apply the Chained CPI to Social Security COLA
Legislation has been introduced that would make sweeping reforms to Social Security. The author says it would make cuts to the program that would potentially harm older Americans.
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