Americans Divided on Social Security's Future, Fairness, and Financial Security

Social Security is a cornerstone of retirement planning, yet Americans remain deeply divided on it. The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in January 2025, eliminates benefit reductions for certain public sector workers, but awareness of the reform remains low. At the same time, concerns over Social Security's long-term solvency persist, with many Americans skeptical about government action to protect their benefits.

To understand public sentiment, we surveyed 1,006 Americans about their trust in the system, financial security in retirement, and preferred solutions for strengthening Social Security. The results highlight generational and political divides, revealing widespread concerns over the program's sustainability and fairness.

Key takeaways

• Only 28% of Americans are aware of the Social Security reform that could boost their benefits.

• 41% of Americans believe Social Security is fair, while 36% say it's unfair. Baby boomers (49%) are the most confident in its fairness, but only 31% of Gen Z agree.

• 42% of retirees would still work a part-time job, even if they received an extra $360 per month in Social Security benefits.

• Even with the potential increase, 15% still feel insecure about living comfortably in retirement, and 13% are financially unstable.

• 37% of Americans don't believe Social Security will be solvent for future generations, with skepticism highest among Gen X (42%), Gen Z (40%), and Millennials (39%).

• 55% of Americans would pay 1% more in taxes to sustain Social Security, but 37% oppose tax increases.

Awareness and trust in Social Security reform

Many Americans remain unaware of Social Security reforms and have varying levels of trust in the system's future. Public opinion on its fairness and the government's role in maintaining benefits also reveals generational and political divides.

Only 28% of Americans were aware of the Social Security Fairness Act despite it already being signed into law. The act reverses past reductions that affected over 3.2 million retirees, including teachers, firefighters, police officers, and federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System. Awareness of the act was highest among baby boomers (33%), who are closest to or already in retirement, while younger generations were less familiar. 

Trust in the government's ability to protect Social Security was mixed. Democrats (46%) were more likely to distrust the government than Republicans (35%). Among generations, Gen X (50%) expressed the highest distrust, reflecting their concern as they near retirement, while Gen Z (39%) and baby boomers (40%) were the most optimistic.

Opinions on fairness were also divided: 41% of Americans believed Social Security was fair to all retirees, while 36% considered it unfair. Baby boomers (49%) were the most confident in the system's fairness, compared to just 31% of Gen Z.

Gen X remained the most skeptical, with 39% saying Social Security is unfair. Politically, 46% of Democrats and 40% of Republicans believed it to be fair, while 35% of Republicans and 30% of Democrats viewed it as unfair.

Despite concerns, 68% of Americans thought the government should prioritize strengthening Social Security over encouraging private retirement options, signaling strong public support for a government-backed retirement program.

Financial security in retirement: Would an increase be enough?

According to the Social Security Administration, benefit increases due to the new law will vary. Some recipients may see only a small change, while others could receive over $1,000 more per month, depending on their pension and benefit type. Those affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision are expected to see an average increase of $360 per month by December. Despite these adjustments, many retirees remain uncertain about whether Social Security alone will provide financial stability.

With an additional $360 per month, 74% of retirees said they would feel more financially secure, compared to only 49% of future retirees (respondents 40 years or older who have not yet retired). Similarly, 68% of retirees believed they could live comfortably with the increase, while only 47% of future retirees shared that confidence. However, despite the added income, 15% of retirees still felt insecure about their financial future, and 13% remained financially unstable.

Even with this potential boost, many Americans were not ready to rely solely on Social Security. Among retirees, 42% said they would still take on a part-time job. Additionally, 60% of both current retirees and future retirees would consider working in some capacity during retirement. These findings highlight ongoing concerns about the program's ability to provide full financial stability.

Concerns about Social Security's future and possible solutions

Americans remain divided on the long-term stability of Social Security and how best to strengthen it. While many support policy changes to sustain the program, opinions vary across generations and political affiliations.

More than a third of Americans (37%) believed Social Security wouldn't be solvent for future generations, with Gen X (42%), Gen Z (40%), and millennials (39%) expressing the most skepticism. Baby boomers and Gen X (52% and 56%) showed the highest levels of concern, while younger generations were more optimistic. Still, 42% of millennials and 36% of Gen Z acknowledged that reforms would be needed.

When asked how to secure Social Security's future, 63% of Americans supported reducing benefits for higher earners, making it the most popular solution. Another 41% favored raising payroll taxes, while only 20% supported increasing the retirement age. Gen Z (25%) was the most likely to support raising the retirement age.

Funding solutions also revealed a political divide. While 55% of Americans said they would pay 1% more in taxes to sustain Social Security, 37% opposed tax increases. Support was strongest among Democrats (68%), and 46% of Republicans agreed. However, nearly half of Republicans (48%) rejected the proposal, compared to only 24% of Democrats.

A divided future for Social Security

While the Social Security Fairness Act removes penalties for certain workers, broader concerns about the program's sustainability remain. Many Americans support tax increases or benefit adjustments to strengthen Social Security, but skepticism about government action persists — especially among Gen X and younger generations. As financial concerns grow, a significant portion of retirees and future retirees still plan to work during retirement, signaling that Social Security alone may not be enough to ensure financial security.

Methodology

We surveyed 1,006 Americans in February 2025 to assess public awareness, perceptions, and concerns about the Social Security Fairness Act and its impact on retirement planning. Among them, 14% identified as retirees. When the term "future retirees" was used, it referred to respondents aged 40 or older who had not yet retired. The generational breakdown of all respondents included 7% Gen Z, 22% millennials, 43% Gen X, and 27% baby boomers. Politically, 44% were Democrats, 29% Republican, and 28% Independent. Percentages in this study may not total 100% exactly due to rounding.

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