By Bill Johnston-Walsh
State director, AARP Pennsylvania.
This month we celebrate Social Security’s 90th anniversary, honoring its immense contributions to American lives. For nearly a century, Social Security has been a lifeline for millions — including 2.9 million Pennsylvanians — helping them pay for housing, groceries, utilities, and other daily needs.
But anniversaries are not just celebrations — they are moments of reflection and decision. If we want Social Security to be there for our children and grandchildren, we have work to do.
Social Security is the foundation of retirement in America, and protecting it for decades to come is critical. Since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the program into law on Aug. 14, 1935, Social Security has helped ensure that older Americans can retire with dignity, people with disabilities can make ends meet, and families who lose a breadwinner aren’t left without support.
The first monthly check was issued to Ida M. Fuller in January 1940 in the amount of $22.54, which would be about $518 today. From that modest start, Social Security now delivers $1.4 trillion a year in guaranteed, inflation-adjusted benefits to 67 million Americans.
Today, nearly one in five Pennsylvanians receives a Social Security payment, and 19% of Pennsylvanians 65 and older depend on Social Security for at least 90% of their income. For them, it’s not a “nice to have.” It’s the difference between making it and going without.
You may have heard people say Social Security is going broke. That’s simply not true. It’s a pay-as-you-go system. As long as there are workers paying into Social Security, it will be there for those collecting benefits. But here’s the challenge: According to the most recent Social Security Trustee’s Report, the program’s reserves are expected to run out in 2035. That’s not acceptable.
We’ve been here before. In 1983, Congress came together to shore up the program. We need that same kind of bipartisan action now — before millions of Americans are left with less than what they’ve earned.
Funding isn’t the only issue. The Social Security Administration is struggling to serve its customers. Long waits on the phone, hours in line at local offices and delayed customer service resolutions have become far too common. Additionally, budget and staffing levels have strained SSA’s ability to provide vital services — right when about 10,000 people are retiring every single day.
The new Social Security commissioner must make customer service a top priority. That means shorter wait times, clear communication about any possible changes and enough staff to meet demand. And Congress needs to provide the funding and oversight to make it happen.
Throughout our history, AARP has worked with every administration and Congress — regardless of party — to protect and strengthen Social Security. We know how much it means to the people who’ve earned it.
As we celebrate this milestone, let’s also commit to action. Let’s make sure Social Security is strong for the next 90 years — and beyond. That means solving its funding challenges, fixing its customer service problems and keeping the promise that’s given generations of Americans security, dignity, and peace of mind.
Ninety years ago, our country made this promise — to provide hardworking Americans with a way to earn a foundation for financial security in retirement. As we proudly celebrate Social Security’s legacy, we are also fighting to protect and strengthen it for older Americans today and for our kids and grandkids tomorrow. It’s a promise worth keeping.
Bill Johnston-Walsh is the state director of AARP Pennsylvania.
Source: Berkshire mont
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