With the presidential election a few weeks away, many people wonder who will do a better job of protecting Social Security benefits, Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
GOBankingRates recently surveyed more than 1,000 Americans ages 18 and up to find out who they believe would do a better job protecting Social Security. It's just one indicator of how the 2024 election could impact retirement now and in the future.
It should be noted that this is people's beliefs on who they'd prefer, not an exact science of who has the better plan.
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Which candidate will protect and preserve Social Security best?
Although the election is only a few months away, it’s hard to say with any certainty whether Harris or Trump would do a better job of protecting Social Security. Both candidates have addressed the issue in speeches and at rallies, but neither candidate has been entirely clear about their plans.
The Harris for President website (as of August 26) doesn’t outline her platform on Social Security. She has previously supported the Biden Administration's Social Security policies, which include no cuts to benefits. The Biden/Harris team also proposed raising taxes on Americans with incomes of over $400,000 a year to help address the program's insufficient funding. Several analysts have criticized this proposal, saying it would not raise enough tax revenue to protect Social Security.
Donald Trump's platform, as found on his website, states that he will “Fight for and protect Social Security and Medicare with no cuts, including no changes to the retirement age.” Trump has called for no taxes on Social Security, which some critics say will not help beneficiaries as it would worsen the program's funding shortfall.
Despite the lack of a clear plan from either candidate, respondents to the GoBankingRates survey favored Harris overall as the best candidate for protecting Social Security.
- 35.06% think Donald Trump’s policies would be better for the program.
- 46.81% of respondents think Kamala Harris’ policies would protect the program better.
- 3.09% said either candidate could protect Social Security.
- 7.87% believe neither presidential candidate would necessarily be good for the program.
- 7.17% indicated they don’t know.
Results by gender
When the survey results were broken down by gender, the responses showed almost equal support for Harris but more support for Trump among men.
- 38.03% of men believe Trump’s policies would protect Social Security the best, while just 32.15% of women said the same.
- 47.28% of men think Harris’ policies would be better for Social Security, and 46.35% of women agreed.
- Nearly 7% of men said they don’t think either presidential candidate would protect Social Security, while 9% of women said the same.
- Around 3% of men and women think either candidate could be equally good for the program.
Results by age group
Responses were also broken down by age group. What's interesting here is that youngest respondents favor Trump on Social Security, while all of the other age cohorts favor Harris.
- Ages 18 to 24: 43.37% of respondents think Trump’s policies would be better than Harris’s at 33.73%.
- Ages 25 to 34: Nearly 46% of respondents think Harris’ policies would be better, while 35.92% think Trump’s would be better.
- Ages 35 to 44: More Americans think Harris would be better than Trump for Social Security (44.60% vs. 35.21%).
- Ages 55 to 64: Nearly 51% of respondents believe Harris’ policies would protect the program, while 31% think Trump’s would better protect the program.
- Ages 65-plus: A little over 52% of respondents think Harris’ policies would be better for Social Security than Trump’s at 33.15%.
Why Social Security matters
Since signed into law in the mid-1930s, Social Security has been a reliable source of income for many Americans over the age of 62. It is the government's single biggest budget item and largest program, accounting for $1.4 trillion, or 21% of the budget in 2023, and covering approximately 182 million workers.
However, Social Security is in danger of running out of money in the long run. According to the Social Security Board of Trustees' 2024 report, Social Security’s trust fund will be exhausted in November 2035, one year later than previously projected. Although Social Security would still exist after that time, retirees may only receive 83% of their full benefits. For this to change, the next U.S. president likely would have to make some serious changes.
Who does Social Security matter to most?
According to a July 2024 Motley Fool Ascent survey of 2,000 Americans, older Americans ranked Social Security a higher priority in the coming election than younger respondents, with 70% of baby boomers (individuals born between 1946 and 1964) selecting Social Security as a top financial priority.
Forty-seven percent of Gen X respondents (born between 1965 and 1980) chose Social Security as a top issue in the election. However, only 16% of Gen Z (individuals born between 1997 and 2012) and 29% of millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) selected Social Security as a key financial priority.
Bottom line
Of the nearly 63 million people currently receiving a Social Security check, more than a third are being kept out of poverty as a result of this added income from the program, according to Nasdaq.
Yet as important as Social Security is, it's also about to encounter its most significant speed bump. With approximately 10,000 people entering the Social Security program each day due to the retirement of baby boomers, it’s no wonder the system is overburdened.
So, no matter who becomes the next president, it is safe to say they will face some serious challenges when securing or reforming Social Security in the future.
“Americans from all walks of life love and support Social Security” and are willing to pay more to make it work, says Rebecca Vallas, chief executive officer of the National Academy of Social Insurance. “Poll after poll bears that out.”
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