Social Security: Rethinking the Social Contract for Retirement

Each year between 2024 and 2027, over 4.1 million Americans will turn 65.

That’s 11,200 per day, on average. Many lack sufficient assets for later life, and the Social Security system faces unprecedented financial strain—posing major challenges to today’s younger generations. Will it be there for them? What might benefits look like? And what does the recent election mean for Social Security’s future? As retirement security grows increasingly elusive for millions of Americans, what is needed to meet this moment?

On December 3, Jason Fichtner—former Chief Economist of the Social Security Administration and now Chief Economist at the Bipartisan Policy Center—will discuss retirement security policy, sharing innovative ideas to ensure Social Security’s viability through a reinvigorated system for financial security in later life. Fichtner will be joined in conversation by:

Respondents:
Elizabeth Pippert Larson (Associate Director of Research and Administration, Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Polic)
Nancy Morrow-Howell (Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy, Brown School; Co-Director, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging; Faculty Director with the Center for Social Development)

Moderator:
Ray Boshara (Senior Policy Advisor, Center for Social Development)

Sponsors:
CENTER FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis
csd.wustl.edu
BROWN SCHOOL DEAN’S OFFICE
Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis
brownschool.washu.edu
CLARK-FOX POLICY INSTITUTE AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
https://clarkfoxpolicyinstitute.wustl.edu/
HARVEY A. FRIEDMAN CENTER FOR AGING AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
https://publichealth.wustl.edu/centers/aging/
WEIDENBAUM CENTER ON THE ECONOMY, GOVERNMENT, AND PUBLIC POLICY AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
https://wc.wustl.edu/
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
https://polisci.wustl.edu
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
https://sociology.wustl.edu/