Federal spending · FY2025
Social Security
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Social Security's fundamental purpose is to provide a foundation of economic security for American workers and their families. It functions as a social insurance program, offering retirement, disability, and survivor benefits financed primarily through dedicated payroll taxes. The program aims to prevent poverty among the elderly and disabled, ensuring that individuals who have contributed to the system can rely on it during their later years or in times of need. Success is defined by the program's capacity to deliver timely and accurate benefits, maintain public confidence, and adapt to evolving demographic realities, such as an aging population and changing labor force participation. The Social Security Administration is responsible for its administration, managing the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) and Disability Insurance (DI) trust funds.
The problem
Social Security, a cornerstone of American retirement security, provides essential income support to millions of retirees, survivors, and disabled individuals. Its mission is to ensure a baseline level of economic stability for beneficiaries, enabling them to maintain a dignified standard of living post-work or in the face of disability. Success is measured by the program's ability to reliably deliver benefits, maintain public trust, and adapt to demographic shifts. The Social Security Administration (SSA) stewards this program, with key operational streams including benefit computation, payment processing, and program integrity efforts to prevent fraud and error. The program's financial health is critical for millions of households and the broader economy.
The solution
While Social Security is currently stable, its long-term solvency requires proactive management. AI can enhance program integrity by developing sophisticated anomaly detection systems to identify potentially fraudulent claims or payment errors, moving beyond traditional rule-based checks. Furthermore, AI-powered actuarial forecasting models can provide more granular and dynamic projections of future trust fund solvency under various demographic and economic assumptions, allowing for earlier and more precise policy adjustments. AI can also be used to optimize SSA's operational efficiency, such as automating routine inquiries and improving the accuracy of earnings record keeping, thereby reducing administrative burden and enhancing beneficiary services.
The biggest part of Social Security is Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund: $1.4T (85.7%). Just 2 of the 6 areas below hold 95.5% of the money.
How to read it: Tap a row to open what's inside. Colours match the chart above, and each row's share is its part of the row it sits under.
| Where it went | Gross outlays | Share | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1.4T85.7% | 85.7% | ||
| $160.2B9.8% | 9.8% | ||
| $59.8B3.7% | 3.7% | ||
| $14.4B0.9% | 0.9% | ||
| $1M<0.1% | <0.1% | ||
| $4K<0.1% | <0.1% |