7 Things Christians Need to Know about the Trump Administration's Attempts to Fix Social Security

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1. Changes to Reduce Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

There was a great deal of mainstream media panic back when the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was auditing so many government departments, including Social Security (SSA). DOGE reported that it had discovered payments being made to approximately 7 million people who were 120 years old or older, and that about 1 million non-citizens were issued social security numbers under the previous administration. DOGE said it removed the accounts of those who were deceased, according to Fox News.

Even prior to the controversial DOGE, the Social Security Office of the Inspector General ran audits over the course of several years in which it found improper payments were being made.   After DOGE publicized its findings from its audits, the SSA implemented anti-fraud tools designed to help “identify suspicious activity in telephone claims by analyzing patterns and anomalies within a person’s account,” SSA told Fox Business.

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2. Taxes on Social Security Not Completely Eradicated

While the notion of tax-free Social Security money was a nice idea, that’s not exactly the way things turned out after the reconciliation process for Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” However, SSA released a notice picked up by CNBC that noted that an enhanced deduction is available for taxpayers aged 65 and older, which allows them to keep more of what they’ve earned. It’s estimated that this change will allow 88 percent of seniors to receive exemptions and deductions, as opposed to 65 percent previously. These changes also include a higher standard deduction for seniors, as well as an additional “bonus.”

3. The $6000 Senior ‘Bonus’

Seniors who are 65 or older will receive what’s being called a ‘bonus’ of up to $6000. Technically, it’s a deduction because it reduces the amount of income that’s taxable. It’s not a $6000 stimulus check that they’ll receive during tax season. However, the deduction will remain available through the 2028 tax season. The threshold for seniors who qualify for the full amount is $75,000 in modified adjusted gross income for singles, or $150,000 for those married and filing jointly. The deduction phases out for upper-income thresholds.  

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4. Raising the Retirement Age

The very unpopular idea among Americans of raising the retirement age has been floated as a potential option by Congress. The way the numbers are playing out right now in terms of workers to retirees is a rather significant drop. In 1950, there were 16.5 workers for each retiree. In 1985 there were 3.3, and in 2013, there were 2.8 workers for each retiree. 

Here’s where it gets interesting. While the number of people retiring has been on an upward trajectory ever since 2000, a spring study released by The Center for Retirement Research found that the number of retirees has plateaued, according to Perspective.opers. 

In fact, the number of people choosing to unretire is increasing. In 2024, 37.3 percent of people who were 55 or older were employed, which is an increase from 2000. That number was 31.5 percent. 

So raising the retirement age likely isn’t necessary, which may be part of the reason why Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano attempted to soften his remark on Friday morning about increasing the retirement age in connection to fixing the projected shortfall, according to WRIC.

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5. The Increasing Drive to Unretire

There are many reasons why retirees are choosing to re-enter the workforce. In general, these include high inflation, the increasing cost of living, the market’s current volatility, and an overall anxiousness about how the future may unfold. 

Other concerns that push retirees back into the workforce include the fact that people are living longer (so their retirement funds may run out), social security doesn’t cover all of their expenses, so they get a part-time job, and being able to socialize, make connections, and have a sense of meaningful purpose, according to Kiplinger.com.

Many people are surprised to find out that if they decide to work and collect Social Security at the same time before they are at full retirement age, the amount of money they can make is capped. Presently, once a person makes more than $23,400 per year, every $2 of earnings over that is subject to $1dollar in benefits being withheld. The upside to that, though, is that it only applies if a person is under their full retirement age, and it does get figured back in to what a person is eligible to collect once they fully retire, according to Kiplinger.com. 

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6. Americans Struggle to Prepare to Retire

In general, just over half of Americans (59 percent) have a retirement saving account such as a 401(k), 403(b), or an individual retirement account (IRA). Of those who do have a retirement savings plan, only about 50 percent of them expect to have enough to live comfortably in retirement, compared to 31 percent who don’t have a retirement savings plan, according to Gallup News.

The average median retirement savings for the typical American is about $64,000, but they think they need at least 1.4 million to retire comfortably, according to Investopedia. That being said, many Americans plan to blend personal investments with Social Security in their retirement plans, according to Ascensus.  In fact, nearly 90 percent of people age 65 or older collect and rely on Social Security, according to a 2025 SSA fact sheet. The average life expectancy in America is 79.1 years of age, according to Harbor Life Settlements. 

The majority of Americans are deeply concerned about retirement. Here are just a few things with which they are really struggling, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security: 

-79 percent of Americans believe there’s a retirement crisis.
-55 percent believe they will be unable to retire comfortably and with dignity.
-87 percent of Americans want Congress to act now to make sure Social Security remains solvent, and they believe Congress is clueless regarding how challenging it is for workers to save for retirement.
-90 percent want the present administration to make resolving Social Security’s shortfall a priority.

7. A Few Practical Ideas for Those Behind on Retirement Savings

A person has to figure out where they are in order to figure out where they need to be. So some sort of plan is key. The best way to estimate current retirement needs is to start by basing it on current living expenses, and figure on 2-4 percent inflation. Use a retirement calculator, such as Dave Ramsey’s Retirement calculator or a budgeting app, such as Empower, for assistance. It’s also a good idea to consult a Financial Advisor while going through the process of figuring out a retirement strategy.

Make it a point to keep up with present job skills and develop new ones. There are many inexpensive ways to acquire new skills, such as taking free online classes through a website such as HubSpot, taking an adult education class at a local community college, volunteering, reading up on industries of interest, and networking. Also, consider becoming self-employed in some area that’s always been a personal passion for the purpose of earning extra income and stretching out retirement funds.

If a 401(k) is offered in the workplace, consider contributing a modest amount per pay period. Something like 2 or 3 percent per pay period isn’t likely to be missed, but can make a difference later. The idea is to put a little something back and take advantage of the free money that comes with a match.  

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