NY advocates seek protections for Social Security
As Social Security turns 90, New York advocates want lawmakers to ensure it lasts another 90 years.
The program’s main trust fund faces insolvency by 2033 unless Congressional lawmakers take action. If they do not, recipients would face a 23% to 24% cut in benefits. Almost 4 million New Yorkers receive Social Security benefits with around 3 million of them being retired workers.
Kristen McManus, director of government affairs and advocacy for AARP New York, said it is a vital program for seniors.
“We know that many people depend on Social Security,” McManus pointed out. “They rely on the money that they’ve earned to be able to live their lives in retirement with dignity and respect.”
While proposals to keep the program at maximum benefits have bipartisan support, the GOP megabill is slated to speed up insolvency. It is due to the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” cutting revenues collected from Social Security taxes.
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget found by extending President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, Social Security will lose out on collecting an estimated $30 billion a year.
Social Security’s 90th year has been one of change, given the Trump administration’s commitment to cost-cutting by reducing the federal workforce. The federal government is phasing out paper checks, with recipients having to rely on direct deposit or prepaid debit cards. While the federal government cited security concerns for the move, critics worry it could delay payments.
McManus noted other proposed cost-cutting measures are negatively impacting the program.
“One of the things that we are focusing on is making sure the Social Security Administration is able to provide top-notch customer service,” McManus explained. “We have concerns from some of our members that are experiencing long wait times, long hold times on the phone.”
From 2024 to early 2025, no one calling the Social Security Administration got a prerecorded message saying the office was too busy and got disconnected. But data now show callers are looking at an almost 4-hour wait to get a call back.