The Social Security Trustees Report released on June 11, 2026, projects that the combined trust funds for Social Security will be depleted by 2034, the same timeline as last year's estimate. This leaves Congress with a shortfall of nearly 20% that must be addressed to avoid automatic benefit cuts for millions of Americans.
Myechia Minter-Jordan, president of AARP, issued a strong statement calling on lawmakers to act swiftly. "This should be a wake-up call: Congress needs to act.
Americans have worked hard and paid into Social Security their entire lives, and they deserve to count on it when they retire. No family should see any cuts to what they've earned in Social Security," Minter-Jordan said.
The report highlights that over 71 million people currently rely on Social Security benefits, and with the aging population, the program's stability is increasingly critical. AARP emphasizes that 125 million Americans aged 50 and older oppose any cuts to Social Security or Medicare.
The organization warns against proposals that would weaken the program and urges bipartisan solutions to strengthen it for future generations. Social Security provides the majority of income for 43% of seniors, affecting more than 25 million families.
The Medicare Trustees Report also shows its funds are expected to be depleted in 2033, unchanged from last year. AARP insists that Social Security is not going bankrupt but requires congressional action to protect and strengthen it now and in the future.