Social Security benefits could soon be cut by 22%

[Igel]

34. Demographics helps.

But everything done in the last 40 years to increase who's eligible for what disbursements has contributed to it.

That includes allowing "double dipping," increasing the ability of partners to tap spouse's benefits, increasing benefits to disabled people or to children. Anything that increased expenses without increasing income helped to get us to this state, but politicians frequently like to do exactly that.

Inflation is a mixed bag, but since the stipulated Trust Fund interest rate was less than the inflation-driven increases in benefits, that also helped depreciate those assets. Inflation may increase contributions when payout's on the low side, but with increased number of people receiving payouts the expenses outpace the increased revenue.