$100,000 in Social Security Benefits Is Too Much

When someone says a retiree is “living off Social Security,” it’s not usually $100,000 a year. But some US retired couples will be receiving that much in a few years — and a proposal to cap their benefit at that amount has started a painful and much-needed conversation about who should get government benefits and how much.

America’s welfare state is not just a safety net for the most needy or unlucky. Over time, it has become a significant source of income and services for the middle and upper-middle class. There is nothing wrong with that, in principle, if it’s what Americans want. In reality, however, the federal government cannot afford it. Cutting benefits for wealthy retirees is an obvious first step, but truly getting the debt under control will require reductions for other people, too.