This Congressional Budget Office primer on Social Security describes the elements of the program that are most relevant to the current debate about Social Security's future. The primer comes at a time when policymakers are grappling with the issue of how to deal with the looming retirement of the baby-boom generation. Over the next three decades, the number of people in the United States age 65 or older is projected to rise by more than 90 percent, while the number of adults under age 65 will increase by only about 15 percent. This primer examines the demographic patterns that are causing the graying of the U.S. population and looks at several strategies that have been proposed for preparing for that aging population.
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