Question

According to information in the Washington Post article "The retirement costs that are rising faster than Social Security benefits" by how much has retirees' nominal income risen since the year 2000, if Social Security benefits are the only source of income for retirees? % By how much has retirees' real income derived from benefits fallen since 2000? % Can retiress in 2015 purchase more, fewer, or the same quantity of goods and services with their social security benefits as retiress in 2000 could? the same quantity of By how much would benefits had to have risen to maintain a constant real income for retirees? %

Answer 1

if Social Security benefits are the only source of income for retirees by how much has retirees' real income derived from benefits fallen since 2000?

• 22%

In nominal terms social security benefits increased by 43% from 2000 to 2015. Social security benefits are adjusted by the CPI, the problem is that the CPI doesn't measure many costs that retirees face but most younger people don't. E.g. the CPI weighs heavily gas and transportation which are expenses that are not significant to retirees but doesn't include Medicare premiums. Housing costs also increase when you are retired and they do not weigh that much in the CPI.

Can retirees in 2015 purchase more, fewer, or the same quantity of goods and services with their social security benefits as retirees in 2000 could?

• fewer goods

how much would benefits had to have risen to maintain a constant real income for retirees?

• 21.6%

the average social security benefit in 2000 was $816, in 2015 it was $1,166. In order for retirees to be able to maintain their purchasing power, they should have increased to $1,418 in 2015 (a $252 increase, or 21.6%)