2 Problems You Might Run Into if You Try to Live Off Social Security Alone

Saving for retirement is tough, and you're not alone in worrying about not having enough money to cover your expenses. You'll have Social Security to count on if you worked at least 10 years or are married to someone who did. But it's important to have a realistic idea of how far those benefits will go.

Some people hope they can use their checks to cover all their retirement expenses. That's probably not possible, though. You could run into the following two problems if you try.

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1. You may have to settle for a lower standard of living

Social Security was never designed to cover all your retirement expenses. It was originally intended to replace about 40% of pre-retirement income for average earners. While some people see their expenses decrease by 20% to 30% in retirement, few are going to see their costs drop so much that they can cover all their bills with Social Security alone.

Yet many find themselves with little to no personal savings, forcing them to rely heavily upon their benefits. If you're in this situation, you may have to scale back your spending significantly. Unexpected expenses would also pose a significant problem if you don't have other means of paying for them.

2. Your buying power could decline over time

Living off Social Security alone will likely only get more challenging over time. You'll probably get annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) in most years, but these often don't keep pace with inflation. So, every year your checks buy a little less.

Then, there's the issue of Social Security benefit taxes, which become increasingly common as average benefits and incomes continue to rise. President Trump has vowed to eliminate these, but for now, they remain on the books. If you encounter them, you'll have to give a chunk of your benefits to the Internal Revenue Service.

Social Security is also facing a funding crisis that could lead to future benefit cuts if the government can't find a way to increase the program's income. Congress will likely amend it within the next few years. But there's no way to know what the fix might look like, so it's impossible to say how far your checks will go in the future.

What if you don't have any other sources of retirement income?

Ideally, you'd be able to supplement your checks with personal savings. But if that isn't possible, you may have other options. If you're still able to work, you could take on a part-time job or opt for a phased retirement where you gradually reduce your hours over time.

You can also check to see whether you qualify for government benefits that could help you cover your essential expenses. If you're over 65, you'll probably be eligible for Medicare for healthcare expenses. You may be eligible for Medicaid as well. The government also has programs to help you cover food and housing costs.

Start by contacting your state social services agency to see which benefits you qualify for. You'll need to submit details about your income and household members, and you may need to verify your eligibility each year.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) might be an option for you, too. The maximum federal benefit for individuals is $967 per month in 2025. Couples can get up to $1,450 per month.

Many states also pitch in additional money on top of the federal benefit. Even if you don't qualify for the maximum benefit, it might be enough to give you a little breathing room in your budget.

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