When Will Congress Repay Social Security For Money Taken Years Ago?
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Dear Rusty: I seem to remember that Congress borrowed a total of 4 trillion dollars from SS back in the 1980's and 1990's. When will this be repaid with interest? Signed: Concerned Senior
Rusty’s answer in brief
There is nothing to repay. Congress and presidents have never taken money from the Social Security trust funds; by law that money can only pay benefits and the cost of running the program. The idea that it was “borrowed” comes from how surplus payroll taxes are invested: in special interest-bearing Treasury bonds that Social Security redeems as needed, which earned about $69 billion in interest in 2025.
The real problem is solvency. The reserves, about $2.5 trillion at the end of 2025, are now being drawn down to pay full benefits and are projected to run out in 2032, after which everyone’s benefits would be cut unless Congress acts.
This recording presents the viewpoints of the AMAC Foundation’s Social Security Advisory Staff, trained and accredited under the National Social Security Advisors program of the National Social Security Association, LLC (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation are not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Government, the Social Security Administration, or any other state government. To request additional information, contact our Advisory Staff at 888-750-2622, or email us at SSAdvisor@AmacFoundation.org.