Retirement Social Security

Senator Facing Backlash Over Calling Social Security a 'Scam' - What He Gets Right

While the program is legit, there are major problems with it that can't be dismissed.

By Maurie Backman , Edited by Laura Hohenstein

Updated May 4, 2026

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Social Security allows many older Americans to enjoy a stress-free retirement, especially when combined with savings. But the program has a lot of issues that one senator isn't afraid to call out.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville recently referred to Social Security as a "scam" in a post on X. That comment then drew criticism from other lawmakers, notably former U.S. senator and Alabama gubernatorial candidate Doug Jones, who said Tuberville "doesn't have a clue how Alabama seniors worked hard to earn their Social Security."

But while Tuberville's categorization of Social Security being a scam may be a bit extreme, it's hard to overlook the fact that there are serious issues with the program.

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Criticism rooted in frustration

This isn't the first time Tuberville has been critical of Social Security. In 2024, he argued, "What happens is [the money] comes up here and we spend it." He also said that retirees living on $2,000 to $3,000 face an "impossible" situation.

Tuberville also said that investing money instead of paying into Social Security could better serve the public. As he stated, "I could've put my Social Security money for 40 years in the market and it probably would be worth eight to ten million today, but the federal government wasted it."

Of course, workers don't get a choice about contributing toward Social Security. But Tuberville's argument is that if such a choice existed, it's conceivable that some retirees would be better off.

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There are real problems to deal with

Tuberville may be taking things too far in calling Social Security a scam. Social Security is a legitimate program that pays retirement and other benefits each month. But it's easy to see why he's so frustrated.

Social Security is facing a serious funding shortfall in the coming years that could result in sweeping benefit cuts. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that Social Security's Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund from which retirement benefits are paid will be out of money by 2032. Once the OASI Trust Fund is depleted, benefits could face a 23% cut, according to the Social Security Trustees.

Right now, the average monthly retirement benefit is $2,079.49, which is a little shy of $25,000 a year. If benefits were to be slashed by 23%, the average recipient would be looking at an annual Social Security income of a little more than $19,000.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act only made things worse

Part of the reason Social Security is facing an even worse crisis is that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law last year, created a new $6,000 senior tax deduction. As a result, an estimated 88% of Social Security recipients are not expected to owe taxes on their benefits.

But taxes on benefits help fund Social Security. So losing that source of revenue is a problem for the program and has pushed up its insolvency date.

Last year, the Social Security Trustees projected that the OASI Trust Fund wouldn't run out until 2033. But the CBO's 2032 projection, which was released earlier this year, accounts for the loss of revenue produced by the new senior tax deduction.

Of course, the new senior tax deduction isn't the main reason Social Security is facing insolvency. Rather, the primary cause is a shrinking workforce. In 1960, more than five workers paid into Social Security for every beneficiary. By 2013, that ratio was below three.

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Social Security needs a big fix

It's clear that Social Security cuts could be extremely detrimental to current and future retirees. The good news is that lawmakers have never allowed Social Security to cut benefits in the past, so they're apt to do their best to prevent cuts this time around.

Some options for preventing Social Security cuts include increasing the amount of wages subject to Social Security taxes, increasing the payroll tax rate, and increasing full retirement age, which is when seniors can claim benefits without a reduction. But each potential solution comes with an associated drawback. Lawmakers will have to reconcile the pros and cons to prevent broad cuts from happening.

Bottom line

Social Security cuts could seriously upend a lot of people's retirement plans. They could also be extremely detrimental to current retirees who no longer have an opportunity to build savings.

Even though it may be extreme to call Social Security a scam, the reality is that the program is facing a lot of challenges worth understanding. This doesn't mean you have to panic about Social Security cuts. Rather, it means it's best to keep tabs on what's happening with Social Security, and to take steps to become less reliant on those benefits for income if possible. That could mean boosting IRA or 401(k) contributions if you're still working, or getting a part-time job if you're already retired.

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