# Social Security Upgrades for Retirement's Realities

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/optimist-economy-7257068/social-security-upgrades-for-retirement-s-realities
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/optimist-economy-7257068/social-security-upgrades-for-retirement-s-realities.md
Podcast: [Optimist Economy](https://stenobird.com/podcast/optimist-economy-7257068)
Published: 2026-02-24T09:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://play.prx.org/listen?ge=prx_14811_31fc4a02-1dde-44e9-a440-e505c6d448fa&uf=https%3A%2F%2Fpublicfeeds.net%2Ff%2F14811%2Ffeed-rss.xml
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/sblTq32fyWAjsHzze2LG/dovetail.prxu.org/14811/31fc4a02-1dde-44e9-a440-e505c6d448fa/260224_OE_S205_SocialSecurity_FINAL_Forecast-Chapters.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/optimist-economy-7257068/episodes/social-security-upgrades-for-retirement-s-realities
Duration seconds: 3479

## Resource

Economist Kathryn Anne Edwards is a Social Security fan girl. Would it be possible for her to love it even more? Yes, if the old-age insurance program got some updates to handle the messy, gradual and interrupted way that retirement truly transpires. Her four blue-sky pitches: changing benefit calculations for caregivers, taking benefits temporarily, a sliding “full” retirement age based on years worked, and a tax on companies that abuse 1099 non-employee compensation. Plus: A big retcon segment including details from a new study by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco that further explains why "more supply" isn't the whole answer to the housing affordability crisis. Support Optimist Economy by donating: https://optimisteconomy.com Video clips are on the Optimist Economy YouTube channel⁠⁠ . Follow us on Instagram at ⁠⁠ @optimist_economy or TikTok at ⁠⁠ @optimist_economy . Or meet other Optimists on our Substack chat . Optimist merch provides great utility: https://merch.ambientinks.com/collections/optimisteconomy Send your economic questions, concerns, or executive orders to optimist.economy@gmail.com

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## Transcript

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