{"podcast":{"title":"Economics Matters with Laurence Kotlikoff","slug":"economics-matters-with-laurence-kotlikoff-6614501","podcast_index_feed_id":6614501,"rss_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/e8bfdf7c/podcast/rss","website_url":"https://larrykotlikoff.substack.com/","image_url":"https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_nologo/38948887/38948887-1694271789346-097e16ba7f8da.jpg","author":"Economics Matters","episode_count":149,"summary":"Economics Matters is a podcast hosted by Professor Laurence Kotlikoff, one of the most influential economists in the world, a Global Economics Advisor, NY Times Best Selling Author, President of Economic Security Planning, Inc., and Director of the Fiscal Analysis Center. In each episode, Professor Kotlikoff talks to experts about the power of economics in our modern day society. From personal finance and fiscal policy, to social security and income inequality, Economics Matters delves into much of the economic challenges of modern society.","last_synced_at":"2026-09-12T04:22:26.196756+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/economics-matters-with-laurence-kotlikoff-6614501"},"episode":{"title":"Social Security Is Broke. Here's What That Actually Means for Your Check","slug":"social-security-is-broke-here-s-what-that-actually-means-for-your-check","published_at":"2026-07-29T10:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/economics-matters-with-laurence-kotlikoff-6614501/social-security-is-broke-here-s-what-that-actually-means-for-your-check","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/economics-matters-with-laurence-kotlikoff-6614501","url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/economics-matters/episodes/Social-Security-Is-Broke--Heres-What-That-Actually-Means-for-Your-Check-e3mf7su","audio_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/e8bfdf7c/podcast/play/123231582/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-6-23%2F428496756-44100-2-10a18fa8ad9dc.mp3","summary":"The headlines say Social Security is running out of money. But what if the real numbers are actually far worse than what the headlines are showing you, and the trustees' report is burying the truth in an appendix table that almost nobody reads? The 2026 Social Security Trustees Report just dropped, and the media coverage has been loud, alarming, and, still understating how serious the problem actually is. In this Substack Live conversation, personal finance journalist and retirement specialist Pam Krueger sits down with Professor Kotlikoff to cut through the noise, decode the actual math, and answer the question every pre-retiree and current beneficiary is asking: what does this mean for me? This is not a doom-and-gloom session. It is a clear-eyed, numbers-first look at what the system is, why it is broken, what fixing it would actually require, and what you can do right now to protect yourself. What You'll Learn: [00:06:26] The table buried in the Trustees Report that tells the real story — Table VI F1, hidden deep in the appendix, reveals the system needs a 46% payroll tax hike, not the 22% benefit cut the headlines are running with [00:08:54] The difference between the 2032 cash flow problem and the real, permanent problem — why the 22% cut number is actually the short-term version, and the true immediate fix requires a 31% permanent benefit cut starting today [00:10:01] Will Social Security checks actually stop? — the straight answer, with context on what "enough money to pay 70% of benefits forever" actually means for your household [00:12:11] How the pay-as-you-go system actually works — a plain-language breakdown of FICA taxes, covered earnings, the trust fund checking account, and why the demographics have turned against the whole structure [00:16:00]…","meta_description":"The headlines say Social Security is running out of money. But what if the real numbers are actually far worse than what the headlines are showing you, an…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3591,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/economics-matters-with-laurence-kotlikoff-6614501/episodes/social-security-is-broke-here-s-what-that-actually-means-for-your-check/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/economics-matters-with-laurence-kotlikoff-6614501/social-security-is-broke-here-s-what-that-actually-means-for-your-check.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}