Like many aspects of today’s fiscal environment, trends that were worrisome before the pandemic have been accelerated by the unprecedented nature of today’s crisis. This is true of Social Security, the looming funding imbalance of which has the potential to be exacerbated by an increased number of claimants and a decrease in revenues due to depressed economic activity.

The uncertain economic environment makes the debate over how to save Social Security that much more important. Trade-offs must be made, but the acute contraction of the employment landscape dictates that so-called solutions that harm employment will serve to undermine the nation’s economic recovery as well as the lasting health of Social Security.