United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2007-10-26 monographic deposited born digital 71 p. GA 1.13:GAO-08-26 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-26 P0b002ee18038c08e f:d0826 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-26 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-26 GAO-08-26 Aid for the disabled Beneficiaries Cost analysis Cost of living Dependents Disability benefits Disability insurance Federal social security programs Persons with disabilities Program evaluation Retirement Retirement benefits Social security beneficiaries Social security benefits Trust funds GAO High Risk Series Old Age Survivors and Disability Insurance Program Other Written Product A77648 Many recent Social Security reform proposals to improve program solvency include elements that would reduce benefits currently scheduled for future recipients. To date, debate has focused primarily on the potential impact on retirees, with less attention to the effects on other Social Security recipients, such as disabled workers and dependents. As these beneficiaries may have fewer alternative sources of income than traditional retirees, there has been interest in considering various options to protect the benefits of disabled workers and certain dependents. This report examines (1) how certain elements of Social Security reform proposals could affect disability and dependent benefits, (2) options for protecting these benefits and how they might affect disabled workers and dependents, and (3) how protecting benefits could affect the Social Security program. To conduct this study, GAO used a microsimulation model to simulate benefits under various reform scenarios. GAO also interviewed experts and reviewed various reform plans, current literature, and GAO's past work. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-26/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-26.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-26/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-26.pdf GAO-08-26 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-26 Other Written Product GAO-08-26; Social Security Reform: Issues for Disability and Dependent Benefits; Aid for the disabled Beneficiaries Cost analysis Cost of living Dependents Disability benefits Disability insurance Federal social security programs Persons with disabilities Program evaluation Retirement Retirement benefits Social security beneficiaries Social security benefits Trust funds GAO High Risk Series Old Age Survivors and Disability Insurance Program