Social Security outlook dimmed by fertility projections that might still be too optimistic
June 11, 2026
Trustees for the Social Security trust fund projected this week that fertility will decline faster than previously anticipated, a change that raises fears about the health of the program and the broader economy and that some experts say is still overly optimistic.
The trustees revised down the long-run projections for the national fertility rate on Tuesday in their annual report, which also showed that the Social Security retirement trust fund is expected to run out sooner than expected.
