Middle-Aged Americans Weigh Social Security Options

By John Ydstie

Published January 25, 2005 at 11:00 PM CST

St. Louis-area residents Scott Sokolich and Jeanne Koebbe are worried that Social Security won't be available to help them when they retire.

As reforming Social Security takes center stage in Washington, perhaps no group is watching the debate more closely than middle-aged Americans. The new private accounts President Bush has been promoting could be available to people up to age 55. And potential benefit cuts aimed at keeping the system solvent could have a significant effect on workers in their 40s.

In the second of three reports on how different generations view Social Security, NPR's John Ydstie talks with middle-age Americans about a system that's been a bedrock of U.S. retirement — and politics — since its creation.

John Ydstie

John Ydstie has covered the economy, Wall Street, and the Federal Reserve at NPR for nearly three decades. Over the years, NPR has also employed Ydstie's reporting skills to cover major stories like the aftermath of Sept. 11, Hurricane Katrina, the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. He was a lead reporter in NPR's coverage of the global financial crisis and the Great Recession, as well as the network's coverage of President Trump's economic policies. Ydstie has also been a guest host on the NPR news programs Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. Ydstie stepped back from full-time reporting in late 2018, but plans to continue to contribute to NPR through part-time assignments and work on special projects.

See stories by John Ydstie