We read the Social Security and Medicare trustees reports. If you’re not worried, you should be.

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Brett Arends's ROI

The truth about ‘DOGE’ savings, no tax on Social Security, immigration — and more

Published: June 17, 2026 at 11:37 a.m. ET

You, I and pretty much everyone we know will depend in our golden years, to a greater or lesser degree, on Social Security for income and Medicare for healthcare. The trustees of the two programs have just published their annual reports, detailing everything from current costs to future forecasts. The reports in total run to 545 pages.

It’s a lucky thing for those in power that hardly anyone reads anymore—and certainly not 545 pages. There are reasons they don’t put the highlights on TikTok. But here at MarketWatch, we wade through these things so you don’t have to. And oh boy, are they doozies. If you’re not worried, you should be.