Social security and the national debt

The national debt is the amount of liabilities of the Federal Government outstanding at any given time. Because surplus resources of the social security trust funds are invested in Federal securities, and hence constitute part of the national debt, a question sometimes asked is what effect does social security have on the size of the national debt. This paper provides a technical description of how the financial operations of the social security program relate to the national debt and the debt ceiling.,Abstract -- Introduction. What is the Difference Between Social Security's Effect on the National Debt and the Federal Budget? ; Is the National Debt Always Increased When Social Security's Income Exceeds Its Outgo? ; Is the National Debt Always Reduced When Social Security Has To Reduce Its Reserve of Federal Securities? ; If Excess Social Security Taxes Caused the Amount of Debt Held by the Public To Fall, Would the Government's Interest Costs Be Smaller? ; If a Shortfall of Social Security Taxes Caused the Amount of Debt Held by the Public To Rise, Would the Government's Interest Costs Be Larger? ; Would the National Debt Be Different if Social Security Were Removed From the Unified Budget? ; Is Social Security Affected When the So-Called "Debt Ceiling" is Reached? -- Summary.,David Koitz, Specialist in Social Legislation, Education and Public Welfare Division.,CRS 85-782 EPW,"March 29, 1985 with technical revisions on June 10, 1985.",SuDoc# 14. 18/3