Social Security: Trust Fund Investment Practices

Dawn Nuschler
Specialist in Income Security

The Social Security Act has always required surplus Social Security revenues (revenues in excess of program expenditures) to be invested in U.S. government securities (or U.S. governmentbacked securities). In recent years, attention has been focused on alternative investment practices in an effort to increase the interest earnings of the trust funds, among other goals. This report describes Social Security trust fund investment practices under current law.


Date of Report: November 8, 2011
Number of Pages: 6
Order Number: RS20607
Price: $19.95

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