October 10, 2003
By Howell E. Jackson,
Associate Dean, Harvard Law School

“In addition to misrepresenting the magnitude of the Social Security system’s looming financial crisis, the current accounting system for Social Security distorts public debate over Social Security reform proposals and confuses the relationship between Social Security and the rest of the federal budget. Accrual accounting, in contrast, would provide a clearer picture of the true state of the Social Security’s current financial shortfall and the extent to whch the system’s burden on future generations is increasing each year. Accrual accounting would also create political incentives for our leaders to address Social Security’s difficulties in a timely manner, and enhance the quality of public debate over the relative merits of competing reform proposals.”
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