This worksheet follows Episode 10, Aly Muhammad Dadwani's conversation with Professor Sita Slavov. It suits senior school or introductory university students, and works for solo study too. Print it, or answer as you go.
Key concepts
- Social Security
- Aging population
- Annuity
- r-star
- Trust fund
- Pay-as-you-go
- Working longer
Before you listen
Answer these before pressing play.
At what age do you expect to retire? Why?
Who do you think should pay for older people's incomes: themselves, their families, or the government?
What happens to a country when there are fewer young workers for each retiree?
While you listen
Keep an ear out for each of these.
What the Econ 5K is.
Why she compares delaying Social Security to buying an annuity.
What r-star is, and who low rates hit hardest.
What her research finds about immigrants who arrive after 40.
The question she thinks gets too little attention.
After you listen
Check your comprehension.
For whom is delaying Social Security an especially good deal?
Why does she say living mostly on Social Security makes sense for some people but not others?
How do economists and politicians think differently, in her experience?
What happens if Congress waits until the trust fund runs short in 2032?
Think deeper
Open-ended. There is no single right answer.
What should Social Security, or any public pension, actually be for? Make your case.
Write a short plan for your own retirement savings, starting from your first job.
One question I still have
Write the question this episode left you with.