Leveraging Tax Data to Measure the Potential Impact of Broadening Social Security’s Revenue Base

Karen E. Smith and Richard W. Johnson

Working Papers, Center for Retirement Research at Boston College from Center for Retirement Research

Abstract: This paper measures the prevalence, value, and distribution of certain fringe benefits that are currently excluded from Social Security’s Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) contribution base, including employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI) and employer contributions to health savings accounts, medical savings accounts, and dependent care benefits. We then simulate the potential impact of broadening the contribution base to include the value of those benefits, showing the effects on program revenue and the size and distribution of OASDI contributions. Our data come from federal income tax records from the Internal Revenue Service, which links individual tax returns, business returns, and information returns, including Form W-2s.

Pages: 31 pages
Date: 2025-04
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:crr:crrwps:wp2025-07

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