If left unreformed by Congress, the Social Security Trust Funds are projected to become insolvent in 2034. Reforms or economic changes might change the projection date.

At that point, the extra reserves in the funds would be depleted and Social Security would only be able to pay out in benefits as much as it collects in payroll tax revenue. That would cause a 21 percent automatic cut in benefits. In other words, beneficiaries would receive only 79 cents for every $1 in benefits they would normally get.

Thanks to a new tool from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, you can find out how old you'll be when the trust fund runs out.

For example, let's say someone is 38 years old today (the median age in the United States) and was born in 1978. The trust funds would run out of money when that person is 56 years old, about a decade before retirement. The average person that age would see her benefits cut by about 21 percent, costing her $119,353 in lost benefits over the course of her life.

The cuts grow for younger generations. Someone born in 2000 would see his benefits cut by 25 percent. The average person that age would lose about $190,505 over his life.

Use the tool below to see how you'll be affected if the Social Security Trust Funds go insolvent.


How old will you be when Social Security's Trust Funds run out of money? Let us know in the comments.

Jason Russell is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.