Undocumented workers add small windfall to Social Security
Submitted on December 7, 2005 - 1:00am.
David Kassabian - Fall 2005
WASHINGTON – More than $519 billion in wages has been reported to the Social Security Administration but can't be matched with workers, the agency says.
The total is presumed to reflect the large number of illegal immigrants working in the country using fake Social Security cards, Congress' chief budget adviser said last month.
The $519 billion is a cumulative total that remains unmatched since the retirement savings program started in 1937, and represents gross wages – not withholdings deposited into the Social Security Trust Fund.
Although the exact amount is hard to calculate because of fluctuating tax rates, tens of billions of dollars have been pooled into the trust fund by people who are not getting credit for their contribution.
The total is presumed to reflect the large number of illegal immigrants working in the country using fake Social Security cards, Congress' chief budget adviser said last month.
The $519 billion is a cumulative total that remains unmatched since the retirement savings program started in 1937, and represents gross wages – not withholdings deposited into the Social Security Trust Fund.
Although the exact amount is hard to calculate because of fluctuating tax rates, tens of billions of dollars have been pooled into the trust fund by people who are not getting credit for their contribution.
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