For many Americans, Social Security is not just another source of income. It is part of the money used to cover groceries, housing, utilities and other routine expenses. A reduction in those payments would be felt at the household level, but the effect would not stop there.
Some states depend on Social Security more heavily than others. That is why a nationwide benefit reduction could create very different economic pressures from one state to another. An analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget shows just how wide that gap could become.
