For most retirees, Social Security provides an indispensable source of income.
Over the previous 23 years, national pollster Gallup surveyed retirees to gauge how important their Social Security income was to their financial stability. Between 80% and 90% of respondents have consistently noted their payout is needed, in some capacity, to cover their expenses.
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However, this all-important social program isn’t static. Changes are implemented every year that can impact everything from how current and future beneficiaries update their information to what they’ll receive each month from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
President Trump delivering his State of the Union address. Image source: Official White House Photo.
Five notable changes to Social Security have been made under Donald Trump’s watch
Since President Donald Trump took office for his second term 100 days ago (as of April 29), a flurry of Social Security changes has been implemented. Here’s a brief rundown of the five biggest changes Trump has overseen, as well as the one powerful Social Security change he still wants to see put into effect.
1. Administrative cost-cutting results in staff reductions and office closures for the SSA
One of the president’s first actions upon taking office for his second term was to create the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) via executive order. The purpose of DOGE, which has been assisted by “special government employee” and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, is to find ways to reduce government spending and make the federal government more efficient.
In the wake of DOGE’s cost-reduction recommendations for a variety of federal agencies, the SSA is reducing its staff by 7,000 to 50,000, as well as closing some of its physical offices. Though the SSA expects to save more than $800 million in 2025, this is a drop in the bucket compared to the $1.392 trillion doled out by the SSA via benefits and (to a far lesser degree) administrative expenses in 2023.
2. Trump signed an executive order to end paper Social Security checks
A second notable Social Security change undertaken during Trump’s first 100 days in office is the upcoming elimination of paper checks. Close to 486,000 Social Security beneficiaries are currently receiving a paper check each month.Story ContinuesView Comments (35)
The S&P 500 Just Completed a Feat So Rare It Was Last Witnessed During the Great Depression — and It Has a 100% Success Rate of Forecasting Where Stocks Go NextSean Williams, The Motley FoolSun, May 4, 2025 at 3:06 AM EDT 8 min read20In This Article:^GSPC+1.47%COMP+1.53%^DJI+1.39%Key Points
When Wall Street volatility picks up, investors often turn to correlative data points and events for clues as to which direction the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite will head next.
An event that’s occurred just five times in 98 years for the S&P 500 points to a very clear directional move for the broad-based index.
Time is an ally that has consistently rewarded patient investors.
https://729e8f7c3838e5825aedd77c6682ae98.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-43/html/container.htmlOver extended periods, no other asset class has come particularly close to matching the annualized return potential of stocks. But when the timeline is narrowed to days, months, or even the span of a few years, you’ll find that stocks move from point A to point B in anything but a straight line.Following more than two years of unbridled optimism on Wall Street, the iconic Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI), broad-based S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC), and growth stock-dominated Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) have hit a rough patch. Since the S&P 500 peaked on Feb. 19, the Dow Jones and S&P 500 have fallen into correction territory, with the typically more volatile Nasdaq Composite dipping into an official bear market (its first in three years).https://729e8f7c3838e5825aedd77c6682ae98.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-43/html/container.htmlWhere to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »Moreover, investors have borne witness to historic bouts of volatility. In April, the S&P 500 navigated its way through its fifth-worst two-day decline on a percentage basis (-10.5%) in 75 years and enjoyed its largest single-session nominal point increase since its inception. The Dow and Nasdaq also recorded their largest single-day point gains in their storied histories.Image source: Getty Images.When the stock market vacillates wildly, it’s perfectly normal for investors to seek out data points and events that have historically correlated with big moves higher or lower in one or more of Wall Street’s major stock indexes. Even though no correlative metric or event can guarantee what the future holds, strong correlations may offer investors an edge.Last week, the benchmark S&P 500 completed a feat so rare — only the fifth occurrence in 98 years — that the last time it was observed was during the Great Depression. More importantly, this event has a knack for predicting what comes next for stocks.This was last observed during the tail-end of the Great DepressionWall Street’s outsized volatility over the last five weeks is a function of fear and uncertainty on the part of investors. This has been driven by a combination of factors, which absolutely includes President Donald Trump’s tariff policy.Story ContinuesView Comments (20)Terms and Privacy PolicyPrivacy Dashboardhttps://729e8f7c3838e5825aedd77c6682ae98.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-43/html/container.html
The Stock Market Is Doing Something for the 75th Time in 35 Years, and History Says the S&P 500 Will Make a Shocking Move NextTrevor Jennewine, The Motley FoolSun, May 4, 2025 at 4:05 AM EDT 5 min read1In This Article:^GSPC+1.47%^VIXKey Points
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) rocketed to 52.3 on April 8 as investors reacted to the “Liberation Day” tariffs announced by President Trump days earlier.
The VIX has closed above 50 on only 75 days in the last 35 years, and the S&P 500 has always increased over the next year, achieving an average return of 35%.
Economist Torsten Slok says the U.S. economy has a 90% chance of slipping into a sharp recession if the current tariff regime remains in place.
https://729e8f7c3838e5825aedd77c6682ae98.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-43/html/container.htmlPresident Donald Trump shocked Wall Street when he announced a raft of severe tariffs on April 2, a date he dubbed “Liberation Day.” Most analysts assumed a 10% universal tariff was the worst-case scenario, but Trump used that as a starting point and tacked on much higher country-specific reciprocal tariffs.The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) crashed in the following days as strategists issued dire warnings, cut earnings estimates, and raised recession probability forecasts. The index closed nearly 19% below its record high on April 8. Meanwhile, the CBOE Volatility Index (VOLATILITYINDICES: ^VIX) rocketed above 50 for only the 75th time since 1990.https://729e8f7c3838e5825aedd77c6682ae98.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-43/html/container.htmlWhere to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »The S&P 500 has since rebounded 14% as Trump has softened his stance on trade policy, at least temporarily. That means the stock market is doing something rarely seen in the last 35 years: recovering from a period of extreme volatility. And history is crystal clear about what happens next.History says the S&P 500 will rocket higher in the next yearThe CBOE Volatility Index, commonly called the VIX, measures stock market volatility using the prices of S&P 500 options contracts. The VIX is sometimes referred to as the fear gauge among financial media because volatility often coincides with downward movements in the stock market.The VIX recorded a closing value of 52.3 on April 8, topping 50 for only the 75th time since 1990. That period covers 8,920 trading days, which means the VIX has closed above 50 less than 1% of the time. But the S&P 500 has always rocketed higher during the next one, three, and five years, and the returns have typically been robust.https://729e8f7c3838e5825aedd77c6682ae98.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-43/html/container.htmlListed below are the average returns over different periods after the VIX closed above 50.
1-year return: 35%
3-year return: 55%
5-year return: 129%
We can apply that information to the present situation to make an educated guess about the future: The S&P 500 closed at 4,983 on April 8. It will climb 35% to 6,727 in the next 12 months if its performance matches the historical average. That implies 18% upside from its current level of 5,696.Story ContinuesView Comments (1)Terms and Privacy PolicyPrivacy Dashboard
Image source: Getty Images.When the stock market vacillates wildly, it’s perfectly normal for investors to seek out data points and events that have historically correlated with big moves higher or lower in one or more of Wall Street’s major stock indexes. Even though no correlative metric or event can guarantee what the future holds, strong correlations may offer investors an edge.Last week, the benchmark S&P 500 completed a feat so rare — only the fifth occurrence in 98 years — that the last time it was observed was during the Great Depression. More importantly, this event has a knack for predicting what comes next for stocks.This was last observed during the tail-end of the Great DepressionWall Street’s outsized volatility over the last five weeks is a function of fear and uncertainty on the part of investors. This has been driven by a combination of factors, which absolutely includes President Donald Trump’s tariff policy.Story ContinuesView Comments (20)Terms and Privacy PolicyPrivacy Dashboardhttps://729e8f7c3838e5825aedd77c6682ae98.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-43/html/container.html
