Social Security has long been a staple of retirement planning in the United States, but personal finance expert Dave Ramsey has been vocal about its limitations. While he criticizes the program for its flaws, he doesn’t advise abandoning it altogether. Instead, he urges Americans to take control of their financial futures.
Here are his top warnings about Social Security and the steps he recommends to protect your retirement.
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The average monthly Social Security check in 2025 is estimated to be $1,976, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). That’s about $23,700 annually. While this amount is certainly helpful, Ramsey Solutions points out that it’s far from enough for most retirees to live on. Many people rely heavily on their monthly checks – the SSA reports that 12% of men and 15% of women age 65 and older depend on Social Security for 90% or more of their income.
Ramsey emphasizes that Social Security was never designed to replace all your income in retirement. “Relying on the government to take care of you in retirement is dumb with a capital D,” he wrote.
Instead of relying solely on Social Security, Ramsey encourages individuals to take charge of their finances by saving 15% of their household income for retirement (Baby Step #4) once they are debt-free and have an emergency fund in place.
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Ramsey has said that living off Social Security will only lead to “social insecurity,” bringing attention to the program’s flaws and uncertain future. The SSA has stated that the program’s trust funds will run out of money in 2035 if nothing changes. At that point, recipients would see a 25% reduction in their funds.
“We can’t depend on Washington to take care of us in retirement,” Ramsey Solutions wrote. “Do you really want to put your retirement dreams in the hands of the government? Heck no!”
This instability stems from a shrinking ratio of workers to beneficiaries. In 2023, 2.7 workers contributed for every beneficiary; by 2035, that figure is expected to drop to 2.4. With millions of baby boomers retiring, the strain on the system will only increase.
