I have been researching the millennial generation and how it will be affected by the depletion of social security. I would like to propose a potential solution to this problem, and have recently come across many ways of doing so. The controversy in this issue is that the generations prior to ours should have started addressing this issue long ago; we are now faced with the dilemma of not being able to put any large-scale action into place in time. 

This research question interests me because I am directly affected by the situation. When I am old enough to retire I will need some sort of benefits to keep me financially stable, just as my entire generation will need as well. We can't have those benefits without implementing a more stable system, or at least fixing the one that is currently in place. My personal experience witnessing this issue is basic; I have seen the full benefit retirement age jump from around 62 to 67 in my lifetime. My generation will most likely not be able to retire until around 70 years old. The retirement age will only continue to grow until something is done to better the system. I believe that I am qualified to write about this issue because it is guaranteed to directly affect me in the near future.

An article that I used in my research, "Amid the Stereotypes, Some Facts About Millennials," touches on the common personalities and choices of the young generation. It explains that millennials are more likely to save their money rather than spend it, unlike their common stereotype. It also elaborates on how marriage is less common and millennials are less likely to commit to starting a family until they are financially stable. This could be a result of the generation knowing that it will not be helped out in any way by the government. People are more dependent on themselves. The values of this generation have moved more from family and domesticity closer to independency and stability. The article is purely factual, so there is no bias from the author. The author, Samantha Raphelson, is credible as she works for NPR.org as a digital news intern. 

The second article I used for my research on this topic is titled, "10 Reasons Millennials are the Screwed Generation." The central claim is the argument that millennials are "inheriting a broken country." Evidence for this claim has been broken down in the article to ten facts with explanations. Recent events such as the economic crash of September 2008, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks as well as constant war, are additional factors that are causes of financial depletion among the government. Some bias that the author might have is that he himself is a millennial, and is certainly not happy with the current state of our government or benefits. He is credible, however, because he has been published in many other publications such as Billboard and L.A. Weekly.

The last article I used for my research was found on CNBC.com. "How Much Will Gen Y Receive from Social Security" is a, informative article discussing possible outcomes of the social security problem and potential solutions. It analyzes the current state of social security and predicts that it will still be around for when millennials retire, but it will be scarce and not exactly beneficial. The article states that there may be other solutions to the problem, like changing social security or the way it works, or the benefits. Any of those things are possible. It also explains that Congress is more likely to step in and use reserves rather than let these benefits go away completely. Tom Anderson is credible because he is a personal finance writer who works for a popular news station. 

My research question is arguable because there are many potential ways to solve the problem of our generation's depleting benefits. All of my sources agree that social security is undoubtedly in danger and that there needs to be a more stable system put into place. However, each source has a different opinion on how to fix the problem, and how bad the problem eventually will get. These different perspectives allow me to form my own opinion based on a mix of what I have read on the topic. I might even be able to revise my research question to consider the differences in solutions and not only the problem.
