The finances of the Social Security system and Medicare Part A (hospitalization coverage) are a mess.  The trust funds backing up these two systems will be depleted in 2033 and 2024, respectively, according to a report issued last month.  While these dates seem far in the future, the problem is like a snow ball rolling down hill.  The longer Congress waits to fix the problem, the more drastic the measures required to fix it.  Congress knows this, too.  At the end of this year, after the elections, I reckon Congress will take a stab at fixing the problem by combining the following solutions:  (1) pushing back the age for retirement benefits of today’s youth, (2) raising the highest income tax rate (currently 35% but keep in mind the highest rate equaled 92% in 1953 and the lowest equaled 28% in 1989); (3) raise Medicare tax rate from .7% on each the employer and the employee which will fix Medicare.