Re “A path to fixing Social Security” (July 12): The Union-Tribune’s editorial proposing means testing Social Security ignores the fact that benefits are already calculated on a progressive basis. While all wage earners pay a fixed percentage (12.4%) of their income up to the cap of $184,500, the percentage of average monthly income that Social Security will replace is not uniform:
— 90% of the first $1,286 of your inflation-adjusted average monthly earnings.
— 32% of your inflation-adjusted average monthly earnings between $1,286 and $7,749.
— 15% of your inflation-adjusted average monthly earnings exceeding $7,749.
So higher earners already get less of a return on their contributions than lower earners.
The better way to fix Social Security is to raise the contribution cap.
— Penn Pfautz, Sorrento Valley