Social Security went into effect in 1940.
Posted by Real Time with Bill Maher, Checked
- Sources
- 2 contradict2 support2 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 60%
Real Time with Bill MaherOct 24, 2026
The claim's date depends on which milestone counts as 'went into effect.' The SSA's own FAQ says the Social Security Act was signed in August 1935, taxes were first collected in January 1937, and regular monthly benefits began in January 1940, so 1940 is correct for regular benefits.
A detail. The sources confirm the gist; the verdict faults a detail such as a date, number or wording.
What was said
… Here in America, we spend six times more on every person over 65 than we do on those under 25, and this is not sustainable. When Social Security went into effect in 1940, life expectancy for an American man was 61, and Social Security kicked in at 65, so you can see why it was such a workable way of getting money to older people, because they were dead before they got it. …
Real Time with Bill Maher · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Contradicts. The SSA FAQ says the Act was signed in 1935 and taxes were first collected in 1937, so the program was operative before 1940 in those respects. GovInfo says monthly benefits began in 1942 under the 1935 law.[3][4]
Supports. The SSA's primary FAQ states that regular ongoing monthly benefits started in January 1940, with the first monthly benefit paid to Ida May Fuller that month.[3][5][6]
Context. Politifact reports that benefit payments were originally scheduled for 1942 and were later moved up to 1939, which places the start of benefits in a different year from the SSA's January 1940 date.[1]
Context. Snopes reports that the system was implemented in 1935, which supports reading 'went into effect' as the 1935 enactment rather than 1940.[2]
Sources
6 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 2 primary, 2 not rated
- 1George Will says Social Security was created in the 1930s ‘as a way of getting people to quit working’politifact.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 2Is This List of Changes to Social Security Over the Years Real?snopes.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 3Social Security History FAQsssa.gov · primary source · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 4Anniversary of the Social Security Act of 1935 - GovInfogovinfo.gov · primary source · cited for: contradicts
- 5Timeline of Key Events in the History of Social Securityaarp.org · not rated · cited for: supports
- 6The History of Your Social Security Payments - U.S. Newsmoney.usnews.com · not rated · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- Social Security benefits began at age 65 in 1940.True
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- Social Security in the United States will run out in six years.True