If Social Security benefits are decreased by 13%, how much would the benefits decrease for a salary of $54,000?

• A. $2,500 annually
• B. $6,350 annually
• C. $4,128 annually
• D. $7,020 annually

Answer: (D)

To determine the decrease in Social Security benefits when they are reduced by 13%, you first need to calculate 13% of the given salary, which in this case is $54,000.

To find 13% of $54,000, you can multiply the salary by 0.13:

$54,000 × 0.13 = $7,020.

This calculation reveals that a 13% decrease would result in a reduction of benefits amounting to $7,020 annually. Since this matches the calculated decrease with the provided option, that makes it the correct answer to the question.

It’s important to remember that the decrease represents a direct percentage of the salary, which is standard practice when calculating percentage reductions.