SCE PUBLIC POLICY SURVEY
December Survey: Expectations of Increases in Federal Student Debt Forgiveness, Welfare Benefits, Medicare, and Social Security Rise Somewhat
- Average expectations of increases in federal student debt forgiveness, federal welfare benefits, Medicare, and Social Security benefits increased somewhat in December, while average expectations of changes in housing assistance declined.
- The average perceived likelihood of an increase in unemployment benefits increased to 14.4 percent in December from a series low of 12.2 percent in August.
- The average perceived likelihood of increases in the capital gains tax, the payroll tax, the average income tax rate, and the income tax rate for the highest income bracket all increased in December, continuing a gradual rebound from December 2024 lows. The average perceived likelihood of an increase in the gasoline tax, however, declined.
- The average perceived likelihood of decreases in federal and state minimum wages both declined in December.
Editor’s Note: We are currently working through some technical issues in the interactive charts regarding the display of dates along the x-axis. As a result, data for November 2015-2016 are currently not presented in the interactive charts; data for all years remain available to download, however.
About:
The SCE Public Policy Survey is fielded every four months as a rotating module of the Survey of Consumer Expectations (SCE). The data are updated online as results come in.
