At his post-election press conference President George W. Bush made it clear that Social Security reform will be on his second term agenda.

Fifty-two percent (52%) of voters support the President's approach that would allow workers invest a portion of their Social Security taxes in personal retirement accounts. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that 34% are opposed.

Support jumps to 67% if the personal accounts are accompanied by a guarantee that everyone who wants to remain in the current system can do so and receive their promised benefits. Only 19% are opposed to such a proposal.

Significantly, if they are guaranteed their own benefits, 50% of American seniors favor giving workers the option to set up personal retirement accounts.

Rasmussen Reports will issue a Special Report on the political dynamics of Social Security reform in the near future. The report will be provided for free to Premium Members and will be available for purchase by others.

The polling data suggests that Senator Kerry's strong opposition to Social Security reform may have hurt him among younger voters. Those under 30 favor the option of personal retirement accounts by a 55% to 28% margin. When guarantees are provided for those who want to remain in the current Social Security system, support among young voters jumps to 67%.

Americans are evenly divided as to which is riskier--relying on the government for promised benefits or letting workers invest. Those over 50 tend to see personal retirement accounts as riskier. Those in their 30s and 40s take the opposite view.

Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters believe that most workers would have higher income in retirement from a personal account. However, 30% believe that most workers would enjoy higher income by accepting government benefits.

On all questions involving Social Security, there are tremendous differences by age and party affiliation. Working age Americans are far more likely to believe they will be better off investing on their own.

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Rasmussen Reports is an independent public opinion research firm that provides daily updates on the and the nation's economic confidence and political environment.