Over a third (36%) of voters between the ages of 18 and 29 now say they are at least somewhat confident in the Social Security system, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

In late October, just 19% of voters in that age group said they were confident in the system. In September, 32% of young voters said they were confident.

Overall, 43% of voters say they are at least somewhat confident about Social Security, while 54% say they are not confident. Before the election, 44% said they were confident, and 53% said they were not.

Seventy percent (70%) of retirees say they are confident in the system, while 27% say they are not. Meanwhile, just 36% of government workers and 38% of those who are self-employed say they are confident, along with 34% of employees of private companies.

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While confidence among younger voters rose, confidence among Republican voters fell after the election. Now, 36% of GOP voters say they are confident in the system, down from 49% in October. Democrats’ opinions have grown slightly more positive, with 53% who say they are confident, up from 49% before Election Day. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of unaffiliated voters say they are confident about Social Security, which is unchanged since the last poll.

The plurality of voters (46%) still say Social Security is generally a good deal for working Americans, while 39% say it is not a good deal, up from 33% in October.

While 49% of women consider Social Security a good deal, only 44% of men agree. Meanwhile, 46% of men say it is not a good deal, compared to just 33% of women.

Voters are divided as to whether individuals should be allowed to opt out of the system if they wish. While 41% believe they should, 42% disagree. Adults under age 40 are more in favor of having the ability to opt out than those over 40. Republicans favor the ability to opt out by a 58% to 30% margin, while Democrats take the opposite view, 56% to 23%. Unaffiliated voters are divided, with 41% who say individuals should be able to opt out of the system and 43% who think they should not.

Most American voters (56%) say workers should pay Social Security taxes on most or all of their income, while 29% disagree. This is down slightly from 62% support in a survey in mid-August. Democrats strongly favor this idea by a 70% to 14% margin, but Republicans are evenly divided on it.

Each year the average employee pays Social Security withholding tax equal to 6.2% of his or her gross wages, up to but not exceeding $102,000. The same 6.2% tax is imposed on employers. As part of his plan for shoring up Social Security, President-elect Obama is proposing that the 6.2% tax be imposed on wages of $250,000 and above but not on earnings between $102,000 and $250,000.

Sixty-three percent (63%) of voters also believe people who pay more in Social Security taxes should receive more benefits, while 25% disagree.

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