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Noooo.......by all means take them.

And ill send you a bunch of SASEs....just stuff the cash in and send them to me! You will feel great about it.

Thanks in advance Buck! :)

Info for recently retired or retiring.
 

If you need a random dude on the internet to tell you that you aren’t “paying in” to social security, you need to ask someone to educate you on the subject. I tried to help you out with the quote from FDR, but hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth wasn’t enough I guess.

Im sorry, how many workers were paying in for each recipient when the program was implemented and what is that number today?

This is a ponzi scheme, pure and simple. That 1 million $$ that I paid in (compounded) over my years of working has an expectation of a benefit. The vast majority of Americans would agree. But when the workers aren’t there in the future, of course the have nots will be the first to sell the haves down the river. Politicians will enable this redistribution of wealth because when your game is buying votes, there are more votes to be bought up at the low end of the spectrum. Now you can tell me that that is my civic duty, and I don’t need the money and it’s not mine. You will of course back it up with knuckle headed crap from 70 years ago that has no merit in today’s world.

I can use your ridiculous logic to claim that with hundreds of laws on the books prohibiting racism that there is no systemic racism. Somehow, I think you would disagree with that.

70 years ago? Huh. And i was thinking FDR was for Fredo/Don & Rachel.

Not quite as catchy or kick ass as Mark/Don & Mel though.

The benefit is being eligible to have current payers fund your distributions should you find yourself indigent in old age. Are you going to call up your insurance agent when you retire and tell them that all the premiums you paid in have “an expectation of benefit?” Social security is insurance. It is not an investment. Your social security taxes are a premium, not a contribution.

You know that FDR was the architect of social security, right? That’s why I have to quote him from 80+ years ago. You’d better go check for people on your lawn now.

Yeah. FDR as 'architect' is a substantial oversimplification of the contemporary social economic and as always political stew that produced what has morphed into todays SSI.

How absurd.

When I am 67, or 70 or whatever age I choose to start collecting MY Social Security, that I paid into, I will sleep like a baby. The comparison to insurance is patently ridiculous. I have paid in for 4+ decades now(against my will, btw). I earned it. It’s mine. Which is why I get a statement every year with my particulars.

That is, assuming it’s still solvent when I get there...

Technically as employees we all paid 50% into it.....the employer paid the other half.

So double the $$ you calculate came out of your paychecks. Abt 12% on first 137K this year.

It is a tax on earnings. Just think of it as a delayed tax refund starting when you decide to draw it. :)

I know this is how most people think of it, and it has become a retirement plan in people’s eyes, but it simply isn’t that. You’re quoting my post that says that you aren’t “paying into” social security as of that’s some sort of opinion. Yes, there is no mechanism to prevent you from drawing it if you don’t need it, and that’s part of the problem with the system, but my post is the furthest thing from absurd. It’s absolutely the intent of social security. The reference about being indigent that you bolded to point out my absurdity is straight from many of FDR’s speeches made while trying to get social security enacted in this country.

You aren’t paying yourself, you’re paying the people who are currently drawing their benefits. If and when you collect your check, it won’t be your money being returned to you, it’s going to come from the people that are paying in at that time. I don’t know how to put it any more plainly.