I hate to break to any airline pilots who don't already know this, but high earners like yourselves (and me) are very likely to be means tested out of the program either in part or in full.

Who knows though? This one is fixable. Much worse outlook for Medicare.

(Save more and stay healthy are the rational responses to this particular pessimistic outlook)

No offense, but if Social Security is an important part of anyone's retirement they have screwed up royally.

I disagree. Social security is the bedrock foundation for any retirement plan, even for high earners. It’s one of the only inflation adjusted annuities out there. A married couple that has a history of high earnings can expect a significant benefit from the program.

Lots of debate could be had around the future of SS, but to discount it entirely is foolish in my opinion. They’ll have to cut some benefits or increase taxes but SS will remain an important retirement component.

SS and Medicare should not be the sole means of support for retired high-earners, but you have a right to expect what you’ve paid into when you’ve been told your whole life that you would get the benefit.

The argument we should be resigned to giving it up because we’ve had successful careers is nonsense. It amounts to the contributors sacrificing as a result of the government’s mismanagement of the system.

Starting tomorrow anyone under 40 needs to booted from spousal benefit program. If you want to draw SS then get a job and pay into it, claiming your spouse paid for you is nonsense for the younger generations.

All 4 grandparents worked both parents worked and spouse works. “Working inside the home” needs needs to be taxed if you plane to draw SS one day.

Can not believe this program will run out of money and a stay at home mom or dad who pay nothing will still be paying nothing.

None of that was the point. Since you didn’t get the point, I’ll spell it out for you. A federal law that requires you to retire at a specific age, should result in getting whatever benefits that are due to you at full retirement age.

Federal law requires you to pay into it for 10 years, why pay the other 30.

Or why not start drawing after paying for ten years regardless of age if worried about age discrimination.

I wanna retire and draw SS at 35 and paid my 10 years I can’t because of age discrimination, if I were only older I could.

35 is too old to start flying in the Air Force, I would be full retirement too.

What do you think, whoever has best victim status has the most credible argument? Go get a job for 2 years.

Oh you mean like my mom, who stayed at home, raised three kids (and two cousins as well) while allowing my dad to work the job he did should get nothing, and all the money my dad paid in should be gone because he dared die well before hitting retirement age?

What's next? If I die my 401k goes to the general fund because my wife didn't earn that?

GTFO.

Is your mom under 40?

Im not trying to argue for SS one way or the other, but a compelling case can be made for the stay at home spouse. The entire system is built upon the premise that current workers pay for those currently receiving benefits. Without robust future generations, the system collapses (look at the projected worker to retiree ratio throughout the years). The stay at home spouse raising three or more future workers likely “contributes” more to the system long term than a two-working couple that never has children.