This is literally how all insurance works. Everyone pays into a pool to help the individuals that need it, knowing it could be them. Ideally, government insurance doesn’t also make a profit.
Social security isn’t a piggy bank. That’s what retirement savings are for.
Honest question: how is it different from de facto insurance when you don’t get to withdraw everything you put into it, or pass it down when you die? I would like to know where my understanding of it is incorrect.
Insurance pays out a flat amount once, social security pays out constantly for the rest of your life. You absolutely can pass down any of the money you get from social security. You’re not guaranteed 100% of what you put into regular retirement accounts either, if the market crashes so does everything tied to it.
I see…I was thinking in terms of health insurance where you do get “payouts” regularly. I was unaware that you can pass down social security benefits (sorry from your spouse getting more benefits).
My understanding was you can’t take it now than X amount per month, so you can’t “take it with you”. Market fluctuation aside, my retirement savings (minus taxes) can go to my children as inheritance.
You cannot pass down social security benefits for continued withdrawal, you can pass down money you have received through social security if you have any saved up or invested when you die
Oh I see what you mean. Yes we agree on that. Anything already taken out you keep. But you can’t take out a lump sum of everything you had put in. So I think we understand that part the same way.
This is literally how all insurance works. Everyone pays into a pool to help the individuals that need it, knowing it could be them. Ideally, government insurance doesn’t also make a profit.
Social security isn’t a piggy bank. That’s what retirement savings are for.
Social security literally just is collective retirement savings
Honest question: how is it different from de facto insurance when you don’t get to withdraw everything you put into it, or pass it down when you die? I would like to know where my understanding of it is incorrect.
Insurance pays out a flat amount once, social security pays out constantly for the rest of your life. You absolutely can pass down any of the money you get from social security. You’re not guaranteed 100% of what you put into regular retirement accounts either, if the market crashes so does everything tied to it.
I see…I was thinking in terms of health insurance where you do get “payouts” regularly. I was unaware that you can pass down social security benefits (sorry from your spouse getting more benefits).
My understanding was you can’t take it now than X amount per month, so you can’t “take it with you”. Market fluctuation aside, my retirement savings (minus taxes) can go to my children as inheritance.
Thank you for the explanation.
You cannot pass down social security benefits for continued withdrawal, you can pass down money you have received through social security if you have any saved up or invested when you die
Oh I see what you mean. Yes we agree on that. Anything already taken out you keep. But you can’t take out a lump sum of everything you had put in. So I think we understand that part the same way.
Thanks for the clarification and bearing with me.
Glad to