Social security is designed to provide a minimum degree of security upon which a worker builds.

[Honeycombe8]

76. True. But that's not what it was designed for. It's an edge against homelessness.

Nothing more.

Pensions were not assumed, since most people in the country have never had pensions.

Case in point: In another post recently, I suggested that young people forego some non-necessities (like smart phones with contracts), and save that money for their old age. Posters were actually hostile toward that idea...they couldn't get much interest so what's the point....smart phones are necessities (wtf?)....you name it.

So you end up with a lot of older people who blew what little extra money they had when they were younger instead of saving it, expecting Social Security to fill that gap. It won't. It wasn't meant to.

There's no shortcut, there's no easy street. You have to save and sacrifice when you're young, so you'll have it when you're older and not in a position to earn extra income. You will need that smart phone money for medical bills or food or house repairs.