How would you fix Social Security?

Colonel, it does seem when the politicians get into things the results have a tendency to have negative results. Seems there are enough of them with their hands in the pie for their own gain the only thing You can count on is far less than perfect results. They sure need to leave money alone that belongs to those that paid into it, How would they like it if We stole their retirement ? this is what that amounts to using the money elsewhere. They need for a start to keep their grubby hands off Our Social Security Money !

TSgt Frank Shirley - I don't see how you could opt out, logistically speaking. You can't refuse to pay money you never get to touch.

CPT Jack Durish Very few people know what you have stated. One of the main reasons the RRB is so successful is because the politicians haven't been able to raid those coffers... yet. When my military time is over, I will work for the RR in some way shape or from, mostly because I want to ensure my lifetime income and know that SS will not be able to cover me when I retire.

I am not a socialist, not by a long shot, but I do believe in someone getting back what they put in. I do have a Roth and other investments, but that's mostly so I can cover the shortages from any government hand out... ummm... I mean from my entitlements... errr... Social Security.

The last time I filed for Social Security I was treated like a criminal for even thinking about applying for benefits....This was after V.A. Labeled me unemployable. Social Security is an extremely painful subject for me.

Cpt Jack: Am I dreaming or did there use to be a military retirement fund?

Yes and in fact the personal accounts is similar to what RRB does, though it does it at the national level and not individual but via a large trust. Pretty sure that is why it is fully funded and runs with a surplus. Now I went out to the Railroad Employee boards and asked how they would feel if we merged RRB with Social Security and they adamantly said NO WAY. From their strong and sometimes colorful metaphor responses I am pretty sure that would cause a nationwide railway strike.......so merger is out of the question. I really like the Soverign Wealth Fund because Norway went down the path of entitlement spending almost to the verge of national bankruptcy. They setup the fund which applies a tariff to OIL EXPORTS and other Natural Resource Exports and they not only paid off their National Debt to 0, they are funding a chunk of their Healthcare and other entitlement programs with it. I was told by someone we need a Constitutional Amendment to do that ourselves........not sure if that is true or not.