you really need to get out more. They take out 12% out of self employed people just since 2001 I average about 13,000 per year in SS payments for myself. That means I will be 84 just to recouped what I put in during those years I have been paying in since 1971. So how the heck can you say something so dumb. get out of the basement and get a job. I won't live long enough to recoup just what I paid in much less the interest the feds made off of all that money for almost 50 years.

Good Gosh

If I go back and just average making say 35,000 for all the other years that adds another 7 years so just to break even I will be close to 92 to break even if you add interest for all those years its way over a 100.

Average contribution to Social Security over lifetime
Let's keep the first one simple: A single person who made the average wage (about $47,800 in 2015 dollars) and retired in 2015 would have paid about $272,000 into Social Security and would receive about $294,000 in lifetime benefits.

I just copied that.

It is easy to go to SS website and see the total paid in lifetime. Divide that by yearly SS payment to see the number of years to get back paid in amount. I doubt it will be 14 years if you wait until 70 to start.

We know

I did that.

The site said I've paid in $157,815.

If I start at 67, my monthly will be $3,310.

157815/3310=47.68 months, or 3.97 years

Maybe I read his intent wrong, but it appears to me to have been a compliment. I think humans all strive to be the best at something…he just gave his opinion on your glaring strength. I feel like he’s maybe acting as a true friend would.

Given that, couldn’t you at least muster up a “thank you”?

2-3 years, HA! That's not even close.

Are you accounting for interest accrued? SS funds are invested in treasury bonds which pay interest. Just think if instead of having in invested in treasuries, if you could've invested it in an S&P 500 index fund.

Don't leave out what your employer put in. That's wages too. Should make it 7-8 years.

You are leaving out accrued interest.

If I had invested in S&P I would have used the money to pay dental bills or other bills when I had no money. Retirement funds must be invested where you cannot touch them until retirement, or most will spend the money rather than endure the pain or watch their children suffer.

You also need to include employer portion as that really came out your backside.

Agreed. I have no self-control at all. Thankfully the government knows what’s best for me.

Heck, if drugs were legal I’d have no chance at making it to retirement age anyway.

Thank you America!

Even with them being illegal, I barely survived. 40% of seniors live on only SS. Millions more homeless with out SS.

You don't have that choice with SS. The govt. takes it and puts it in treasury bonds. The govt. could take it and put it in the S&P 500, and you would have gotten more bang for your buck. Same rules would apply, you can't touch it until retirement.