LOL. I knew you were going to catch me on that. Yes, she got benefits from my grandfather (also an immigrant), but he was already very old by the time he became a citizen and really wasn't in the work force for long as a citizen. The benefits were outsized in comparison to their contribution, but that's the way the system works. It's crazy. It's exactly why the system is going downhill fast. It's going to get worse, because we aren't having kids quickly enough to replace the retiring workers. Instead, we are replacing our lost workers with more immigrants, which I'm fine with, but it has an negative impact on the SS funds. It is already out of whack
I believe the system should be geared to take care of the core citizenry who work for decades and put a good bit of money into the system. We need to create a system that rewards hard work, as well as one that creates a safety net. There can be a balance. My favorite system is one that tags what you put in to your SS #, then pays you benefits until you deplete what you put in. If we want a safety net, then tax the rich to pay for it, but leave a donut hole for the middle class, maybe all the way to $250K per year in income, to not have to pay increased taxes. There are plenty of ideas out there for fixing this darned thing. |
