When looking at actual numbers, the “security” part of social security still does not make mathematical sense. If you look at my example where I would receive back the exact amount I paid when reaching 104 years of age after drawing payments for 37 years. I started paying into the system 84 years earlier. And this only accounts for what I had paid in until age 60 (no payments into the system after that). So, in effect, if I kept my money and simply put it into a pillow case at 0% return, I would have all my future receipts from social security in a lump sum at age 60, 44 years earlier than system will have returned them to me. The 0% scenario is, of course, idiotically pessimistic, but even on those terrible terms social security is far worse.

Thank you for your input.