text: Obvious child is right. The reason we don't do that is because Congress has SS money put in the general fund, so it isn't safeguarded from all thier porkbarrel projects.  Convenient apathy.  While I am not a fan of his, Al Gore's famous general idea of a "Social Security Lock Box" points out that problem.  First, we should have 401k's available through a third party, and not controlled by Congress.  This shouldn't be forced, either: If people want to be dumb with thier money and not invest, fine.  But if they did, when they tapped into it at retirement, the economy would boom.  Not only that, but it would be helped out while the 401ks were matureing because how they work is the money is invested in companies, and they grow and pay the investments back with intrest.  Of course this will never work because Congress has been spending way too much for decades, and the general fund has virtually been living off SS money.  So right now not only is YOUR SS money that could be GROWING AND helping the economy (Thats a long term and short term investment all in one) just sitting there, its being spent on other things as well by a congressman you don't like and who someone else elected in a different state.  Oh, by the way, Congressmen don't pay into SS, they have thier own special retirement plans. Show's how much they trust it, doesn't it?