It's not fair to your grandmother to call it that. She (or her husband) paid in for years now they're getting it back. Welfare is money that's given to you for nothing, SS just isn't that, they paid in for years presubably.

Might as well tax the rich more

I have no problem with means testing SS. In fact I favor it. However :

1) It then should be called welfare.
2) The SS tax % should then be reduced if benefits are being reduced.

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I saw figures a few years ago that most people of my grandmother's age got back everything they paid in within the first few months of benefits.

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That's the whole point of insurance You pay a certain amount knowing you may never get anything back - or you may get more. If I got car insurance then totaled my car two weeks later then I get more back.

Your grandmother "won", others who died at 53 "lost".

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Don't Give Me a Defensive Player Who Can't Tackle . . . What Am I Going to Do With Him ? --- Bill Belichick

I just never ever thought of it as insurance, honestly. It's a new way of looking at the situation.

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Like I said, I do agree with you on means testing. My parents are in their 70s, have plenty of money but still get SS. I'd prefer it to be welfare but if it were I would expect about a 75% cut in the taxes that we pay for it.

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Don't Give Me a Defensive Player Who Can't Tackle . . . What Am I Going to Do With Him ? --- Bill Belichick