More like 1%. Sometimes the rate is higher than inflation, since 2008 it's been lower. The point is that SS administrators would rather lose a small amount of

More like 1%. Sometimes the rate is higher than inflation, since 2008 it's been lower. The point is that SS administrators would rather lose a small amount of value than put that giant-ass lump of money into the market. It creates risk, and more importantly, creates a situation where the government is manipulating stock prices with their picks due to the massive size of the trust fund.