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> "It's an insurance policy! Literally! Not really. By that definition a 401k is also an insurance policy. So is a checking account. To the recipient, SS res

by thunky 2y ago

> "It's an insurance policy! Literally! Not really. By that definition a 401k is also an insurance policy. So is a checking account. To the recipient, SS resembles an investment account more than an insurance policy.

Terr_ 2y ago
A very unusual point of view, but you haven't provided any biologic or evidence to support it. So here, I'll give you some from the other side. First, the "Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance" really is literally Insurance because it's literally in the damn name and I don't know how much clearer I can make that. Second, you can tell it's insurance because larger payouts are conditional based on bad things happening to you. That is not true for an investment account, therefore they are different. Third, you can tell it's insurance because the benefits are typically not transferable (inheritable) to another thing (person) being insured. That is not true for an investment account, therefore they are different. > To the recipient, SS resembles an investment account more than an insurance policy. Being deeply misinformed doesn't make something true.
- thunky 2y ago
  > the "Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance" really is literally Insurance because it's literally in the damn name and I don't know how much clearer I can make that. > If you reframe SS/OASDI as "someday starving because unable to work insurance" You might want to contact the Social Security Administration with your gripe, because they present SS as a "retirement benefit": https://www.ssa.gov/retirement https://www.ssa.gov/retirement https://www.ssa.gov/prepare/plan-retirement https://www.ssa.gov/prepare/plan-retirement And look at your annual Social Security Statement. Mine says: Retirement Benefits: You have earned enough credits to qualify for retirement benefits. These explained benefits are not linked to bad things happening to you. Earlier you said: > As is, I feel like I'm watching people paying premiums for "house burns down" insurance and then being angry about "their money" not being "all paid back" when their house never has any problems. ("That's not how it works, that's not how any of this works.") I disagree, because people expect their SS retirement benefits to pay out even if the house doesn't burn down. Which is why I'm saying I don't think people view it as "insurance" even if it technically is. People just want the income stream (aka "retirement benefit") that they earned (this is the language used by SSA) by contributing over their entire working life.

by thunky 2y ago

Terr_ 2y ago

A very unusual point of view, but you haven't provided any biologic or evidence to support it. So here, I'll give you some from the other side. First, the "Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance" really is literally Insurance because it's literally in the damn name and I don't know how much clearer I can make that. Second, you can tell it's insurance because larger payouts are conditional based on bad things happening to you. That is not true for an investment account, therefore they are different. Third, you can tell it's insurance because the benefits are typically not transferable (inheritable) to another thing (person) being insured. That is not true for an investment account, therefore they are different. > To the recipient, SS resembles an investment account more than an insurance policy. Being deeply misinformed doesn't make something true.

thunky 2y ago
> the "Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance" really is literally Insurance because it's literally in the damn name and I don't know how much clearer I can make that. > If you reframe SS/OASDI as "someday starving because unable to work insurance" You might want to contact the Social Security Administration with your gripe, because they present SS as a "retirement benefit": https://www.ssa.gov/retirement https://www.ssa.gov/retirement https://www.ssa.gov/prepare/plan-retirement https://www.ssa.gov/prepare/plan-retirement And look at your annual Social Security Statement. Mine says: Retirement Benefits: You have earned enough credits to qualify for retirement benefits. These explained benefits are not linked to bad things happening to you. Earlier you said: > As is, I feel like I'm watching people paying premiums for "house burns down" insurance and then being angry about "their money" not being "all paid back" when their house never has any problems. ("That's not how it works, that's not how any of this works.") I disagree, because people expect their SS retirement benefits to pay out even if the house doesn't burn down. Which is why I'm saying I don't think people view it as "insurance" even if it technically is. People just want the income stream (aka "retirement benefit") that they earned (this is the language used by SSA) by contributing over their entire working life.