Social Security
Social Security should signify one program; residual income when you retire. I believe that Social Security should pay out to you exactly what you paid into it through even tax-free payments over 30 years. On an annual basis, money left behind by those who pass away should be split evenly among the remaining participants in the form of a dividend. This policy change allows for a return on investment as well as a safety net for those that spent their entire lives working. If you did not contribute much to social security in your lifetime, then you will not receive much benefit.
The remaining programs currently supported by Social Security should instead be paid for with income tax revenue. Congress should determine the necessity of each of these programs with a vote. Administrative costs should also be paid with income tax revenue but simplified in every way to make the system electronic. By stripping out these programs, we can lower the minimum retirement age to 60 and leave it there. Retirement is not about the inability to work, it is about experiencing more in life than just work.
