I've heard this a couple of times... Is it true?

Wingznut

Elite Member
Dec 28, 1999
16,968
2
0

Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years. Our Senators and Congress men & women do not pay into Social Security and, of course, they do not collect from it

You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. So, many years ago they voted in their own benefit plan

In more recent years, no congressperson has felt the need to change it.

After all, it is a great plan.

For all practical purposes their plan works like this: When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die, except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments. For example, former Senator Byrd and Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7,800,000.00 (that's Seven Million, Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275,000.00 during the last years of their lives. This is calculated on an average life span for each. Their cost for this excellent plan is $00.00. Nada. Zilch. This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab for this plan. The funds for this fine retirement plan come directly from the General Funds-our tax dollars at work! From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into-every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer) --we can expect to get an average $1,000 per month after retirement. Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000. monthly benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal Senator Bill Bradley's benefits! Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made

That change would be to jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us then sit back and watch how fast they would fix it.

 

bunker

Lifer
Apr 23, 2001
10,572
0
71
Okay, I'm not entirely wrong, but I guess they do pay into SS:

Do Members of Congress pay into the social security system? What kind of retirement plan do they have?
Since January 1, 1984, all Members of Congress participate in the Social Security system and are required to pay Social Security taxes. Members who were elected after 1984 are
automatically part of the FERS, or Federal Employees' Retirement System, and have the same plan as do all federal employees.

Members elected before 1984 were in the CSRS, or Civil Service Retirement System. In 1984, those Members in CSRS had to choose to remain with CSRS, or switch to FERS the same choice all federal employees had to make that year. The Members elected before 1984 could
further choose between full CSRS benefits, plus Social Security or CSRS benefits offset by Social Security.

74 Members of the current House of Representatives were elected before 1984 about 17% of the House. 23 Members of the current Senate were elected before 1984 or 23% of the Senate. So, overall, 82% of the Congress pay into Social Security, while 18% may or may not, depending
on whether they chose to stay in the CSRS system, or switch to the CSRS Plus, or the new FERS system.

Congressional pensions are funded the same way as those of other federal employees: through a combination of general tax provisions and contributions from the participants. The 82% of Members of Congress in the post 1984 FERS plan must pay 1.3% of their salary to FERS and 6.2% in Social Security taxes.The average annuity for retired Members, as of 1998, was either $50,616 [for those that retired under CSRS] or $46,908 [for Members that retired under FERS]. These averages don't take into account any additional funds these Members may have also accrued through investments in the government-wide Thrift Savings Plan.

For more information, you can read a detailed report, "Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress" by the Congressional Research Service on the website of the House Rules Committee. Visit: http://www.house.gov/rules/RL30631.pdf

 

Wingznut

Elite Member
Dec 28, 1999
16,968
2
0
Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
nice chain letter.
Yes, it is a chain letter. However...

I got it from someone who isn't a chain-letter guy. And since it came from him, I put a *tiny-bit* more validity into it.

Also, it sounds like it could be true.

 

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
Most teachers do not pay into SS because of their Union Pension plans.