Why is SSI is not accounted for in the rate-of-return estimates?
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, which provides monthly benefits to people who are age 65 or older, or are blind or disabled, and have limited income and financial resources, is not accounted for in the calculator’s rate of return estimates since no Social Security taxes go toward paying these benefits. SSI benefits are instead financed directly from the U.S. Treasury’s general fund, which is where all the other tax revenue collected by the federal government is pooled. As a result, SSI benefits have no bearing on the amount of money you would receive in retirement from the Social Security program, and SSI is therefore not accounted for by the comparison calculator. There is some common confusion about these details since the Social Security Administration (SSA) is responsible for managing the SSI program. However, as noted before, no Social Security taxes other than those for the agency’s administrative expenses are applied toward these benefits. For more information, s
