Wouldn't you rather invest your Social Security in the stock market?

[Anon Y]

This question overlooks two obvious facts:

(1) A good retirement plan includes a combination of high risk/high yield investments with low risk/low yield investments; and
(2) Most people in the social security system ALSO invest in higher risk investments through their 401(k)s, IRAs, or other retirement plans.

The fact is that social security comprises the low risk end of most people's portfolios, with stocks comprising the higher risk end. I wouldn't put ALL my social security into stocks, just as I wouldn't want ALL the money I have in stocks to be placed in low risk social security investments.

Anyone who thinks that it's a simple "either/or" question between social security and the stock market doesn't understand even the basics of retirement planning.