For years, many working individuals in the United States have counted on Social Security as their primary retirement income. With the deductions from every paycheck to fund this future benefit, Americans looked forward to a comfortable retirement based on the assumption that these funds were being invested wisely. Is this a factual assumption, or is it another myth of the U.S. social welfare system?
Relying on Social Security as a sole means of support in retirement is uncommon. As society’s work habits and life expectancies change, Social Security has come to mean different things to different people. For those who are unable to save and/or invest on their own, it functions like a forced retirement program that provides a financial safety net for the future. For those who become unable to work, social security often is viewed by others as a public assistance program. For others who are financially secure and prepared for retirement, it is an entitlement program where individuals draw Social Security at retirement in an effort to recoup what they paid into the program by deductions from their wages. How might these perceptions of Social Security relate to the perceptions of public assistance programs that were discussed in last week’s resources?
For this Discussion, review this week’s resources. Then, consider how Social Security is different from public assistance programs. Finally, think about how these differences are important in terms of the general perception of Social Security benefits.
By Day 3
Post an explanation of how Social Security is different from public assistance programs. Then, explain how these differences are important, in terms of the general perception of Social Security benefits.
Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.
By Day 5
Read a selection of your colleagues’ posts.
Respond to at least two colleagues by explaining a strategy for how a social worker might help clients manage these perceptions, given the differences your colleagues described.
Support your response with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.
Return to this Discussion to read the responses to your initial post. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.
Solution:
Both social welfare and social security are financial programs designed differently to offer financial income to their target recipients. Every U.S worker who has paid for social security taxes for a lifetime is eligible to receive social security retirements or benefits for survivors without consideration to social welfare as one simply receives what they paid out during their employment years (Abramovitz, 2017). Social welfare, on the other hand, is financial assistance to the state’s residents in need, the elderly or disabled. Other U.S citizens can equally apply for disability benefits if a serious disease hinders them from gainful employment for a minimum of one year. Eligibility for welfare programs is dictated by need and a means test. Thus, administrative judgment is crucial to welfare but minimal in social security. Social welfare programs are operated at state level whereby qualifications to social welfare programs such as….Please click the Paypal icon below to purchase full solution for only $5