It’s a rewarding feeling to claim your Social Security benefits.

You’re setting yourself up with an income source that can supplement or even wholly support your retirement. You’ve worked hard, saved up, and waited patiently. This moment feels special, because it is.

However, there are elements of truth and falsehood in calling Social Security benefits a “reward.” Sure, the feeling itself is rewarding, but the money itself is not so much a reward you’re lucky to have, but rather a promised payoff you’ve fairly earned.

Social Security Benefits Support a Rewarding Retirement

To answer whether or not Social Security benefits qualify as a “reward,” we have to examine what this term really means — and there are multiple definitions.

Some people will reward themselves with a treat after a stint of hard work. This means that retirement itself, including benefits, could be thought of as a reward of some kind.

And while the terminology surrounding Social Security may suggest otherwise, the benefits themselves are not an award — in the sense that they’re not a prize or a gift.

They’re not a handout, charity, welfare, or an entitlement. These benefits are fairly earned by U.S. seniors who have paid into this program throughout their lives. We can appreciate the rewarding sensation of reaching retirement. But we must never forget that this program is propped up by taxpayers.

Retirement becomes much more rewarding when you realize it’s earned.

Help Us Protect Social Security’s Future

In order to make sure this program can pay out benefits in full, we must make our voices heard. If you want to make sure benefits are fairly adjusted for inflation each year, sign our petition.

There’s nothing more rewarding than getting the benefits you deserve, and knowing they’re fairly calculated for the modern economy.

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