--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A lifetime single worker really gets a…" description: "\"A lifetime single worker really gets a horrid deal from Social Security. The return on average is less than 0.5 percent. These workers would be nearly ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/stephen-moore-5060_average_a-lifetime-single-worker-really-gets-a-h_1960011.jpg" --- # A lifetime single worker really gets a horrid deal from… ![“A lifetime single worker really gets a horrid deal from Social Security. The return on average is less than 0.5 percent. These workers would be nearly better off stuffing their payroll tax dollars under a mattress.” quote by Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/stephen-moore-5060_average_a-lifetime-single-worker-really-gets-a-h_1960011.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/stephen-moore-5060_average_a-lifetime-single-worker-really-gets-a-h_1960011.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/stephen-moore-5060_average_a-lifetime-single-worker-really-gets-a-h_1960011.jpg) > “A lifetime single worker really gets a horrid deal from Social Security. The return on average is less than 0.5 percent. These workers would be nearly better off stuffing their payroll tax dollars under a mattress.” [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The average return on Social Security contributions is extremely low, making it a poor investment compared to holding cash. **In simple terms:** Social Security yields tiny returns. Key Takeaway Consider alternative retirement savings. Themes economics public policy retirement finance risk Mood skeptical critical Type policy analysis economic commentary When to use this quote - personal finance planning - policy debate - retirement strategy Key Concepts social insurance intergenerational transfer investment return Questions to Reflect On - Is Social Security worth the cost? - What alternatives could improve retirement security? A Different Perspective Higher returns may require higher risk or reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Payroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/payroll/) [Payroll tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/payroll-tax/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Single Worker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-worker-3230375/) [Social security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-security/) [Stuffing Payroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuffing-payroll-3230374/) [Tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tax/) ## Related quotes > [I am not a great fan of the payroll tax holiday because I'm nervous about what it does to the future of Social Security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-am-not-a-great-fan-of-the-payroll-tax-holiday-because-i-m-nervous/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I would give relief from the first $10,000 of the payroll tax. I would allow small businesses to accelerate depreciation so they would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-graham/i-would-give-relief-from-the-first-10-000-of-the-payroll-tax-i-would/) [Bob Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-graham/) > [More retirees, longer life expectancy, larger benefits, and fewer workers - these trends have meant substantial increases in the payroll tax. Since the social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-tabarrok/more-retirees-longer-life-expectancy-larger-benefits-and-fewer/) [Alex Tabarrok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-tabarrok/) > [Social Security is a widely popular program because the individual has been deceived by the Statist to believe that the government has been prudently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-levin/social-security-is-a-widely-popular-program-because-the-individual/) [Mark Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-levin/) > [ Did folks know that the tax to fund the program \[Social Security\] only hits salaries up to $110,000? That means that if you make… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-bernstein/did-folks-know-that-the-tax-to-fund-the-program-social-security-only/) [Jared Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-bernstein/) > [I think that for the next short period of time, our No. 1 priority is Congress needs to do its work and extend the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-lew/i-think-that-for-the-next-short-period-of-time-our-no-1-priority-is/) [Jacob Lew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-lew/) > [Republicans want to punish work and reward wealth; hence the high payroll tax and the low dividend tax. Said one Bush economic adviser, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-begala/republicans-want-to-punish-work-and-reward-wealth-hence-the-high/) [Paul Begala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-begala/) > [The challenge for any government is how do you do two things at the same time. 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I mean it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/the-woman-that-comes-in-takes-the-wastebasket-away-she-s-paying-15-3/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [If you look at the Forbes 400, they are paying a lower rate, accounting payroll taxes, than their secretary or - whomever around their office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/if-you-look-at-the-forbes-400-they-are-paying-a-lower-rate-accounting/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Ive never supported a payroll tax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dewhurst/ive-never-supported-a-payroll-tax/) [David Dewhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dewhurst/) > [I have always maintained that if a program is to be successful, it must... be voluntary... based on need and must not be financed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thruston-ballard-morton/i-have-always-maintained-that-if-a-program-is-to-be-successful-it/) [Thruston Ballard Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thruston-ballard-morton/) > [If we do nothing, we are handing our children a ticking time bomb that will require they pay ever greater payroll taxes just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/if-we-do-nothing-we-are-handing-our-children-a-ticking-time-bomb-that/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## More by Stephen Moore > [It turns out the businessman knows more about how the economy really works than the chattering class. What a shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moore/it-turns-out-the-businessman-knows-more-about-how-the-economy-really/) [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) > [If the goal of the Trump tax cut is to make America look more like tax-cutting North Carolina and less like soak-the-rich Connecticut and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moore/if-the-goal-of-the-trump-tax-cut-is-to-make-america-look-more-like/) [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) > [The countries in the Paris climate accord have broken almost every promise they've made, and the nation (the U.S.) that hasn't signed the treaty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moore/the-countries-in-the-paris-climate-accord-have-broken-almost-every/) [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) > [Many small business owners want to pass their family legacy on to their kids and grandkids, but they are turned over to vulture funds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moore/many-small-business-owners-want-to-pass-their-family-legacy-on-to/) [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) > [One of Trump's reforms is to limit the time that workers can use on the job at taxpayer expense working on union activities. 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