actually, it's a lot simpler than that.

If citizen "A" pays in $566,000 in "employer" and employee monies (let's call it for what it is... actually 100% EMPLOYEEE paid) and gets $500,000 average then the worker gets hosed. But the averages are based on employees paying into the scheme.

If illegal citizen B pays in ZERO ...you know, the number of jobs created last month, and citizen "A" above has paid in $566,000 then the "average is $288,000 between the two. However, illegal citizen B still receives $566,000 in SS, SS Disability, etc over 40+ years (or however long it takes to deport members of Sotero's family here illegally, for example) then the "average receipient amount" between citizen "A" and illegal citizen B has still received $566,000.

Oh yeah, the progressive FDR that started this program had it set up so that you would qualify for retirement benefits AFTER the age of what typical life expectancy was in the early 1930's.

Did your survivors get your 'premiums' returned upon your death?

SS is the greatest Ponzi scheme ever enacted. Madoff's scheme paled in comparison.