Even before that it is theft because they automatically take the money from our paychecks and there is no way to opt out.

Taxation is theft

If it makes you feel better, that 5% return that you state as a given... Yea that was stolen too.

Assets don't automatically pump forever, the dollar automatically depreciates forever.

It's theft all the way down homie. This is why we stack sats.

Well, the pension system is a ponzi scheme

Join the club, dude. I put in $450k. At $2k per month, the principal will be returned in 225 months, or 18 years and 9 months. Then the interest on money held for over 50 years should kick in, at age 80+. Social Security isn't a "ponzi scheme". The government should be way AHEAD, given actuarial tables, on any worker that sacrificed a portion of their pay for a minimum of 20 years, which is of course the large majority. What is bankrupting Social Security is that it has been turned into a welfare program for various disenfranchised folk.

I'm not against helping people out, but the USA already HAS a benefit program for the poor, colloquially called "welfare". Why all aid to the disenfranchised isn't put under ONE umbrella, which would obviate the need for dual workforces to review each case (retirees take almost no review service as the records are plain to see from all sides, beneficiary, employers and government) is the result of bureaucracy.

In any case, you're correct. The Social Security retiree program is a giant money producer for the government. It is outright thievery for those forced to comply.

here is argentina is funny the other way around for lower incomes.

You can paid around 30 U$D per month plus a % of VAT tax, but that's hard to quantify. An at the end you get around 300 U$D 13 times a year so 3.900 U$D.

(30 + 30 )x 12 = 720

with 5% annual you would end up with around 47.850 after 30 years

you would get a 2.400 a year

vs gvmt pension being 3.900

and you can decide to NOT paid almost at all and paid it all in crash at the end for around 11.000 but you get a 3.900 a year income out of it

if you make more money you get screw the same as in the US tho xD