The rest goes into the Social Security Trust Fund that is promptly loaned to the US government.

And mortality before benefits is figured into Social Security's solvency.

What happens to your car insurance money if you don't have any accidents?
What happens to your house insurance money if you don't have any thefts, fires, etc.

as promised, to help support children. My aunt's husband died when all five of their children were under 18, and she got SS until they reached majority. A friend's ex died when he was 25, left two children under the age of 8. Even though he had only paid into SS for about 7 years both mothers received checks for the children; my friend got a little over $500 per month (this was in the last 70s) and I assume that the other child's mother received a similar amount.

All of which is a long way of saying the Social Security is about more than just retirement, and was designed to be a support for 'widows and orphans' as it was called. I don't know how many people receive more money than they (or a parent) paid in, but the system wasn't really meant as a savings account.

The essence of social insurance is that some receive more than they paid in and others less, but society benefits from the coverage. If I had been on disability for many years or died relatively young with minor children who were eligible for monthly benefits for many years or receive retirement benefits until I am 110, my family would likely receive many times what I paid in.

If I died young with no dependents, my contributions would go to the people mentioned above.

People paying into SS money goes towards paying recipients, plus the excess that the govt borrows (and apparently doesn't want to pay back). When you collect from SS, that money comes from people currently paying into SS.

A lot of those benefits won't go back into the pot. People should be able to will their benefits if they never married and don't have children. If you die before 62, your benefits will go on for another 20 years to whoever you wish it to. Have a plan that if you put in an extra $5.00 a month you can will your benefits if you never use them. And if you make it to 62 or 65 you get that money back.

I am 52 and I worked 30 years out of my life. I don't have any kids, and never married yet. (It just became legal for me). If I were to die, why can't my family get my benefits? That is MY money and I don't want it to go back to the government.

It's a tax and current benefits are paid out with the money being currently collected. The Supreme Court has ruled that no one has a property right to taxes paid into Social Security. People have been challenging that since it was created.

They predict with some accuracy the number of people who will survive long enough to collect OADSI.

but a more interesting question is "how big is the amount of money paid in by illegal immigrants who never collect a dime?" and the answer is "pretty damn fucking big". But the rightwing SS and mexican haters don't like that question.

who, of course, can't collect because their SSNs are fake.