Just about everyone knows that the Social Security System is broken. At its inception, Social Security was designed to supplement an individuals retirement years at a 40 percent rate. It was never designed to be the only source of income for any one person or family. But over the years, our Congressional leaders have distorted the program to include persons with disabilities, children of deceased parents, and even those of the age of collecting benefits that are imprisoned. The system needs to be fixed.

Here are some of the ideas that I have:

First: We must adjust the system by moving many of the individuals into new programs designed for those with disabilities, that can no longer take care of themselves, and have had productive working careers, or at least subsidize their income so they can hold part-time jobs. Upon requesting Social Security benefits, their disability benefits would be adjusted downward by 50 cents for every dollar they collect in Social Security. Example: If an individual collects $1,000.00 monthly in disability benefits and wishes to collect Social Security at age 62, they would collect their Social Security of $284.10, and their disability benefit would be reduced by $142.05. Total benefits would increase to $1,142.05. Waiting until age 67, their total benefit would be $1,433.50. And at age 72, you would receive $2,157.37.

Second: Children of deceased parents should have some kind of financial back-up, but the Social Security System should not be the solution. Programs need to be put into place that help the children based on the income of the household in which they reside with a surviving parent. Those that must be cared for by an outside family member or placed in a foster home should be given benefits until that child reaches the age of 18 and graduates high school. High School dropouts should lose all benefits.

Third: If an individual has been imprisoned and is of the age to collect benefits, those benefits should be handed over to the correctional facility to offset the institution's costs.

Forth: Link the Social Security System with the Medicare system. Benefits would be based on the age of the individual when the individual applies for those benefits. Linking these systems would solve many problems.

Fifth: Those that legally immigrated to the United States must meet guidelines for benefits. These benefits would be adjusted down by 5 percent for every year less than 20.

Sixth: Benefits would be at a fixed rate regardless of work history and annual income of any individual. At age 67 benefits would be fixed at the rate of the US poverty level (867.00 monthly for 2008). For each year they wait to collect benefits, the benefit would rise 20 percent over they year before but for every year under 67, the benefits would decreased by 20 percent. (See the chart below) So at age 62 you would receive only $284.10 a month, age 67 - $867.00 monthly and at 72 you would receive $2157.37 monthly. Waiting to start collecting benefits would be beneficial.