Is someone out to steal your Social Security benefits?

I've been hearing a lot about the illegal immigrants and how they're stealing our Social Security benefits. In an effort to find out for myself what the facts are, instead of digesting what is fed to me by the media, I went on a fact finding mission.  I first went to the Social Security Administration to find out how a person qualifies for Social Security benefits.

Who qualifies for Social Security benefits at retirement?  According to the Social Security website, “When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn “credits” toward Social Security benefits.  The number of credits you need to get retirement benefits depends on when you were born. If you were born in 1929 or later, you need 40 credits (10 years of work).”

Another way of qualifying is to be married at least 10 years to someone who pays in to Social Security.  You can even be divorced from them and collect on their benefit.  You must be 62 and unmarried.

The final way of qualifying is through disability.  That has to be the least appealing way to qualify, in my mind, at least.

    

To sign up for benefits you need:  1) a social security number, 2) a birth certificate, 3) your W-2 forms or self-employment tax return for last year; 4) your military discharge papers if you had military service; 5) your spouse’s birth certificate and Social Security number if he or she is applying for benefits; 6) proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status if you (or a spouse or child applying for benefits) were not born in the United States; and, 7) the name of your financial institution, the routing number and your account number, so your benefits can be deposited directly into your account

Reference: Social Security Administration Publication No. 05-10035, January 2010

Well that seems to put to rest any fears I might have that illegal immigrants are going to steal my Social Security benefits.  

In the last few years I have been following the retirement estimates from Social Security a lot closer.  You know, the ones they send you every year about three months before your birthday.  The more I make, the higher the benefits have climbed.  I certainly wouldn't appreciate an illegal alien stealing my number and submitting earnings at minimum wage!

I read an article in the New York Times that says the contributions to Social Security from illegal immigrants largely allow the program to stay afloat.  It has been said that illegal aliens contribute $8 billion a year to Social Security.  This is money they paid in, but will never receive back in retirement.

How can this happen?  How can illegal aliens have a Social Security number?  According to that New York Times article (April 5, 2005) by Eduardo Porter:  It’s quite simple: they are buying fake or assuming other people's numbers.  Since the late 1980s the Social Security Administration has experienced a huge increase in the number of W-2 earnings reports with false numbers.  They have set aside what is called an “earnings suspense file” as a result.  They are hoping to someday clear out this file, but it has continued to grow, and was, at last estimated in 2005, growing on average by more than $50 billion a year.  The Social Security tax revenue gain as a result of this is estimated at $6 billion to $7 billion, and another $1.5 billion in Medicare taxes.

So why is there all of this concern that illegal immigrants will take our Social Security benefits without ever paying into it?  I suggest that it is another piece of the propaganda puzzle.  I think this is an example of a manipulation of our emotions – simply to outrage the public.