Indeed. But SS is not considered an individual "asset" by the government. If you meet certain conditions, you might get some of it, but not to pass on to your estate. I suppose if your spouse preceeds you in death, you're eligible to some of their SS, but not quite the same.
I wouldn't mind so much if one could choose to get back what they paid in instead of collecting.
In a heartbeat. I'd take this even without any interest.
That sounds appealing, but depending on your age, you may be giving up a lot.
I wrote earlier than I had done the calculations for my contributions. Since I was working during the 80's, I could have invested in long-term US Treasury bonds that were earning double-digit rates. In 1981, the average dividend rate was 13.45%. I'd still be holding 30-year bonds from the late 80's that are paying more than 8%.
My point: that interest adds up. My mythical $1,000,000 balance would consist of only about $300,000 in contributions. The remaining $700,000 would be dividends earned over my working career.
If that offer was made to me, I'd have to carefully consider it, comparing it to the net present value of my expected benefits.