I plan to take care of myself ‘til I die, which is a lot more than the slack jawed and slack pantsed kids are likely to be able to do. It’s gonna’ be interesting if not much fun for a couple of decades.
I think you would be well served to actually go and look what Gen-Xers are doing for their retirement. Most are investing in 401K's, Buying IRAs, etc. Like me, we do not believe that SS is for us. It was for you. We have to figure our own way to save and most are.
Wrong.
SS worked reasonably well for those before us boomers (OK, I'm on the leading edge) but it's hardly significant today. Remember that the same period, 1946 'till maybe '96, included pension plans, medical plans, and such - which are going away for us just as they are for you. Difference is that you'll have more time for those 401s to grow and you know fairly early that you need to look out for yourselves.
Frankly, I'm a lot more interested in what happens to Medicare and the various schemes involving that than I am with SS. Besides, if SS went away a whole lot of welfare royalty would have to scale back on their life style.
PS: Please don't send money, I'm doing OK.
That's pretty much my take as well, and I'm 37. My entire life I've always looked upon Social Security as nothing more than a tax, and not something I have owed to me in the future, and I really don't expect to get it. I'm saving as much money as I possibly can and trying to make prudent investments. I don't buy expensive cars I don't need, and I don't ever plan on buying a boat, joining a country club, or buying a vacation home somewhere I rarely spend time in.
The attitude of most of my Baby Boomer relatives, to be perfectly honest with you, sucks.