The Social Security program was established in 1935 to provide retirement income to certain workers. The program was later expanded to cover most of the workforce. Prior to the program's development, individuals were completely responsible for funding their personal needs both during their working years and during retirement. If an individual failed to save and invest, that individual could not retire from the workforce. Like any large, complex government program, there are many components to Social Security. Ten common questions about the program are addressed below. More at Yahoo Finance..Investopedia.com