Under three conditions I will give back all or part of my Social Security payments.

Many of my colleagues and I who are children of the Baby Boom have no intention of retiring anytime soon. Now, if that’s a secret then I’m not quite sure where you’ve all been living.

Some of us are continuing to work since we have no choice–we were devastated by the 2008 financial crisis. For those of us who were able to weather the storm, we continue to work because it’s our passion. We are, economically speaking, in good shape.

I’m in the latter category.

Lo and behold, I’m on the cusp of receiving my first Social Security check. That, plus my salary, will make for a comfortable lifestyle. But as a child of the 60s give-back and the sense of social responsibility are subliminally buried in the recesses of my collective unconscious.

Here’s the deal. I’m willing to contribute part and maybe even all of my Social Security benefits to the government under the following three conditions:

1. The government provides me with a checklist of agencies and programs to which I can allocate my Social Security payments–a portfolio if you will. For example, I should be able to divvy up my contribution thusly: 15% for education; 20% for Veteran Affairs; 24% for the Environmental Protection Agency and so on. The bottom line is that it’s my choice where the funds go.

2. I get a tax deduction for every dollar I choose to donate.

3. Every year I can reevaluate and make alterations in my contribution schedule for the following year.

Volunteeristic giving is where Republican personal choice meets the Democratic collective responsibility.

What I’m proposing is a volunteeristic system that will allow each of us who can afford it to choose whether or not we want to use some of our Social Security payments to help those governmental agencies and governmental missions that are particularity dear to each of us.

They may even have to compete for our dollars…wouldn’t that be wonderfully democratic.

Photo credit: Andrew Morrell