I do expect Social Security to be available in the same form as it is today when I retire, but because of the current economic downturn, I am uncertain of the future for Social Security benefits. When you start working, you pay taxes into the Social Security system, which is deducted from your wages and other earnings, and once you retire you can apply for the benefits that you have earned over the years. There are a few items that depend on how much you get back and if you do, the number of years that you have worked at a Social Security-qualifying job, how much money you have made at those jobs, and the age you retired. It is my responsibility to start saving and prepare for when I retire. Some ways I can prepare is to start a savings account and put away a set amount from each paycheck and that will start building up until I am ready to retire. Also, I can set up a 401K account through my work and they will put a certain percentage where my work can match me and I will have double my earnings by the time I’m ready to retire. It’s definitely my responsibility to watch out for myself and make sure that I have enough saved that I will be able to retire by age 65 and enjoy the rest of my life with my family. Though, with Social Security, it is somewhat going downhill in the next few years, you’ll see the largest drop in worker-to-beneficiary ratios in history because of the baby boomers beginning to retire. Also, you have to take into consideration that people are living longer, we have so many different medicine, research that is keeping us alive longer, birth rate is declining because more and more people are dedicating themselves into working longer hours and working harder than before. There has been a decline not only in birth rates but also in marriages because people are focusing on their careers and not on