The Social Security Act of 1935 was established to help Americans receive benefits when they retire or are no longer able to work. All working Americans pay taxes, which in turn are fed into the Social Security system. When this law was passed, it was intended to supplement a person's income upon reaching retirement age. This money would be added to their pensions or savings. Many retirees now depend on it as their sole source of income. In the past, most jobs had a pension and the employee contributed to it. In modern society, pensions are no longer the norm in the world of work as they were 50 years ago. It is more than likely that blue collar jobs do not have any type of pension plan unlike white collar jobs. Not all people receive the same amount of money when they retire. Depending on the salary you earn while working, this will determine how much you receive in your monthly Social Security check. A person who has worked in low-paid jobs in his life will barely receive enough from Social Security. Many of our seniors in the United States barely receive enough money, so much so that many seniors live at or just above the poverty level. When a person reaches retirement age, he or she has many things to deal with. Retirement from work is one of the many realities they face. If they are not financially stable enough to retire, many continue to work rather than face the uncertainty of their financial future. Retirees do not receive enough from Social Security, and many are forced to live in low-cost housing or become homeless, especially our veterans. Applying for Medicare insurance is another obstacle an older person will face. Many fear they won't be able to have... half a paper... sure they can afford their medications. A person who has worked hard all his life may be surprised to find that he may not receive what he expected from Social Security when he retires. It may be much less than what they are used to and that person will have to adapt to a new way or lifestyle to survive. Older adults can take many medications to control diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.; that many will be forced to do without it. The cost of medications for the elderly population is so high now that their health insurance is no longer through their workplace. It was convenient when they worked because that person had health insurance through their place of work. There are many obstacles an older person faces when retiring, and being able to afford medications shouldn't be one of them.