Most people do not realize that the income tax on Social Security benefits goes right back to Social Security, helping to replenish the reserve (aka "Trust Fund)"
https://www.cbpp.org/research/taxing-social-security-benefits-is-sound-policy
https://www.cbpp.org/research/taxing-social-security-benefits-is-sound-policy
Comments
https://www.cbpp.org/blog/eliminating-taxation-of-social-security-benefits-would-be-unwise
"Lawmakers chose the 85-percent figure because actuaries estimated that no Social Security beneficiary had paid (through withholding from his or her paychecks) for more than 15 percent of his or her own benefits."
I seriously do not understand the bend thing.
The Bend is the whole reason that and GPO existed and people don't seem to even get that it exists.