Maybe you could, but then again, maybe your investments wouldn't work out. Remember these facts:

• Your Social Security taxes pay for potential disability and survivors benefits as well as for retirement benefits;
• Social Security incorporates social goals - such as giving more protection to families and to low income workers - that are not part of private pension plans; and
• Social Security benefits are adjusted yearly for increases in the cost-of-living - a feature not present in many private plans.