Dueling Fools: Social Security

Every year, I get a statement that estimates what my Social Security monthly installments will be when I retire. I used to take the annual mailings as preparatory gospel. Now I don't know if I should note its figures or chuckle at it as mere fiction.

Maybe you're like me; you know that Social Security is a major component of the livelihood of recent retirees, but you're not sure how it fits in to your future. Most of us don't plan for our retirement; it just happens. And that sometimes means sacrificing the snazzy Winnebago (NYSE: WGO  ) you wanted or pawning your Callaway (NYSE: ELY  ) clubs.

That's as good a reason as any to take a closer to look at Social Security this week. Does it work? Will it work? Not all Fools agree.

Rule Your Retirement 's Robert Brokamp is our bull this week. Ryan Fuhrmann is our skeptical bear. And really, shouldn't you know a little bit more about this hot topic? Let's start now by taking a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of Social Security.

Duel on!

• Read the bull argument
• Read the bear argument
• Read the bullish rebuttal
• Read the bearish rebuttal
• Vote for the winner

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz holds no financial position in any stock mentioned above. The Fool has a disclosure policy.