It typically takes about 3 to 5 years (roughly 34 to 63 months) for most people starting Social Security benefits at Full Retirement Age (FRA) to recoup their personal payroll tax contributions.
This is a common “break-even” or payback period analysis for employee contributions only (the 6.2% you pay; the employer’s matching 6.2% is not counted as “your” contribution in these studies). It assumes you claim at FRA (66–67, depending on birth year) with no early-claiming reduction.
Key Findings from a Representative Study
One analysis examined hypothetical workers with lifetime earnings at different levels (based on the national Average Wage Index, or AWI), assuming 35 years of contributions and benefits starting at FRA:
• Low earner (50% of AWI): Recoups in ~34 months.
• Average earner (100% of AWI): Recoups in the 3–5 year range (typically around 40–50 months).
• Higher earner (150% of AWI): Longer, but still within 3–5 years for most.
• Maximum earner (capped taxable wages every year): Recoups in ~63 months.
Self-employed people (who pay the full 12.4%) take longer to break even.
The real question you should ask is where does the money come from to pay my benefits after I have collected an amount equal to the taxes I paid
The answer, of course, is from the workers currently paying those taxes which are now insufficient to continue to pay the full amount of earned benefits.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
In the real world you have to include the employer share of tax paid along with your own. The employer doesn’t receive a benefit check when you retire and the employer share is only paid because you were on the payroll. Those dollars have to account somewhere. So double the time to recoup your contributions.
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okay, but even that takes about seven years of collecting, especially if there is a spousal benefit. You can’t measure any of this just looking at the workers retirement benefit, you have to consider all the benefits (insurance) provided to everyone under different circumstances. The fact revenue from taxes does not cover all the benefits promised demonstrates we get more than we pay for.
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