1) The taxpayer pays payroll taxes matched by the employer.
2) The excess is spent in the general fund, and the Department of SS is given Special T bills.
3). When the Special T bills are redeemed, the taxpayer has to pay again, or the federal government borrows money to pay back the Department of SS, which adds to the debt and deficit, another expense to the taxpayer.
4). The taxpayer pays the interest earned on the special Tbills. Or the money is borrowed by the feds, which adds to the debt and deficit, another expense to the taxpayer.
5) Then, the taxpayer can end up paying taxes on 85% of the SS payments received.