Poll: Many Americans Simply Don’t Understand Social Security Nearly half of the millennials who participated in a survey believe that they “will not get a dime of the Social Security benefits they have earned.” A recent poll has revealed that the average American struggles to grasp the basic facts of Social Security benefits. According to Nationwide’s 8th Annual Social Security Consumer Survey, which was conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of the Nationwide Retirement Institute, the majority of those surveyed showed confidence that they understand how to optimize their Social Security benefits. However, what the data proved was that only 6 percent actually understand all the factors that determine the maximum Social Security benefit an eligible individual can receive.