It is both amusing and disturbing to see how often incorrect information appears in letters on this page.

Jay Burreson's letter of Nov. 5 stands out. He claims that the U.S. government pays no interest on the money borrowed from the two Social Security Trust Funds (old-age survivors and disability) and does not have to pay the money back. He is wrong on both counts.

By law, income to these funds must be invested. In the past the funds have held marketable Treasury securities available to the general public. Now, however, the income is invested in special issue bonds and certificates of indebtedness, which negate market fluctuations and are available only to the trust funds. The bonds and certificates are redeemable, with interest, and it is those redemptions that are used to pay Social Security obligations.

At the end of September 2009, the more-than-$2.5 trillion in the Social Security Trust Funds was invested in bonds and certificates with an average annual interest rate of 4.716 percent and an average maturity of 7.729 years.

The U.S. government does not "rip off Social Security," as Mr. Burreson claims. The Social Security Administration buys bonds and certificates from the U.S. government. Then, as necessary, Social Security redeems those financial instruments with interest to pay its obligations. Anyone who has purchased a fixed interest U.S. Savings Bond should be able to understand how the income from Social Security taxes are invested and redeemed.

G. Brent Dalrymple, Corvallis