I think Social Security has definitely met its original purpose of preventing widespread poverty among seniors, but the challenge now is that the system wasn’t designed for today’s demographics. When it started, far fewer people lived long enough to collect for decades. Now, with longer life expectancies and fewer workers paying in per retiree, the math doesn’t work the same way. Adjustments like gradually raising the retirement age, tweaking payroll taxes, or means-testing benefits could help keep it sustainable. The key is making changes that preserve its core mission financial security in old age without overburdening younger generations.
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I think Social Security has definitely met its original purpose of preventing widespread poverty among seniors, but the challenge now is that the system wasn’t designed for today’s demographics. When it started, far fewer people lived long enough to collect for decades. Now, with longer life expectancies and fewer workers paying in per retiree, the math doesn’t work the same way. Adjustments like gradually raising the retirement age, tweaking payroll taxes, or means-testing benefits could help keep it sustainable. The key is making changes that preserve its core mission financial security in old age without overburdening younger generations.
Post: Does Social Security work?
Link to comment from September 1, 2025