Why can’t more people plan for their retirement future?

I read daily about seniors who can’t pay their bills in retirement, who say it’s unfair for them to pay property taxes for schools, who say they deserve higher SS COLAs etc.

Some people, through no fault of their own, because of uncontrollable misfortune, did not have the ability to save and build retirement income at whatever level they were throughout life. But those folks are far from the majority. 

So what happened that after forty years of working so many seniors seem poorly positioned to live in retirement?

We know retirement is coming (if we are lucky), we know inflation will always be with us, we know someday a spouse or partner will have to live on their own, we know taxes are a real thing living in a large society. We know or should that Social Security alone does not provide an adequate income. 

I say we know all that, but might it be that many people don’t know or choose to ignore or apply wishful thinking?  I did a little research and found that people often avoid planning for retirement because it feels abstract, complicated, and easy to postpone. Immediate distractions may be short-term financial pressure, lack of clarity about how much they will need, and the assumption that they can “figure it out later” or keep working indefinitely.

Some people are naturally more future-oriented because they find it easier to tolerate uncertainty, delay rewards, and think in systems rather than immediate events. Others are more present-focused because their environment rewards quick wins, and because the future feels too uncertain to plan around confidently. And some are so presently consumed with money issues, the future is not considered. 

All this is a big mistake of course as the HD community knows well. For me, concern for the future has always been as strong as concern for next month. Perhaps too much so at times. 

What is it that allowed you to plan and act in your long-term best interest?