Will Social Security & Social Programs Be There for Us? Gen Z and the Vanishing Safety Net
- Bavan S
- 21 hours ago
- 5 min read
Will You Ever Retire?
What if I told you that every paycheck you earn includes a contribution to a program you may never benefit from? A system built to ensure retirement, disability, or healthcare security—but one that's crumbling right as your generation enters adulthood. Gen Z is facing a future where the safety nets that helped prior generations are on life support and politically neglected. Will Social Security, Medicare, and similar programs survive long enough for us to use them? Let’s explore the origins, where things went wrong, and what we can still do.
The Birth of the Social Safety Net: A New Deal for America
In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt launched the Social Security Act during the Great Depression—a time when poverty among the elderly was rampant and jobs were scarce. The goal was simple: create a system of support for the retired, disabled, and unemployed, funded through payroll taxes from working Americans and their employers.
By 1965, the creation of Medicare and Medicaid extended this support to healthcare, ensuring that aging and low-income populations wouldn't be abandoned. These systems weren’t based on charity—they were structured like insurance. You pay in throughout your working life, and you’re promised stability in return.
The Rise (and Fall) of the Middle Class: A Postwar Dream
The post-WWII economy exploded thanks to policies like the GI Bill, union protections, and a strong industrial base. This era built a robust American middle class where homeownership, stable jobs, and pensions were accessible to millions. It was proof that when government invests in people, society thrives.
But in the 1970s, things began to shift. Deregulation, outsourcing, and tax cuts for the wealthy started dismantling the New Deal legacy. Politicians across party lines began treating government support as waste, while corporate lobbying exploded and public trust plummeted. This pivot led to fewer protections, stagnant wages, and increasing wealth inequality—a reversal of the promise that hard work would lead to a better life.
How Social Security & Medicare Work (For Now)
When you work a job, 6.2% of your paycheck goes to Social Security, and 1.45% goes to Medicare, with your employer matching both amounts. That money doesn't sit in a personal account—it funds current retirees. This “pay-as-you-go” system works only if enough workers pay into it consistently.
Currently, retirees can begin collecting partial Social Security benefits at age 62, with full benefits available at 66–67. Medicare kicks in at 65. But here’s the problem: Congress has repeatedly borrowed from the Social Security Trust Fund, using it to offset deficits elsewhere—jeopardizing the long-term solvency of the system.
The 2025 Crisis and the Looming Collapse
The Social Security Trust Fund is expected to be depleted by 2035. This doesn’t mean the program vanishes—but if no action is taken, benefits will be cut by 20–25% across the board. It’s not the program that’s broken—it’s the politics surrounding it.
Meanwhile, proposed budget plans like Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” would gut Medicaid and shift Medicare toward privatization, while doing nothing to shore up Social Security. These proposals are backed by the same lawmakers who passed trillion-dollar tax cuts for the wealthy, and now use “budget shortfalls” as an excuse to cut programs everyday Americans rely on.
The Birth Rate Dilemma: Fewer People, More Problems
Social Security is a generational contract—today’s workers pay for today’s retirees. In 1960, there were 5.1 workers for every retiree. Today, there are fewer than 2.8—and that number is falling. As Gen Z and Millennials delay or avoid having children due to economic hardship and climate anxiety, the tax base that sustains Social Security is shrinking.
If fewer people are born and working, then less money flows into the system—even as more people retire and live longer. Without intervention, this imbalance could destabilize Social Security within a decade. And intervention starts with changing the way things are, giving the next generation the financial opportunity to have families and children (because this ain't working).
What Gen Z Can Do to Secure the Future
Advocate Loudly—Because These Are Your Earned Benefits
Let’s start with the basics: Social Security and Medicare are not welfare—they’re wages you haven’t collected yet. You’ve been paying into these programs since your first paycheck. It’s not a handout—it’s a contract. Gen Z must aggressively defend these programs from political negligence, because if we don’t, no one else will.
This means paying close attention to the policies being proposed—not just the headlines. Budget bills that sound “efficient” or “fiscally responsible” are often vehicles for gutting the safety net. Follow the money. Watch which politicians vote to protect Social Security and which quietly propose cuts buried in “entitlement reform.” And vote like your future depends on it—because it does.
Fix the Framework: Stop Leaning on the Working Class Alone
The Social Security model was built in the 1930s when the economy was simpler and more evenly distributed. Today, ultra-wealthy individuals and corporations hoard trillions while contributing proportionally far less to the public programs that keep society afloat.
We need to push for:
Removing the payroll tax cap, so millionaires keep paying into Social Security all year like the rest of us (right now, they stop after ~$160,000 in income).
Corporate contributions to safety net programs, especially from billion-dollar companies that profit off low wages and gig labor without offering retirement or healthcare benefits.
Taxation on stock buybacks and passive investment income, which disproportionately benefit the ultra-rich while sidestepping labor-based contributions to society.
If we don’t modernize the funding model, the system will collapse under the weight of outdated assumptions.
Build Parallel Paths: Protect Yourself Beyond the System
Even if we reform Social Security, it likely won’t be enough by the time we hit retirement. That means Gen Z must be proactive and creative in building backup plans:
Invest early in Roth IRAs and 401(k)s, especially if your employer offers matching contributions. Even small monthly deposits can grow substantially over decades due to compound interest.
Look into healthcare and retirement opportunities overseas. In countries like Portugal, Mexico, or Thailand, your dollar can stretch further—and some offer excellent public healthcare to residents.
Veterans: use your benefits. If you're a disabled veteran, your VA compensation and pensions are guaranteed lifelines. Use them to reduce reliance on other fragile systems, and plan accordingly.
Gig and creative workers should prioritize building diversified income streams (digital products, rental income, freelance consulting, etc.), since many are left out of traditional employer-based safety nets.
Demand a Future That Works for Everyone
We don’t just need better retirement planning—we need a new vision of the American future. One where:
Retirement isn’t a fantasy or a punishment.
Health care is a right, not a job benefit.
Public programs are supported by those who’ve gained the most from this economy—not squeezed from those already struggling.
That means Gen Z must fight not just to protect the past, but to reinvent what comes next.
Don’t Let the Net Disappear
The social safety net isn’t dead—but it is endangered. And once it’s gone, it will be incredibly hard to rebuild. Gen Z has the numbers, the urgency, and the lived experience to demand something better.
You shouldn’t have to work until you die. You shouldn’t lose healthcare because you lost a job. You shouldn’t fear old age like it’s a punishment. These programs were built to protect us—and they can again, if we fight to preserve them.