[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by ithos

You may be right. I meant in the collective. But the vast majority of retirees will receive more than they put in. This in large part due to the advancements in medicine and the deteriorating health of elderly Americans due to poor lifestyle.

PolitiFact | Medicare and Social Security: What you paid compared with what you get

Payroll Taxes Fall Short of Paying for Social Security and Medicare-2023-12-18.

The system will continue to get worse until beneficiaries are incentivized or convinced to eat a healthier diet and do more exercise. But I don't see that happening. But of course the downside of people living longer healthier lives will mean that the SS retirement age will need to be raised but that would be a good tradeoff.

Blue Zones: Lessons From the World’s Longest Lived Blue Zones - PMC

I think a pretty big chunk of the "why retirees get more out of it than they pay in" is because many of them refuse to go to a doctor at all until it's an emergency. Emergency care, heart disease, stroke, cancer - are all VERY expensive medical issues to treat/cure. Much of this can be prevented (or risk greatly reduced) with regular checkups, routine exams and blood tests, appropriate nutritional and dietary information, and guidance with physical activity.

If you don't go to the doctor until you're sick, you probably could've avoided getting sick if you'd just gone to the doctor first. It costs the doctor less, it costs the health care system less, and it costs you less in your overall health, to participate actively in preventative (wellness) care.