Gen Z isn’t convinced that Social Security will still be standing when they need it most.
For decades, Social Security has been sold as the safety net every American worker can count on. But for Gen Z, that promise feels shakier than ever. Raised during recessions, inflation spikes, and political gridlock, many young people are deeply skeptical that this system will still exist—or work as intended—when it’s finally their turn to retire. The constant headlines about “insolvency,” “trust fund depletion,” and government mismanagement don’t exactly build confidence.
The fear isn’t just about whether they’ll get a check—it’s about what that uncertainty does to their entire financial future. If Social Security won’t be there, Gen Z knows they’ll need to save more, invest smarter, and carry even more financial risk than previous generations. These nine concerns aren’t paranoid—they’re real anxieties rooted in what they’re seeing unfold right now. And unless major reforms happen, Gen Z’s skepticism about Social Security may turn out to be completely justified.
1. They worry the trust fund will be empty before they ever retire.
Headlines constantly warn that Social Security’s trust fund could run dry by the 2030s. Gen Z hears that loud and clear. Many of them believe they’ll spend decades paying into a system that won’t have enough money left to pay them back once they hit retirement age, according to Chloe Anagnos at FEE.
Even though Social Security likely won’t disappear entirely, the idea of diminished benefits or delayed payouts feels very real to them. It’s hard to have confidence in a retirement system when its long-term solvency is always up for debate. That uncertainty leaves many feeling like they’re contributing to a sinking ship.
2. They fear retirement ages will keep rising to unmanageable levels.
Right now, full retirement age is already creeping toward 67, and many believe it will continue climbing as future generations retire later and later. Gen Z worries that by the time they’re eligible, they’ll have to work into their 70s just to collect a benefit they spent their entire lives funding, as reported by Remy Samuels at PlanSponsor.
The idea of working well into old age isn’t just unappealing—it feels physically and emotionally unsustainable. Gen Z wants to build a life where retirement isn’t a distant, ever-shifting goalpost, but current policy discussions make them feel like that reality may never exist.
3. They see government gridlock making real reform impossible.
Gen Z has grown up watching endless political battles where no one seems capable of working together long enough to fix big problems. Social Security reform has been debated for years, but little meaningful change happens. That leaves young workers deeply skeptical that any politician will actually address the system’s flaws before it’s too late, as stated by the authors at Pew Research Center.
The inability to act fuels their anxiety. They don’t trust either party to prioritize long-term stability over short-term political gains. Without real leadership, they fear Social Security will remain a broken promise by the time they need it most.
4. They fear inflation will eat away at whatever benefits they do receive.
Even if Social Security still exists decades from now, Gen Z knows that inflation could erode its value. As costs rise, they worry their future benefits won’t keep pace with real-world expenses like housing, healthcare, and food—especially if cost-of-living adjustments don’t reflect true inflation.
Watching how inflation has spiked in recent years makes this fear feel very present. They don’t want to end up receiving a monthly check that technically exists but no longer covers even basic living costs. For many, the system feels financially fragile even if the checks keep coming.
5. They’re concerned that rising national debt threatens future benefits.
The national debt grows by billions every day, and Gen Z knows they’ll be the ones stuck with the bill. As government borrowing rises, they fear future budget cuts will target programs like Social Security to help balance the books, leaving younger generations shortchanged.
This looming debt burden makes Gen Z skeptical that current promises can be honored long-term. They’re already paying into the system while feeling like future payouts may be sacrificed to cover unsustainable government spending elsewhere. The math simply doesn’t feel like it adds up.
6. They worry about being forced to carry more personal financial risk.
With Social Security’s stability in question, Gen Z feels immense pressure to save and invest aggressively on their own—without the safety net previous generations relied on. But investing comes with risk, and not everyone has access to financial literacy tools or the income to invest enough early on.
The fear isn’t just about Social Security collapsing—it’s about being forced to shoulder even more financial uncertainty while wages stagnate and housing prices soar. They feel like they’re being asked to manage long-term risk in a system that’s stacked against them from the start.
7. They fear future tax hikes to keep the system afloat.
One solution constantly floated to fix Social Security is raising payroll taxes. But Gen Z is already skeptical about how much they’re taxed—and how little they’ll get in return. The idea of paying even more into a system they distrust feels deeply frustrating.
They worry that higher taxes won’t necessarily translate into stronger benefits. Instead, they fear they’ll simply shoulder more of the financial burden to keep Social Security limping along for older generations, without seeing any real return on their forced investment decades later.
8. They feel punished for entering the workforce during unstable times.
Many Gen Z workers launched their careers during a pandemic, economic shutdowns, student loan debt crises, and sky-high inflation. Being told to trust a system like Social Security after already enduring so much financial instability feels out of touch to them.
They see an economy that has forced them to delay milestones like homeownership and marriage—and worry that Social Security will just add another broken promise to that list. The instability they’ve already experienced colors how much faith they have in any government-run retirement plan.
9. They worry younger generations will face benefit cuts while older ones are protected.
Gen Z watches lawmakers promise not to touch benefits for current retirees while proposing cuts or reforms that would only apply to future generations. That feels deeply unfair. They worry they’ll pay into the system for decades only to receive watered-down versions of what their parents and grandparents got.
The fear isn’t about being selfish—it’s about equity. Gen Z wants reforms that spread responsibility fairly across all generations, not policies that continually sacrifice younger workers to protect the status quo for older voters. They don’t want to inherit a broken deal everyone else avoided.