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Generation Z is coming of age at a moment when Social Security’s future feels uncertain. Faced with rising taxes, higher living costs, and doubts about whether the program will still be there for them, many young adults are signaling a surprising preference: they would rather see benefits cut than pay more into the system. Recent surveys and reports suggest this isn’t apathy, but a pragmatic response to a system they don’t fully trust.
A Generational Shift in Attitudes
Polling shows a clear divide between Gen Z and older Americans on how to fix Social Security. In a Cato Institute survey, 47% of Gen Z respondents said they support reducing benefits for current and future retirees, compared with just 6% of adults aged 65 and older who feel the same way. That gap highlights how differently generations view responsibility for the program’s shortfall.
Why Taxes Feel Like a Bigger Burden
For many Gen Z workers, higher taxes land at the worst possible time. Younger adults are entering the workforce amid elevated housing costs, student loan balances, and inflation pressures. As a result, tax hikes can feel immediate and personal, while benefit cuts seem distant and abstract.
Doubts About the Program’s Longevity
Confidence in Social Security’s future is low among younger Americans. About one-third of adults under 30 say they aren’t confident the program will exist when they retire, according to the same polling. When faith in the system erodes, willingness to pay more into it tends to follow.
Expectations of Lower Returns
Gen Z doesn’t just doubt Social Security’s survival—they expect less from it. Roughly 78% of Gen Z respondents believe they will receive less than their full scheduled benefits, a far higher share than current retirees who expect the same. That perception shapes how fair the program feels.
Cutting Benefits vs. Raising Taxes
When asked to choose, many Gen Z respondents lean toward benefit reductions. Surveys summarized by Infinium Investment Advisors show that younger adults are more open to trimming payouts than increasing payroll taxes, especially if higher taxes don’t guarantee proportional benefits later. The preference reflects a cost-benefit mindset rather than hostility toward retirees.
Knowledge Gaps Complicate the Debate
At the same time, understanding of Social Security remains uneven. An Allianz Center for the Future of Retirement study found 55% of Americans admit they don’t know much about how Social Security works, and only 39% have a plan for when to claim benefits. Limited knowledge can intensify skepticism and fuel simplified views of reform.
What the Trustees’ Report Says
Official projections add urgency but also nuance. The 2025 Social Security Trustees’ Report estimates that trust fund reserves could be depleted by 2034, after which the program could still pay about 81% of scheduled benefits using ongoing tax revenue. Benefits wouldn’t disappear, but reductions would be automatic without legislative action.
A Broader Debate About Fairness
For Gen Z, the issue often comes down to fairness across generations. Many see Social Security less as a guaranteed personal benefit and more as a safety net that needs restructuring. That perspective makes proposals like means-testing or benefit trims feel more reasonable than broad tax increases.
What This Means Going Forward
Gen Z’s preference for benefit cuts over tax hikes underscores a deeper challenge for policymakers. Any reform will need to balance fiscal reality, generational trust, and public understanding of how the system works. Without that balance, skepticism among younger workers may continue to grow.