Go to main Forum page » on HumbleDollar for serious discussion
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 1/26/2026
I recently received an e-mail survey from the Senior Citizens League, a senior advocacy group. Out of curiosity I completed the survey so I could see all the questions. They are all leading questions all focused on getting more for seniors.
What is not contained in the e-mail is reference to the financial status of Social Security and Medicare, the need to lower costs or increase FICA taxes or both. As I read it, it is all about me, me, me.
I think this effort is unfair to younger Americans and a bit selfish. Why do we seniors deserve more at the expense of younger Americans?
I find all this as disturbing as the movement to excerpt seniors from property taxes.
HumbleDollar is about being financially prudent, about preparing for retirement and other financial events when being a senior is real. I think readers reflect all that, but I suspect that is not reflecting the majority of seniors.
Example survey questions:
✔️Overall, how satisfied are you with the amount you receive from your monthly Social Security benefit check(s)?
✔️The Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) is 2.8 percent for 2026. Which of the following statements best describes how you feel about this COLA? (Fair, too low, too high).
✔️How do you feel about the idea of guaranteeing a 3 percent minimum COLA for Social Security beneficiaries?
✔️How do you feel about the proposal to eliminate ALL taxes on Social Security benefits?
✔️Overall, how satisfied are you with the cost of your Medicare benefits?
✔️How do you feel about changing the COLA calculation to use an inflation index designed specifically to measure seniors’ economic experiences?
✔️How do you feel about the idea of the government issuing a senior stimulus payment?
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
Do seniors deserve more … at the expense of younger citizens?
No.
However, with the coming funding challenge, I am sure there will be many who want to scale back benefits awarded to the Baby Boom generation.
Baby Boomers started paying FICA and FICA-Med taxes (on average) as early as 1965 (for those born in 1946 or later). Many, such as myself, paid FICA and FICA-Med taxes throughout my 55+ year working career (for me, modest amounts (1969 – 1977), then significant amounts thereafter (1978 – 2025)). That is 47 full years, and another 9 years when my income was minimal or I was working at a government job. Benefits are calculated only on 35 highest years, and, since 2019, all of the taxes I paid have not affected my benefit (as recent years were not one of my 35 highest years).
Who did I pay all that for? It was to fund the Silent Generation and the Greatest Generation – neither of whom paid enough in FICA and FICA-Med to fund their own benefits.
So, provide Boomers the promised benefits to the extent Boomers funded their benefits – where Congress decided to take those contributions and spend them on prior generations.
Then, prospectively change the system for anyone under age 60 – adjust FICA and FICA-Med taxes along with benefits – gradually change the system back to one designed to elevate folks out of poverty.
LikeLike