Retirees Claim Six Times as Much in Federal Dollars than Young People Do

The federal government spends significantly more on retirees than any other age group in the United States, a sign of the breadth of Social Security and Medicare — and Americans' determination to keep those programs going.

Americans age 65 and older — generally part of the baby-boom generation or Silent Generation — received an estimated $2.7 trillion in federal outlays last year, six times as much as the $449 billion for Americans under 26 years old. That ratio is only expected to grow as the population ages.

Working-age adults, or those ages 26 to 64, received an estimated $1.2 trillion, according to an analysis published Wednesday by Penn Wharton Budget Model. The analysis estimates how many federal dollars went to different age groups during the last fiscal year by examining government spending.

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