The Indicator from Planet Money · Friday, October 2, 2026
A study by the National Academy of Sciences revealed that individuals in the top 20 percent income bracket live approximately 13 years longer than those in the bottom 20 percent. This disparity means higher earners collect Social Security benefits for a significantly longer period, potentially impacting the program's progressive nature.
“But the overall progressive impact is also kind of blunted by the fact that more educated and richer people tend to live longer. So they collect those Social Security benefits for longer.”
“One study by the National Academy of Sciences found that people in the top 20 percent income-wise live an average of about 13 years longer than people in the bottom 20 percent.”
“13 years. That's a huge difference. Yeah, that's really, really stark.”