With the retirement age rising in the United States, Ben Shapiro’s viral moment in 2024, when he made statements against Joe Biden’s policies on the retirement age and Social Security, is back in the conversation. “I think retirement itself is a stupid idea,” the commentator said.
“It’s crazy that we haven’t raised the retirement age… Nobody in America should retire at 65”
Ben Shapiro has been the focus of criticism and “admiration” in almost equal measure. On his popular right-wing political show, The Daily Wire, Shapiro said, “It’s crazy that we haven’t raised the retirement age… Nobody in America should retire at 65.” Last year, he took issue with the fact that Joe Biden’s budget proposed raising taxes on high-income earners to fund Social Security and Medicare, rather than raising the retirement age. “Frankly, I think retirement in and of itself is a stupid idea unless you have some kind of health problem.”
Ben Shapiro: he claimed that the reason for raising the retirement age was life expectancy
At the time, when Shapiro made these statements, he claimed that the reason for raising the retirement age was life expectancy. Given that average life expectancy had increased in recent decades, it was only natural that the retirement age would increase. Well, as we’ve been discussing in recent months, the retirement age in the United States was set to increase as life expectancy increased—that’s a fact.
In 1935, the average life expectancy in the United States was 60.7 years
Recall that in 1935, Franklin Roosevelt established 65 as the official retirement age in the country, enacted under the Social Security Act. It’s important to understand that at that time, the average life expectancy in the United States was 60.7 years. Therefore, it might seem absurd to have the retirement age be later than life expectancy.
Shapiro: “Everyone I know who’s elderly, who’s retired, is dead in five years”
Returning to Shapiro’s comments about retirement age and former United States President Joe Biden, “Everyone I know who’s elderly, who’s retired, is dead in five years. If you talk to older people who lose their purpose in life when they lose their job and stop working, things go to h* very quickly.”
Retire at age 67: the average life expectancy is closer to 80, with 76.4 years being the national average
Today, the retirement age is set at 67, but those who meet the requirements can access early retirement at 62, with the corresponding reduction. People will only receive their full retirement pension if they retire at age 67. And remember that today, the average life expectancy is closer to 80, with 76.4 years being the national average.
Inflation has drastically increased the prices of almost all basic goods and services: food in supermarkets, housing, cars, education and healthcare
In any case, we must not only consider current life expectancy, but also the fact that life today is much more expensive than it was 50 or 20 years ago. Inflation has drastically increased the prices of almost all basic goods and services: food in supermarkets, housing, cars, education, and of course, in a country like the United States, healthcare.
Retirement and COLA: States with a higher cost of living make it harder for retirees to make ends meet
Therefore, for many, the decision to retire early isn’t really an option. Receiving approximately 70% of the full income they would have if they retired at 67 isn’t enough to cover their needs. This is especially true for residents of states like New York, Los Angeles, or Florida. States with a higher cost of living make it harder for retirees to make ends meet. Ultimately, it’s essential to have all the necessary information to make the best decisions for our future.
