Dennis Jansen was interviewed as part of a story on aging Americans that was published by the Texas A&M College of Arts and Sciences on May 19, 2026.
Both cultural views on aging and demographics are undergoing a major shift in the U.S. as more of the Baby Boomer generation retires.
As the number of retirees surges and birth rates continue to decline, less workers are paying into Social Security. “There was a period of time when the number of workers significantly outweighed retirees, allowing the system to create a fund that saved money for the future,” Jansen said. “With the current rate of baby boomers retiring compared to the number of people entering the workforce, that Social Security fund is expected to run out of money around 2033.”
“We should expect to see future changes being made to Social Security, especially in the form of tax rates on current workers being increased and benefits for retirees being decreased,” Jansen said.
Labor and employment – who is currently working – is also undergoing shifts. “We are going to start needing more workers, and with that comes incentives that make people want to work, including higher wages and more flexible schedules,” Jansen said. “Those incentives in turn keep people working for longer. I believe more people are working over the age of 65 now than there ever has been in the past.”