> I’m 40 and at no point in my life have I trusted that social security will exist […]
It will exist mostly intact, just not necessarily at 100% benefits:
> If Congress does not act by 2035, the trust fund reserves are projected to be depleted. However, the income from Social Security taxes would cover 83% of scheduled benefits.
[…]
> By the year 2098, when I will be turning 117, they project the tax revenue will cover 73% of the benefits. That’s a long runway to shore things up.
It will exist mostly intact, just not necessarily at 100% benefits:
> If Congress does not act by 2035, the trust fund reserves are projected to be depleted. However, the income from Social Security taxes would cover 83% of scheduled benefits.
[…]
> By the year 2098, when I will be turning 117, they project the tax revenue will cover 73% of the benefits. That’s a long runway to shore things up.
* https://awealthofcommonsense.com/2024/05/is-social-security-...
It was never predicted to go to zero.