Geopolitical expert Peter Zeihan says aging Americans built a ‘social welfare state’ for themselves without paying for it — now the US will have ‘massive’ deficits as long as boomers live

“The boomers have created a social welfare state for themselves that they never had any intention of paying for,” Zeihan said. “Fast forward to today, two thirds of them are retired. They're taking their money, they're going home. The taxes that they're paying have dropped off, and we are left with a welfare state to fund their retirement without their income to pay for it all.”

The numbers back up Zeihan’s concerns. According to estimates, there are about 70 million baby boomers in the U.S., compared to roughly 65 million Gen Xers. Meanwhile, according to the United States Census Bureau, about 10,000 boomers turn 65 every day, further accelerating the strain on government finances.

And according to Zeihan, that spells trouble for the nation’s long-term financial stability.

“We're looking at absolutely massive multi-trillion-dollar deficits every single year to be continued,” he said. “Deficits: massive, locked in as long as the boomers live, which is going to be on the average, another 15 to 25 years, based on who's doing the math.”

The deficit problem is already serious. In fiscal year 2024, the federal government spent $6.75 trillion while collecting $4.92 trillion in revenue, leading to a $1.83 trillion deficit. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that the 2025 federal budget deficit will climb to $1.9 trillion.

‘Our time has finally arrived’ — but for how long?

As boomers enter their golden years, Gen X is set to benefit financially — at least for now. Zeihan believes the financial burden of the state will “fall on” Gen X, but in the meantime, the generation will dominate the economy.

“Until we get to that point, it’s a Gen X world,” he said. “We're going to control all of the money. We're going to control the majority of the property. We're going to dominate the stock market.”

However, he warns that this advantage will be short-lived. As millennials — who have already overtaken boomers as the largest U.S. generation, with 72.7 million people — gain political power, they will likely push for major budget reforms. And according to Zeihan, Gen X will be the ones footing the bill.

Zeihan’s suggestion to Gen X is clear: “If you're an Xer, our time has finally arrived, but it's only going to be a moment, so make the most of it, get your money where it's going to be protected because sooner or later the millennials will figure this out, and we will find a way to get the budget back into some degree of balance, and it will be Gen X paying for it — but not today.”

‘Make the most of it’ — no matter your generation

Zeihan emphasized that his generation — Gen X — is becoming “capital rich.” However, while Zeihan suggests that Gen X will control the majority of property and dominate the stock market, it’s important to remember that this financial opportunity isn’t exclusive to any one generation.

For instance, while traditional homeownership typically requires a hefty down payment and a mortgage, you don’t need to buy a property outright to start investing in real estate.

Platforms like First National Realty Partners (FNRP) allow accredited investors to own shares in high-quality grocery-anchored properties without the hassle of finding and managing deals themselves — with a minimum investment of $50,000.

FNRP properties are leased to national brands like Whole Foods, Kroger and Walmart, which provide essential goods to their communities. Thanks to Triple Net (NNN) leases, investors can enjoy the potential to collect stable, grocery store-anchored income every quarter, without worrying about tenant costs cutting into the bottom line.

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Investing in stocks can be even simpler — just ask Warren Buffett. He advocates for a strategy that doesn’t require stock-picking expertise.

“In my view, for most people, the best thing to do is own the S&P 500 index fund,” he famously said.

This approach gives investors exposure to 500 of America’s largest companies across various industries, providing diversified exposure without the need for constant monitoring or active trading.

Buffett believes so strongly in this strategy that he has instructed 90% of his wife’s inheritance to be invested in “a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund” after he dies.