A Wall Street Journal analysis of Federal Reserve data found that between 2022 and 2025, inflation-adjusted median net worth rose 37% for families headed by someone 75 or older, while it fell 23% for families headed by someone under 35. The share of young families falling behind on loan payments rose from 12% in 2022 to 20% in 2025. The article argues that government policy is to blame, citing restrictive zoning that limits home supply and retirement benefits funded by younger workers, and calls for letting younger families keep more of what they earn and shrinking government's role in the economy. It also suggests this frustration may help explain the growing appeal of taxing the rich or wealth itself.
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