A Lifetime of Work Should Add Up to Security, Not Scarcity
October 28, 2026
Hubert Humphrey put it plainly. “The moral test of a government is how it treats those in the dawn of life, the children, those in the twilight of life, the elderly, and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped.”
These words may echo from our past, but they describe the work California still has to do.
Older adults are the fastest-growing population in our state. By 2030, one in four of us will be over 60.
Many spent decades cleaning offices, caring for children, building homes, harvesting crops, and running small businesses. Too many are finding that a lifetime of work won’t add up to a secure retirement and a lasting legacy for their family. That isn’t a personal failure. It’s the result of an economic baseline that is too low.
Rent, food, and medical bills keep climbing. All while Social Security and savings don’t keep up. In a state as expensive as California, official poverty measures miss how many older adults are struggling to cover the basics.
In many parts of California, the fastest-growing population of those experiencing homelessness is those over age 50. For many seniors, one surprise bill can mean the difference between keeping their home and losing it.
That’s why we need a stronger economic baseline. We need to set the floor of support so that no Californian falls after a lifetime of building our economy.
Good Policy Rewards Work at Every Age
Smart public policy is the place to start, and the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) is one of our strongest tools. California opened the credit to workers 18 and older with no upper age limit. That means seniors who are still earning, whether part-time, driving, consulting, or even selling art, can claim it. While Representatives Chu and Moore are reintroducing legislation in Congress to abolish the age cap, for now, the federal EITC still cuts off workers without children at 65. We should close the gap.
Juan, an artist in Los Angeles, told us he used his CalEITC refund to lay the groundwork for his small art business. “This credit means more flexibility, stability, and a brighter future.” That’s what good policy does. It rewards work at every age.
Tax credits can’t do the job alone. A real economic baseline for aging Californians connects CalEITC with SSI, CalFresh, affordable housing, in-home care, and flexible work options without punishment or benefit cuts.
Together, those supports make a floor that no one who spent a lifetime building this state should fall through. It honors people who worked their whole lives and treats them with dignity, without making them prove they deserve help.
Sign up for our upcoming webinar on November 10 to learn more about how Golden State Opportunity is working to raise the baseline.