Social Security: Regressive or Progressive?

There is growing evidence of a positive correlation between income levels and longevity. In short, high-income earners live longer. That also means that high-income earners get larger retirement-income security benefits from social security. This correlation raises a number of questions: if social security contributions are a level percentage of earnings, and high-income earners live longer and receive larger social security benefits, then is social security regressive? If higher-income actually causes enhanced longevity, then would providing more social security benefits enhance population life expectancy? This paper analyzes both the OASDI system of the United States and the Canada/Ouebec Pension Plans in Canada to see if these systems are a good deal' and whether they are regressive or progressive as.defined.above.