Solution: Allow 13 year-olds to put in 100% of their fast food wages into a ROTH IRA. That’s 5 years to save while their parents are paying the bills. At age 18 that’s 40+ years to compound the interest/investments. When it hits $500K eliminate all deductions and let the IRA grow to a million. A nation of millionaires. They can even join the military for 3-4 years and get a few $k’s bonus for their IRA. Being young is their best friend. Young women can then walk out on abusive spouses.
Bingo! That’s the secret. When the kids are young and still at home doing part-time jobs. That’s exactly when they ought to be socking away 10% plus employer contribution. The money they are earning at this point may be partly for college and mostly for fun, not really for necessities.