I cannot understand how any reasonably healthy and intelligent individual can arrive at retirement age without enough money to live comfortably
Sure you do - same reason they struggle to live.
taxes, vehicle registration, all the various fees and licenses and it is way above 50%. And then there is the cost of the CPA to prepare them. Taxes are by far the largest item in my "Cost of Living".
Pretty obvious that when over half your income is taken, times are going to be tough.
