answer:I suppose that your theory is true – there is some percentage of people whose salaries are so small that they would qualify for public assistance in some way or another. I have never looked closely at this because (a) I’m way past my 20s, and (b) I have always had just enough money to survive without assistance. But there’s another couple of issues here: 1) if a bunch of kids in their twenties all apply for assistance, where does the money come from? My guess is that it ends up being taken out of your (and my) income taxes and sales taxes. Money doesn’t magically grow on trees – some source would be required for additional funding, and the feds and the states don’t have much in the way of unspent money. 2) (specifically to the living with parents question) – I imagine that there is some sort of means / expenses test that would need to be met before a person would qualify. Living with parents would likely bring the housing cost to 0, so the burden on the person is that much lower. Again, I don’t know the laws, but I have the feeling that there are some restrictions.