Legacy systems » may seem dependable, but they often conceal significant financial and operational drawbacks. This article explores how outdated infrastructure drives hidden costs through ongoing maintenance, dependency on scarce technical expertise, security vulnerabilities and compliance pressures. It also explains how legacy applications restrict innovation, slow down processes and limit integration with modern technologies. Over time, these factors reduce agility and increase operational risk. The article highlights why organisations should reassess the true value of keeping legacy systems running and consider alternatives such as system decommissioning, modernisation or secure data archiving. Readers gain a clear understanding of how addressing legacy IT can lower costs, reduce risk and support long-term digital transformation.