There is a comment many people make.

It is that a person paid their dues, or is back to even. That comment is meant to actually say they were at some time in some debt or owed something.

I think it is a form of judgement to say to someone they are back to even, or paid up. It makes the claim they were in debt to some group, usually the group saying that. And requiers a judgement. Seen that concept in many place, mostly not as a friendly comment, but as a comment on saying someone was in the wrong at some time. And a comment to elevate someones own group.

I guess the reason it is offensive is I think about if someone said that to me, and I think on ideas of always going back to zero by giving away what a person has with the intent to help others. So it is not back to zero from a bad place, but by choosing to not own what should be free.