Should the Social Security and Medicare Age be Raised

[GHook20]

SS and MC were started in 1934 and 1965 respectfully. In 1934 job were much more physical and people’s bodies broke down starting in their 50s. Nowadays go to any company and you see people working well into their 70s… heck even construction are less strenuous on the person’s body. The trend is only going to increase. In addition, medicine is getting better and people are living longer. This reality should be recognized.

In addition it is much easier to take care of oneself and eat better and feel better at older ages.

Our safety nets need to reflect this new reality.

 

[gipper]

No, but the war machine and corporate welfare should be terminated, and the tax code changed to eliminate all the loopholes for the ultra wealthy.

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

SS and MC were started in 1934 and 1965 respectfully. In 1934 job were much more physical and people’s bodies broke down starting in their 50s. Nowadays go to any company and you see people working well into their 70s… heck even construction are less strenuous on the person’s body. The trend is only going to increase. In addition, medicine is getting better and people are living longer. This reality should be recognized.

In addition it is much easier to take care of oneself and eat better and feel better at older ages.

Our safety nets need to reflect this new reality.

You know there is no SS Trust Fund do you?

It is mostly IOUs..................Really!!

 

[flewism]

SS and MC were started in 1934 and 1965 respectfully. In 1934 job were much more physical and people’s bodies broke down starting in their 50s. Nowadays go to any company and you see people working well into their 70s… heck even construction are less strenuous on the person’s body. The trend is only going to increase. In addition, medicine is getting better and people are living longer. This reality should be recognized.

In addition it is much easier to take care of oneself and eat better and feel better at older ages.

Our safety nets need to reflect this new reality.

Why? I've paid into it for over 40 years maxing out my contributions in multiple years, So you need to be in poor health with a broken down body to get SS? right now I need to be 67 and 9 months to get full benefits.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

First of all, thank you for a thread about an actual subject instead of partisan poo throwing like most people engage in.

I am currently receiving S.S. after paying into the system for 50 years, so I am probably a bit biased as a result, but if the age were made a bit higher, I wouldn't mind. The only issue would have to do with those who are nearing the age currently, and would see the age raised right as they were expecting to get it. That doesn't seem fair to me.

It seems to me that if it were enacted, it would have to apply in varying degrees based upon the number of years people have been paying into the system. For those entering the work force currently, a change would be less disruptive to their lives than if they were much older.

 

[TNHarley]

Great idea! Everyone should be completely miserable and near their death before enjoying a program they paid almost their whole lives in to.
I have been paying into this forced govt program bullshit since i was 14, and probably wont even get to benefit from it because THE FED GOV IS A COMPLETE FAILURE.
I would agree that fiscally, it should be raised. But when did we start giving a shit about fiscal responsibility?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

First of all, thank you for a thread about an actual subject instead of partisan poo throwing like most people engage in.

I am currently receiving S.S. after paying into the system for 50 years, so I am probably a bit biased as a result, but if the age were made a bit higher, I wouldn't mind. The only issue would have to do with those who are nearing the age currently, and would see the age raised right as they were expecting to get it. That doesn't seem fair to me.

It seems to me that if it were enacted, it would have to apply in varying degrees based upon the number of years people have been paying into the system. For those entering the work force currently, a change would be less disruptive to their lives than if they were much older.

I agree with this. The current age for me is 67, if they were to make it 70 for anyone under 30 I think that would be plenty of time to make adjustments.

 

[ColonelAngus]

Fuck the Fed. I love how they tax social security benefits.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

My wife's retirement age is 66. My retirement age is 67. She is currently 64 and I am 61. Both of us are broken down physically. My wife has one artificial hip and may need another. They are doing tests right now to see if she can walk. I have Stage 4 liver failure and cannot get on the transplant list because I am "too healthy". Raising our retirement age would require expanding social security disability to cover us. When she goes on Medicare, I will lose my medical coverage. That's great for someone who has already met their insurance deductible after only 5 weeks.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Great idea! Everyone should be completely miserable and near their death before enjoying a program they paid almost their whole lives in to.
I have been paying into this forced govt program bullshit since i was 14, and probably wont even get to benefit from it because THE FED GOV IS A COMPLETE FAILURE.
I would agree that fiscally, it should be raised. But when did we start giving a shit about fiscal responsibility?

You do make a good point.

 

[Mr Natural]

Yeah, just what companies need: a bunch of 70 year olds sucking up all the big salaries and not coming up when any new ideas.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Yeah, just what companies need: a bunch of 70 year olds sucking up all the big salaries and not coming up when any new ideas.

It has worked out so well with our last two presidents!


Just kidding everyone....do not want to derail the thread.

 

[kyzr]

You know there is no SS Trust Fund do you?
It is mostly IOUs..................Really!!

Actually if the DC morons don't "fix" SS we still get about 70% of promised benefits. Still a "default" for the benefits we earned. Will be "insolvent" in 2034 if not "fixed" soon.

Medicare is a tougher "fix", but will be bankrupt in 2026 if not "fixed" soon..

https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/health/medicare-and-medicaid/2012-05/The-Future-Of-Medicare.pdf

 

[kyzr]

My wife's retirement age is 66. My retirement age is 67. She is currently 64 and I am 61. Both of us are broken down physically. My wife has one artificial hip and may need another. They are doing tests right now to see if she can walk. I have Stage 4 liver failure and cannot get on the transplant list because I am "too healthy". Raising our retirement age would require expanding social security disability to cover us. When she goes on Medicare, I will lose my medical coverage. That's great for someone who has already met their insurance deductible after only 5 weeks.

Sorry to hear about you and your wife's health issues. But there are a few options to consider.
1. You don't need to work until ages 66 and 67. You can get SS at 62 but less than the max amount. Its a tradeoff on how much you need a month from SS.
2. The problem is that Medicare starts at age 65, so if you retire before age 65 paying out of pocket for healthcare insurance is expensive. Hope you have a pile of cash saved up.

 

[Aldo Raine]

No, but the war machine and corporate welfare should be terminated, and the tax code changed to eliminate all the loopholes for the ultra wealthy.

Mic drop, these are 2 of the best ways to fund these benefits. And eliminate or substantially raise the SS cap on wages.
MAGA

 

[Mr Natural]

Eliminate the earnings cap and SS will be fine.

 

[rightwinger]

I think full retirement age should be gradually phased in to 70
If you want to retire at 62 or 65 you can receive reduced benefits and compensate with a robust 401k

If you are in a field where you can’t physically work till 70, you can increase your retirement savings

 

[Aldo Raine]

My wife's retirement age is 66. My retirement age is 67. She is currently 64 and I am 61. Both of us are broken down physically. My wife has one artificial hip and may need another. They are doing tests right now to see if she can walk. I have Stage 4 liver failure and cannot get on the transplant list because I am "too healthy". Raising our retirement age would require expanding social security disability to cover us. When she goes on Medicare, I will lose my medical coverage. That's great for someone who has already met their insurance deductible after only 5 weeks.

Wow brother that sucks. So sorry to hear that. If they were to raise it I believe it would be similar to last time as they phased it in.
MAGA

 

[Maxdeath]

I get that everyone is worried about Social Security and Medicare. But as usual the government has done a bang up job. Not only did they force everyone onto a program that was never going to actually work but they never allowed those programs to flourish by investing.
I hardly think that the way to salvage the programs is to make people work longer.
There are still people working because SS does not pay enough. Because they still take money out of your SS to pay for Medicare Whether you use it or not.
Some people are just barely able to get to retirement age as it is. Because of heart problems or other illnesses. Do we advocate saying f*ck you we do not care?
Do we relegate everyone to working until the best they can hope for is a quick death once they retire because they are too old and broken down to enjoy it? Because SS does not pay well enough to do anything else but just get by?
A few years ago my friend got a letter from SS saying because of the hold harmless clause of Medicare her SS increase was being given to Medicare and she would receive an extra $0.05 a month on her SS check.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Sorry to hear about you and your wife's health issues. But there are a few options to consider.
1. You don't need to work until ages 66 and 67. You can get SS at 62 but less than the max amount. Its a tradeoff on how much you need a month from SS.
2. The problem is that Medicare starts at age 65, so if you retire before age 65 paying out of pocket for healthcare insurance is expensive. Hope you have a pile of cash saved up.

With all of our medical expenses, we simply cannot retire. That pile of cash has slowly disappeared over the last few years.