Should the Social Security and Medicare Age be Raised

[Nostra]

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?

When SS was implemented the age to start collecting was older than the life expectancy Age for Americans. Now it is way below.

 

[flewism]

And make those lower income people who pay no income taxes pony up their fair share.

They still pay SS tax.

 

[flewism]

We are fortunate to still be in good heath as we get closer to retirement and since the kids are educated, married and on there on way have been pounding on our 401K's and had a good run in the markets for that last few years.

 

[Nostra]

SS is a ponzi scheme and will go bust.

Needs to be privatized.

 

[GHook20]

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.

Still claiming not be a

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.

There is still SS disability…

 

[GHook20]

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.

Huge generalization… regardless of the pure ignorance in your comment… employees remain on because their experience translates to what the company is trying to do.

 

[GHook20]

SS is a ponzi scheme and will go bust.

Needs to be privatized.

Different topic… but I do agree. Adopt t ur Chilean model

 

[gipper]

Still claiming not be a

There is still SS disability…

What?

 

[kyzr]

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

How old are you?
I assume no where 70.
I assume you work inside a nice cushy government building. If you worked outside, or had a manual labor job I'm also sure you'd know that 65 is long enough to work. There are better fixes than raising the retirement age. I'm good eliminating the early age 62 retirement, but not going to 70.

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

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.

100%

75 for both

 

[kyzr]

SS is a ponzi scheme and will go bust.
Needs to be privatized.

Its worked fine for 70-years. Now it needs a small adjustment to cover the baby boomers.
There are several simple fixes.

The Future of Social Security

An in-depth look at the current status and long-term stability of benefits that provide retirees with a substantial portion of their monthly income.

www.aarp.org

My favorites are include all State and local workers into SS, and raising the cap.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

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.

Comparatively speaking, it's always been that way. Social Security was designed knowing that about half the population who paid into it would never collect. Back when the act was first passed you had to be 60 to collect. That was also the average lifespan in the 1930s. Hence, what makes it a Ponzi scheme. Bush had the right idea with private accounts, but the Democrats demagogued the shit out of that proposal with scare tactics and lies and the Republicans, being the gutless wonders they are, ran away with their tail between their legs.

 

[rightwinger]

How old are you?
I assume no where 70.
I assume you work inside a nice cushy government building. If you worked outside, or had a manual labor job I'm also sure you'd know that 65 is long enough to work. There are better fixes than raising the retirement age. I'm good eliminating the early age 62 retirement, but not going to 70.

65 and retired four years

If you work manual labor, you got some planning to do regardless of retirement age.
You either need to plan another profession or set aside extra money to retire early

 

[Lesh]

65 and retired four years

If you work manual labor, you got some planning to do regardless of retirement age.
You either need to plan another profession or set aside extra money to retire early

You make it sound like that’s easy. It’s not. It’s not even possible for a lot of people

 

[rightwinger]

You make it sound like that’s easy. It’s not. It’s not even possible for a lot of people

I never said it was easy but it is your life.
If you can’t plan on working into your
60s, you got some planning to do

 

[Maxdeath]

Any employee can set up an individual retirement fund

If you don’t think you can work through your 60s, you need to set money aside

As usual. You seem to be missing the point. Without employer contributions someone in the service ind is not going to be able to, as you put it, “ have a robust 401k”.
Most of those with health problems are figuring on working until health problems pop up. Not like any one plans ahead on health problems. I doubt anyone has said I will have cancer at 59. Or a failing heart at 61.
I get that you think everything is cut and dried on your planet

 

[Lesh]

I never said it was easy but it is your life.
If you can’t plan on working into your
60s, you got some planning to do

It’s also not possible for a lot of folks

 

[22lcidw]

Different topic… but I do agree. Adopt t ur Chilean model

There was a lot of talk of changing it before the massive 1980's Social Security Tax increases. In the end an old Florida Congressman Claude Pepper with the old-time politicians like House Speaker Tip O'Neill told people to be quiet and pay up. Many times, the decisions of one era affect the future. Well now the largest generation in size in American History are retiring. From payers to payees. And of course, the surpluses which are declining are put into the general fund with IOU's replacing what is in the SS trust fund. The then CBO said it would not have any issues until the 2070's based on 4% annual GDP growth. We have had a bit over 2% growth or so I believe as the trust fund will have issues early the next decade or sooner.

 

[rightwinger]

As usual. You seem to be missing the point. Without employer contributions someone in the service ind is not going to be able to, as you put it, “ have a robust 401k”.
Most of those with health problems are figuring on working until health problems pop up. Not like any one plans ahead on health problems. I doubt anyone has said I will have cancer at 59. Or a failing heart at 61.
I get that you think everything is cut and dried on your planet

If you have Cancer or a failing heart, you file for Social Security Disability……that is what it is there for

 

[rightwinger]

Yea...why not raise the age to 100?

That would save a lot of money...right?

Because most people do not live to 100
But they do live well past 67