…to retirement
it is a pipe dream
to believe retirement’s
for working class fools like me
only top percent
elites will live the lives we have dreamt
~kat
So…I was perusing an online newsfeed and came upon an article that was titled, “What It Costs to Retire Comfortably in Every State”. I knew I should have just scrolled on by. But nooooo. I had to have a look. According to the numbers I should expect to spend more than I am currently earning per year for every year I am retired. And of course have a retirement nest egg of over $1 Million in the bank. Needless to say, I am never going to be able to afford to retire comfortably. If I do manage to downsize and outlive my menagerie of pets, I should be able to survive at least. If republicans manage to take back control and eliminate Medicare and Medicaid in the next several years, retirement will be out of the question. How a country cares for its young and the elderly, the most vulnerable, minorities and the disabled, says a lot about who they are. This is who we are. And I know I’m not alone. The older I get the less afraid I am of death. But retirement? That scares the crap out of me!
like mercury colliding... 
February 13th, 2019 at 1:12 pm
I don’t know how we manage now, but we do, and we haven’t got our State Pensions yet!
I have no idea where they get the figures from. There are people in the UK who cn;t manage onf £125K per annum, yet that woudl keep us going in our house for 10 years!!!!!
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February 13th, 2019 at 1:15 pm
Wow! I agree with you. That would keep me going for quite a while! I earn only a fraction of that working full time now.
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February 13th, 2019 at 1:29 pm
When retired in 2007, my salary was £17K pa, and my little pot was to last me 9 years. The government then made retirement age 66, so it had to do 15 and I have another three to go yet!
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February 13th, 2019 at 1:37 pm
I’m hoping to hang on until 67 which is the new age here. Though I’ve heard they’re pushing it out to 70. I’ll be 63 in June…miles to go before I sleep.
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February 13th, 2019 at 1:59 pm
I’m 63 in May, but haven’t heard anything to say I have to wait another extra year. I checked it on the gvernment website and my SP is supposed to kick in in 2022, a month after my 66th birthday.
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February 13th, 2019 at 2:08 pm
Our Social Security is a percentage of a lifetime of earnings. I will only receive around $14k a year…I’ll need to work part time to manage.
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February 13th, 2019 at 2:13 pm
We should be part of the ‘new flat rate’ system of about £153 a week. Already they are tweaking it by making your years of contributions start from 18 rather than 16 as mine did, so I will get less than that.
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February 13th, 2019 at 2:15 pm
Nothing to do with retirement but “Miles to go before I sleep….”is from one of my favourite poems, “Stopping by woods on a snowy evening.”
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February 13th, 2019 at 2:18 pm
It is a good one, Peter. I guess that’s why the line has stuck with me. 😉
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February 13th, 2019 at 2:07 pm
I plan to work at my office job until 70 (if they’ll keep me), but I’ve already begun doing a side gig in the meantime from home to supplement a bit now and hopefully more later. Retire? Lol
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February 13th, 2019 at 2:10 pm
I am with you…the question is will they keep us. There are already rumblings around the office that when it comes time to cut cost they will be “encouraging” folks over 60 to take early retirement. I’ll be working as long as my employer and my mind and body allow me to. 😉
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February 13th, 2019 at 2:17 pm
I retired at 64, before I murdered my boss!!! Oh the joys!
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February 13th, 2019 at 2:19 pm
I can relate. Not my immediate boss…but the leadership team. Oy!!!
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February 13th, 2019 at 3:31 pm
It’s all arse about face isn’t it 💜💜💜
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February 13th, 2019 at 3:42 pm
Yes it is! 😳
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February 13th, 2019 at 4:28 pm
💜
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