Gee, This is America going down the tubes
We are closer everyday to a 3 rd World Nation
You may think I am Crazy, Ok for you.
I am the last of the Mohigons
I have a pention you will never have.
You say the things in the past never worked
Don't you believe it.
We have a bunch of dummys at the helm ruining everything
One being your Republican G>W> Bush and the do nothing Congress
Good Luck

"I think frankly the real problem, and the thing that concerns me the most, is people, starting at younger ages, are just not doing the right things," Salisbury said. "As unsexy as this sounds, they're not saving enough."

Virtually all of us were taught to save but many haven't done it. I, for one, am glad pensions are a thing of the past. Pensions are only good if a company stays in business, and I don't want to rely on any one company for my future. (Nor will I rely on the government.) Use 401ks, 403bs, Roths, IRAs, and other vehicles to build your own nest egg. Live BELOW your means and be disciplined and you'll be fine.

If you're learning the lesson the hard way now, please teach this lesson to your kids and grand kids. If they plan and save and don't rely on a company or the government to be their post-retirement meal ticket, they'll do just fine.

If you have a million in investments at current interest rates your income will be $32,000 per year. Social Security can add 14,000. You have 46, 000 a year. Companies are dumping medical. If your spouse needs nursing care expect to pay $4,500 a moth plus incidentals.

If you planned on down sizing your home and cashing in, sorry. Stocks aren't making money you can draw on today.

Isn't trinkle down marvelous?

Well, I've been socking money away in my 401K for 25 years now. My employers said I didn't need a pension anymore. My 401K balance today is exactly where it was in 2001. I've made exactly no headway in 7 years, and will probably never be able to retire. What should I do?

I am 40 years old and have never planned on relying on social security for my retirement.
To me it is just another tax that I am forced to pay.
Have been saving since I started working at 16.
I am not loyal to any company, because there is not any company that is loyal to me.
I figure if I don't want to work the rest of my life it is up to me.
Nowhere in the consitution do I read a guarantee that you don't have to work after 60.
The one thing I worry about is medical. Not sure what to do about that.

Vote-out all the incumbents!!!!THROW THE BUMS OUT!!!They all have their own agendas.you and your interests are the least of their concerns.THROW THE BUMS OUT !!!!!!

reality Figure on two million in assets to retire. I know a man who much pay $1500 a month for medical because of his wife. Didn't natural gas go up forty-percent? Meat is going to claim because pork producers are going out of business.

Are you saving at least $600 a month?

There's another reality check. When, you get bought out or whatever, plan on earning less at your next job. Plan on about forty-percent less.

Some of us remember President Bush warning us that we need to revamp S.S. and had an excellent plan to make it a very good safety net for all Americans. The Dems. in congress would have none of it! Too bad because now S.S. is in trouble and will not be there for millions who paid in.

We would be a whole lot closer to saving that two million dollars, if we did not have to pay for your retirement too.
On top of leaving us with six trillion dollars of debt.
Thanks alot grandpa!!

I have been retired now for two years and loving it. I want to weigh in with my two cents worth (no pun intended). I retired with my home paid for, a monthy pension, a 401K and S.S. We live comfortably but can't travel extensively. Our medical insurance is about $450/m. with a $1,000 deduct. We have about $750K in my pension and 401K combined and are do well on that, so far. Property taxes are a serious problem for us and we may need to down size.If we have to, we can have a reverse mortgage on our home but so far haven't needed it. We love the freedom of retirement! We plan on a mission soon. Please just take this for what it is worth in your planning. Good luck1

Your Grandpa isn't responsible and probably has contributed several hundred thousand dollars to SS. If he dies early, the government makes money. It's just like insurance - both spend too much of the money for purposes other than the insured. That much money is too tempting for politicians. "But I planned on paying it back" - the mantra of every embezzler. Without the government embezzling there would be enough SS with no changes.

It's your government and Eastern interests that have robbed you, spending on unnecessary wars, pursuing resources that it doesn't have, sending manufacturing jobs to 3rd world countries, encouraging people to live beyond their means with loose credit, and spending on pork projects. Even your civil rights are diminished in the name of "freedom"

It's always been this way throughout history, those on top exploit the rest. Unfortunately America is now suffering diminished respect because the world sees our national leaders as greedy exploiters. They won't buy our debt in the future.

The Feudal System is alive and well, it just uses debt to enslave people rather than control of land.
Remember those credit cards with the step-up interest? That is the current way to become a serf.

"We would be a whole lot closer to saving that two million dollars, if we did not have to pay for your retirement too."

Let me try diligently to glean a grain of logic from you remarks..or was that an attack?

Where did I ask you to pay for my retirement? I'm not George Bush who you will be paying for him retirement.

I didn't leave you with six trillion in debt. I don't want the war in Iraq. Being a veteran, if we ask people to fight our wars, I believe we should pay for them as a nation and not borrow from China.

Ridgerunner: You part right. Bush wanted to force you to buy stock. With GM below ten dollars a share, that's enlightening. :-)

Lets see now, our wonderful S.S. program works like this:
#1: The government confiscates your money,we have no say it that.
#2:The government pays you no interest on your money.
#3: LBJ (a Dem.) took your money and spent it on the "great society" a failed welfare program.
#4: When you get old, the government will let you have some of your money back but not tax free (double taxation)but now your purchasing power is some fraction of what it was when they took it.
Compare that with the Bush Plan: You can keep your old S.S plan if you want it..your choice (who in their right mind would?) Or if you prefer, you may(choice is a wonderful thing) INVEST your(not the government's) money and get a RETURN! Gee, what a concept! Instead of getting old and getting a pitance, do a time value of money calculation on your investment and you will be amazed! What a deal! Liberals don't want to give up the power of controling you (dirty little secret).

Here is a little education on the truth of 401ks
Because 401 ks are based on the stock market why would anyone invest in somthing completely regulated by the government, and besides that when you go to cash in your 401 k you will be paying not on the seed but on the harvest and one third income tax on the harvest, the truth is 401 ks are not for everyone, or at least people who want to be able to retire some day, however the more people can be talked into them the more the government will make in the end...........

Yes it is alive and well and right here in Utah. I have an interview coming up this week and more then likely will not get hired because of my age - I'm between 45-54. I will also probably be interviewed by someone in my childrens' age group: 31 to 22

Maybe I will be able to have them pay my bills since they seem to think I don't need the job. I've been called a couch potato by the bill collectors. I am looking for work. If I don't get called for an interview the employer didn't like my resume. I do most of my job searching on line and attend job fairs that I hear about. I can't afford to pay out $54 a month for a bus pass to go out every day.

In every 401K I have ever seen (tons), the person can disignate how much, if any, he wants to invest in the stock market. A person can choose to invest his 401K in bonds or just about anything. Yes, the government will tax you when you "harvest" them but the government taxes you anyway. What makes 401Ks a great deal is that most (if not all)employers match their employee's contributions either completely or at some part. It's like getting a raise! Also they are tax deferred, which means you can pay taxes on them with inflated dollars-later in your life! They are wonderful! Is there risk? Yes,there is mostly in the stock market, but the returns are better as the stock market has out performed every other investment in the history of the nation, including the crash of the 20's! Good investing!

S.Security' dirty little secret! You should read more. I'm a Left Coast Liberal. I understand the time value og money. If your investment f=gains 10% it with double in about 7.1 years.

You're so blinded by your hatred of liberals you are blind to my point or you don't get it.

Let me spell it out for you. Investment is about asset allocation. If you're retirement in dependent on stocks now, you've got problems.

Your risk changes over time too. It sixty you shouldn't have more more than forty percent of your assets in stocks.

Stocks? You can invest in a index or in individual stocks. Index investing spreads your risks. The S&P 500 is what most people invest in.

You tell me, al knowing one.

Any your point is? Actually, I think you made my point. Thank you very much! By the way, I am alot of things, but arrogant isn't one of them. Why do you assume me so? Is it because you simply disagree with me? Sounds like most liberals I know.