Exactly - Social Security and Medicare are the baselines for living and health expenses in old age. I'm not suggesting an other "program". And the fact that everyone needs to "buy" into these two baseline social insurance programs means that the majority of the population that does a poor job of financial planning, won't be a burden for those of us who do well.
Both those programs are well managed and self funding, despite the government's unusual bookkeeping for them. Their expense ratios are an order of magnitude below what insurance companies would charge and they cover almost everyone. Privatization would ensure social failure.
What do you mean by "When a government gets money, it's all fungible, since it knows where it can always get more?" That seems a bit pedantic. The money collected by the government is not all fungible -we the people set budgets as to where it all goes. And the government can't get more unless we the people vote for it to get more. The fact that you might not agree with it doesn't mean its not democratic.
I retired about 18 months ago at age 71; my wife retired a few months later at age 69. We both worked with some great people, but it was just time to go. By delaying Social Security until 70, I (we) maximized the monthly amount and with a pension, I probably won't have to touch our retirement savings, except for the MRD. We roll over the annual net payout into taxable funds and let them grow. I'll only tough the IRA's for emergencies. Yet, I still have a nagging doubt that I saved enough - curious situation.
Our biggest concern is healthcare. My wife is fully retired. I am partly retired. I am 68, she is 66. I have an education job that is considered full time, includes health care, but is only 39 weeks a year. 13 weeks a year, for which I have the flexibility to take off at anytime, is enough for me. The health care from my job is our primary, so we have no Medicare payments. It's great health care for $80 a month total. Very low deductible, a couple hundred dollars. I've been at this job for 3+ years, for which time my wife has been retired, and health care is still our biggest concern. I don't know if I'll be able to quit.
Having seen my Mom through 3-1/2 years of assisted living, nursing homes and hospice care, long-term care is the biggest worry. I consider about a half-a-million $ earmarked for my wife and I. Fortunately we have enough that we can confidently do that.
Health insurance. I still have 9 years before I am qualified for Medicare. Any good ideas?
I put aside $50,000 in case. No health insurance. That represented a $4000 premium with a $1000 deductible for 10 years.
When I turned 65 and became Medicare eligible, that went into the Market. No supplemental insurance.
I agree with your comments - bailing out people who didn't care to save when they could is a big concern. My displeasure is due to the fact that my (increased) tax dollars will be taken to help people who have "lived it up" with extravagance and not a care for their future. It seems we reward irresponsibility and punish people who have made sacrifices to have a decent living during their later years. What an irony!
<p>I retired 8 years ago when I was 57 and at that time my biggest concerns was inflation, I had the required assets but would I be able to earn enough from my investments to stay ahead of the game. I was told then ( from three financial advisors ) that to put 50% in fixed income and the rest in stocks and I should be fine. ( At the time fixed income produce 7% )
What I learned is that most financial advisors don't have a clue what the future holds ( no one does ) hence you must be flexible and be able to roll with the punches. Health care cost has shot up more than anyone expected and fix income produces nothing.so if you don't make the money in stocks you are in a world of hurt. The other thing is you spent more money when retired than when you work because you have more time to do things.</p>