Participate… please
We can’t control what others do and we can’t stop misfortune from striking. But we can control our own actions. Those who are financially prudent will most likely enjoy success, even if events don’t always go their way.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
will do …keep your posts out of politics
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I try, but not when it comes to poor policy and misleading Americans. I don’t support or promote any politician, but there is one who is just plain dangerous and should be shunned by every honest American.
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Subjects vary, opinions many, facts welcomed. Always respectful and often times helpful.
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didn’t get to finish my comment! Social Security OASDI (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) Program: I often think the “I” part of the program name is over looked – I believe the program’s intent was to assure/insure no “qualified” retiree was without any funds at all in retirement.
Along with the under funding solutions already offered in QuinnsCommentary, I’d suggest a means test. If one doesn’t “need” the SS benefit to live comfortably in retirement, then it should not be provided. Seems to me that those with upper middle class and above incomes in retirement use their SS benefit for wine or gas money. It’s not a necessity for survival.
Like term life insurance, you don’t get return of premiums if you don’t use (need, in the case of OASDI), a means test would eliminate the SS benefit for high earners. Not sure who would set the threshold for a means test, but I do think it fair that such a test be imposed.
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sure, pay in 6%-7% which is matched by the employer and if you “don’t need Social Security to live comfortably in retirement” you, or some other bureaucrat says I get no benefit.
Your term life idea makes no sense as one can stop paying at any time thus a policy cancellation. Could I decide that being a high earner at age 45 or so I could opt out of SS? If I get little or no benefit why should I pay? As a high earner can I opt out of Part B Medicare?
If I pay in I want a payout–this ain’t rocket science. If you take your monthly benefit and donate to charity that’s fine with me. But to deny people who have paid in for maybe 50+ years a benefit because they are financially successful doesn’t fly with me.
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A means test changes Social Security from an insurance program to welfare. The program already disproportionately provides dramatically greater benefits, relative to taxes paid, favoring lower paid and individuals with gaps in their earnings record/taxes paid.
Same for Medicare and Medicaid. Those programs also dramatically favor those with lower incomes.
We don’t need more progressivity, more social in our entitlements. We do need to raise revenues, so, what’s wrong with raising revenue to fill the gap, taxing both those earning wages and those receiving benefits, but keeping the taxes and benefits proportional to the existing allocations?
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That turns a self-funded, self-sustaining program (the intent) into another form of welfare. As with any insurance, even a pension, there are winners and losers. Medicare is insurance, but I have no desire to benefit, I never wanted disability benefits either.
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Social Security OASDI (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) Program: I often think
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