[Average Guy]

Originally Posted by zcaveman

I am suggesting that the great one and the senate and the house will get their raises. All they care about is themselves. The rest of us are on the lower end of the totem pole.

Z

2014 will be the 5th straight year, and 6th off the last 8, that congressional pay has been frozen.

Pay raise would be wide-reaching, but exclude members of Congress

[DaleMN]

Originally Posted by zcaveman

I am suggesting that the great one and the senate and the house will get their raises. All they care about is themselves. The rest of us are on the lower end of the totem pole.

Z

Snarky.

[Topspinmo]

IMO So you really think most Congressman that's been in Washington for decades become millionaire's 10 times over by collecting they're GOV pay check??? IMO they don't go to congress for the paid so they could care less if they get pay raise. IMO they learn how make the under the table Lobbyist money. THAT'S WERE THE REAL MONEY IS TO BE MADE. Ever notice when term limits come up it immediately rejected! Amazing how certain senator for western state children are all Lobbyists. One would think that somehow that would be illegal?

[DaleMN]

I, for one, intend to collect far more from Social Security benefits than I ever personally contributed. Just do the math.

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by DaleMN

I, for one, intend to collect far more from Social Security benefits than I ever personally contributed. Just do the math.

Social Security Calculator | Privatization account vs. S&P 500

The math is shown in this illustration. At age 67 a median income earner ends up with perhaps $1300/mo from Social Security which ends when he dies versus $4,000/mo and $1.25M in an investment portfolio from investing in the S & P which he could leave to his heirs. Social Security is a very, very bad deal!

[REDCART]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

Social Security Calculator | Privatization account vs. S&P 500

The math is shown in this illustration. At age 67 a median income earner ends up with perhaps $1300/mo from Social Security which ends when he dies versus $4,000/mo and $1.25M in an investment portfolio from investing in the S & P which he could leave to his heirs. Social Security is a very, very bad deal!

You may have overlooked the "insurance value" of your Social Security investment. If you died or became disabled earlier in life, your family would have been entitled to monthly survivor benefits or in the case of your disability, a monthly disability benefit for you and your family.

You're witnessing an unusual market phenomenon at the moment. Suppose you needed to cash out of the market in 2008-2010 when things were not pretty on Wall Street? And don't forget being successful in the market means timing things perfectly, a feat very few of us are capable of doing.

Talk to the experts and very few will tell you that you could have gotten a better deal from private investments to provide the same coverage as SS, plus indefinite COLA increases, however small. It's also doubtful that your employer would have graciously forked over the employer's share of FICA taxes so that you could add it to your investment portfolio.

[Bavarian]

Originally Posted by gryoung

I'm not sure if you're suggesting that Federal employees will get their normal raises in 2014, but if so, consider that Federal employees have not received a cost of living increase since 2009. Their COLA for 2014 will be only 1 percent. and not the 1.5 Soc Sec COLA. Each year since 2009 health insurance premiums for Federal employees have gone up and the premium increase for 2014 alone are 4 percent higher on average. Everyone is taking a hit right now, not just retirees on Social Security.

George

Right On! Getting better increases on CSRS than when I worker. Took early out.

[ednagrahm]

Originally Posted by billethkid

Since the great announcement of the 1.5% increase effective 1/2014 I have received notices for my Medicare supplemental care premiums increasing 2.7%...my medicare part D increased 7.8%....my long term care premium increased 5.3%.

The net, again, is more being spent each year than the previous just based on these three elements. Not even attempting to account all the other increases in living costs.

1.5% increase in SS = = government not in touch with the real world, again, as in previous years as well

btk.

Never have been able to understand why anyone would be irritated by a small increase in Social Security benefits instead of being thankful that Social Security exists and significantly benefits all of us at retirement age.

[Golfingnut]

Originally Posted by billethkid

Since the great announcement of the 1.5% increase effective 1/2014 I have received notices for my Medicare supplemental care premiums increasing 2.7%...my medicare part D increased 7.8%....my long term care premium increased 5.3%.

The net, again, is more being spent each year than the previous just based on these three elements. Not even attempting to account all the other increases in living costs.

1.5% increase in SS = = government not in touch with the real world, again, as in previous years as well

btk.

Just because big business is gouging us as usual, I don't feel the government should take the tax payers money to compensate us for their greed.

[Golfingnut]

If we get a government controlled medical insurance program disparities like this will be less harmful to all of us. I.e the affordable care act.

[billethkid]

interpretations are running amok.....eh??

My post does not indicate nor did it intend to express irritation.

Nor did the post ask for, intimate or express a compensation from the government.

It was and remains NOTHING more than an expression of accumulated costs far out weigh any increases. Nothing between the lines....no oblique message....no agenda......disappointing as these may be......

So many keystrokes wasted on word smithing

btk

[rubicon]

So why is a program enacted in 1935 termed an "insurance plan" then but an "entitlement now? That is a rhetorical question.

So why is an "insurance plan" advertised as a safety net still subjected to taxes by retirees? that is a rhetorical question Even when doing a mandatory RMD simply to pay the deferred taxes from a defer plan (401k) causes a taxable event.

So why is it that the CPI doe not realistically reflect the monetary affect of inflation on the middle class? That is a .......

So why is it that politicians can get increases , carve outs, insider trader information without penalty ,boondoggles, cheat on their tax returns....and yet continue to harass taxpayers?

btk post was only to illustrate reality and the mathematical insanity of politicians patting themselves on the back for giving retirees a 1.5% increase

But the most offending aspect is that taxpayers had no opportunity to vie for personal savings vis a vis social security and now we have politicians and others who chide the rest of us for not be grateful

Will you get you money's worth? Depends on how long you live and/or any changes that politicians may make because they used our trust fund as their slush funds

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by rubicon

So why is a program enacted in 1935 termed an "insurance plan" then but an "entitlement now? That is a rhetorical question.

So why is an "insurance plan" advertised as a safety net still subjected to taxes by retirees? that is a rhetorical question Even when doing a mandatory RMD simply to pay the deferred taxes from a defer plan (401k) causes a taxable event.

So why is it that the CPI doe not realistically reflect the monetary affect of inflation on the middle class? That is a .......

So why is it that politicians can get increases , carve outs, insider trader information without penalty ,boondoggles, cheat on their tax returns....and yet continue to harass taxpayers?

btk post was only to illustrate reality and the mathematical insanity of politicians patting themselves on the back for giving retirees a 1.5% increase

But the most offending aspect is that taxpayers had no opportunity to vie for personal savings vis a vis social security and now we have politicians and others who chide the rest of us for not be grateful

Will you get you money's worth? Depends on how long you live and/or any changes that politicians may make because they used our trust fund as their slush funds