Retiring After 60 Can Drastically Improve Your Life

Money:

Medicare is running a cash deficit, Social Security coffers are draining, a talent shortage looms - and the bulk of the boomer generation is still years from retiring.

But according to Marc Freedman, 49, founder of think tank Civic Ventures and co-founder of over-55 service program Experience Corps, the graying of boomers doesn't have to trigger a fiscal crisis.

In his book "Encore," Freedman suggests that if older Americans could just find more meaningful jobs, they'd happily work longer, save more and tax the system less.

Read the whole story: Money

Comments

[SisterAnn]

01:03 PM on 09/06/2007

Medicare would be in good shape if Bush hadn't thrown it to market forces and given away the surplus that was in one part of it.

No one questions the medical and insurance charges, but blame the elderly for the cost of Medicare.

All of our programs have been turned into a profit center for insurance companies and other companies.

[SisterAnn]

12:17 PM on 09/06/2007

People may live longer but that doesn't mean they are spry and alert like they were when they were younger.

Look at older people that haven't had face lifts and expensive skin whiteners and you will see wrinkles and age spots. The same deterioration is going on inside of their bodies including their brain.

There is a reason they want to raise the retiremet age.

My husband was layed off at 65, but his full retirement age was 65 and 10 months. He had planned on working until 70.

I applied for my social security too, at 62. My full retirement age is 66. Not only did I get cut 25% for retiring at 62 which I expected, I was cut another 5% because of a new clause that said if you retire over 3 years sooner than full retirement age you are cut another 5%.

If they can raise the full retirement age to 70 a lot more people will be pushed out of the workforce and will have their Social Security cut even more, through no fault of their own.

Statistics actually show that people are not living as long as was projected.

It is hard to believe people we trusted with our retirement are beating us out of it.

All it would take is decent wages to solve the problems with our self funded retirments and Medicare.

[StopThePlanet]

03:24 PM on 09/05/2007

People are not retiring as much as they are being forced out due to age discrimination. Companies downsizing hit older workers first because the are more expensive in salary and benefits. Once out on the street the only jobs they can often find are as Wal-Mart greeters. This is all part of corporate America's labor arbitrage tactics along with guest worker visas, amnesty and offshoring.

[TheSainOne]

01:04 PM on 09/05/2007

I and most of the people I know my age, 60, are just trying to hold on to their job until they reach 62. Most of us are college educated professionals. We are not tired of work, but we are tired of the corporate world. We are tired of being treated as an expense to be replaced by someone in another country. Most want to go and do something worthwhile with the rest of our lives instead of making the man richer. Hopefully we will get to do just that.

[curiousasheck]

11:31 AM on 09/05/2007

People get sick of work and the grind after 40 years.

[RanceSpergl]

11:20 AM on 09/05/2007

I'd suggest that if ANYONE could find more meaningful jobs we'd all be happier campers.

This is just more propaganda from the Noise Machine. I love how the author posits that post-50s are "choosing" anything and not being forced into un-employment or simply being "not hired" because our culture has no idea what to do with a worker who's experienced and knows what they want...AND need (health care, schedule control, etc.).

The problem here, as it's always been, is the inflexible workplace and the anti-human, amoral employment process and routine of corporate capitalism. What's that old Bob Seger song, "You feel like a number...".

I'd be curious as to the age of the author of this piece. Would you please identify yourself and your qualifications for having these opinions?

The source article for this linked article has a section following it that looks at "popular jobs for unemployed geezers" and folks the "median salaries" don't look adequate to what a middle class person needs to assure a healthy older age.

This kind of reporting serves two purposes: one, to give a junior staffer a reason not to bug his/her overworked editor for an afternoon, and to help quell dissatisfaction and social unrest among a dangerous age cohort.

"It'll all be OK" smiles the Main Stream Media, "you too can have a fun job making even MORE doughnuts!".

[mrcontinental]

09:55 AM on 09/05/2007

Damn right! Before it's over the majority of people will have no other choice but to work until they die because retirement will be a luxury many will not be able to afford. So you best find a job that you enjoy and plan to be there a long time.