Osama bin Laden is dead

**Lady's Human** · 05-08-2011, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by Bonny

Well Said! Wombat

A lot of people in the U.S. live beyond their means & the rest of us end up paying for it. Not everyone is collecting S.S. & a lot of so called baby boomers are out their trying to help the so called X generation from going under. They put in a lot of hours volunteering in schools, rest homes, hospitals, etc., but I guess that doesn't count? We are just a bunch of leeches sucking THEIR got to have it now system dry.

Volunteering in schools? How? Thanks to the liability scares pushed on the schools by the baby boomer's lawyers, the schools won't take volunteers, because to volunteer you have to pay $$$ to have a complete background check run, and the school is held liable for anything that happens while the volunteers are there. I've been trying to volunteer to help in the schools, and I cannot due to liabilty concerns.

Most of my generation doesn't expect one dime from SS, not because of greed, but because of the greed of groups like AARP who would rather see insolvency for the government rather than cut into their piece of the pie.

**wombat2u2004** · 05-09-2011, 01:05 AM

Originally Posted by pomtzu

Wom - SS recipients here have not had a cost of living raise in 2 years. The powers that be decided that inflation wasn't all that bad

, and we didn't need any raise.

Well that isn't fair. Payments should be adjusted in line with inflation and the cost of living every six months. It should be done automatically.
Our CPI rates are worked out quarterly, and pensions are adjusted automatically every 6 months.
Pension payment adjustments should not need the approval of some govt lackey every time the cost of living goes up...it has to be linked to index figures.
You will see from the following chart how these index figures change...

http://www.ato.gov.au/taxprofessiona...81&mfp=001/005

**wombat2u2004** · 05-09-2011, 01:11 AM

Originally Posted by Karen

As someone who is sandwiched between the baby boomers and generation X-ers, I have been told since I was a kid that give the economics, not to count on Social Security existing by the time I am able to retire. I fully expect to be working until I am at least 80. I started paying into the system when I began working at 17, but have never regarded it is something I can count on.

Am I glad it exists for those who need it? Of course! That's entirely separate from expecting it to be available for me.

But wouldn't it be nice to know that if your circumstances changed for the worse, that there would be a safety net for you ???

**wombat2u2004** · 05-09-2011, 01:24 AM

Originally Posted by momoffuzzyfaces

All I can say is for all of you lucky enough to still work, save every cent you can and buy your own home.

And that's the trick....get a home of your own and OWN IT.
There are way too many people out there with mortgages so high that you couldn't jump over it.
Some people don't think, they go and buy a house on the hill, complete with the encyclopedia set, the completed rockery and the china ducks on the wall, only to find out that they are going to struggle struggle struggle for the rest of their lives.
Ya gotta get a house that you can afford comfortably and then buy the other stuff when you can afford it.
I built my first house when I was an apprentice carpenter, and had no carpet in it for 3 years.....living on a concrete floor is not bad when you know you own every square inch of it.

**Lady's Human** · 05-09-2011, 03:26 AM

Originally Posted by wombat2u2004

Well that isn't fair. Payments should be adjusted in line with inflation and the cost of living every six months. It should be done automatically.
Our CPI rates are worked out quarterly, and pensions are adjusted automatically every 6 months.
Pension payment adjustments should not need the approval of some govt lackey every time the cost of living goes up...it has to be linked to index figures.
You will see from the following chart how these index figures change...

COLAs (Cost of Living adjustments) are automatic. However, because of the formula used by the United States in computing the COLAs, there have been no COLAs for two years for either Federal employees or SS recipients. IIRC, food and fuel are not included in the COLA calulations, yielding an actual drop in the cost of living.

To steal a line from someone, there are lies, damned lies, and statistics. COLA calculation in the US fall into the third category.

**wombat2u2004** · 05-09-2011, 04:58 AM

Originally Posted by Lady's Human

COLAs (Cost of Living adjustments) are automatic. However, because of the formula used by the United States in computing the COLAs, there have been no COLAs for two years for either Federal employees or SS recipients. IIRC, food and fuel are not included in the COLA calulations, yielding an actual drop in the cost of living.

To steal a line from someone, there are lies, damned lies, and statistics. COLA calculation in the US fall into the third category.

Then if they don't include those items like food and fuel, then the cost of living calculations are wrong......so how the hell do they get away with this ??
And how the hell can the public know what the TRUE inflation figures are ??? And therefore the true state of the economy ???
Ours include everything.........
Food
Alcohol and tobacco
Clothing and footwear
Housing
Household contents and services
Health
Transportation
Communication
Recreation
Education
Financial and insurance services

**Bonny** · 05-09-2011, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Volunteering in schools? How? Thanks to the liability scares pushed on the schools by the baby boomer's lawyers, the schools won't take volunteers, because to volunteer you have to pay $$$ to have a complete background check run, and the school is held liable for anything that happens while the volunteers are there. I've been trying to volunteer to help in the schools, and I cannot due to liabilty concerns.

Most of my generation doesn't expect one dime from SS, not because of greed, but because of the greed of groups like AARP who would rather see insolvency for the government rather than cut into their piece of the pie.

You are a tax payer. That is your school. You should be able to volunteer in a building you are paying for with your tax dollars.

We have a special volunteer group in our area & fill out forms before we volunteer & they do the back ground check & we are insured through them & don't have to pay a dime towards the insurance. We fill out time sheets to count the number of people served.

I never thought the generation I am a part of would ever get to see S.S. either. It was threatened to go defunct when I was a teenager. I still pay into to S.S. along with medicare in my part-time job. I plan on working till I drop dead so I guess I shouldn't be to much of a burden to our society.

I was a stay at home mom so didn't build up much in the way of anything so would be considered a codependent person living off of my husbands retirement. If he passes before I do his pension would cease then I would have live off of his life insurance, 401-k,& hopefully get to stay on our little farm. I would not want to be a burden to anyone in our society so hopefully I can stay healthy. If I should die before hubby well then he would have to find himself another sweet heart to keep him company.

As far as AARP goes they are a ripe off.

**wombat2u2004** · 05-09-2011, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Bonny

If I should die before hubby well then he would have to find himself another sweet heart to keep him company.

No worries mate.....I can help him find someone else.
I'll just take him on a holiday to the Phillipines, plenty of sweethearts there to choose from.
And Bonny, no need to thank me. I'd do the same for any of my mates.

**Edwina's Secretary** · 05-09-2011, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Bonny

I was a stay at home mom so didn't build up much in the way of anything so would be considered a codependent person living off of my husbands retirement. If he passes before I do his pension would cease...

Sorry to bring up facts again but...if your husband has a pension and dies before you the only way his pension would cease is if you sign papers agreeing to such an arrangement. If he dies before he begins to collect his pension it is assumed he selected (and you agreed to) a survivor benefit.

This is the law - ERISA. It was written to protect spouses. It was lobbied for and written by...Baby Boomers/wicked lawyers/AARP/Congress. Before all these evil people passed this law it was not uncommon for husbands to select the maximum pension payout - with no survivor benefits. Many a widow was shocked to find she had no income after the death of her husband.

As they say - there are facts, damn facts and inconvenient facts!

**Grace** · 05-09-2011, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by Lady's Human

Volunteering in schools? How? Thanks to the liability scares pushed on the schools by the baby boomer's lawyers, the schools won't take volunteers, because to volunteer you have to pay $$$ to have a complete background check run, and the school is held liable for anything that happens while the volunteers are there. I've been trying to volunteer to help in the schools, and I cannot due to liabilty concerns.

I'm not sure about the schools where you live? I've been a volunteer in the Library of a local elementary school for 12 years. I'm there 8 - 12 hours/week. Several of the moms on my street also volunteer in the school. Far as I know, none of us has had to submit to a strip search, finger prints, anything like that. We are greeted with smiles every time we enter the building.

**Bonny** · 05-09-2011, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

Sorry to bring up facts again but...if your husband has a pension and dies before you the only way his pension would cease is if you sign papers agreeing to such an arrangement. If he dies before he begins to collect his pension it is assumed he selected (and you agreed to) a survivor benefit.

This is the law - ERISA. It was written to protect spouses. It was lobbied for and written by...Baby Boomers/wicked lawyers/AARP/Congress. Before all these evil people passed this law it was not uncommon for husbands to select the maximum pension payout - with no survivor benefits. Many a widow was shocked to find she had no income after the death of her husband.

As they say - there are facts, damn facts and inconvenient facts!

Hubby selected maximum pension & there are no survivor benefits. That is why there is the life insurance & 401 K. I don't recall signing any papers with the union or company it was decision he had to make at the time of retirement.

Now I have to keep him alive & well for a long long time.

**Lady's Human** · 05-09-2011, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Grace

I'm not sure about the schools where you live? I've been a volunteer in the Library of a local elementary school for 12 years. I'm there 8 - 12 hours/week. Several of the moms on my street also volunteer in the school. Far as I know, none of us has had to submit to a strip search, finger prints, anything like that. We are greeted with smiles every time we enter the building.

Not in New York.

Even the umpires for High School sports have to have full background checks.