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... Federal employees do save for their retirement, and they pay social security. Based on years of service, they get a small pension.
Just like in the corporate world.
Sounds like you may not be happy with your life choices.
Most US servicemembers pay into Social Security too.
You seem to change now. So now you do not mind us getting pensions, correct? Take care.
My problem was never with a pension. It's with getting a pension, however partial, at 38 years old with no tax penalty. If you're disabled, then fine, but if you just left your job in the military to pursue another career, you should have to wait like everyone else or face the tax consequences.
My problem was never with a pension. It's with getting a pension, however partial, at 38 years old with no tax penalty. If you're disabled, then fine, but if you just left your job in the military to pursue another career, you should have to wait like everyone else or face the tax consequences.
Well, your logic is still flawed again. I can go and work for let us say GE and get a pension after a number of years. Can I not go to now work for Sears and after a number of years and get a pension?
Now, I do not understand your issue about no tax. I do get taxed on my retirement check. Others may retire right at 20 years and they get taxed on their retirement check. What is the problem then? Give me an example and I may agree with you. You said if it is for disability, fine. So do explain. I admit you are now getting confusing. You do seem contradicting, so please explain then, take care.
Well, your logic is still flawed again. I can go and work for let us say GE and get a pension after a number of years. Can I not go to now work for Sears and after a number of years and get a pension?
Now, I do not understand your issue about no tax. I do get taxed on my retirement check. Others may retire right at 20 years and they get taxed on their retirement check. What is the problem then? Give me an example and I may agree with you. You said if it is for disability, fine. So do explain. I admit you are now getting confusing. You do seem contradicting, so please explain then, take care.
You can get the pension. You just can't collect it until a certain age, normally 59 1/2 at the earliest.
For example. I have a pension that my company no longer contributes to. It just sits there. If I quit tomorrow, I can't collect that money yet. All I can do is move it within a certain period of time. I can't use it.
Why should military folks be allowed to collect and use their pension in their 30's?
Absolutely. This is one of the few things the federal government SHOULD be doing, and it fails miserably. If you haven't been in a military family, you have no idea how little they are compensated, how they are nickel-and-dimed into bankruptcy, and how incredibly badly they are treated.
It is no coincidence that they are not allowed to quit until their 3 to 5 year "commitments" are completed. Of course, all the commitments the military made to you, in return for your life for 3-5 years (or forever if you're unlucky) are NOT honored. And there's nothing anyone can do about it.
Most people join because they can't find a job, and after all those years in, you become far less able to get civilian jobs. Most military jobs don't translate to the private sector, and even advanced military training in subjects like engineering won't be acknowledged because the programs are too "top secret" to be accredited. Your pay won't increase much, if any, during your "commitment," but you'll be offered a big bonus to re-enlist. And since military life costs a fortune, and the pay is abysmal, most people don't save anything, and are in dire financial straights at the end of their tours. Plus, the likelihood of finding a private job is about nil.
Of course, if we didn't allow Presidents to start multiple foreign wars for no reason other than to show they are "Le Muy Macho," we wouldn't be facing a major problem of huge numbers of young American men and women coming home crippled, psychologically scarred, and needing ultra-expensive medical care.
You can get the pension. You just can't collect it until a certain age, normally 59 1/2 at the earliest.
For example. I have a pension that my company no longer contributes to. It just sits there. If I quit tomorrow, I can't collect that money yet. All I can do is move it within a certain period of time. I can't use it.
Why should military folks be allowed to collect and use their pension in their 30's?
Again, we are in a country where different organizations decide how to handle things like pensions. There are companies that do pay pensions to individuals as soon as they retire regardless of age. So some do as you say and others do not and in this case the governemnt does it as I explained. We are not a socialists country where all has to be the same, take care.
Again, we are in a country where different organizations decide how to handle things like pensions. There are companies that do pay pensions to individuals as soon as they retire regardless of age. So some do as you say and others do not and in this case the governemnt does it as I explained. We are not a socialists country where all has to be the same, take care.
Ok, then forget the word "pension". How about 401k's? Most folks don't even have pensions anymore. They either have a 401k, or nothing with their employer.
The government says I can't touch that without penalty until a certain age. So again, why is the same government giving out retirement benefits to able-bodied folks in their 30's? That is clearly unfair.
Absolutely. This is one of the few things the federal government SHOULD be doing, and it fails miserably. If you haven't been in a military family, you have no idea how little they are compensated, how they are nickel-and-dimed into bankruptcy, and how incredibly badly they are treated.
It is no coincidence that they are not allowed to quit until their 3 to 5 year "commitments" are completed. Of course, all the commitments the military made to you, in return for your life for 3-5 years (or forever if you're unlucky) are NOT honored. And there's nothing anyone can do about it.
Most people join because they can't find a job, and after all those years in, you become far less able to get civilian jobs. Most military jobs don't translate to the private sector, and even advanced military training in subjects like engineering won't be acknowledged because the programs are too "top secret" to be accredited. Your pay won't increase much, if any, during your "commitment," but you'll be offered a big bonus to re-enlist. And since military life costs a fortune, and the pay is abysmal, most people don't save anything, and are in dire financial straights at the end of their tours. Plus, the likelihood of finding a private job is about nil.
Of course, if we didn't allow Presidents to start multiple foreign wars for no reason other than to show they are "Le Muy Macho," we wouldn't be facing a major problem of huge numbers of young American men and women coming home crippled, psychologically scarred, and needing ultra-expensive medical care.
In all fairness I must say the other side of your comment. As I have stated before, I just retired after 32 years.
Some of the perils you state in the military is the doing of the Soldiers and families. The military does have a lot of programs to help the Soldiers and families. Sadly, the Soldiers and their families do not take full advantage of those programs. Of course many do but also many do not. I became a Sergeant Major and I know of many of my sergeants majors peers of mine did not take advantage of the educational benefits. I did. I enlisted in the Army with only elementary education from Mexico. I first got my GED, later my bachelors, and retired with a Masters. Others retired with the same level of education they enlisted.
Still in my final year in the Army I still went to the FREE financial classes the Army Community Service (ACS) offers to all Soldiers and their families. The classes cover areas like buying a car, the stock market, saving for education for the children, buying a house, saving for retirement, etc.
They also provide FREE classes on marriage and parenting and I still attended them even though I have been successfully and happily married for 35 years.
We also have the Army Career Alumni Program (ACAP) where all Soldiers retiring or getting out of the service get training and classe from writing resumes so they can translate their skills to the civilian market. They also have computers where they can look for jobs across the nation and posted job openings on the board outside the ACAP section. They also go over benefits as veterans and retiree from the federal government and what each state also may have.
ACS also has programs to help spouses find jobs when they relocate to another area. In that section they also help the spouses write resumes and even what to wear for interview and interview techinques.
You know what is part of the problems? The Soldiers simply do not take advantage of those opportunities. I do go and visit the ACAP people often to help them in anyway they can with Soldiers and retirees. You would be amazed how many sign a waiver form saying they do not want to bother with attending the classes and training. Later many of them are crying and blaming the Army for their perils.
My wife and I never fell into financial problems as you state. Why? Simple, because we always learned to live within our means. Many Soldiers and their families as soon as they see the security of the check every month go out there and spend so much in luxuries. Many do get into deep depth. I know because I dealt with so many of them calling their creditors and having the commander sending them to mandatory financial classes. We did not end up bankrupt. We actually save through the years and when I retired we could actually survive without any check for at least 6 months at the same standard of living.
The military is a hard life but it also has its rewards. It is just what you make of it. In my 32 years of service my family and I took advantage of everything and saw a lot of the world and the U.S. We travelled the cheap way and go to see the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon as we go to see the Great Wall, the Roman Colliseum, the Eiffel Tower, etc, take care.
Ok, then forget the word "pension". How about 401k's? Most folks don't even have pensions anymore. They either have a 401k, or nothing with their employer.
The government says I can't touch that without penalty until a certain age. So again, why is the same government giving out retirement benefits to able-bodied folks in their 30's? That is clearly unfair.
Again, we are not in a socialist country. In this case the government decided it to do it that way. On the outside other companies do have pension plans to. Each agencies decide something different. That has nothing to do whether it is fair. I enlist and that is what I get. I either take it or leave it and the same in the civilian market. I simply go and pick a job and career where I think it may be best for me in the long run. Some decided to enlist at an early age and retire after 20 at about 38 or 39, fine.
Overall, the people in nation as I noticed in this thread feel more appreciate of the sacrifices a Warrio accepts and that is what we get than what you are willing to accept. I respect your views as taxpayer that is paying my benefits and for that I thank you, take care.
Again, we are not in a socialist country. In this case the government decided it to do it that way. On the outside other companies do have pension plans to. Each agencies decide something different. That has nothing to do whether it is fair. I enlist and that is what I get. I either take it or leave it and the same in the civilian market. I simply go and pick a job and career where I think it may be best for me in the long run. Some decided to enlist at an early age and retire after 20 at about 38 or 39, fine.
Overall, the people in nation as I noticed in this thread feel more appreciate of the sacrifices a Warrio accepts and that is what we get than what you are willing to accept. I respect your views as taxpayer that is paying my benefits and for that I thank you, take care.
lol.............. Yeah ok. So you keep doing what you do, and I'll keep pushing for fair and equal treatment from the government. That's not socialist. That's a free country.
NOW, I do believe that if you worked for a private company, your COMPANY should be allowed to give you your pension early. They can't.
Only the govt can pull that off. Therein lies the problem.
The only reason I can't get my pension early is the IRS, aka the government. Meanwhile, the same government is handing out partial pensions to people in their 30's.
You can't see how that's wrong, in any way?
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