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Well you gotta kind of wonder. If you have a military disability - well I can understand the military disability pension - and the military pension. But the civil service pension - and the SS? I realize that the military has various levels of disability pensions. Like even if you're 10% disabled (you pulled a ligament in your knee when you slipped and fell while you were getting dinner) - you're entitled to something.
As for the medical care - it depends. My father - who served in WWII - is entitled to VA benefits. He has a net worth in 7 figures - but is always trying to save a buck. He went to the VA here a couple of times to try to save a buck (which I always discouraged - the VA here is in not such a nice part of town - save a buck - get held up and lose all the money in your wallet). Only reason he didn't get hearing aids from the VA is all they offered was the "low priced spread".
In response to NEG - I'd say this isn't the way things work in the private sector. If you're in the private sector - and wind up disabled - you have a very very heavy burden to get SSDI. Any private disability insurance as well. People in the private sector who get SSDI aren't in general able to get private sector jobs and qualify for pensions (if they could do that - they wouldn't get SSDI). There are various kinds of private disability insurance policies. The cheapest are those that - no matter what you did before - pay off only if you can't work as a bagger at a supermarket. The most expensive are those that only pay off if you can't work in a specific profession (like being a lawyer or a doctor - etc.).
I also don't understand why none of this is taxable (taxation of SS benefits will usually include income that is otherwise exempt from taxes).
Perhaps there is a sympathetic side to this story - perhaps not. But I can understand Happy in Wyoming's initial reaction. As far as I'm concerned - when it comes to public sector pensions and health care benefits - they are - in general - far too generous. Which is why they're bankrupting various government entities. Robyn
P.S. to Art2ro - What was your service related disability (the nature of it and the percentage in terms of your pension)? Note that I live in an area with a large military presence. We're pretty used to seeing guys (and now girls) missing arms and legs and the like (which doesn't take into account the people in our area who are just stone cold dead). I try not to come to conclusions without knowing the facts.
I developed bladder cancer (detected early & removed) and diabetes type 2 while in the military in the 12 yrs I served, but was still able to work 18 yrs with Civil Service combining the two to give me a total time of 30 yrs service! The reason why my VA and SS is non-taxable, is because the amount I receive each month is way below the average amount, which one would just consider pocket change or beer money and snacks for the month! My Civil Service of 18 yrs and Military pension of 12 yrs (6,000 service points under the USAFR) I only started to collect at age 60, which makes up 80% of my total combined income!
I guess that guy isn't seeing red anymore after my explanation! The U.S. tax system works in unfamiliar weird ways where if one gets more pay in one pension, they taketh it away elsewhere! It's called the "U.S. Government Offset" when computing one's SSA as a retired military member at age 62! And my 20% VA Disability Compensation is deducted from my military pension and therefore non-taxable, just the VA portion(no freebies here if that's what anyone thinks)! So you see, all of my benefits are all "benefits of entitlements" I earned! I worked my butt off from 1967 to 1997 for every nickle and dime for my 30 yrs of service for Uncle Sam! I have paid my dues after serving, protecting and defending the United States of America! I'm a Filipino/American and proud of it! After serving my adopted country, the good ol' U.S. of A, we just decided to return to our roots to retire!
Oh no - you didn't throw away all the records - not without researching them! I got $200 on Ebay for a Velvet Underground banana album with an intact banana - record was shot - had mold on it. I had about 200 albums. Wound up making about $400 on about 5 of them - the rest were garbage - and I sold them to a flea market place for $20.
I am 64 - neither shrinking - nor - PTL - inflating either . I am not sure how I'd "go Goth" even if I wanted to. I do wear a lot of black - especially when I travel. But harsh/dark colors in terms of hair and face look pretty awful when you get older. Softer is better IMO. And I am not about ready to get most tats or have my tongue pierced (don't think Medicare covers any possible medical complications). OTOH - I recently had a very bad allergic reaction to a new BP med. And was thinking of getting a medical/allergic reaction tat. Because I know I'm never going to wear one of those silly bracelets. Everyone in my family thought I was crazy. Robyn
No, not literally 'records' but rather, paper stuff/files. I have all my albums; 45's, etc from day one and I have (and it works!!) my 1968 Akaii big and powerful sound system to play all that vinyl. When I crank that thing up, the windows rattle in the frames!
The reason why my VA and SS is non-taxable, is because the amount I receive each month is way below the average amount, which one would just consider pocket change or beer money and snacks for the month!...The U.S. tax system works in unfamiliar weird ways where if one gets more pay in one pension, they taketh it away elsewhere! It's called the "U.S. Government Offset" when computing one's SSA as a retired military member at age 62! And my 20% VA Disability Compensation is deducted from my military pension and therefore non-taxable, just the VA portion(no freebies here if that's what anyone thinks)!
The government does the same thing with WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision), they take away a person's SS (until, as you said, it represents nothing but pocket change) when he/she has civil service pension. It does not matter that the person had worked full term under both systems and paid into both funds. That's the case with my husband (30 years with civil service and 16 years with SS.) It would be almost impossible for him to get back what he paid into SS funds.
Last edited by Ol' Wanderer; 04-01-2012 at 11:52 AM..
The government does the same thing with WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision), they take away a person's SS (until, as you said, it represents nothing but pocket change) when he/she has civil service pension. It does not matter that the person had worked full term under both systems and paid into both funds. That's the case with my husband (30 years with civil service and 16 years with SS.) It would be almost impossible for him to get back what he paid into SS funds.
Thanks for your verification of what I've tried to explain here! At least you know where I'm coming from about my (4) four U.S. Government pensions! It's just all about titles and labels that makes up one's total income depending on ones circumstances! We didn't take advantage of the system, it took advantage of us in our particular situation that was beyond our control when one has worked for the U.S. Government! The private sector is different from government employees!
So for those seeing red, don't until you understand what was involved for those who worked 30 to 40 years for the military and or Civil Service or combined like I did for 30 yrs!
being a long time audiophile i have sooooooo many rare well preserved albums..
one day i really should go through them and liquidate them.
im dying for that new nikon d800 that just came out and that might be the key to getting one. the only problem is with marilyn being my co-photographer shes going to want one too.
the worst part about both being into the same things is every time i get something i have to buy 2.
Simplicity:
For every new thing you buy you have to give something away...
The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) will reduce my social security 60%...as I will have worked 19 years in a municipality that opted out of social security in the mid 1980's.
I had no choice in this - other than not take the job 11 years ago. But they did take what they would have put into social security and put it toward my state pension. I also have a 401K. Luckily my spouse will get full Social Security benefits.
They were nuts in the 1980's..... believing we'd always be "in the money".
Same reason we should NOT privatize Social Security.
Thanks for your verification of what I've tried to explain here! At least you know where I'm coming from about my (4) four U.S. Government pensions! It's just all about titles and labels that makes up one's total income depending on ones circumstances! We didn't take advantage of the system, it took advantage of us in our particular situation that was beyond our control when one has worked for the U.S. Government! The private sector is different from government employees!
So for those seeing red, don't until you understand what was involved for those who worked 30 to 40 years for the military and or Civil Service or combined like I did for 30 yrs!
They didn't eliminate much of your windfall.
Why would bladder cancer and diabetes give you a miltary pension? You didn't get them in combat and you were hardly disabled.
Moderator cut: snip
Last edited by Keeper; 04-02-2012 at 05:29 PM..
Reason: Ask the question
Exposure to Agent Orange can cause diabetes,as well as some cancers, (and a host of other health issues). That would explain the 20% disability pension, which is a couple hundred dollars a month. He earned it IMO.
Why is he still seeing red? And what the heck is that all about having the audacity to work after serving the military? I didn't stop working for the military! My disabilities is covered under the Veterans Administration under the title the affects of "Agent Orange"! Ever heard of it? Here's the link if anyone is interested to find out the facts! U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and it's such a small amount! For your information, I may have gotten out of active duty after 12 yrs, but I returned as a full time Reservists as an (ART) Air Reserve Technician still in uniform the last 18 yrs of my working career! My main job was to train young men and women in the USAFR to work on airplanes and ready them for deployment if ever the need should ever arise and they were during Desert Storm, Desert Shield and the invasion of Iraq, these thousands of young and old reservists I trained personally were deployed. My job during the week as a civilian was to work on aircrafts returning to home base from overseas for repairs so that they can return to resupply our troops overseas with needed supplies! Someone had to do all the heavy work to maintain these large cargo jet aircrafts and get them back in full service! Try changing 28 tires and 4 jet engines just on one aircraft in a 72 hour time frame with just a crew of 8 people and times that with a half dozen more in line for the week! And besides, I didn't start collecting my military pension until I was 60 yrs old and my small Social Security pension at 62! I waited 11 to 13 yrs and in the meantime was only living on half of my total entitlements and also the COLAs over the years just happened to increase my net worth by the time I turned 62! So, there's no reason to be seeing red at all if you just read my explanations from my previous post and what I've just explained here! I've nothing to be ashamed of! I've earned all that was due to me and I'm proud of serving the U.S.A.!
So, does anyone think I'm over paid with the benefits I'm receiving after 30 yrs of service to the United States of America?
So stop seeing red! My benefits aren't freebies, I'm entitled to them for my service rendered to Uncle Sam! And on top of that, I pay my fair share of taxes too for those other people and dead beats sponging off State Welfare and the Social Security Disability system! Read my lips, all of my benefits are all "earned entitlements" from working 30 years and just got paid more doing it enabling for me to retire at age 49!
So, what's the beef earning a decent living with decent retirement benefits?
Last edited by Keeper; 04-02-2012 at 05:30 PM..
Reason: quote was removed
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- record was shot - had mold on it. I had about 200 albums. Wound up making about $400 on about 5 of them - the rest were garbage - and I sold them to a flea market place for $20.
. I am not sure how I'd "go Goth" even if I wanted to. I do wear a lot of black - especially when I travel. But harsh/dark colors in terms of hair and face look pretty awful when you get older. Softer is better IMO. And I am not about ready to get most tats or have my tongue pierced (don't think Medicare covers any possible medical complications). OTOH - I recently had a very bad allergic reaction to a new BP med. And was thinking of getting a medical/allergic reaction tat. Because I know I'm never going to wear one of those silly bracelets. Everyone in my family thought I was crazy. Robyn
