Media wants people to feel guilty about going on Social Security and retiring at age 62 (pension, state)

[goodtype]

I was watching George Will talking about Social Security on "This Week" on ABC. He was angry that most Americans are actually taking social security at age 62. He has talked about this many times over the years. He does not believe there should be an "early retirement option at age 62" with social security. He thinks most people should wait until they are 70 for retirement and the early option should be eliminated.

This thinking is quite common in the media, academic and government circles. They think it is crazy for someone to retire when they are in good health and have potentially another 20 years they should be working full time. Of course this is a better option for people like George Will who have the option to do interesting work for years past the typical retirement age.

Those of you who have retired on social security at age 62, do you feel guilty like George Will and others would like you to feel? And do you think the elites will eliminate early retirement at age 62 in the near future?

[nancy thereader]

Well, all I can say is ..... they had better not eliminate that because I will be 62 next year and I can just see it now : Early SS Benefits Eliminated for Anyone Who Turns 62 After November 1st, 2008

[Waterlily]

I am not there yet but we both plan to draw our S.S. at 62. I mean people like my husband will have been putting money into S.S. for more than 40 years. Isn't that enough? No I won't feel guilty at all.
Really the comment about being able to work for 20 more years is not realistic. That would make someone 82 years old.
Who is George Will anyway?

[forest beekeeper]

LOL

LOL

LOL

I have never heard of George Will either.

I retired at 42, and I do not feel 'guilty'. LOL

I worked hard and lived underwater for seven months a year for many years, and I am a combat veteran.

I get my pension.

We bought land and we are building a new house.

I garden, hunt and fish.



Guilty?

LOL LOL LOL

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

Well, all I can say is ..... they had better not eliminate that because I will be 62 next year and I can just see it now : Early SS Benefits Eliminated for Anyone Who Turns 62 After November 1st, 2008

They don't usually make changes to things that affect people in the short term. When they make changes like that they generally announce things many years ahead of time.

[litlux]

i retired at 62 aand don't give a hoot what George Will and others think. I took a cut in benefits for opting in early and statistically that will save them money in the long run, so what's the big deal?

I think rich people like George Will and the others who diss Social Security can afford to, they have their tax cuts. For us working stiffs, it was well earned.

[Tek_Freek]

20 more years?

Let's take a poll: How many people at age 62 really like what they do for a living to want to keep doing it for twenty more years?

And if they like what they do what are their chances of getting hired to do it at age 62 or older.

George Will is a moron. Certainly out of touch with the real world...

[Keeper]

Most large companies don't want you there at 60 or 62 let alone til 70. They can hire a younger person for much less money than you make if you have been there any length of time. All they care about is the bottom line.
I was offered early retirement at 60 and took it. My husband had passed away the year before and I just didn't want to worry everytime there were rumors of layoffs anymore. I get his SS and when I turn 65 I will get mine. No one would get his SS if I didn't get it, which is really unfair since he paid into it for 35 years.
I love retirement and I often wonder about all the ppl I see working for min wage in stores, what their story is and why are they working.

[jbcorbin]

Yes, George Will is a moron and you just take his word for it, he knows what is best for all the rest of us!

He is a columnist and paid speaker. He is 68 years old. An article I read dated 1990 stated that he was making $1 million a year then. I bet he has made a few bucks since.

So, he is past 62 and makes millions for talking. Yeah, I guess I wouldn't retire until I was 70 either if I was riding the "gravy-train with biscuit wheels" that he is on.

SS is just something us normal people lust after. Of course, if you had been able to invest it yourself, you would already be retired and not on this forum.

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by jbcorbin

SS is just something us normal people lust after. Of course, if you had been able to invest it yourself, you would already be retired and not on this forum.

So true. I would have been one very happy man to have that to invest.