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Old 04-24-2009, 10:15 AM
 
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What this thread and many others reflect is how the breakdown of the American family is coming back to haunt folks in their senior years. Divorce can be a retirement killer.
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Old 04-24-2009, 11:50 AM
 
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Well, if the average American child output is 2.2 per woman, and likely modern families are two kids, max... People move for college, military, opportunity, lack of opportunity. Not everyone has relatives nearby. The old formula of family together involved more people and less mobility.
I am one of typical two kids. I have no kids (by choice). My sister lives where we are from, some 300 miles away. She has two grown kids, one nearby, one in California.
My father lives alone in that area, and I have continually told him if he wants to move in with me, he's welcome. He's 84, lives in a tiny trailer, and walks everywhere, including to a train to Atlantic City to gamble what's little is left over from Soc. Sec. He can't walk to anything but the supermarket where I live, (no gamblng) but I know he is relieved to know he can come up here.
What do poor people do? Live miserably. And no, not all of them have a functional grown kid or other relative to live with. I doubt many of them have the mindset to then think of communal living or any such.
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Old 04-24-2009, 12:05 PM
 
10,629 posts, read 26,660,945 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TuborgP View Post
What this thread and many others reflect is how the breakdown of the American family is coming back to haunt folks in their senior years. Divorce can be a retirement killer.
Not just divorce, but the way the system works as a whole, especially for women. Divorced mothers have especially bad, but as someone who took time off to have a child (and was able to stay home, although the high cost of child care combined with the tax situation made the decision easier) it scares me to see the low income numbers on my social security statements. Divorced mothers who stayed home with kids have it extra rough. I have many years before I can get social security (if it's even still around), but it scares me that there's not much, if any, of a security net for when I'm older.
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Old 04-24-2009, 02:06 PM
 
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Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist View Post
Not just divorce, but the way the system works as a whole, especially for women. Divorced mothers have especially bad, but as someone who took time off to have a child (and was able to stay home, although the high cost of child care combined with the tax situation made the decision easier) it scares me to see the low income numbers on my social security statements. Divorced mothers who stayed home with kids have it extra rough. I have many years before I can get social security (if it's even still around), but it scares me that there's not much, if any, of a security net for when I'm older.
I didn't want to say it previously but you are 100% on target. Stay at home moms are at the mercy of their husbands. If they divorce and he remarries they are without a net.
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Old 04-24-2009, 02:07 PM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
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I am one of those who will have to work until I die. That's ok though. When I am eligible for full social security I will drop down to part time to supplement it and that will be like retiring for me. I once saw a TV documentary that showed older women who never earned much or lost their savings and were alone. Most of them never even thought about not working. They couldn't. They had never earned enough to save a substanial amount enough to retire. They were office clerks, pink collar workers and housewives who hadn't worked in years and now were bereft of spouse.

When I was out of work and close to being on the street, I was told by every agency that as long as I didn't have a kid or two I did not qualify for anything. Knowing that there are agencies around to help people is one thing, trying to meet their criteria is quite another.
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Old 04-24-2009, 04:50 PM
 
31,672 posts, read 40,940,324 times
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Originally Posted by Minervah View Post
I am one of those who will have to work until I die. That's ok though. When I am eligible for full social security I will drop down to part time to supplement it and that will be like retiring for me. I once saw a TV documentary that showed older women who never earned much or lost their savings and were alone. Most of them never even thought about not working. They couldn't. They had never earned enough to save a substanial amount enough to retire. They were office clerks, pink collar workers and housewives who hadn't worked in years and now were bereft of spouse.

When I was out of work and close to being on the street, I was told by every agency that as long as I didn't have a kid or two I did not qualify for anything. Knowing that there are agencies around to help people is one thing, trying to meet their criteria is quite another.
Yours is a growing tragedy that hopefully will find a resolution of some sorts.
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Old 04-24-2009, 05:17 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
326 posts, read 763,240 times
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I once saw a lady probably in her mid 70s asking a mall stall merchant during Christmas Season whether she could work for him. It broke my heart.

I am now 47 and going to try my very best to avoid that to happen to me. I don't how much I'll need, not sure if SS will be there when I retire, but I am saving every penny now.
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Old 04-24-2009, 05:25 PM
NCN
 
Location: NC/SC Border Patrol
21,663 posts, read 25,542,728 times
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We have something called social services that are paid by the taxpayers to help people in these conditions. Some people are just too proud to accept help. These are the type people that churches need to help. You might want to be kind to her and if you make a cake, take a piece or two by her apartment and tell her you made it and know you cannot eat it all and ask if she can help you not waste the food, etc.

My husband just said today that he is ready to write some letters. He doesn't understand why the government has money to send to other countries when they shortchange their own people who have worked all their lives and paid into the system. We should not be scared that SS will not be there. If we had all the money we paid into the SS system, we would be rich and not need any help. A country cannot prosper while cheating its senior citizens.

Then they are bailing out companies that are giving millions to people who have not earned the money. Working for a company a couple of months should not warrant a million dollar bonus. Companies that are not making a profit should not be giving out bonuses at all. I think it is time some white collar criminals went to jail and we can start in congress.

Last edited by NCN; 04-24-2009 at 05:36 PM..
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Old 04-24-2009, 07:37 PM
 
Location: Baltimore, MD
5,299 posts, read 5,974,302 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TuborgP View Post
I didn't want to say it previously but you are 100% on target. Stay at home moms are at the mercy of their husbands. If they divorce and he remarries they are without a net.

Not quite. If the couple was married for at least 10 years, the ex-wife is entitled to draw 50% of ex-husband's s.s. benefit regardless of his remarriage. If ex-husband dies, ex-wife will receive full amount of ex's check.

The 50% isn't great, but it is frequently more than an ex-wife (stay at home mom) would have received on her own earnings record.
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Old 04-24-2009, 07:44 PM
 
Location: Baltimore, MD
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Originally Posted by RedViolin View Post
Grrr...says she may not be eligible for food stamps cause her income's too high? How is that possible with her making $1,200/month before taxes. To solve her problem, she needs a wonderful guy!

Please encourage her to apply anyway. The program also takes into account utilities, etc. Here's a link to a government sponsored website that lists each state's eligibility criteria. There are also screening calculators that may help. Online Information About Key Low-Income Benefit Programs — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
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