Reply #119: Please help me out... [View All]

[InkAddict]

I am employed PT; my employer, a large surgical practice, does not offer healthcare to PT employees; I would work FT if I could and at least get participatory coverage. I continue to look for an improved situation so I'm not dependent on spouse's coverage; however, most of those FT jobs have gone overseas. My spouse, a currently employed consultant worker, carries a family plan, sharing the cost w/employer(not the client who keeps mentioning permanent status though it never happens). There is a four year age difference, and we will soon be senior citizens, at which time we'll be forced to live on SS alone unless we keep working. At that point, it's likely that we'll be impoverished the rest of our lives.

We arrived here due to serial breadwinner IT unemployment episodes and are now struggling with recovering from the final straw, a long-term episode of unemployment and immediate-family caregiving issues which left us broke, non-homeowners, and without credit cards (a good thing).

Our budget can barely stand the strain of this scenario now as we will soon be stuck with school loans coming due that will be the size of our lost home mortgage payment (I'm told there are payment options. I'm not signatory on the loans just the spouse who signed awareness) yet still need to pay rent, utilities, and transportation expenses, car repair,ins.gasoline, to get to work and a living situation that accommodates one daughter who will hopefully be contributing more to the household expenses after graduation in June though her long-term goals are to work and live elsewhere. Pretty much, right now, even co-pays and deductibles make us healthcare non-users/claimers.

I can see us just getting by, right now, as long as our health and income remain stable, meaning no new withholdings; no new mandated expenses. I guess we're pretty much screwed as far as retirement goes; and though I do support changes, having been frequently thrown to the wolves in the past and not wishing that on anyone, I'm unsure which candidate's plan would bring the greatest benefit, providing the fewest cracks to fall into during a transition. This could be the deciding issue with my vote in March; no matter in November after a candidate is chosen.

Help me decide.