Baby boomers seek early retirement; Social Security age may increase

[rainbow4321]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/101307dnbusocialsecurity.36eb13d.html

The ranks of early Social Security retirees are expected to swell as the first of 76 million baby boomers celebrate their 62nd birthdays in less than three months.

That prospect has a growing number of policy analysts from both liberal and conservative think tanks calling for an increase in the early retirement age to 63 ½, 64 or 65. Lawmakers would probably raise the age in steps over a number of years.

<snip>

Experts say the availability of Social Security retirement benefits at 62 has enticed millions of older Americans to abandon the 9-to-5 routine sooner than they might otherwise. More than half of eligible workers now claim their benefits at 62, even as Social Security's full retirement age gradually rises from 65 to 67.


<snip>

Postponing Social Security benefits would pose a hardship for those with physically demanding jobs who can't work anymore, opponents say. Increasing the early retirement age, they argue, might only impoverish the most vulnerable and drive more people onto the disability rolls.

[Deja Q]

1. Might or might not. After all,

it's claimed there will be a 20% increase in demand for computer support specialists between 2004 and 2014.

Sounds like a great career to get into, yes?

Nope.

In two words:

Thin clients.

Specialists won't be needed.

Long range statistics don't have much value anymore. Never mind all of it is theoretical to begin with, never mind the inferences made upon the theoretical data and what people to in response to it.

[regnaD kciN]

2. Besides...

...there will be a 20% increase in demand for computer support specialists between 2004 and 2014.

Which will do wonders for the job market...of India! :-(

[roamer65]

3. Bernanke will just print more dollars.

We're gonna inflate our way out of this...mark my words.

[papau]

4. Stupid idea as the actuarial adjustment (reduction) in benefits already takes care of this - media

idiots misunderstand what is being discussed - which is raising the Reagan passed age 67 full benefit retirement now in Social Security to age 70 - for full benefits - while keeping age 62 for the first early retirement age - the effect of which would be lower benefits for those that retire early at 62, or 63, etc than under current law.

The age increase if it comes would be phased in over 36 years beginning around 2030.

This is repackaged crap from the right wing Heritage Foundation, as it seeks to motivate the poor to work until they die - because "it is for their own good". The Dallas paper claims as it's source AARP - but that is a lie as to the idea and as to the AARP publishing an article on this idea per my quick google search.

[WinkyDink]

5. Missing billions in Iraq........

[Golden Raisin]

7. There you go!

Could have rebuilt New Orleans, cured cancer and shored up Social Security for at least a year or so.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

6. "enticed Americans to abandon their jobs"????

What planet are they on? Uranus?

SS doesn't entice people to leave their jobs at 62.

We've been thrown out of the middle class, because in America, if you're over forty, you are too educated, too experienced, too qualified, and too expensive to hire!!!

So they fire you, or they don't hire you in the first place!!!

They won't talk about the massive unemployment that they are too scared to accurately report.

They say people will be employed if they improve their skills.

Excuse me, I already have three degrees including a doctorate, and I know other people with three degrees who are highly qualified and have lots of skills. Just what kind of school do they have in mind???? :sarcasm: