Massive Cost of living increase and surviving on SSD benefits or SS period.

[PerryB288691]

I am fortunate in that I do receive max SS benefits, that being said with the huge increases in food/sundry costs since last year and now being faced with huge increases due to the $15.00 per hour minimum wage (idiotic) I will be unable to live, let alone my folks out there who are not so fortunate. 

What is AARP going to do to help??? We are sending billions to foreign countries, billions for homeless..many homeless by choice and going to grant citizenship and allow millions more illegals into our country footing the bill for free health care etc but forget our seniors and SS in its entirety? 

I lost everything in 2008 but clawed my way back up until 2012 when 20+ orthopedic and nerve surgeries took me out, NEVER unemployed since age 14 working full time and at times 3 jobs to try and save. 

I can't imagine what is going to do to help our seniors or anyone else on SS. 

I think AARP should be showing a huge presence in Washington RIGHT NOW prior to a crisis. PLEASE HELP US...maybe Washington could use the trillions of dollars to allow and support the current and incoming illegals that will be entering our country to support the folks that rely on SS.

My thoughts go to all trying to live a respectable life living on SS alone. 

AARP?????

[easyed598]

To Perry`s topic of adjusting  to the coming minimum wage of  $15/hr raise.  The average SS payment is $1425 / month. Many I talked to have the same concern about the possible high cost of living . The  new minimum wage will definitely increase the cost of living . Some say,  a year from now everything will cost double and the new poverty wage will be $15.00/hour . So the question is , where  will that leave Seniors?  I can`t see the Biden doubling Social Security payments in the next year.The average SS COLA  payment  increase has been about 2.8  % in the last 10 years. BTW-How many people here think the new $15 /hr. wage is a good idea.? It is said, it   will cost millions of jobs and will cause teenagers and other unskilled  workers to be unemployed. Paying a teenager $32,000/year to flip burgers just isn`t feasable at this time, at least for McDonald`s  franchise owners . Also, how about those immigrant workers who happy making $10/hour  doing yard work in the sun states and those who are  paying the HOA fees to have it done?

[fffred]

@PerryB288691 

I'm sorry for your troubles. They sound awful. 

I would be interested to hear more of what happened to you and your assets in 2008. And of your medical troubles in 2012. Are you on disability or are you getting retirement benefits from the SS Administration, that's not clear to me from your post.

I can't answer for AARP and what they might do. This might not be the place to voice your concerns to the management of AARP; they may not be listening too closely to the forums for issues of concern to its members. Maybe a "letter to the editor" would be heard better.

Your post raises a lot of important issues and concerns that are of interest to most of us.

Just to comment on two points, maybe this will provide some reassurance, or lower the boil.

Yes the US does spend billions of dollars in foreign aid. Many people think this soaks up around 20% or more of the Federal budget. But in actuality foreign aid rarely exceeds more than 2%-3% of the annual budget, and often less. And the US is seen to benefit greatly from this largesse as well. Both of the major political parties in the US support foreign aid. Here's a recent interesting article about foreign aid published by The Ripon Society, a centrist Republican group, see https://riponsociety.org/article/what-every-american-should-know-about-u-s-foreign-aid/

Other point is that the Social Security retirement benefit was never intended to be the sole support to retirees. It was long referred to as "one leg of a 3-legged stool", with the other legs being company pension and personal savings. Much has changed over the years and company pensions now often have turned into 401K plans that both employer and employee contribute to. But the point remains that Social Security was never seen to be a primary support for retirees (although in practice it often is, and that is another discussion). I find a figure of 40% often indicated as what Social Security generally pays as a portion of ones pre-retirement income. Of course this will vary greatly with the income level of the retiree...those who had made greater incomes will find that SS will replace less of their pre-retirement income, and those with lower incomes will receive a SS benefit that replaces more of that income (this results from the "bend points" in the benefit calculation formulas).

[lmans]

As stated...SS was never intended to 'be your retirement' and if you find yourself in a position that 'it is', well....that is too bad and obviously you were like millions of others who never gave much a thought while younger and working. I guess that is the price one pays. I am not sure what raising the min wage to $15 will bring but I am in agreement with many in that there is no reason to pay burger flippers and teens that kind of money. I see the min wage in Australia being $20 and wow, it does make living in Australia difficult. So if we could learn from what other progressive countries have done (such as Australia), we might not go down that road. If we do, well...the alternative is just not to go 'out and eat' as much. Again, as one retires, you do less and why not? Enjoy the free things in life as there are plenty. I think many Americans just have gotten so used to spending frivolously, that they continue to do so in retirement. If you want to spend more, get a part time job I suppose. 

Bottom line...we all have choices...we all made choices in life. It is not up to the government now to bail out those who made poor choices....  But that same argument also goes to those in the workforce now. If you need the min wage to be $15, perhaps you too are making poor life choices now, so figure it out and don't let the government bail you out. 

[PerryB288691]

That is one thought process. There is other and I find your comments offensive. I worked a full time job starting at age 14, never unemployed until age 51 when my body gave up, 20+ surgeries to try and get back to work and at that time I was on track to retire at 65 a millionaire even though I lost my entire portfolio and was ripped off by one of the bailout banks. I sued the bank through a class action suit, got a whopping $3700 dollars out of the $160K they owed me. I am not able to get a part time job or I would, I would still work full time if I could. SS was going to be my monthly "bonus" not my retirement. There are situations that are out of peoples control....Just imagine co pays, drugs, hiring people to do things you had always done yourself, money goes fast and I live modestly. As I also said i am fortunate that I get the SS max.

There are situations that are beyond control and in closing I do agree with some of your points but there are a lot of people in this country that either cannot or will not save any money.