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Edited on Fri Nov-11-11 07:12 AM by luckyleftyme2
the next time you hear a walking idiot tell you how much better off you would be if you invested your social security system into private holdings your retirement funds would be greater. Or how about all your pension plans into 401k's. I suggest you read what this idiotic thinking has done to you so far. "Editor's Note: This post by Steve Vernon appeared on November 8 on MoneyWatch.com.
The results of a new survey suggest that the American dream just got a little dimmer. According to the 2011 Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index, the U.S. retirement system ranks behind that of such nations as Poland, Brazil, and Chile. The index's top rankings went to Netherlands, Australia, and Switzerland, in that order.
Related stories at MoneyWatch.com • Only 2 Mutual Funds You Need • Why Investors Keep Losing • Investing – The Behavior Gap The annual rankings are based on three factors: The adequacy of the retirement income system to replace pre-retirement income, the sustainability of that system, and the integrity of the system.
Compared with nations that rank higher in adequacy, the U.S. has relatively modest Social Security benefits, and its citizens have a higher reliance on defined contribution plans -- such as 401(k) plans -- instead of traditional pension plans that deliver lifetime retirement income.
When you translate these findings, you shouldn't be surprised to find that:
• Employers and employees alike aren't saving enough for retirement.
• Abandoning traditional pension plans in favor of 401(k) plans has significantly eroded workers' retirement security." WE ARE NOW RANKED 10TH OF THE TOP 16 NATIONS IN THE WORLD AND SLIDING DOWN THE POLL OF PROSPERITY!
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