Dear Mr. President, I will trade my six figure salary for a lower 1/3 five figure income if .......

[Stinky The Clown]

.... you would do just a few things. First, find a young worker looking for some degree of success and give him my job. Give him my salary. Give him my station in life. Or split the job and give it to two people.

What do I want?

Not too much, actually.

I want my Medicare without the holes; Medicare as what it should be. I want my Social Security without any taxes and with a higher limit on how much I can earn. Between the Social Security and the part time job, I'll do fine. See ..... I'm hanging on to this job because I need the health care. Fix that, and I'm outta here.

I'll take the job pumping gas or working retail, just to stay busy. I've had the satisfaction of job fulfillment and I have had the opportunity to reach for the sky. I'm tired, now. I just don't want to waste away and a menial job with some opportunity for social interaction would be good for me. Or maybe I'll coach that kid you give my job to. I don't need a lot and I really don't want pressure. Just a few extra bucks over my Social Security would be fine. And I guess you can tax those if you feel the need.

See, in this way, a younger person gets a shot at what I have and I get to live my golden years with a little less worry.

Deal?

[virgogal]

1. I wasn't aware that there was an earnings limit in order to collect SS.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Yes, there is

"In 2009, the annual earnings limit is $14,160. That means you can earn up to $14,160 and your benefits will not be reduced. If you earn over $14,160 the amount of reduction you incur will depend on your age."

http://moneyover55.about.com/od/preretirementplanning/a/earningslimit.htm

[virgogal]

6. Not if you've reached full retirement age (65-67) Then earnings are

unlimited.

[DCKit]

3. Until 70, I think. Then you can keep both - but pay taxes on the aggregate income. n/t

[virgogal]

5. That was changed. It's full retirement age now,which in my case

is 65.

[enid602]

13. taxable income

I'm trying to remember from my H&R Block days, but I think SS income is tax exempt up until you earn $24K, at which point it becomes marginally taxable, and eventually (if you earn enough money) becomes 85% taxable.

[stray cat]

4. 6 figures? So maybe 33,000 is what you are willing to take?

[Stinky The Clown]

9. Yeah ..... more or less ......

[Mike 03]

7. Something I don't understand about Social Security. Would appreciate help.

What if you worked for say twenty years, but didn't do that well, but you paid into SS that whole time, and then drop out of the jobs market?

Are you entitled to any SS when you retire?

[OKNancy]

10. 40 quarters ( ten years)

is what you have to work to be eligible. I suppose the amount you get will be lower because of your lower income. Do you get those mailed reports the SS administration sends out?

[MineralMan]

17. Yup. You're entitled, and you'll get it.

I've been a freelance writer most of my working life. Didn't make a lot most years. I started taking SS when I turned 62. Now I'm back at work, and holding my income under the limit until I'm 66. Once I hit that (next year), I think I'll take on more work. I'm tired of scrimping.

[Mike 03]

8. Kick and Rec. NT

[TexasObserver]

11. recommend

[SlingBlade]

12. Sounds like the old Bernie Sanders proposal.....

He claims this sort of thing would bring unemployment to zero and
cause or economy to jump by leaps and bounds.

But some Republican, or Democrat for that matter yelled out the "S" word
Socialism so everyone ran away.

Too bad we live in such stupid, huh.

K&R :)

[enid602]

14. retirement

My view of retirement is different. I've taken full advantage 401K savings opportunities, and managed the funds myself all these years. I bought a rental property 30 years ago, and just recently paid it off. I sold my home in Phoenix just before the crash, and recently bought another (after living it up in Argentina for 2 years) here in Phoenix for a fraction of what I got for the old one. Call it speculative and opportunistic, but it worked. I left my job in aerospace at age 47, when I had enough FU money. If I get back a little something from SS, fine. If not, fine.

[ret5hd]

16. We're all proud of you.

Bless your heart.

[Stinky The Clown]

18. I should say .....

..... but I won't.

[NNN0LHI]

15. They still have jobs for people pumping gas around where you are?

I haven't seen that going on around here for at least a couple of decades.

Its all self-service.

Don

[glitch]

19. You've got my vote, should you ever run ;) nt

[Lugnut]

20. +100

I know a few people who would do the same if health care insurance was not the problem.

[eridani]

21. My thoughts exactly. I was pushed into early retirement by downsizing

I'd be fine with leaving the well-paying work to younger people in their family raising years. Except for those damned shitstain insurance companies that charge people 50-64 many times more for the same shitty coverage, and the so-called "reform" that ratifies that situation.

[upi402]

22. Good luck finding a job pumping gas or working retail. n/t

[indepat]

23. Stinky, there you go trying to make some sense amidst all the nonsensical

:D

[progressoid]

24. Good luck with that.

I understand your point, but even if SS & Medicare were fixed and you left your current job for a filler job, younger people aren't going to get a shot at what you have. They'll more likely get a shot at half of what you have. Might as well keep your six figures as long as you can and try to find a way to work through the pain.

I've never been close to a six figure salary. Nor has my wife. Even combined we haven't. And considering the speed at which our country is going down the drain, we never will.

It'll be 20 or more years before I get a shot at Social Security. But since I can't count on even half of what you'll be getting from Social Security, I expect I'll to HAVE to work those jobs in retail or "pumping gas" until I die (if they are available).

Thanks for the offer though.