Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Retirement: When a public pension isn't enough
http://www.chicagotribune.com ^ | 01/20/2016 | By Sandra Block and Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Posted on 01/21/2016 7:10:34 AM PST by redreno

Although the vast majority of public employees are covered by defined-benefit pension plans, many may need to supplement their pension checks to ensure a comfortable retirement.

Teachers, for example, can enhance their retirement security by contributing to a 403(b) plan, a tax-deferred savings plan that's similar to a 401(k). Unfortunately, many 403(b) plans are vastly inferior to their private-sector counterparts as far as investment choices are concerned; primary offerings are usually products such as equity-indexed annuities, which often carry high fees and offer limited market returns

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News
KEYWORDS: ecomony; money; publicpension; taxes

1 posted on 01/21/2016 7:10:34 AM PST by redreno
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: redreno

Only fools would invest into these long term funds for sometime in the near future the government will seize these funds and incorporate them into the general fund.

ANY SYSTEM OR FUND controlled by government regulations as far as fines and penalties for withdrawal are simply for fools that think in 20-30-40 years think they will actually retire on these funds.

If that is not bad enough, inflation will ensure that as fast as they add money to the fund inflation will rise in direct proportion and when it comes to retire, they would have simply the same buying power as on the day they started the fund.

Investment in so called “safe” plans is worthless. Buy tangible items such as gold, silver, real estate etc... that will actually grow in real value over time...not a piece of paper that can become worthless overnight.


2 posted on 01/21/2016 7:21:30 AM PST by DH (Once the tainted finger of government touches anything the rot begins)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: redreno
Imagine if the money that is taken from the worker every paycheck could be invested by that individual. Over the course of a lifetime that money would far outstrip anything social insecurity would provide.

Now where real wealth accumulation would occur is when the worker dies.

That money would be left to the beneficiaries. In SS, that money is forfeited. To me, that is theft.

But then that would take power away from the Establishment and we know that won't happen.

3 posted on 01/21/2016 7:22:57 AM PST by ealgeone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: redreno

Those of us who were offered no pension at all are having trouble whipping up sympathy.


4 posted on 01/21/2016 7:26:40 AM PST by skeeter (Nasty Conservative for Cruz)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: redreno

This is the problem. A good friend of mine is a teacher in BC. He thinks his pension will pay for everything after he retires in a few years. Because of that, he has no qualms about spending nearly all of his current pay on vacations, restaurants, and home upgrades.

No amount of talking to him changes his mind about the future, although I believe he’s in for some forced down-sizing.

Oh well.


5 posted on 01/21/2016 8:07:38 AM PST by VanShuyten ("a shadow...draped nobly in the folds of a gorgeous eloquence.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: redreno
Horse feathers! Public employee pensions are sucking the life out of the taxpayer's wallets.
6 posted on 01/21/2016 8:32:17 AM PST by MasterGunner01 ( Barbara Daly Danko)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: redreno

Chicago’s corrupt and violent... the city has spawned some of the worst ideas and people in the history of our country. It’s an open sewer...


7 posted on 01/21/2016 9:15:39 AM PST by GOPJ (It's more important to have a gun in your hand than a cop on the phone- Florida Sheriff Grady Judd)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MasterGunner01

You try living on what the state of Texas pays their retirees. It isn’t fun.


8 posted on 01/21/2016 10:07:17 AM PST by bgill (CDC site, "We still do not know exactly how people are infected with Ebola")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: bgill
Sorry, about TX. I was directing my venom at the public employee union members of IL. They are the epitome of exponential greed.
9 posted on 01/21/2016 3:06:08 PM PST by MasterGunner01 ( Barbara Daly Danko)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson