Justify Social Security ... Dont Save for Retirement

It is a common question when investors review their retirement plan-should we include social security benefits into our retirement income projections?

It seems the closer an investor is to retirement, the more likely he/she will include social security benefits into the analysis. Younger investors, however, may feel compelled to omit such benefits. They must then become mavericks on the retirement front. The choice is yours, but before you decide the influence of social security on your future, remember the following points:

When Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the social security act in 1935, he stated that social security gives some protection to American families. One reoccurring theme of his statement focused on assistance, not 100% protection. In the President's words, "the law will flatten out the peaks and valleys of deflation and of inflation (source: http://www.ssa.gov)

For many, the Social Security Administration has raised the age of full retirement from 65 to adopt a more stringent schedule. This may be an addition of a couple of months or a couple of years. The administration justifies the increases due to longer life expectancies and general healthier life styles.

For example, those born after 1960, your full retirement age is 67. Going forward, we should ask ourselves "what other changes will be made to social security?" If you would like a complete schedule of retirement ages for full benefits, I recommend you visit Social Security's website at http://www.ssa.gov

An opinion adopted by many is to consider social security in part the closer you are to retirement. For example, if you are sixty years of age and plan on full retirement in five years, you should consider an analysis based on your current projected benefits. Even with the proposed reform plans, preservation of benefits is a priority for eligible citizens age 50-55 and older.

If however you are thirty, it may be better for you to omit such projections. The result will be overfunded personal savings. Thus social security will be an added benefit and not the benefit.

Consider the troubling issues of the 2004 OASDI Trustees Report: future scheduled benefits for today's young workers could be reduced by 27% or more if amendments to the current plan are not adopted.

Young workers should take note of this report. Do not rely on social security and concentrate on personal savings.

In conclusion, you have a risky option-there is only one way to justify social security, don't save for retirement. If this is your chosen route, be prepared for difficult times ahead.

About The Author

Wardlaw's belief is that familiar life elements best illustrate practical investment strategies; not typical investment jargon. With that philosophy, the author assists financial planners / advisors, brokerage firms, periodicals, and other investment information syndicates create informative and entertaining articles. For comments and questions, please contact the author at mailto:tools2invest@yahoo.com.

In The News:


Google News
Updated : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:50:27 GMT

Australian jet plunge probe opens - BBC News


TVNZ
Australian jet plunge probe opens
BBC News - 1 hour ago
A computer glitch may have caused a Qantas jet to plunge suddenly mid-flight, an Australian air safety investigator has said. The incident injured 40 passengers, in a terrifying airborne drama.
Qantas plane had glitch before altitude plunge International Herald Tribune
Computer glitch may have caused Qantas plunge: investigator AFP
Bloomberg - Reuters - Aljazeera.net - ABC Online
all 734 news articles

Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:39:47 GMT

In Florida, Palin keeps up attacks on Obama - Dallas Morning News


BBC News
In Florida, Palin keeps up attacks on Obama
Dallas Morning News - 1 hour ago
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Sarah Palin portrayed Barack Obama as a dishonest politician and a risky choice for president Tuesday as she wrapped up a two-day campaign swing through Florida.
Sarah Palin, Freed? Washington Post
McCain, Obama and a 'friendly' town hall Los Angeles Times
Reuters - San Francisco Chronicle - Boston Globe - USA Today
all 4,475 news articles

Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:39:26 GMT

Absentee balloting began Tuesday - Las Cruces Sun-News


San Diego Union Tribune
Absentee balloting began Tuesday
Las Cruces Sun-News - 33 minutes ago
By SUE MAJOR HOLMES AP Writer ALBUQUERQUE, NM—It was only mid-morning on the first day of absentee voting, but 200 people had already shown up to cast their ballots at the clerk's office in Bernalillo County, New Mexico's most populous.
Muncie takes advantage of early voting Ball State Daily News
Voter numbers growing as deadline nears Corvallis Gazette Times
Gloucester County Times - NJ.com - Salisbury Post - Aspen Times - Daily Vidette
all 619 news articles

Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:16:38 GMT

British government unveils massive financial rescue plan - Los Angeles Times


ITV.com
British government unveils massive financial rescue plan
Los Angeles Times - 48 minutes ago
LONDON - The British government Wednesday unveiled a massive rescue plan for its ailing banking system after days of unrelenting bad news for the financial industry here.
British government to partially nationalize banks International Herald Tribune
Rescue plan for UK banks unveiled BBC News
guardian.co.uk - Washington Post - BusinessWeek - AFP
all 1,454 news articles

Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:01:33 GMT

Nepal Plane Crashes, Killing Mostly German Tourists (Update1) - Bloomberg


Spiegel Online
Nepal Plane Crashes, Killing Mostly German Tourists (Update1)
Bloomberg - 27 minutes ago
By Jay Shankar Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) -- A passenger plane belonging to Yeti Airlines, a private carrier, crashed near Mount Everest in Nepal killing 18 people, including 12 German tourists, an aviation official said.
Everest plane crash kills 18 in Nepal, mostly German AFP
Official: Plane crash in Nepal kills 18 USA Today
The Associated Press - The Sun Daily - Spiegel Online - Swissinfo
all 284 news articles

Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:23:22 GMT

Harford County Council tries for leaner budget - Baltimore Sun


Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Harford County Council tries for leaner budget
Baltimore Sun - 1 hour ago
By Mary Gail Hare Harford County Executive David R. Craig met with the County Council last night and painted a bleak revenue outlook that will dominate the remainder of the fiscal year and continue well into the next.
Sims wants pay freeze to balance King County budget Seattle Times
Sims announces layoffs, wage freezes for county employees Seattle Post Intelligencer
Pittsburgh Post Gazette - KOMO News - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Bizjournals.com
all 10 news articles

Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:27:45 GMT

Obama connected with audience - Baltimore Sun


Boston Globe
Obama connected with audience
Baltimore Sun - 1 hour ago
By David Zurawik z on tv david.zurawik@baltsun.com The format of the second presidential debate was described as that of a town hall meeting, but it was pure TV from the "citizens" seated on risers on a brightly lit stage, to the candidates moving ...
Candidates arguments are as familiar as their mistakes The Miami Herald
Cool Hand Barack Wall Street Journal
The Weekly Standard - Los Angeles Times - Dallas Morning News - Boston Globe
all 464 news articles

Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:28:41 GMT

Affiliate Data Feeds
Amazon Associate Feed


PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Planning for Retirement

Almost without exception, people don't start planning for their retirement... Read More

Fundamentals of Option Pricing

When one begins to consider an option, it is very... Read More

Reasons For Joining An Investment Club

Whether you're a novice investor or an experienced stock picker... Read More

How To Create Wealth In The Stock Market

First and foremost, an opportunistic strategy for creating wealth in... Read More

Wit and Wisdom on Money, Wall Street and Success - Part #2

Here are ten more WISDOM packed GEMS that ooffer very... Read More

Forex market offers opportunity and information

The forex market is what is called an international exchange... Read More

The Real Cost of a Bad Habit

What is the value of a good habit? Think of... Read More

The Economy Is Not The Stock Market

Several days ago, the Commerce Department reported that May's factory... Read More

Economic Survival in the 21st Century - the Three Key Questions to Ask

In this "special report", I want to pose a few... Read More

Why have Investment Plans for the Stock Market

If you do not have an investment plan in the... Read More

Building The Foundation For Wealth

You wouldn't build your home on anything less than a... Read More

Stock Market Horizons: Gold $3,000, Oil $70

In the last two decades, even though gold prices have... Read More

Going Offshore For Asset Protection

There are a number of key reasons why individuals and... Read More

For Entrepreneurs A SIMPLE Plan May Be Best

Q: I own a small decorating business and I'll be... Read More

Value Investing

By definition, value investing is the process of selecting stocks... Read More

How To Start Investing For Financial Independence, Part 1

Today, I am going to start a multi-part series about... Read More

Landlording 101, Tricks of The Trade

Looking Inside Your Tenant's Mind Basic Mind-Reading Report 101 for... Read More

Short Term Savings Products

When you invest, it simply means that you are putting... Read More

25 Ways to Find Companies to Buy

When you start your program to purchase your "ideal" company,... Read More

Effective Advice For A New Generation of Investors

CATCHING A FALLING KNIFEOne of the most common mistakes made... Read More

Investing Psychology Today Requires All Traders to Awaken Their Speculator Minds

Stock trading strategies are as rampant today, as they were... Read More

Raising Capital Using a Public Company

Going public in this manner is ideal for companies that... Read More

The American Age of Inflation is Over

"The American Age of Inflation is finished." So says economist... Read More

It Is Never Too Early To Start A Roth IRA!

The Roth is kind of weird until you get used... Read More

Retirement is Never Urgent Until

If you're like many people, your retirement savings have not... Read More