10 Ways Baby Boomers Will Reinvent Retirement

Reader Comments
Back to article

Perhaps "Deb of TX" you may wish to proof read your comments before submitting them. It is confusing to me how you feel comfortable calling our current administration and/or its supporters "idiots" when you appear unable to complete even one sentence that is gramatically correct. I have never commented on something like this before, and perhaps I am just grumpy and your remarks hit me wrong. . . but Damn.

Stephanie of SC 9:33PM May 30, 2010

I must say that I have to agree and disagree with Lee Hansen of MI. I am a baby boomer. Born in 1957. Most of what you say seems quite fair, however; I wholeheartedly disagree when I hear things like hiring older workers is a liability. "Just as the insurance companies refuse to insure people with preconditions, employers are reluctant to hire older people for the same reason, more risk. Higher medical bills, more accident prone ,slower on the job." That is a bunch of s***.
I was unfortunate enough to lose my job in Nov 09. I was eventually able to find new employment 2200 miles away from my home. The major reason I discovered that it was difficult for me to find a job was that I was "overqualified" had "too much experience (29 years)" and was unable to be paid "what you probably think you are worth". In essence, I was too expensive and TOO GOOD at my job. I literally chopped the promotions, advanced education and mangerial experience off of my resume.
I was hired to take the place of TWO younger employees who were let go because they failed drug tests. So to stereotype the older worker as accident prone and slow is like me saying younger workers have no work ethic and just want to party and do drugs. We all know better in both situations.
And dear Deb from TX: part of the reason this country is going downhill fast is that few people (at least that make comments on the internet) can spell, use proper grammer, proper sentence structure and spelling. Too see this, one would be inclined to think that the writer is uneducated or just didn't care. I'll take my business elsewhere, thank you.

Laura MS, BSMT, M/CLS (ASCP) of AZ 11:54PM May 29, 2010

we better does something because our country is in big mess and going downhill fast. We need to do something otherwise we r going to be just like 3rd world countries. Obama is tearing our country apart. he takes everyone elses side , and doen't stick up for his own country shame on us. What happened to our patriotism.

deb of TX 12:02PM May 21, 2010

Rod of WV has it right. The baby boomers will have it rough when it comes time to retire because they are relying on 401k plans, savings, S/S and NO company pension for their income at retirement. Also if a retiree left the work force and then tries to re-enter he is going to have a rough time. Just as the insurance companies refuse to insure people with preconditions, employers are reluctant to hire older people for the same reason, more risk. Higher medical bills, more accident prone ,slower on the job. But we all know that corporations wouldn't discriminate! The jobs market is not the most robust at this time either, with 8.5% million jobs lost in the last 10 years. In the last century, before President Franklin Roosevelt enacted the social security act, old people lived on the streets because they were penniless, or they died on the job. We have come full circle because the government has, in there wisdom, labeled social security an ENTITLEMENT and they are chipping away at illiminating it. Remember when the Republicans wanted to put the S/S system into the stock market? Could you live with a 40% loss in your S/S check? LOL. If you went for the long haul and didn't eat for 10 years until the market turned around and your S/S check could buy a bag of groceries, you'd be O/K! It's bad enough that the 401k'S took a 40% hit, if you weren't in a low risk portfolio ,but to take that hit in S/S too would be devastating! Until we get our good paying jobs back, limit unfair foriegn trade policies, take away the government incentives for companies to send jobs overseas, and deport the illegals, this country's recovery is not going to happen any time soon. It's all about jobs, jobs, jobs politiicians and if you can't see that ,your days are numbered! There has to be teeth in the foreign trade policies and fair competiton for the labor force in this country and in the immigration laws in this country. China's work force works for the government t for $.30 an hour and if they make a bad mistake, they are exicuted! Are we expected to compete with that trade policy? AMERICA, land of the free and home of the UNEMPLOYED!! Buy AMERICAN products, they are better and safer!

Lee Hansen of MI 11:02PM May 04, 2010

What do you do when Gov. does not pro-rate out disability checks to the fullest. I could not work for 5 yrs and was going threw a divorce when I got my settelmqent of only 2 yrs back.
I have no money for my elrder yrs. My Mom is also disabled. What are we goin to do in the future?
I say get out of the other countries and focus on the country they are leading, the good old USA!!!!!

Sue of FL 4:49PM May 04, 2010

worst gov't in all times, maybe in th whole free world
Dump the Donkeys in November

wwetz of NY 4:28PM May 04, 2010

1st the U.S. Govt is at fault with the total issue at hand, We as a country should never have allowed a Major US Corporation to build out side America and then in turn ship the product back at greater profits by cutting the US workforce, The numbers will never work!!! Impossible, America is headed into a dead in street -- It almost happened in 2008, 2nd, The Govt can not allow the Congress --President -- and those in D.C. to have 1-option of insurance coverage and then the American people another, Those at the D.C.Level get the golden paracute program and we get peanuts and straped bills working till we are dead just so we can support the (RICH to start with) Only the Rich can now run for public office, So, they should never get these benefits to start with they can afford to pay there way. Unless America plain and simple shuts down there borders to Mexico are Soc,Sec system is Gone.
PLEASE AMERICAN---- All AMERICANS --- Wake up and get rid of those in D.C. every last one. clen the slate and lets start over change the Import laws on Corporate American and put people back to work --- That will solve 99% of these issues. OK now say AMEN.

Rod of WV 4:09PM May 04, 2010

What do you do when you lost everything and had to live on your retirement at the age of 43 and now at 53 you have nothing to retire on???

John of MT 2:59PM May 04, 2010

are you people crazy? Until 40 years ago one person could work a 40 hour job in the U.S. and support a family, own a home, and a car. Now it takes two incomes and with the cost of health insurance and inflation there is nothing left for retirement. thanks corporate America. When people can't afford to buy low quality things from overseas where will your company be?

Bill of FL 2:36PM May 04, 2010

As one reads the statistics regarding how little the late baby boomers have saved, even in the face of no employer pension, it becomes apparent that many boomers will need to supplement their limited retirement income with earnings. There is a dire need for the American working culture to provide alternatives to the 60 hour work week that many baby boomers have experienced as a result of "downsizing" and global outsourcing. The average work week for Americans has substantially increased in the last generation. Are the talents of senior citizens to be wasted because they cannot keep up the pace. Let's devise a way for our growing older work force to contribute to society and maintain a reasonable standard of living while working fewer hours and allowing more flexibility for seniors. Actually, maybe that's not such a bad idea for everyone in our society.

Shirley Pate of GA 2:23PM May 04, 2010