11 Retirement Resolutions for 2011

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Dear Diane, It's the Democrats who voted to cut $500 Billion from Medicare to fund medical care for others. No Republican plan to date includes reductions for current recipients. Please remember that when you vote in 2012.

Michael of AL 6:32PM January 02, 2011

The problem is they are already gutted. Medicare and Social Security programs are unsustainable as currently structured. These two programs have to be restructured or future generations will not get a dime from them. No party at this point has had the courage to suggest anything that could make these programs solvent. Whether it be democrat or republican is doesn't matter, someone has to step up and face reality. There are a few ready step up but the question remains whether the American people will have the maturity to accept what has to be done.

Mike Miller of CA 7:06PM December 31, 2010

These help seniors more than anything and our new Republican congress is going to gut these programs they consider "Entitlements." These are not entitlements -I have paid taxes for the last 50 years and am now able to access these funds. When the Republicans want to cut something, let them gut the tax cuts for the wealthiest 2%.
Let them stop funding the BLM which is rounding up the wild horses and mustangs off our public lands so that cattle can graze. Meantime, the American people are stuck with the bill of the holding facilities and the helicopters running these horses for miles and miles in heat and freezing temperatures. Many of these horses are auctioned off to killer buyers. CUT THE FUNDING OF THE BLM SO THEY CAN'T ROUND UP ANY MORE HORSES AND RESTORE THESE HORSES WITH THEIR FAMILIES TO THE PUBLIC LANDS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTED ON. Get rid of the holding pens as the horses roam free on the public lands. URGE YOUR SENATORS TO GET THE ROAM ACT OUT OF COMMITTEE (Restore Our American Mustangs) AND VOTE TO RESTORE THE PROTECTIONS TO THESE WILD HORSES AND BURROS. Go to In Defense of Animals, Saving America's Mustangs to learn more. This is a total waste of our federal funds - we are subsidizing the cattle industry.

Diane L. Rechner of FL 4:18PM December 31, 2010

The 401 K and the ROTH IRA's and other retirement products are really very similar to slot machines in Vegas. You put your money in and hope that it wins more, hope that when it loses you don't lose too much and that when the game is over there is something left. It is strange that when the markets go down that individual accounts lose thousands and when they go up the gain only pennies. I am so grateful that I will have Social Security for the major part of my retirement. I had planned to mainly uses my retirement accounts but 32 years of poor performance (I put in the maximum allowed by the federal govt $22,000.00 plus $6,000.00 ROTH) but reality has greatly changed both the type of retirement and the time (I plan to retire at age 70 1/2). As long a my health holds out I should be able to keep my home and travel a small amount. I am hoping that the money institutions come up with something much better than the current retirement products, fees and risks.

Ken of CO 12:21PM December 31, 2010

As one who has put money into conventional IRAs and 401(k)s, and am now still working and having to take money out of these accounts to satisfy government required minimum distribution (RMD) regs, if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't. I'd have paid the taxes on income up front and put savings money into investments that were not subject to these rules which presume that, upon reaching retirement age, one will no longer be working and will be in the lowest tax bracket. As it is, I'm paying a high tax rate on these required withdrawals. I expect as more and more people work beyond "normal" retirement age, this will be more a problem. A different situation with Roth IRAs, which for the time being aren't subject to these rules, but who knows what the future will bring? Plus, for most of my latter working years, I was unable to contribute to a Roth because of income caps.

Billy Bob of TN 12:04PM December 31, 2010

This is a big rip off of the masses who got hornswoggled into putting their money in the hands of others. Fiduciary requirements should hold fund managers liable for all of the losses sustained by retiree funds!!

crackerjax of MA 10:12AM December 31, 2010

This is a big rip off of the masses who got hornswoggled into putting their money in the hands of others. Fiduciary requirements should hold fund managers liable for all of the losses sustained by retiree funds!!

Dale Osborn CAM, GRI, MHM of WA 4:06PM December 30, 2010