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Many of us seniors think we paid for our Social Security benefits based in the FICA taxes we paid. Let’s dispel that myth- we didn’t
50 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/15/2026
FIRST: Nick Politakis on 6/15 | RECENT: Dunn Werking on 7/18/2026 at 6:07 PM
A discussion on health insurance, premiums, profits and such- a 50 year perspective most people don’t want to accept
22 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 7/15/2026
FIRST: DavidHLancaster on 7/15 | RECENT: Nick Politakis on 7/17
About that inflation in retirement
52 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 7/11/2026
FIRST: Dan Smith on 7/11 | RECENT: Marilyn Lavin on 7/15
Frittering away Frugality
77 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 7/8/2026
FIRST: DrLefty on 7/8 | RECENT: SCao on 7/14
A taxing situation, but is it reality?
28 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 7/10/2026
FIRST: Dan Smith on 7/10 | RECENT: tooqk4u22 on 7/13
Automatic Income stream? How important to you?
59 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/26/2026
FIRST: Dave Melick on 6/26 | RECENT: Dan Sturgis on 7/5
Exercising true frugality
45 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 7/1/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 7/1 | RECENT: R Quinn on 7/5
Thinking about downsizing? Think seriously
31 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/21/2026
FIRST: Dan Smith on 6/21 | RECENT: Catherine on 7/3
Why can’t more people plan for the retirement future?
31 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/27/2026
FIRST: Edmund Marsh on 6/27 | RECENT: R Quinn on 6/29
Remember the shopping cart fiasco Last November? Regular HD readers do I’m sure.
3 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/24/2026
FIRST: Mike Gaynes on 6/25 | RECENT: Linda Grady on 6/26
How financially illiterate are Americans?
26 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/19/2026
FIRST: Dan Smith on 6/19 | RECENT: Dan Smith on 6/21
How well off are Americans compared to the rest of the world? Fun facts.
12 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/16/2026
FIRST: Nick Politakis on 6/16 | RECENT: R Quinn on 6/20
Fixing Social Security is not that hard, here's how
24 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/13/2026
FIRST: Dan Malone on 6/14 | RECENT: Mark Gardner on 6/19
Just the fact about Social Security
44 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/12/2026
FIRST: August West on 6/12 | RECENT: Joe D'Alessandro on 6/16
Time to share our financial info with children?
41 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/6/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 6/6 | RECENT: afwAZ on 6/13
What do we Americans want? We want “free” healthcare
14 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/11/2026
FIRST: Dan Smith on 6/11 | RECENT: Howard Rohleder on 6/13
Peter Cancro from age 14 to 69 covered in oil and vinegar
20 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 5/31/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 6/1 | RECENT: R Quinn on 6/9
Billionaires, taxes and you
55 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 5/26/2026
FIRST: Dan Smith on 5/26 | RECENT: Andy Morrison on 6/5
Shopping carts again…but not what you think
24 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 6/2/2026
FIRST: baldscreen on 6/2 | RECENT: John Katz on 6/4
Time to scrap IRAs, 401k, 403b and all the rest
29 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 5/21/2026
FIRST: Dan Smith on 5/21 | RECENT: R Quinn on 5/25
The reality of Social Security and Medicare- My real life experience.
38 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 5/4/2026
FIRST: Nick Politakis on 5/4 | RECENT: Concerned on 5/23
Dickie and his magic beans
54 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 5/6/2026
FIRST: DrLefty on 5/6 | RECENT: mllange on 5/15
The never ending payday
28 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 5/9/2026
FIRST: baldscreen on 5/9 | RECENT: R Quinn on 5/10
Is saving really that hard? Nope, not for the great majority of Americans.
33 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 4/28/2026
FIRST: DAN SMITH on 4/28 | RECENT: R Quinn on 5/5
Shopping around - you versus the grocery store
19 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 4/30/2026
FIRST: DrLefty on 4/30 | RECENT: Linda Grady on 5/3
The great COLA debate-maybe not the expected solution.
8 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 4/26/2026
FIRST: R Quinn on 4/26 | RECENT: Dave Melick on 4/29
Enough complaining already. Live your life and stop worrying about “they” “ them” or things
8 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 4/24/2026
FIRST: R Quinn on 4/24 | RECENT: John Verlautz on 4/24
Do retirees really struggle financially? Why and what to do?
7 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 4/17/2026
FIRST: Jack Hannam on 4/17 | RECENT: baldscreen on 4/18
It’s all so relative, where you leave and what $$$ you may
9 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 4/1/2026
FIRST: Mark Gardner on 4/1 | RECENT: Mike Gaynes on 4/2
Coping with inflation in retirement, what’s the plan?
8 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 3/30/2026
FIRST: Kenneth DeLuca on 3/30 | RECENT: Michael1 on 3/30
Keeping up with the Jonses— at least it looks that way.
5 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 3/29/2026
FIRST: Mark Crothers on 3/29 | RECENT: R Quinn on 3/30
Focus on the real healthcare financial risk in post age 65 retirement
13 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 3/23/2026
FIRST: William Perry on 3/23 | RECENT: R Quinn on 3/24
Retirement in America is not a pretty picture…and not getting better.
38 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 3/17/2026
FIRST: Ormode on 3/17 | RECENT: R Quinn on 3/23
Is there any point in life when a child needs financial assistance that you feel comfortable/justified simply saying “not my problem?”
26 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 3/14/2026
FIRST: David Lancaster on 3/14 | RECENT: David Mulligan on 3/17
No, it is not a scam
33 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 3/10/2026
FIRST: Dave Melick on 3/10 | RECENT: Raghu on 3/14
Question for writers
6 replies
AUTHOR: R Quinn on 2/21/2026
FIRST: Bogdan Sheremeta on 2/22 | RECENT: Michael1 on 3/1
Comments
That was your choice. I retired at 67 16 years ago. After six years I had collected all I paid into SS since 1959. If we count my wife’s benefits on my earnings we have collected all employer taxes as well. Now after 16 years with all the COLAs, we hare collected many multiples of the total taxes paid.
Post: Many seniors think we paid for our Social Security benefits based on the FICA taxes we paid. Let’s dispel that myth- we didn’t
Link to comment from July 18, 2026
Mine is the best car I ever owned. Premium gas, yes, but on the highway I get 40-43 mpg.
Post: Buying a car in retirement
Link to comment from July 17, 2026
No, it pays my wife 50% of my benefit in her name and deducts IRMAA from her check, based on household earnings the bulk of which of which is my pension. And, of course, we pay income taxes on both benefits which go back into the SS trust…subsidizing others.
Post: About that inflation in retirement
Link to comment from July 15, 2026
I’m quite sure the actuaries consider demographics in every projection they make.
Post: About that inflation in retirement
Link to comment from July 15, 2026
Yes he was, that’s why is supposed to be self funding and not part of the budget/political process. The current expected 2027 COLA is 3.1% but could change.
Post: About that inflation in retirement
Link to comment from July 15, 2026
What has one to do with the other? Health care costs rise no matter what.
Post: About that inflation in retirement
Link to comment from July 15, 2026
2-5% of each premium, you only get a larger aggregate number when there are a lot of policyholders, but it’s not a large portion of the premiums any individual pays.
Post: A discussion on health insurance, premiums, profits and such- a 50 year perspective most people don’t want to accept
Link to comment from July 15, 2026
2-5% of each premium, you only get a larger aggregate number when there are a lot of policyholders, but it’s not a large portion of the premiums any individual pays.
Post: A discussion on health insurance, premiums, profits and such- a 50 year perspective most people don’t want to accept
Link to comment from July 15, 2026
Dan, the basic problem is not provider costs, that is unit price, that is controlled by fee setting and negotiation. The problem is utilization and overhead costs. The only fair way is to have one risk pool and one set of fees instead of the wide differences we now have in allowable fees and minimize admin costs. We should have a chip card with all our medical info, all our coverage, all our test results accessible no matter where we go for care anywhere in the country. That would speed care, avoid unnecessary and duplicative care and eliminate paperwork… but that is a dream.
Post: A discussion on health insurance, premiums, profits and such- a 50 year perspective most people don’t want to accept
Link to comment from July 15, 2026
Why do we need a legitimate reason for a spouse to stay home? Some would say to raise the children instead of day care or help support the community by volunteering in schools, etc. We all subsidize someone else, that’s how insurance and an organized society work. My wife pays IRMAA premiums based on what is effectively my income. I guess that’s fair because it’s really household income.
Post: About that inflation in retirement
Link to comment from July 15, 2026