Your system is a bit more detailed than mine, but similar. Many years ago my husband and I were working toward a goal and wanted to easily see what our accounts had done over the year. So we listed all our accounts (on paper) and how they had increased or decreased, with a total. Twenty five years later it's so easy to see the progress. It was so helpful when he passed away, too, and I had a list of all the accounts.
Thanks for sharing.
After my husband died, I went in person to the SS office and they printed out a table of his benefits for me. My FRA was 66 and 2 months, but for survivor benefits it was 66. I knew I wouldn't have any SS benefits of my own and that the GPO would be a hit to Survivor benefits. That paper actually turned out to be super helpful in deciding what to do. So I took Survivor benefits at 66 since they wouldn't get any higher.
Retired Texas teacher here, no unions or Social Security. I was the only one of my teacher friends to actually know the difference between a 403(b) and 403(b)(7). We too had an approved list that changed when I was about halfway through my career, so I was forced to choose a "less bad" option. I wasn't happy about it, but saving money is better than not. As soon as I was able to, I rolled it into my IRA.
And a big shout out to my (now deceased) husband for forcing me to learn about investing from the start.
I, too, worked at McDonald's in 1972; $1.60/hr. Still remember all the prices, and I'm sure my kids are tired of me saying, "The price used to be.." And I remember my dad (born 1920) saying exactly the same thing about what he thought prices should be.
Comments
Thank you for this. I could say so much, but you are absolutely correct.
Post: Why I Don’t Drink
Link to comment from December 31, 2024
Your system is a bit more detailed than mine, but similar. Many years ago my husband and I were working toward a goal and wanted to easily see what our accounts had done over the year. So we listed all our accounts (on paper) and how they had increased or decreased, with a total. Twenty five years later it's so easy to see the progress. It was so helpful when he passed away, too, and I had a list of all the accounts. Thanks for sharing.
Post: Tracking My Progress
Link to comment from October 31, 2024
After my husband died, I went in person to the SS office and they printed out a table of his benefits for me. My FRA was 66 and 2 months, but for survivor benefits it was 66. I knew I wouldn't have any SS benefits of my own and that the GPO would be a hit to Survivor benefits. That paper actually turned out to be super helpful in deciding what to do. So I took Survivor benefits at 66 since they wouldn't get any higher.
Post: Death Benefits
Link to comment from October 19, 2024
Retired Texas teacher here, no unions or Social Security. I was the only one of my teacher friends to actually know the difference between a 403(b) and 403(b)(7). We too had an approved list that changed when I was about halfway through my career, so I was forced to choose a "less bad" option. I wasn't happy about it, but saving money is better than not. As soon as I was able to, I rolled it into my IRA. And a big shout out to my (now deceased) husband for forcing me to learn about investing from the start.
Post: Teaching Myself
Link to comment from November 16, 2023
My experience with Medicare Advantage is the opposite of everything you said.
Post: Time to Decide
Link to comment from May 31, 2023
I, too, worked at McDonald's in 1972; $1.60/hr. Still remember all the prices, and I'm sure my kids are tired of me saying, "The price used to be.." And I remember my dad (born 1920) saying exactly the same thing about what he thought prices should be.
Post: Fries With That?
Link to comment from May 7, 2022
A friend told me to choose a lawyer and a doctor who are younger than me, and I think that is excellent advice.
Post: Built for Ease
Link to comment from May 1, 2021