Hey America, What's Your Retirement Plan?

Are those polluting the OZ landscape too? I so often want to apologize for our exports.

Soz, I'll put you down for an ocean view. I really do think the whole college tuition thing is going to be an anchor on the current middle class and their children. I have young people working for me in the summer that have tuition debts nearing $100.000 and they can't even find jobs having anything to do with what they studied. Maybe Sozlet would like to go to college in India.

Maporsche, keep trucking. You're in better shape than the majority. Voluntary Simplicity works because it makes you aware of what you truly value and what's worth working for. Unlike poverty, frugality can be fun and empowering. I find when a frugal person lives with a spender, it's the spender that converts. Get rid of the mortgage as soon as possible and I promise you you will feel as free as a bird and as rich as Bill Gates.

My retirement plan:
Die at my desk.

Seriously folks, I've been looking into Quakers (Friends) homes in the event of the loss of Lady Diane. I would also consider some kind of group living. I don't think I could manage maintaining this house alone. Quakers don't require or ask for any religious affiliation, I would possibly become a buddhist as long as I had some garden space to tinker in.

I wouldn't count on Social Security - at least I am not - besides that the amount is so small how could you afford to live on it - unless you really cut back on everything.

I am in my late 40s too. I figure I gotta work at least until my kids are done with college - which estimated to be 16 years or so - youngest is in 1st grade. With the price of college (which we do have a 529plan) might have to work until I die to pay for it.

Aside from that, currently I put away about 18% to 401k which is matched 50% of my contribution. Which is consistent with most of the places I have worked - one place I worked at for 8 years - had a DCP which the company contributed 15% of my income each quarter. Nice tidy sum right now. And even with that I contributed at least 15% of my own into a 401k. I do have a couple of pensions (where I work now and had previously), but those are small amounts. I figure with all this combined I should be ok.

Hubby doesn't have much - most places he worked didn't offer much if any - he has some small amounts so I think I'll make him work the rest of his life to make things even.

Yep, that sounds about right.

I have no expectation of receiving SS. I've been saying that for many years. Or if I do, it will be a tiny pittance if I'm still around at 80.

I'll receive a bit of a pension from the union I belonged to in my previous career. I have several IRA's at the moment that need to be consolidated. I have a 401K, but only joined the corporate world 6 years ago, so it's not much yet. (My company matches 7%.) Yep, I'll be working 'til I die.

The main feature of my retirement plan involves selling my house in the centre of the universe and buying a home in a less expensive community. I've been watching the prices in the community I hope to move to for about a decade now. The ratio has run at about 3:1 throughout that time. I need it to maintain for another 3 - 5 years when I think I'll be ready to make my move.

Real estate is a good plan. They aren't making any more of it.

Mac, why don't you think you will get SS? I think the generation in their 20's should be more worried about that, partly because they will have to pay for yours and partly because there may not be enough wage earners to pay for theirs.

It's been my belief for a long time that there aren't enough wage earners to pay for my SS. I expect it to crash before I'm eligible. For that matter, they keep raising the age for eligibility - hoping we'll die before we get there.