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  #1  
Old 09-07-2011, 08:20 AM
oldman45 oldman45 is offline
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I signed up for medicare yesterday. I did not sign up for social security though. Then I bought a supplement. No more dr or hospital bills. Whatever medicare does not cover, the supplement will. No co-pays, no deductibles.

All for less than $200 per month. This is a lot cheaper than health care insurance from a private carrier.

I consider this to be a good deal, especially since the ailments appear to be more common as I age.

Are there others that have done this without signing up for the social security?
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Old 09-07-2011, 09:00 AM
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Not medicare age yet, but since I'm 62 I did grab my social security and ran with it. I had the bare minimum in the account. Then I discovered I got hammered with a much lower monthly amount since I was retired LE. The government figured out how to screw those who served in the safety forces and took their share. Not really looking forward to dealing with medicare. I exercise and try to stay healthy and away from doctors/hospitals.
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Old 09-07-2011, 09:41 AM
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I have Medicare, but I also received SSDI. Your coverage for under $200 a month seems pretty reasonable. I checked into supplemental coverage but was denied due to pre-exisiting conditions. And I'm sure even if I could find a company who would insure me, they would exclude anything having to do with pre-existing conditions. Which wouldn't help me. I tried to get help from the state, but was denied. Believe me, I get very little from SSDI. Thankfully when I was in the cardiology unit this past January, and with all the treatments, tests and procedure afterwards, the hospital accepted me in their patient assistance program and forgave all the charges Medicare didn't cover. Which was a lot. And in case you thought Obamacare did away with the pre-exisiting condition excuse by insurance companies, it doesn't take effect until 2014. Hopefully by then Obamacare will be either gone or reworked. You did pretty good oldman45. Now you can afford to get sick! But...here's hoping you don't!
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Old 09-07-2011, 10:01 AM
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I signed up for Medicare at age 65 and started SS at 66. Like you, I bought a supplementary policy (my wife as well) and have not paid a penny in medical bills since. Very glad we did, and I'm sure you will be too. I'm not speaking for everyone, just folks like you and I, but I hope Congress will leave us alone.
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Old 09-07-2011, 10:33 AM
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Not medicare age yet, but since I'm 62 I did grab my social security and ran with it. I had the bare minimum in the account. Then I discovered I got hammered with a much lower monthly amount since I was retired LE. The government figured out how to screw those who served in the safety forces and took their share. Not really looking forward to dealing with medicare. I exercise and try to stay healthy and away from doctors/hospitals.
My understanding is it's not the Gov't's fault for lower SS monthly checks, but because it's Ohio who is screwing us. We are allegedly one of only two States who get lower SS benefits due to a public pension. I'm probably wrong, but that is what I have heard.
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Old 09-07-2011, 10:38 AM
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I have Medicare, but I also received SSDI. Your coverage for under $200 a month seems pretty reasonable. I checked into supplemental coverage but was denied due to pre-exisiting conditions. And I'm sure even if I could find a company who would insure me, they would exclude anything having to do with pre-existing conditions. Which wouldn't help me. I tried to get help from the state, but was denied. Believe me, I get very little from SSDI. Thankfully when I was in the cardiology unit this past January, and with all the treatments, tests and procedure afterwards, the hospital accepted me in their patient assistance program and forgave all the charges Medicare didn't cover. Which was a lot. And in case you thought Obamacare did away with the pre-exisiting condition excuse by insurance companies, it doesn't take effect until 2014. Hopefully by then Obamacare will be either gone or reworked. You did pretty good oldman45. Now you can afford to get sick! But...here's hoping you don't!
There is a law that says if you sign up for a supplement within six months of becoming medicare eligible, there is no pre existing condition exclusion. This has been the law for several years and has nothing to do with the current person in the White House.

My medicare supplement is costing me $115 per month. Then the cost of medicare is added. The only questions on my app were name, DOB and address. They were not allowed to ask anything about my health.

Last edited by oldman45; 09-07-2011 at 10:45 AM.
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Old 09-07-2011, 10:42 AM
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Won't be dealing with it until next June

Those premium prices seem quite good.
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Old 09-07-2011, 11:02 AM
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My understanding is it's not the Gov't's fault for lower SS monthly checks, but because it's Ohio who is screwing us. We are allegedly one of only two States who get lower SS benefits due to a public pension
Nah, I got nailed too. I retired from the Anchorage Police Dept and retired to Wyoming. They nailed me, cut my SS in half, based on what I was suppose to get (per their print outs).

I paid into SS based on my NG and military wages, but got nailed because I also have a LE pension.

I'm trying to figure out if I can opt out of medicare (the part you have to pay for). I have medical w/my LE pension and I get tri-care from retiring from the Military (NG)

From what people tell me I'm going to be required to sign up for medicare. Thats going to take almost all of my $352 SS payments.

social "SECURITY" ain't.
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Old 09-07-2011, 01:19 PM
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reduced SS is due to The two rules that cover government employees are the "windfall elimination provision" (WEP) and the "government pension offset" (GPO). The WEP applies to workers, and the GPO applies to government pensioners who are applying for Social Security spousal and survivor benefits.

I retired in 1991. Applied for SS at 62 was placed on disability benefits by SS as I was receiving radiation and chemo for stage 4 cancer. Payments were reduced by 2/3 because of GPO. At 65 I was placed on regular SS and medicare. Pay for medicare out of SS. I net $105/m.

Pay about $500/m for supplemental health coverage even though most of my care is with the VA (wife has pre existing heart problems)
it's a must have.
Two years ago city took fire and police pensions to court claiming negotiated agreements in the mid 90's were wrong and miscalculated;
my pension was cut $345/m and they expect police and fire to repay roughly $63k (police) and $42K per retiree. A plan has been put forward that would place us all in a state plan where we wouldn't have to repay.

This is going on all over the country public employee pensions are the scape goat.
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Old 09-07-2011, 01:57 PM
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It isn't just retired police and other public servants that get screwed. My father worked for the railroad for 20+ years and qualified for full retirement. He also worked other jobs and paid into social insecurity for 20+ years. Come retirement he could only collect whichever was largest, not both.
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Old 09-07-2011, 02:05 PM
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I was forced to opt into medicare at 65 & my wife will be forced to opt in at 65 also. This is total BS.

I worked all my life and retired from two jobs (collecting two great pensions) with a part of my retirement benefit package being all paid medical benefits for life from Blue Cross & Blue Shield.

At 65 I was and forced to opt into medicare for a cost of $116 monthly plus an annual $160.00 deductible before being responsible only for my co-pays. When the wife turns 65 next year her cost will be the same $116.00 monthly and a $160.00 deductible before we able to pay only the co-pays.

After the wife's 65th birthday in 2012, We will both forced into this BS medicare at an annual cost of $3104.00 plus co-pays. From 62 when I retired from my second job the cost of our Hospitalization was zero until I got to be an old 65; this was an earned benefit that was taken away with the signing of medicare into law by our government.

The hospitalization I earned covered a lot more than medicare. I had eye care and dental which I don't have now. I am just glad that my drug plan wasn't forced under medicare.
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Old 09-07-2011, 02:19 PM
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To those with lowered SSI benefits, did you contribute to SSI, when working in your police jobs? I know some departments go with the pension and do not deduct SSI taxes?

The problem with SSI and State/local pensions is that the municipalities either do not pay their portion into the pension, or they raid the pension funds for general use. This has been done for many years with SSI. People pay into them, expecting benefits at a later date, but the Federal government raids the coffers.

The word "entitlement" is thrown around a lot these days. It is not an entitlement, when you pay into it.
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Old 09-07-2011, 04:40 PM
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In six months I will be 65, and will go on medicare. (God wllin' and the crik don't rise) If pre existing conditions apply to qualify for the additional "parts" I'm in trouble. I've been on SS since 62. I get 62% of a pension I receive from the company I worked for and took an early out from. I live in Indiana and they tax pensions like regular income. My understanding is union jobs are covered by union pensions. Railroad workers are a whole nuther deal. (my legal opinion) Union people or railroaders either pay no SS or pay a reduced amount while working. When you apply for SS if you fall in those categories your SS payment is reduced. This whole mixed up mess is really biting some people in the butt. I get a partial bite in the butt. I know, blah, blah, blah, so what.
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Old 09-07-2011, 04:53 PM
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The word "entitlement" is thrown around a lot these days. It is not an entitlement, when you pay into it.
"They" want to hammer SS recipients because that's the current path of least resistance. Michigan has recently followed a path of "4 years max on welfare". From what I've read it's got a lot of stipulations. Welfare is the root of entitlement evil. If it flies I expect a lot of Michiganders to resettle here. The dog n pony show that runs this country (all parties) is now flailing about trying to justify not only their jobs, but the positions and policies that have basically screwed up my country. This is "almost" comical.
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Old 09-07-2011, 05:39 PM
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To answer a couple questions asked, I was told at the SS office that police/fire and railroad pensions were the only ones effected by WEP. My only contributions into the SS fund was military, special duty jobs (LE), and "mostly" part time work after retirement. With the minimum 40 hours required, I barely qualified to file for benefits. Social Security gives me a whopping $95.00 a month, down @ 2/3rds from what was promised per SS calculations.
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Old 09-07-2011, 07:22 PM
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If they hadn't raided SSI funds starting 40 years ago, it would have been bullet proof. Both political parties have done it. I believe the cost of the 1st Gulf War came from SSI funds. How is that working out for us? Unfortunately SSI is a ponzi scheme/ slush fund.

On NYPD cops pay into their pension and have since the inception of the Police pension. It built up with so much money that we had a skim of the funds called the "variable supplement" the disbursement was based on the stock market.

A retiree would get a pension and the VS. Sometimes the VS was $250 a month, back in the 80's. The City was in dire financial straits and wanted to dip into that fund. So they worked out with the PBA that the PBA would give up 100 million (circa 1987) of this fund in exchange for a defined benifit. That benefit would eventually reach 12,000 a year payable in December.

A few months ago Mayor Bloomburg wanted to stop paying this benefit to those cops who already retired. Our pension system is so massive and has so much money it just accrues money. Our PBA got the city out of a jamb and this creep called it the "Christmas Bonus" and wanted to cut it out. Fox news brought up our "lucrative pensions" stating cop's did not pay into it. I was a bit pissed.

I remember when I started NYPD was well paid, then over time we were one of the worst paid taking cost of living into account. This was mainly due to Giuliani, who I hate to this day.
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Old 09-07-2011, 07:36 PM
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If they hadn't raided SSI funds starting 40 years ago, it would have been bullet proof. Both political parties have done it. I believe the cost of the 1st Gulf War came from SSI funds. How is that working out for us? Unfortunately SSI is a ponzi scheme/ slush fund.

On NYPD cops pay into their pension and have since the inception of the Police pension. It built up with so much money that we had a skim of the funds called the "variable supplement" the disbursement was based on the stock market.

A retiree would get a pension and the VS. Sometimes the VS was $250 a month, back in the 80's. The City was in dire financial straits and wanted to dip into that fund. So they worked out with the PBA that the PBA would give up 100 million (circa 1987) of this fund in exchange for a defined benifit. That benefit would eventually reach 12,000 a year payable in December.

A few months ago Mayor Bloomburg wanted to stop paying this benefit to those cops who already retired. Our pension system is so massive and has so much money it just accrues money. Our PBA got the city out of a jamb and this creep called it the "Christmas Bonus" and wanted to cut it out. Fox news brought up our "lucrative pensions" stating cop's did not pay into it. I was a bit pissed.

I remember when I started NYPD was well paid, then over time we were one of the worst paid taking cost of living into account. This was mainly due to Giuliani, who I hate to this day.
The politicians have been trying to get at the pension $'s for years, they'll never stop trying.
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Old 09-07-2011, 08:43 PM
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In six months I will be 65, and will go on medicare. (God wllin' and the crik don't rise) If pre existing conditions apply to qualify for the additional "parts" I'm in trouble. I've been on SS since 62. I get 62% of a pension I receive from the company I worked for and took an early out from. I live in Indiana and they tax pensions like regular income. My understanding is union jobs are covered by union pensions. Railroad workers are a whole nuther deal. (my legal opinion) Union people or railroaders either pay no SS or pay a reduced amount while working. When you apply for SS if you fall in those categories your SS payment is reduced. This whole mixed up mess is really biting some people in the butt. I get a partial bite in the butt. I know, blah, blah, blah, so what.
If you get a supplemental within six months of being medicare eligible, they cannot hold anything against you and you will be assumed to be in great health. All they can ask you is your name, DOB and address. If you are outside that six month window, pre existing condtions will apply and not be covered. The six month window is very important.

Also, medicare starts the first day of the month you turn 65 so sign up for it before that date. My DOB is in October but I signed up yesterday, some 20+ days early since I wanted it to begin 10/01/11. Had I waited until October to sign up, it would not have began until the first of November.
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Old 09-07-2011, 08:51 PM
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If you get a supplemental within six months of being medicare eligible, they cannot hold anything against you and you will be assumed to be in great health. All they can ask you is your name, DOB and address. If you are outside that six month window, pre existing condtions will apply and not be covered. The six month window is very important.

Also, medicare starts the first day of the month you turn 65 so sign up for it before that date. My DOB is in October but I signed up yesterday, some 20+ days early since I wanted it to begin 10/01/11. Had I waited until October to sign up, it would not have began until the first of November.
Jc I hope you see this and take advantage of it. God bless.

Good info oldman, thanks for letting everyone know the deal. I am 48, but I know this stuff will come up reeeeeaaal quick.
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Old 09-07-2011, 09:01 PM
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I didn't know you could sign uo for that stuff at 45! I've seen pics
of this guy. TACC1
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Old 09-07-2011, 09:24 PM
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I didn't know you could sign uo for that stuff at 45! I've seen pics
of this guy. TACC1
TACC1, actually you can get on medicare at any age as long as you are on some type of social security, be it SS, SS disability or SSI. Unless you are 65, you have to be on one of the other types for two years before medicare becomes available.

I had to live 65 yrs before I was able to get on it. Now I need to live one more yr so I can sign up to draw a social security check.
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Old 09-07-2011, 10:28 PM
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"Now I need to live one more yr so I can sign up to draw a social security check."

Unless you are making more than $14,160, gross, a year, you can sign up for reduced SS benefits now. However, if you wait until you turn 66, you can draw full benefits and make whatever you wish.
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Old 09-08-2011, 01:29 AM
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"Now I need to live one more yr so I can sign up to draw a social security check."

Unless you are making more than $14,160, gross, a year, you can sign up for reduced SS benefits now. However, if you wait until you turn 66, you can draw full benefits and make whatever you wish.
Full benefits at:
66 years old only works for the people whose year of birth is 1943-1954.
67 years old for people born 1960 and later
65 years and 8 months for full retirement at my year of birth.
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Old 09-08-2011, 03:33 AM
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.......... However, if you wait until you turn 66, you can draw full benefits and make whatever you wish.
It is true that after you reach full retirement age, your SS benefits won't be reduced for having income over some specified amount, but if you do, you end up paying income tax on your SS benefits.

IIRC You can earn $32K less 1/2 of your SS benefits before the IRS starts reaching into your wallet.

Also, at 69 (or 70 - I don't remember which) you have to start withdrawing (mandatory) from your 401K according to a schedule provided by your friendly government.
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Old 09-08-2011, 06:09 AM
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As I said, for me, I will have to wait til age 66 to sign up for social security. My current retirement checks is well over what I am allowed to make before the penalty comes in. My currentincome is over what I am allowed and they also consider income from rental property and other members of the household.

The government is not here to help me.
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Old 09-08-2011, 09:37 AM
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I'm on SSDI and have supplemental insurance. My supplemental is a regional HMO. I pay no premiums only co-pays and no deductibles. My prescriptions is also with them with no premiums, no deductible and 15% co-pay.

You really have to carefully read the part D prescription drug. I got screwed when the first implemented it. Medicare forced you to sign up and gave options on their website which showed premiums of $2/month which I picked. This plan premiums went immediately from $2 to $30 in a couple of months (now at over $60). Their deductible was $50 per transaction (my generic chemo meds cost $45/month), hence I never used them. I couldn't do anything about it since it was forced upon me by Medicare.

My solution was to stop paying. As a consequence, they drop me but Medicare is now saying I'll have to pay a penalty for the time I didn't have part D. But there is a program which will help pay for premiums and if I apply, don't have to pay this penalty. So, I'm applying for a program that helps pay for premiums which cost no money. Our government at work.
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Old 09-08-2011, 10:57 AM
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I'm trying to figure out if I can opt out of medicare (the part you have to pay for). I have medical w/my LE pension and I get tri-care from retiring from the Military (NG)

YOU MUST TAKE MEDICARE PART B OR YOUR TRICARE WILL TERMINATE WHEN YOU REACH AGE 65!!!!

The good news is that the combination of medicare Part B and Tricare covers all your expenses after age 65 and you don't need a supplement.
I run into a lot of military retirees who don't know this and waste their money on supplements they don't need.

TRICARE for Life - Military Benefits - Military.com

Prior to 2001, TRICARE coverage expired at age 65 forcing military retirees, their families, and survivors to rely solely on Medicare. TFL provides military health care coverage to TRICARE beneficiaries 65 years of age or older.
When TRICARE beneficiaries (other than eligible active duty family members) become entitled to Medicare Part A, on the basis of age or disability/end-stage renal disease and purchase Medicare Part B, they do not experience a break in TRICARE coverage.
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Old 09-08-2011, 10:28 PM
Muley Gil Muley Gil is offline
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"My current retirement checks is well over what I am allowed to make before the penalty comes in. My currentincome is over what I am allowed and they also consider income from rental property and other members of the household."

Your retirement should not be considered as income, since you are not working for it. Yes, the rental income is considered wages, as is money received from others.
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Old 09-09-2011, 05:34 AM
oldman45 oldman45 is offline
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"My current retirement checks is well over what I am allowed to make before the penalty comes in. My currentincome is over what I am allowed and they also consider income from rental property and other members of the household."

Your retirement should not be considered as income, since you are not working for it. Yes, the rental income is considered wages, as is money received from others.
According to social security people, any income I have that is taxable goes against what I would draw in social security. I have two retrirement checks that are taxed, along with my working income that is also taxed and the property income which is not taxed but I have to pay tax on. I would get a social security check but the entire check would be taken back due to taxable income. So I decided to see if I could live one more year before drawing it.

I am pretty much bummed out by all this since I feel I paid in a lot of money over the last 46 years and think I should be able to draw SS without a penalty. When I began paying, they said I would be able to draw a full pension at age 65. I made it to 65 and now have to make it to 66. Before then, some person in DC may decide to make the magic number 70.

Last edited by oldman45; 09-09-2011 at 05:39 AM.
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Old 09-09-2011, 06:40 AM
roscoguy roscoguy is offline
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My understanding is union jobs are covered by union pensions. Railroad workers are a whole nuther deal. (my legal opinion) Union people or railroaders either pay no SS or pay a reduced amount while working. When you apply for SS if you fall in those categories your SS payment is reduced.
Can't speak for any others, but this is completely untrue for UAW retirees (I r 1...). I paid SS on everything I earned for 33+ years except for the 2 or 3 years that I maxed out. Seemed like I lived at the plant those years.
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Old 09-09-2011, 07:02 AM
roscoguy roscoguy is offline
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Michigan has recently followed a path of "4 years max on welfare".
It's about time. There's no incentive to work when all you have to do to collect a state check is drop another litter every 10 months or so. The deck is actually stacked against working middle-class people & even worse if you're married.
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Welfare is the root of entitlement evil. If it flies I expect a lot of Michiganders to resettle here.
Some maybe, probably not a lot: you almost can't sell a house here. Unless you walk away from them or practically give them away, you are pretty much stuck until the fallout from the whole mortgage debacle clears up. (Thanks again, Wall Street! )
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This is "almost" comical.
It would be much funnier to me if those responsible for the mess were held accountable. Are public stonings "cruel & unusual punishment"???

Last edited by roscoguy; 09-09-2011 at 10:49 AM.
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Old 09-09-2011, 07:07 AM
oldman45 oldman45 is offline
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Can't speak for any others, but this is completely untrue for UAW retirees (I r 1...). I paid SS on everything I earned for 33+ years except for the 2 or 3 years that I maxed out. Seemed like I lived at the plant those years.
It mainly effects those drawing civil service or military retirements. Union and other funded retirements are pretty much uneffected.
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