Retirement age 'will rise to 85'

[lovuian]

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?jid=cee53038be1f3494&cat=c08dd24cec417021

The age of retirement should be raised to 85 by 2050 because of trends in life expectancy, a US biologist has said.
Shripad Tuljapurkar of Stanford University says anti-ageing advances could raise life expectancy by a year each year over the next two decades.

That will put a strain on economies around the world if current retirement ages are maintained, he warned
more...
Thats one way tio get out of paying Social security LOL!!!

[Journeyman]

1. Tracy Chapman had it right 18 years ago. . .

when she sang:

I'll be working for somebody else until I'm in my grave.

Welcome to BushCo retirement. At least the Esquimaux gave their elderly the dignity of a solitary icefloe, instead of forcing them to be greeters for Wal*Mart.

[NanceGreggs]

5. Thanks to BushCo's environmental policies ...

... the average icefloe, due to its scarcity, will cost way more than any of us future retirees can afford.

[Journeyman]

7. LOL. . .

how true. . .

[autorank]

2. 2012, 2030, & 2030 again...intervening variables;)

2012-The end of the Mayan Long Count Calender. This is a major event. There are no more days. The calender starts way, way back and 2012 is the end...we evolve into a new, higher level of consciousness.

2030-The singularity -- Moore's Law and all that. Cats and dogs like each other, twins show up out of nowhere, etc. "the Singularity is meant as a future time when societal, scientific and economic change is so fast we cannot even imagine what will happen from our present perspective, and when humanity will become posthumanity." http://www.aleph.se/Trans/Global/Singularity/

2030-Our atmosphere has reached a point where it can no longer absorb anticipated levels of pollution. Damn, that will be interesting.

So, we're either all dead or all evolved then we die or it's so strange it will mean nothing.

I plan to work until I drop so retirement is not even in my vocabulary...but then again, I just used it;)

[fujiyama]

3. Europe and Japan

are facing it difficult to realize this fact. Because of low birth rates, closed immigration, and a very comfortable social safety net, they are especially at risk of being unable to maintain their standard of living.

As for the US, well, we have a terrible safety net, relatively open immigration, but little job creation , and awful piss poor fiscal policy (thanks to the wonderful spending and tax cuts with this administration).

[NMMNG]

4. Yes, but can we realistically expect to be able to work until 85?

Then again, with the Rethugs selling Social Security, health insurance and more out from under us, many of us will have to choose between working and dying. :-(

[hfojvt]

10. In 1890, 68,3% of all men over age 65 were participating in the workforce

100 years later than number had dropped to 17.6%. If you consider that in 1890 most people were still living and working on non-mechanized farms, those old guys were working pretty hard. I think the percent who reached the age of 65 was about half what it is now, but I feel that these projections of increasing life span are wildly optimistic. It is funny too that I was thinking it was too far off to affect me. Then I realized that I would be 88 in 2050 if I live that long, barely past 'retirement' age. There is still nothing to prevent a person from retiring much earlier, if they can save enough money. I am still hoping to switch to part-time work shortly after my 45th birthday.

[NMMNG]

11. I'll be lucky if I get to retire at all

I wasn't able to even start a retirement account until I was in my 30's, then I had to stop contributions shortly after I opened it as I went into financial dire straits. I only resumed contributions last year, so I have very little in it. Needless to say, I doubt Social Security will be around when I get older, so I will have to work at least part-time, if not full-time, until the day I die. I only hope I will be capable of doing so because I hate to think what will happen to me if I can't. :scared:

[NickB79]

15. My great-grandfather retired in 1982

He was in his early 90's, still working on his farm, driving his tractor and tending to the livestock. He had to live in a nursing home, and died a few years later. If I inherited even a portion of his strength I will count myself lucky.

[punpirate]

6. Wanna bet that...

... Shripad Tuljapurkar plans on retiring a lot sooner than 85?

Okay for others, I would bet, but not for him.

[philarq]

8. just remember 9-11 was caused by the Unix calendar

all Unix systems contain a date, determined by seconds from January 1st, 1970.

on September 8th, 2001 the unix date system turned over from 999,999,999 seconds at about 9:46 PM to 1 billion, thereby causing Lights to go out all over the world, reactors to meltdown, and planes to drop out of the sky----well one for three.

[liberalhistorian]

9. And exactly what happens

to people who can't afford the so-called "anti-aging advances?" Never mind, I think we all know the answer to that. So much for the "hard work and personal responsiblity reaps rewards" mantra.

Oh, and we can kiss the "personal choices free from government interference" mantra goodbye, too, since what if we don't want to work until we're 85? Who the hell would? By 70, people have paid their dues, damnit. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Skidmore]

12. So what businesses besides WallyWorld are going to be willing

to hire all us old farts?

[cornermouse]

13. School cafeterias and school crossing guards.

Something to look forward to?

[kentuck]

14. But not for some folks...

they will retire at 42 because they were smarter than you...

[kineneb]

16. or healthier, or luckier...

Hubby can't work now, and he will turn 59 at the end of the month. He is on dialysis, and permanent disability. Saving for retirement is a joke for many of us.

And just what jobs are these Seniors expected to fill? Age descrimination is America's ugly little secret. If you aren't young and good looking, there is no way any company is going to hire you. They will give the usual excuses- "overqualified", etc., but the real reason is "too old".

[Straight Shooter]

17. Construction workers retiring at age 85?

I don't think so.

Shripad assumes that the door is always open to people despite their age. That has never been true. Never. People end up in occupations due to a wide variety of circumstances. How about those who choose an occupation wisely, only to see it drift offshore? What new monster-under-the-bed lurks in a future administration's agenda that will blow our well-made plans all to hell?

As for me, I'd rather shoot myself than continue working at my present job until I'm 85. It isn't that it's so awful, it's simply very mentally taxing (and physically tiring) and I'm self-employed and work almost every day. Haven't had a vacation in 15 years. Retirement after I pay off my house is something I'm looking forward to when I'm 65, not 85. And if I can do it sooner, so much the better.