Is the concept of retirement still useful

[RB TexLa]

Poll question: Is the concept of retirement still useful

I know many communities reap rewards from them and a few people will vote based on that but

[babylonsister]

1. The concept of working all your life to reap the reward of

retirement, or not working, holds a lot of appeal. I like the idea of a reward after all that hard work.

[dysfunctional press]

2. no middle ground...?

if somebody wants to continue working- and can do so without being a hazard to themselves or others, let them. if others want to retire and have the means- thats fine too.
but whatever rules were in place while the person was "playing the game", should be in effect for them, and not changed after the fact.

[BOSSHOG]

3. Sadly, the concept of retirement

is lost on and is not an issue with the young and that has been the case for a long, long time. Young folks don't save for retirement when they enter the workplace thus they end up having to "conceptualize" retirement instead of enjoying it. Most folks rationalize that if they cannot save a whole lot of money there is no sense in saving any at all. A few bucks a month stashed away in an IRA while your in your 20's and just leave it alone.

[Che_Nuevara]

4. Don't we get more than just these two options?

How about "people should retire if and when they want to"?

[SoCalDem]

6. Job-choice has a lot to do with retirement, and often it's too late

when people realize that they made the "wrong" choice.

There are still jobs that require physical ability. and unfortunately lots of these are low paying jobs, with NO retirement plans and not high enough wages to allow for much savings.. Lots of these come to mind:

waitressing
hairdressers
plumbers
roofers
construction workers


Do you really want a 70 yr old guy crawling around under your house looking for a leak, or climbing a ladder to re-shingle your house.. How many "old" people have the stamina to do these jobs well into their old age?

This is the "sting" that a lot of young folks get caught up in.. Lots of times young kids without collegiate aspirations take physical-labor jobs, and before they know it, they are 40, with a mortgage, a few kids and they don't know how to do anything else..Not everyone has the opportunity , money or gumption to start their own companies, so they end up continuing to watch younger people replace their peers.. Time passes faster than we realize, and when you start to FEEL your age, there's often not much you can do about the occupation you "chose" all those years ago..

We spent many long hours explaining to our sons, that while there was nothing wrong with working with your backs and hands, they would definitely someday be old, and it was a lot easier working with your Brain, than with your brawn:)

Only one took us up on it, and he'e the one with the 6 figure income.. the other two are doing ok too, but like the flexibility of their jobs, and are still young... One's a custom tiler, partner in a garage-door business, and the other's a waiter-factory worker in Seattle.. (He used to be a custom door maker...one of his hand carved doors is at Hearst Castle)...

[Che_Nuevara]

7. Clearly if you CAN'T do the job, you shouldn't be doing it.

But that's not just a problem with age. That's a problem with injury, lifestyle changes, health changes, and all that jazz too. But there are plenty of jobs you can do until the day you die, and they shouldn't be categorized with the ones you can't.

[AndyTiedye]

5. Don't Like The Choices You're Offering

Retirement should be an option.
I wouldn't make it mandatory as long as the person was able to do the job.

[MercutioATC]

8. I have no choice. I HAVE to retire at 56.

I'll be retiring quite a bit earlier than that, but they won't let me stay past 56 even if I wanted to.