Several changes worth considering:
Eliminate all benefits from the plan except retirement benefits for workers and their spouses. No death benefits for minors, this isn't a life insurance policy. No disability benefits, this isn't a medical policy.
Make all workers participate in the plan including all government employees, congresspersons, teachers. etc... Put everyone on the same playing field.
Encourage more babies to keep the worker/retiree ratio up, LOL. I read somewhere that when SS started there were somehing like 10 workers for every retiree and now there are only about 3 to 1.
I am of the baby boom generation and will be collecting SS in a few years. I have no doubt that the millions of us boomers will get all we are promised and more. We will be 20% or so of the population and no polititian will deny us if they want to get elected. When retirees were only 10% of the population polititians wouldn't mess with them. It's unfortunate but old folks vote often and frequently, and I fear that the young will be taxed up the wazoo.
That being said I also feel that if I could have invested my 40 years (and my employers contribution) of SS payments in a mutual fund, I would be in a lot better shape than I am now.
I think that raising the retirement age will mean less jobs for the young folks just getting started and less room for advancement for those already employed. Someone should run the numbers and see if it is really beneficial.
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