# 68 year old man researching how retirement in America works Good and bad stories



## victor60630 (Nov 19, 2019)

I am considering writing a book similar to case studies and want to know about your experiences (good and bad)  about retirement, social security, nursing homes, inherited wealth, senior living, death of a spouse etc. I won't share any information you share and if I write something it will be a mixture of three or four peoples experience and just first names made up.  I have shared my experiences below and if you decide to share your experiences you can  share them here.

My experience hasn't been extremely bad but not good either.  I never really saved enough because over the years I have had some financial set backs.  I fell down and broke my arm and hurt my knee working as a substitute teacher at 65. 

 I had worked as a school teacher in Chicago so I took my retirement for ten years of working in cps  ( around 1400 dollars a month) because I couldn't live on what they gave me for worker mans compensation.  Then I was told by insurance Tricare (since I was prior military National guard/reservist) that I had to take medicare.  So this meant that my medical insurance went from 200 dollars a year to $523.80 every three months. 

 Then I took a job at a charter school in Chicago work getting paid through a private employment agency and asked the Chicago Teachers retirement board if I could work their since I am not allowed to work at a Chicago Public School while collecting a pension.  They said it was okay if I worked for through the agency. 

 Then at the end of the school year the Chicago Teachers Retirement Fund contacted me and informed me that I couldn't work at that school since teachers working at that school were paying into the Chicago Teachers Retirement fund and that if I worked over 100 days I would lose my pension. 

 So I asked if I could work for a school in Chicago whose teachers didn't pay into the Chicago Teachers Retirement fund and they said yes.  So the next year I obtained employment with a company whose teachers didn't pay into the chicago teachers retirement fund and my rent doubled so I decided to buy a house since I was in good health was making decent money and wanted to keep working. 

 Two weeks after I closed on the house the Chicago Teachers Retirement Board contacted me and said they had reworded the clause on their back to work rules and I could not work for this company and if i worked over 100 days I would lose my retirement.  So I thought about inquiring about suing but every lawyer I called said they didn't handle that type of law.  So I quit and started paying my mortgage out of my savings. 

 Then about six months later i ran into a friend who hires special education teachers for a private school and she said I could work for her school 100 days a year for 30K which the maximum amount I can make a year.  That helped.  I had checked into taking my social security when I was 65 and told that I had enough quarters so the WEP (windfall) wouldn't affect me.  So I decided to wait till I was 70. 

 For those who don't know if you have a pension from being a government worker, armed forces, teacher, fireman or police officer the social security takes away 40 to 50 percent of your social security away.  Now that I am 68 I decided to stop by the social security office considering taking my social security retirement and this time they told me I don't don't have enough quarters paid into social security and that instead of 1320 dollars a month I will only receive   778 dollars a month. 

 I try to be upbeat but curious is it just me.  Are you experiences negative or positive.  I was thinking about writing a book about does retirement work or doesn't work.  What are your thoughts.


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## jerry old (Nov 22, 2019)

We owe all our retirement benefits to the teamsters and the UAW;
These men were the victims of beating, jail and murders.
The workers had no rights, they worked for the men that owned the company.
"I've given  them a job, what else do they want?"

Well, Mr. Bossman, if we give you 20-30 years of our life, working for you,
we want retirement benefits."

"They can 'want' all they want, I'm not going to pay a man that no longer
works for me."

The battle lines were drawn, the battles began.

There were no retirement packages before these men 'bleed' to obtain them.

Remember this Mr. and Miss America we owe these people who fought out
battles for us.

You remember the fifties, the United Auto Workers:  big bucks, many print articles about how they had nice houses, boats, rolling in money, compared to the rest of the nation-these benefits were earned by blood, hardships-
do not forget your history.


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## Floridatennisplayer (Nov 22, 2019)

Interesting, I think you will find a multitude of interesting stories.  More than you can handle.  I also think you will find a huge audience interested in reading about others in the same similar situation.
I retired in January. Been a guitar player all my life, well since age 10 As a hobby.  Befriended so many great artists.  

Now at age 64, doing studio work for fun..........find myself flying to LA for the 4th time this year.  Staying free at the Lowe’s Santa Monica Hotel and having a car pick me up.  Do most work from my home electronically.

Now I am way over my SS limit.  I ghost write.  SS is working with me to fix.  A specific band and record company has sent me to LA.  They offered me $ for 3 songs. I agreed, signed off and flew home today.

It is a different world.  This is a heavy metal band, believe it or not.  They got a kick out of me!  Half my age, but kindered spirits.  I signed off all the rights to everything which gains them whatever they want to say and I am nothing, but with more money.


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## Ladybj (Nov 22, 2019)

My mother always taught me if I don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything. I am pleading the Fifth.


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## gennie (Nov 24, 2019)

jerry, the UAW was all that but they also gave Toyota and others a boost when they encouraged their members to sabotage the product, to deliberately turn out cars with defects, in a play for power in wage and benefit negotiations.  That play backfired causing American autos to lose their prime status and opening the door to foreign products.


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## jerry old (Nov 24, 2019)

Gennie
Probably a lot to what you've said:  I do know for a fact that the large new car
dealers in Detroit had the 'muscle,' to refuse any cars from the Big 3, that were assembled on Monday or Friday.
  Their reasoning was: Monday's, 'Employee's are blurry, don't want to be there, hangovers...' Friday's. 'The've got their minds on what there going to do this weekend, try to get out early.'

{can't get underline off on toolbar!)

1960-1970's
In Detroit you will find bars clustered around the Big 3, companies.  The employees cluster there: Those leaving work and those coming to work.
UAW employees felt the 'company,' were being 'put upon,'
Consequently, they did shoddy work (sabotage) as a retaliatory behavior.  


Consumers are not stupid:
You want an American Car that will 'clunk out at 40-50k; or do you want a car that will purr well over 100K.
(the foreman was seen as the 'company).  Their retaliation was to do a shoddy job, or improper placement of parts.
I wish I had another word, but your sabotage is correct.

This was not the generation that fought and bleed for a living wage.


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