The Road to Retirement

I was thinking the other day after my doctor said the colonoscopy went well. He removed one polyp, and it was likely benign. The pathology results confirmed that it was indeed benign. The doctor also mentioned that I won’t need another colonoscopy for seven years—just two years before I retire.

I'm planning for retirement in the next decade and thinking about how to balance savings, Social Security, and other income sources. My goal is to live off my savings and retirement funds (hopefully without exhausting them) before transitioning fully to Social Security and other financial resources.

Speaking of Social Security, I don’t understand why politicians constantly attack it. They’re the ones who created it, and in doing so, they contributed to the disappearance of defined pension plans. Of course, that’s not the only reason—corporate greed was probably the main factor. It infuriates me every time a politician says, “We have to cut entitlements.” I always think to myself: It’s called an entitlement because you took my money, used it to run the government, and promised to give it back. So yes, I am entitled to it.

That said, I do believe Social Security needs to be reformed. I think the cap should be raised to $1 million, and the tax rate should probably be around 9%. I know that means less money now, but it would ensure reliable income later. I also believe the early retirement age should gradually increase from 62 to 64, while the Medicare eligibility age should be lowered to 64 so that people can access both at the same time. The full retirement age should remain at 67, though I could live with 68—but no higher than that.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to retirement with great anticipation.