[quote=earlyretirement]…I was reading around on some message blogs and it seems like the “retirement plan” for many seems to be possibly suicide which is depressing but probably a reality for many Americans.[/quote]
I don’t know who these people are (or, more importantly, their age group) who are writing into blogs claiming they will “commit suicide” when they get old.
Almost all the folks I know over age 55 are doing fine and will do fine (myself incl).
In San Diego, the vast majority of “boomers” are living in their paid-off homes or owe very little on them. A large portion have very low property taxes. Another large portion (inclusive of the low-property-tax group) have defined benefit pensions. Some have already started collecting SS or will apply within the year. Some are eligible for Medicare. Most are NOT primarily living off their IRA’s/401K’s if they are eligible to withdraw from them. That is just traveling money, home improvement money or a small income supplement (to temporarily pay healthcare premiums, for example, until Medicare-qualified).
Perhaps it is the currently-overextended Gen X crowd who is vocal about their future plans for “suicide” on the blogs. You know … the ones approaching age 50 in the coming years who have spent themselves down the drain for decades?
