I am one of those Baby Boomers who just retired(a year ago) and have to hope Social Security will be there for me as long as I need it. My savings will see me through but, since I paid in to Social Security all those years, I am counting on it to be there for me. I know Social Security was never set up initially to be someone's only income. The idea was that people would also have a savings account to support them when they reached the golden years. It is so sad to work all your life and then have nothing to live on when you retire and have time to do the things you put off doing all the time you worked.

Because we are taking better care of ourselves and eating healthier foods, our seniors can expect to live much longer than did our parents and grand parents. We have more years ahead of us to depend on the Social Security than did our parents and grand parents. We also, are most likely drawing a larger Social Security check than did our parents and grand parents. Also tapping the Social Security system are all the people on disability and their families plus the ones on kidney dialysis-especially the Medicare part of Social Security on the latter. All this is taking a big chunk out of the money available for Social Security. I see no problem with people from other countries who have lived here, worked and paid in to Social Security drawing their portion when they retire since they have paid in and earned it but all the contributions from all the working people in the past, including ourselves, ever cover all the outgo as the Baby Boomers all hit the retirement age.

It does not seem fair for me to think that my grandchild will have to pay in to Social Security for me to still receive my check but there will be nothing left for her to receive social security when she becomes of age. I am sure that in the year I have been collecting Social Security I have collected a good chunk of what I have paid in through the years and I have not even tapped the medical part yet since I am healthy and active. That is further down the road and I would think I have 25 or 30 years left under normal circumstances. Multiply that by all the Boomers who will be starting to collect in the next few years and one has to wonder where will the money come from.

Perhaps the better heads that prevail need to really give this some long hard thoughts and come up with a better program that will not only protect those who have worked many years and are now on Social Security plus protect the generations who are still working so they have something to look forward to themselves. I am sure there is no easy answer, but it is time to start taking a serious look at it. For everyone, it is time to start saving.

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