KomradeBishop wrote: » It's amazing as well, how people think they know how the condition of state pensions will be in 30+ years time (invariably bad, insecure), and of private pensions as well (invariably good, extremely secure; tax benefits! returns above inflation and economic growth!)
KomradeBishop wrote: » If people want a good investment on their efforts, being politically active in bolstering public pensions is probably the single best way to go about it.
Barely There wrote: » It's not very amazing at all. Population trends are very easy to predict. Simply put, these trends combined with ever increasing life expectancy will mean there will be more OAPs and less working people in 30 years time - that is a fact.
KomradeBishop wrote: » It's amazing as well, how people think they know how the condition of state pensions will be in 30+ years time
Barely There wrote: » It's not very amazing at all. Population trends are very easy to predict. Simply put, these trends combined with ever increasing life expectancy will mean there will be more OAPs and less working people in 30 years time - that is a fact. To maintain the current rate of the state pension in the future would require penal taxes on those working. It won't happen. On the other hand, long term trends in the equities and investment markets (going back a century) allow reasonably accurate long term assessments of future growth to be predicted.
Barely There wrote: » Depending on the state to fund your retirement is the single worst idea you could conceive. People like you will be bitching and moaning in 30 years time about the unfairness of it all. Quite frankly, I won't be shedding too many tears for you.
Barely There wrote: » People like you will be bitching and moaning in 30 years time about the unfairness of it all.
bluewolf wrote: » People don't get older, that's just anti govt propaganda
hmmm wrote: » Simple maths.
hmmm wrote: » They will, and they'll be looking greedily at those of us who have pensions and looking for levies to ensure "equality". That's the biggest danger to people with pensions in the long term.
KomradeBishop wrote: » or investing it in my own manner
RayM wrote: » Frankly, it bores the tits off me.
Greentopia wrote: » Nope, no pension and don't ever intend to pay into one. Studying for something that's my passion and would do if I wasn't paid for it so intend to work in that area plus another creative field until I drop dead or get sick and can't work any more. Then I'll just live on any savings I have plus the state pension, will do me fine.
Geuze wrote: » You must pay into the State Pension, it's called PRSI contributions.
Menas wrote: » And right on queue the government are talking about increasing the state pension by a fiver a week ahead of the general election.http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/kenny-targeting-grey-vote-with-5-pension-rise-31437339.html
Greentopia wrote: » And? There are old people on the State pension who can't afford basics like being able to heat their house properly in winter or pay for medicines, and now with water charges they're being asked to find money for another bill. I don't begrudge them an extra €5. In fact I'd raise it a lot more than that paid for it with a tax on financial services or a wealth tax.
boobar wrote: » Set one up in my 20s.... Would not like to live out my old age on the state pension, that would be grim. Having said that, I intend to work for as long as I can....the idea of retirement fills me with dread. When my father retired at 63, he really struggled...no hobbies and completely lost.
Ronnie Worried Workaholic wrote: » So you want additional pension without contributing yourself?
Bubbaclaus wrote: » Rabble rabble tax the rich rabble rabble
Greentopia wrote: » Yes, tax the super wealthy who have gotten richer during austerity while avoiding paying taxes (Denis O Brien doubling his wealth in the past five years) while working class people have been screwed to the wall with cuts, extra taxes and charges.
FURET wrote: » There are no reputable pension plans where I live, so I don't have one. But every month I invest around 80% of my income into stock and bond market index-tracking ETFs:FTSE Developed Europe (520 European businesses; 40% of portfolio) S&P 500 (500 US businesses; 22% of portfolio) FTSE Emerging Markets (1000 businesses in emerging markets; 8% of portfolio) US Short-Term Bonds (thousands of bonds, gov. and corporate; 7% of portfolio) European short term corporate bonds (hundreds of bonds; 23% of portfolio) The total cost of this self-managed investment is 0.13%. If the past hundred years of market data is anything to go by, I can expect it to grow by around 7 to 8% per year over 20-30 years. I am highly diversified, owning a huge number of great businesses as a result. I don't plan on relying on any tax-payer or state cheque to fund my retirement. I'll do it myself.