38 upvotes, 2 direct replies (showing 2)
View submission: Living with no Retirement money
I see posts from people trying to do this and it's really sad, especially for widows I know who didn't realize that after their husband died the Survivor benefit would be only 100% of his amount- not his 100% plus the 50% she was collecting.
They sell their houses- or stay in them (but can't afford to repair them) because it's cheaper than renting. They take on credit card debt. They get subsidized housing and SNAP benefits. They select cheap Medicare Advantage plans with limited networks or get the "Extra Help" program (combination of Medicare/Medicaid?). They skip prescriptions and dental care because they're too expensive. Sometimes they don't sign up for Medicare B and D while they're healthy and then are stunned when they have to pay penalties. They get reverse mortgages. They move in with their kids or vice versa. My grandfather's second wife was told by her adult kids after her husband died that she'd better find a husband who could support her. Enter Grandpa.
Even with some help from the taxpayers it can be a miserable existence.
Comment by bogartedjoint at 07/02/2025 at 00:29 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
And yet they vote for Republicans who want to eliminate all of these subsidies without blinking an eye. Amazing.
Comment by Bipolar_Aggression at 06/02/2025 at 14:40 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
It is completely cruel how survivors don't keep full benefits. As a percentage of GDP, the cost to keep survivors whole is insignificant. We're talking probably $1 billion per year at the most, far below whatever favored war of the year costs.