DONALD J. TRUMP & JD VANCE 2024

So there is now a tRump boat parade scheduled for Sept 7th in my hood. Should be interesting.

Gern Blansten said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

SS benefits for people who were high earners is decent income. Not unusual to see $55k per year for some people. 

Unfortunately to survive in the NY suburbs, retirees will need an income they makes the majority of SS taxable. Supplemental insurance and property taxes consume the majority of the $44k. If they’re renting, even worse. Like the entire federal code, HCOL regions get screwed.


edit, I mention  Supplemental insurance and property taxes because these are costs that get us nowhere, they are “existence expenses.” Now let’s add heat, utilities, food, out of pocket medical. It takes almost 100k cash to live around here.

yeah it's not that cut and dry...when income hits $44K that doesn't mean that 85% of your benefit is taxable.

Here are some real figues

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $40K...total social security benefit is $33,502. So..true total income is $73,502 yet only $7,100 in SS benefits is taxable or 21% of the benefit.

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $80K...total ss benefit $33,502. True total income $113,502, then $28,477 of SS is taxable which is the full 85% (total tax would be $7,190 or 6.3% of total income)

so...it's another benefit for wealthy taxpayers and does little to nothing for everyone else

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

SS benefits for people who were high earners is decent income. Not unusual to see $55k per year for some people. 

Unfortunately to survive in the NY suburbs, retirees will need an income they makes the majority of SS taxable. Supplemental insurance and property taxes consume the majority of the $44k. If they’re renting, even worse. Like the entire federal code, HCOL regions get screwed.


edit, I mention  Supplemental insurance and property taxes because these are costs that get us nowhere, they are “existence expenses.” Now let’s add heat, utilities, food, out of pocket medical. It takes almost 100k cash to live around here.

yeah it's not that cut and dry...when income hits $44K that doesn't mean that 85% of your benefit is taxable.

Here are some real figues

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $40K...total social security benefit is $33,502. So..true total income is $73,502 yet only $7,100 in SS benefits is taxable or 21% of the benefit.

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $80K...total ss benefit $33,502. True total income $113,502, then $28,477 of SS is taxable which is the full 85% (total tax would be $7,190 or 6.3% of total income)

so...it's another benefit for wealthy taxpayers and does little to nothing for everyone else

Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it wealthy. Around here, I’m not sure how families get by for less than 10k cash per month. I wouldn’t exactly call SS a benefit. We’ve been paying in since our teen years. If they want to lump sum me the cash value of contributions plus 2% inflation, seems fair

If one spouse is working in your example, the SS benefit will also bump the wages to a higher bracket. Middle class household AGI needs to be closer to $200k to be barely comfortable middle class in HCOL regions, yet still need that $3k per month from SS to retire.

what the tax code defines as wealthy is barely getting by in HCOL regions. I’d love to move to a lower cost region, but ties here make that not so easy.

It won't bump anything to a higher bracket unless you are on the edge of a bracket. It would be a case by case basis.

And I would say $100K in retirement is pretty wealthy. Most people have no debt at that point. 

In my example...if total income is $199K then total tax is $24K or 12%. Tax bracket 22% which starts at taxable income of around $90K so the additional income does not move to a higher bracket at that income level.

That's going to cost him a cabinet position.

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

SS benefits for people who were high earners is decent income. Not unusual to see $55k per year for some people. 

Unfortunately to survive in the NY suburbs, retirees will need an income they makes the majority of SS taxable. Supplemental insurance and property taxes consume the majority of the $44k. If they’re renting, even worse. Like the entire federal code, HCOL regions get screwed.


edit, I mention  Supplemental insurance and property taxes because these are costs that get us nowhere, they are “existence expenses.” Now let’s add heat, utilities, food, out of pocket medical. It takes almost 100k cash to live around here.

yeah it's not that cut and dry...when income hits $44K that doesn't mean that 85% of your benefit is taxable.

Here are some real figues

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $40K...total social security benefit is $33,502. So..true total income is $73,502 yet only $7,100 in SS benefits is taxable or 21% of the benefit.

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $80K...total ss benefit $33,502. True total income $113,502, then $28,477 of SS is taxable which is the full 85% (total tax would be $7,190 or 6.3% of total income)

so...it's another benefit for wealthy taxpayers and does little to nothing for everyone else

Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it wealthy. Around here, I’m not sure how families get by for less than 10k cash per month. I wouldn’t exactly call SS a benefit. We’ve been paying in since our teen years. If they want to lump sum me the cash value of contributions plus 2% inflation, seems fair

If one spouse is working in your example, the SS benefit will also bump the wages to a higher bracket. Middle class household AGI needs to be closer to $200k to be barely comfortable middle class in HCOL regions, yet still need that $3k per month from SS to retire.

what the tax code defines as wealthy is barely getting by in HCOL regions. I’d love to move to a lower cost region, but ties here make that not so easy.

You folks should start a separate thread on folks being prepared for retirement. Ill tell my story of having my health fall apart at the age of 57, how social security would rather see me just disappear or drop dead before they want to give me benefits. You know, that benefit system that I have been paying in to for over 40 fucking years.  

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

SS benefits for people who were high earners is decent income. Not unusual to see $55k per year for some people. 

Unfortunately to survive in the NY suburbs, retirees will need an income they makes the majority of SS taxable. Supplemental insurance and property taxes consume the majority of the $44k. If they’re renting, even worse. Like the entire federal code, HCOL regions get screwed.


edit, I mention  Supplemental insurance and property taxes because these are costs that get us nowhere, they are “existence expenses.” Now let’s add heat, utilities, food, out of pocket medical. It takes almost 100k cash to live around here.

yeah it's not that cut and dry...when income hits $44K that doesn't mean that 85% of your benefit is taxable.

Here are some real figues

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $40K...total social security benefit is $33,502. So..true total income is $73,502 yet only $7,100 in SS benefits is taxable or 21% of the benefit.

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $80K...total ss benefit $33,502. True total income $113,502, then $28,477 of SS is taxable which is the full 85% (total tax would be $7,190 or 6.3% of total income)

so...it's another benefit for wealthy taxpayers and does little to nothing for everyone else

Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it wealthy. Around here, I’m not sure how families get by for less than 10k cash per month. I wouldn’t exactly call SS a benefit. We’ve been paying in since our teen years. If they want to lump sum me the cash value of contributions plus 2% inflation, seems fair

If one spouse is working in your example, the SS benefit will also bump the wages to a higher bracket. Middle class household AGI needs to be closer to $200k to be barely comfortable middle class in HCOL regions, yet still need that $3k per month from SS to retire.

what the tax code defines as wealthy is barely getting by in HCOL regions. I’d love to move to a lower cost region, but ties here make that not so easy.

You folks should start a separate thread on folks being prepared for retirement. Ill tell my story of having my health fall apart at the age of 57, how social security would rather see me just disappear or drop dead before they want to give me benefits. You know, that benefit system that I have been paying in to for over 40 fucking years.  

Sorry to hear about your health issues speedy. I also have some very surprising health issues requiring a couple of procedures, never thought I would be down this road but yet here it is. I know as we get older it gets damn near impossible to qualify for Social Security disability (guessing that's what you were referring to)

I researched if there are doctors that specialize in things like that, and surprisingly there's very little help out there. I don't have one big thing wrong , but I have three or four smaller things that are wrong, that would make getting a "retirement job" in something like retail in a few years damn near impossible, once my luck in avoiding "forced corporate retirement" ends.

Once we get to a certain age doctors just make assumptions that we are not disabled

Lerxst1992 said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

SS benefits for people who were high earners is decent income. Not unusual to see $55k per year for some people. 

Unfortunately to survive in the NY suburbs, retirees will need an income they makes the majority of SS taxable. Supplemental insurance and property taxes consume the majority of the $44k. If they’re renting, even worse. Like the entire federal code, HCOL regions get screwed.


edit, I mention  Supplemental insurance and property taxes because these are costs that get us nowhere, they are “existence expenses.” Now let’s add heat, utilities, food, out of pocket medical. It takes almost 100k cash to live around here.

yeah it's not that cut and dry...when income hits $44K that doesn't mean that 85% of your benefit is taxable.

Here are some real figues

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $40K...total social security benefit is $33,502. So..true total income is $73,502 yet only $7,100 in SS benefits is taxable or 21% of the benefit.

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $80K...total ss benefit $33,502. True total income $113,502, then $28,477 of SS is taxable which is the full 85% (total tax would be $7,190 or 6.3% of total income)

so...it's another benefit for wealthy taxpayers and does little to nothing for everyone else

Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it wealthy. Around here, I’m not sure how families get by for less than 10k cash per month. I wouldn’t exactly call SS a benefit. We’ve been paying in since our teen years. If they want to lump sum me the cash value of contributions plus 2% inflation, seems fair

If one spouse is working in your example, the SS benefit will also bump the wages to a higher bracket. Middle class household AGI needs to be closer to $200k to be barely comfortable middle class in HCOL regions, yet still need that $3k per month from SS to retire.

what the tax code defines as wealthy is barely getting by in HCOL regions. I’d love to move to a lower cost region, but ties here make that not so easy.

You folks should start a separate thread on folks being prepared for retirement. Ill tell my story of having my health fall apart at the age of 57, how social security would rather see me just disappear or drop dead before they want to give me benefits. You know, that benefit system that I have been paying in to for over 40 fucking years.  

Sorry to hear about your health issues speedy. I also have some very surprising health issues requiring a couple of procedures, never thought I would be down this road but yet here it is. I know as we get older it gets damn near impossible to qualify for Social Security disability (guessing that's what you were referring to)

I researched if there are doctors that specialize in things like that, and surprisingly there's very little help out there. I don't have one big thing wrong , but I have three or four smaller things that are wrong, that would make getting a "retirement job" in something like retail in a few years damn near impossible, once my luck in avoiding "forced corporate retirement" ends.

Once we get to a certain age doctors just make assumptions that we are not disabled

Never in a BILLION YEARS did I think I would be in my situation. But here I am. It's been 14 MONTHS and disability still hasn't made a decision. Here is a statistic for you, in the United States, over 60% of people who apply for disability, are DENIED the 1st time they apply. 
After 14 months of our disability system reviewing all my medical records, after they spent 14 months supposedly reviewing notes from my primary doctor, my cardiologist, my neurosurgeon, and my neurologist, disability decided I needed to see one of their doctors for "another opinion". 
 That fucking doctor literally asked me 5 questions, checked my reflexes, and sent me on my way. THIS GUY IS NOW GOING TO DETERMINE IF I QUALIFY FOR DISABILITY? You have to be fucking kidding me. I honestly have no idea how this is going to turn out. 

Gern Blansten said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Lerxst1992 said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

SS benefits for people who were high earners is decent income. Not unusual to see $55k per year for some people. 

Unfortunately to survive in the NY suburbs, retirees will need an income they makes the majority of SS taxable. Supplemental insurance and property taxes consume the majority of the $44k. If they’re renting, even worse. Like the entire federal code, HCOL regions get screwed.


edit, I mention  Supplemental insurance and property taxes because these are costs that get us nowhere, they are “existence expenses.” Now let’s add heat, utilities, food, out of pocket medical. It takes almost 100k cash to live around here.

yeah it's not that cut and dry...when income hits $44K that doesn't mean that 85% of your benefit is taxable.

Here are some real figues

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $40K...total social security benefit is $33,502. So..true total income is $73,502 yet only $7,100 in SS benefits is taxable or 21% of the benefit.

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $80K...total ss benefit $33,502. True total income $113,502, then $28,477 of SS is taxable which is the full 85% (total tax would be $7,190 or 6.3% of total income)

so...it's another benefit for wealthy taxpayers and does little to nothing for everyone else

Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it wealthy. Around here, I’m not sure how families get by for less than 10k cash per month. I wouldn’t exactly call SS a benefit. We’ve been paying in since our teen years. If they want to lump sum me the cash value of contributions plus 2% inflation, seems fair

If one spouse is working in your example, the SS benefit will also bump the wages to a higher bracket. Middle class household AGI needs to be closer to $200k to be barely comfortable middle class in HCOL regions, yet still need that $3k per month from SS to retire.

what the tax code defines as wealthy is barely getting by in HCOL regions. I’d love to move to a lower cost region, but ties here make that not so easy.

You folks should start a separate thread on folks being prepared for retirement. Ill tell my story of having my health fall apart at the age of 57, how social security would rather see me just disappear or drop dead before they want to give me benefits. You know, that benefit system that I have been paying in to for over 40 fucking years.  

Sorry to hear about your health issues speedy. I also have some very surprising health issues requiring a couple of procedures, never thought I would be down this road but yet here it is. I know as we get older it gets damn near impossible to qualify for Social Security disability (guessing that's what you were referring to)

I researched if there are doctors that specialize in things like that, and surprisingly there's very little help out there. I don't have one big thing wrong , but I have three or four smaller things that are wrong, that would make getting a "retirement job" in something like retail in a few years damn near impossible, once my luck in avoiding "forced corporate retirement" ends.

Once we get to a certain age doctors just make assumptions that we are not disabled

Never in a BILLION YEARS did I think I would be in my situation. But here I am. It's been 14 MONTHS and disability still hasn't made a decision. Here is a statistic for you, in the United States, over 60% of people who apply for disability, are DENIED the 1st time they apply. 
After 14 months of our disability system reviewing all my medical records, after they spent 14 months supposedly reviewing notes from my primary doctor, my cardiologist, my neurosurgeon, and my neurologist, disability decided I needed to see one of their doctors for "another opinion". 
 That fucking doctor literally asked me 5 questions, checked my reflexes, and sent me on my way. THIS GUY IS NOW GOING TO DETERMINE IF I QUALIFY FOR DISABILITY? You have to be fucking kidding me. I honestly have no idea how this is going to turn out. 

Stick with it. Over the years I have seen several people get the benefit even after fighting it for a few years. They do give you retroactive benefits....at least in many situations that I've seen.

There is actually a special tax treatment for the retroactive benefits as they let you pay tax on it in the year that you should have received it rather than the lump sum year.

And that's exactly what I mean as far as being prepared for retirement, or being prepared for a "DISASTER". How many people here could go 1-2 years without any type of income whatsoever? Im guessing less than 5% of the folks here. Its as if the system wants you to file bankruptcy, foreclose on your house, live in a cardboard box, and then drop dead. 

And as far as the retroactive payments, they will only pay you retroactive for 1 year. So if some poor soul waits 3 years to get approved, he only gets back pay of 1 year. 

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Gern Blansten said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Lerxst1992 said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

SS benefits for people who were high earners is decent income. Not unusual to see $55k per year for some people. 

Unfortunately to survive in the NY suburbs, retirees will need an income they makes the majority of SS taxable. Supplemental insurance and property taxes consume the majority of the $44k. If they’re renting, even worse. Like the entire federal code, HCOL regions get screwed.


edit, I mention  Supplemental insurance and property taxes because these are costs that get us nowhere, they are “existence expenses.” Now let’s add heat, utilities, food, out of pocket medical. It takes almost 100k cash to live around here.

yeah it's not that cut and dry...when income hits $44K that doesn't mean that 85% of your benefit is taxable.

Here are some real figues

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $40K...total social security benefit is $33,502. So..true total income is $73,502 yet only $7,100 in SS benefits is taxable or 21% of the benefit.

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $80K...total ss benefit $33,502. True total income $113,502, then $28,477 of SS is taxable which is the full 85% (total tax would be $7,190 or 6.3% of total income)

so...it's another benefit for wealthy taxpayers and does little to nothing for everyone else

Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it wealthy. Around here, I’m not sure how families get by for less than 10k cash per month. I wouldn’t exactly call SS a benefit. We’ve been paying in since our teen years. If they want to lump sum me the cash value of contributions plus 2% inflation, seems fair

If one spouse is working in your example, the SS benefit will also bump the wages to a higher bracket. Middle class household AGI needs to be closer to $200k to be barely comfortable middle class in HCOL regions, yet still need that $3k per month from SS to retire.

what the tax code defines as wealthy is barely getting by in HCOL regions. I’d love to move to a lower cost region, but ties here make that not so easy.

You folks should start a separate thread on folks being prepared for retirement. Ill tell my story of having my health fall apart at the age of 57, how social security would rather see me just disappear or drop dead before they want to give me benefits. You know, that benefit system that I have been paying in to for over 40 fucking years.  

Sorry to hear about your health issues speedy. I also have some very surprising health issues requiring a couple of procedures, never thought I would be down this road but yet here it is. I know as we get older it gets damn near impossible to qualify for Social Security disability (guessing that's what you were referring to)

I researched if there are doctors that specialize in things like that, and surprisingly there's very little help out there. I don't have one big thing wrong , but I have three or four smaller things that are wrong, that would make getting a "retirement job" in something like retail in a few years damn near impossible, once my luck in avoiding "forced corporate retirement" ends.

Once we get to a certain age doctors just make assumptions that we are not disabled

Never in a BILLION YEARS did I think I would be in my situation. But here I am. It's been 14 MONTHS and disability still hasn't made a decision. Here is a statistic for you, in the United States, over 60% of people who apply for disability, are DENIED the 1st time they apply. 
After 14 months of our disability system reviewing all my medical records, after they spent 14 months supposedly reviewing notes from my primary doctor, my cardiologist, my neurosurgeon, and my neurologist, disability decided I needed to see one of their doctors for "another opinion". 
 That fucking doctor literally asked me 5 questions, checked my reflexes, and sent me on my way. THIS GUY IS NOW GOING TO DETERMINE IF I QUALIFY FOR DISABILITY? You have to be fucking kidding me. I honestly have no idea how this is going to turn out. 

Stick with it. Over the years I have seen several people get the benefit even after fighting it for a few years. They do give you retroactive benefits....at least in many situations that I've seen.

There is actually a special tax treatment for the retroactive benefits as they let you pay tax on it in the year that you should have received it rather than the lump sum year.

And that's exactly what I mean as far as being prepared for retirement, or being prepared for a "DISASTER". How many people here could go 1-2 years without any type of income whatsoever? Im guessing less than 5% of the folks here. Its as if the system wants you to file bankruptcy, foreclose on your house, live in a cardboard box, and then drop dead. 

And as far as the retroactive payments, they will only pay you retroactive for 1 year. So if some poor soul waits 3 years to get approved, he only gets back pay of 1 year. 

I don’t know if you have a lawyer for this, but I’ve heard it’s helpful, if not almost a requirement. 

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Go Beavers said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Gern Blansten said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Lerxst1992 said:

SPEEDY MCCREADY said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

Lerxst1992 said:

Gern Blansten said:

SS benefits for people who were high earners is decent income. Not unusual to see $55k per year for some people. 

Unfortunately to survive in the NY suburbs, retirees will need an income they makes the majority of SS taxable. Supplemental insurance and property taxes consume the majority of the $44k. If they’re renting, even worse. Like the entire federal code, HCOL regions get screwed.


edit, I mention  Supplemental insurance and property taxes because these are costs that get us nowhere, they are “existence expenses.” Now let’s add heat, utilities, food, out of pocket medical. It takes almost 100k cash to live around here.

yeah it's not that cut and dry...when income hits $44K that doesn't mean that 85% of your benefit is taxable.

Here are some real figues

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $40K...total social security benefit is $33,502. So..true total income is $73,502 yet only $7,100 in SS benefits is taxable or 21% of the benefit.

Married Joint...Income other than SS is $80K...total ss benefit $33,502. True total income $113,502, then $28,477 of SS is taxable which is the full 85% (total tax would be $7,190 or 6.3% of total income)

so...it's another benefit for wealthy taxpayers and does little to nothing for everyone else

Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it wealthy. Around here, I’m not sure how families get by for less than 10k cash per month. I wouldn’t exactly call SS a benefit. We’ve been paying in since our teen years. If they want to lump sum me the cash value of contributions plus 2% inflation, seems fair

If one spouse is working in your example, the SS benefit will also bump the wages to a higher bracket. Middle class household AGI needs to be closer to $200k to be barely comfortable middle class in HCOL regions, yet still need that $3k per month from SS to retire.

what the tax code defines as wealthy is barely getting by in HCOL regions. I’d love to move to a lower cost region, but ties here make that not so easy.

You folks should start a separate thread on folks being prepared for retirement. Ill tell my story of having my health fall apart at the age of 57, how social security would rather see me just disappear or drop dead before they want to give me benefits. You know, that benefit system that I have been paying in to for over 40 fucking years.  

Sorry to hear about your health issues speedy. I also have some very surprising health issues requiring a couple of procedures, never thought I would be down this road but yet here it is. I know as we get older it gets damn near impossible to qualify for Social Security disability (guessing that's what you were referring to)

I researched if there are doctors that specialize in things like that, and surprisingly there's very little help out there. I don't have one big thing wrong , but I have three or four smaller things that are wrong, that would make getting a "retirement job" in something like retail in a few years damn near impossible, once my luck in avoiding "forced corporate retirement" ends.

Once we get to a certain age doctors just make assumptions that we are not disabled

Never in a BILLION YEARS did I think I would be in my situation. But here I am. It's been 14 MONTHS and disability still hasn't made a decision. Here is a statistic for you, in the United States, over 60% of people who apply for disability, are DENIED the 1st time they apply. 
After 14 months of our disability system reviewing all my medical records, after they spent 14 months supposedly reviewing notes from my primary doctor, my cardiologist, my neurosurgeon, and my neurologist, disability decided I needed to see one of their doctors for "another opinion". 
 That fucking doctor literally asked me 5 questions, checked my reflexes, and sent me on my way. THIS GUY IS NOW GOING TO DETERMINE IF I QUALIFY FOR DISABILITY? You have to be fucking kidding me. I honestly have no idea how this is going to turn out. 

Stick with it. Over the years I have seen several people get the benefit even after fighting it for a few years. They do give you retroactive benefits....at least in many situations that I've seen.

There is actually a special tax treatment for the retroactive benefits as they let you pay tax on it in the year that you should have received it rather than the lump sum year.

And that's exactly what I mean as far as being prepared for retirement, or being prepared for a "DISASTER". How many people here could go 1-2 years without any type of income whatsoever? Im guessing less than 5% of the folks here. Its as if the system wants you to file bankruptcy, foreclose on your house, live in a cardboard box, and then drop dead. 

And as far as the retroactive payments, they will only pay you retroactive for 1 year. So if some poor soul waits 3 years to get approved, he only gets back pay of 1 year. 

I don’t know if you have a lawyer for this, but I’ve heard it’s helpful, if not almost a requirement. 

A lawyer becomes a "requirement" once you have been denied. The lawyer is really of no benefit during your first filing for disability. 

Ah okay. I wasn’t sure of the timelines. I’ve mostly seen when it gets awarded and there’s a lump sum from backdating the “start date”.