Don't get me wrong, I love my sister...

[Rex_Goodheart]

but she retired from the Social Security Administration, and her husband, my brother-in-law, retired from the Coast Guard, both at age 55, and together they're drawing over $80 grand per year in pension plus medical benefits. They both had supervisory jobs, nothing all that high....

Are government pensions sacred cows? Why does nobody ever talk about the overabundance and overcompensation and overpensioning of government workers?

By the way, the Coast Guard job was ridiculously cushy.

[Genevieve]

1. Are you saying that's a lot of money?

:shrug:

[Rex_Goodheart]

5. They live well on that.

And it's more than I make. :)

[Genevieve]

8. Well good then!

Be happy for them.

[kestrel91316]

10. $80k is a king's ransom to many of us.

[123infinity]

14. If I had 80K coming in, I could bank half of it and live very comfortably on the rest.

I'm mostly happy, mostly not rich. :D

[pnwmom]

19. A lot depends on living expenses in your locale. n/t

[thrift_store_angel]

20. Exactly.

If for example she worked at the actual SSA building in DC and they live in the DC area then $80,000 is not really so much...that is like just paying the bills, and if you still have a mortgage then it is time to get another job with only $80,000 coming in.

[elleng]

24. Like me;

live in DC suburb, separated from spouse so relying on my govt pension alone AND paying rent and tuition for daughters, so my 24,000/yr ok, but not GREAT.

[123infinity]

21. Bingo. Thanks for reinforcing the obvious...a lot of folks around here don't get that.

:D

[Genevieve]

22. Yes,

$80,000.00 for two adults living in NYC would
not be a considered a very comfortable income.

[pnwmom]

18. It is from two full-time jobs, though. Is $40K a king's ransom? n/t

[kestrel91316]

33. I could live very well on $40k after all these years of getting by on

less than that. It's a good thing I love my work because the rewards sure aren't financial.

I just hope it pays off in my being able to sell my practice for what it's worth, since I own it outright now........

[Cleita]

2. $80,000 a year is comfortably middle class but certainly not millionaire style.

As time goes on that pension is going to buy less as is always the case and they will be happy to get Social Security when they reach they right age.

[warrior1]

3. I work for the state

and I'm sure it's the same for your sister and brother-in-law, but you pay into the pension system by monthly payments along with Social Security, Medicare, state and federal taxes It's not a free ride, believe me. And I know that I've earned every penny I will get when I retire.

[SoCalNative]

7. But most pensions continue far beyond what anyone ever pays in

Whatever employee contributions were made towards the plan are usually exhausted within 3 years of payments going out.

[pnwmom]

26. And part of the reason government salaries are lower than the private sector

is because more goes into the pension costs instead. People are willing to work for less when they're younger in order to insure a better pension when they're older.

I haven't seen that 3 year figure, though. Do you have a link for that?

[BrklynLiberal]

4. It is not that their pensions and compensation are too high. It is the rest of those in this

country are too low..

[NorCalDem]

11. Ding Ding Ding!

We have a winner!

[Genevieve]

13. !

:thumbsup:

[Bucky]

6. You have to treat all vets equally and lots of vets leave the service with health costs

Anyway, you're talking about a retirement income of $40k each. $40 is not overly generous.

[ColbertWatcher]

9. "overabundance and overcompensation and overpensioning" ????

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

[NorCalDem]

12. The author means "better than mine"

What the original poster should be asking him/herself is "Why isn't my pension like that?" (unless he/she doesn't have one, in which case they should be asking "why don't i have a pension at my job?")...

[ColbertWatcher]

32. I try not to begrudge anyone what they make, so long as they work.

In my opinion being a CEO is not work, but more of an honorary position, like mayor of Hollywood.

With few exceptions, all other jobs are work.

[tjwash]

15. That's nice...I wish I woukd have a comfy little pension, but I work in the private sector.

Most non-gov jobs just don't do pensions anymore.

[Hippo_Tron]

16. They're vastly undercompensated during their career, at least compared to the private sector

Rather than trying to save each taxpayer a few pennies by going after government salaries we should be looking at it from the perspective that taxpayers will be saved far more if we have competent people working for our government. Better incentives attract more competent people.

[elleng]

25. Govt has tried,

over the years, to provide 'reasonable' compensation according to locality. Its not at all easy to do, and there will always be debates (and arguments) about whats reasonable.

'Middle class' here in DC suburb surely higher than that in many other places, for example.

[Hippo_Tron]

28. Oh believe me, I know

I know people who went to DC after college (I'm considering doing the same) and those who work for the government basically make enough to pay their rent. Those who work for a lobbying or consulting firm make a somewhat comparable salary but it's a few thousand more than people generally make working for the government and a few thousand is a lot when you're just out of college. As the job level gets higher so does the pay discrepancy. A Chief of Staff to a Senator or Congressman usually makes over $100k but not much over that. Usually people who rise to that level have enough hill experience that they could make double or triple that lobbying or consulting.

[elleng]

30. Senators make $169,300 per annum.

They could make MUCH MORE as 'consultants,' esp. if they're attorneys.

[psychmommy]

17. as city/state/fed gov't workers.

we don't make what folks in the private sector could make. we don't get bonuses and special incentives. we get good medical/eye/dental benefits-which we pay into and we get a decent pension. we work our butts off and when times get hard everybody looks at us to make all of the concessions. don't start the hate on the government worker crap.
our union is getting ready to concede so much that we may end up earning less than before our new contract. don't kick me when i am down. i am blessed to have a job and i don't begrudge anyone else whatever good fortune they may have. i

[Gormy Cuss]

23. That's as it should be. It's the workers with no pension who are getting screwed,

Sorry, but a defined benefit plan that lets workers retire with a sizable chunk of their earnings should be the goal for all of us rather than viewed as overcompensation.

[Chemical Bill]

27. That complaint is a foolish thing.... n/t

[baldguy]

29. Being paid for serving their country? Oh, the horror!

[alarimer]

31. It's compensation for shit wages.

Trust me the compensation is much less than similar private sector jobs.

[Karenina]

34. Have you lost your damned mind?

:shrug: