These are the world's best (and worst) pension systems

[Damrongsak]

9 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

That's exactly how it is supposed to work. You hear all these people sit and cry about their SS and one has to think did you never think for yourself the past 40 years of your life?

Thimk?  No one does these days.  And to be honest, I try not to.  My Mom is 91 and ditzy.  61 year old brother has a fatal nerve disease.  And others are just partying into their graves.  So be it.

[Cryingdick]

3 minutes ago, Damrongsak said:

Thimk?  No one does these days.  And to be honest, I try not to.  My Mom is 91 and ditzy.  61 year old brother has a fatal nerve disease.  And others are just partying into their graves.  So be it.

 

Maybe using the word think is too generous. I am trying to describe simple instincts that lean on the side of self preservation. I am in my 40s and American. My husband is a bit older and a Brit. I would not ever depend on those "pensions" ever being enough.

[Cryingdick]

I do have a question... for the Brits if you are married and live abroad does your wife get some of the pension after you pass?

[Damrongsak]

16 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Maybe using the word think is too generous. I am trying to describe simple instincts that lean on the side of self preservation. I am in my 40s and American. My husband is a bit older and a Brit. I would not ever depend on those "pensions" ever being enough.

Well, I was influenced by my Dad, who was the oldest of 11 children and grew up in the great depression.  They were poor for money, but not for family. He worked his butt off all his life until his 80th birthday when he died.  It was a holiday weekend,  so he had a day or two off. 

[gk10002000]

On 10/23/2019 at 3:07 PM, Damrongsak said:

I just applied for Social Security in the US, as I turned 66.  I could have taken a lesser amount at 62 but didn't.  I'm supposed to get about $2,300 USD per month before tax, which is chump change these days. Glad I have a pretty big piggy bank that I've been stuffing all these years.  Never did have a job that had a retirement plan. 

and if you get medicare supp B that will be deducted from your sSA check

[kingdong]

On 10/24/2019 at 12:59 AM, dimitriv said:

 

But will leaving the EU help? The Netherlands is also in the EU and the pensions are much higher.  

It might help if we get out the" freedom of movement " and introduce legislation to stop the economic ponces,sorry migrants thinking it's there God given right to come here,charity begins at home.

[kingdong]

On 10/31/2019 at 2:58 AM, Cryingdick said:

I do have a question... for the Brits if you are married and live abroad does your wife get some of the pension after you pass?

No

[kingdong]

On 10/27/2019 at 10:19 AM, Nigel Garvie said:

   On 10/23/2019 at 10:14 PM,  sunnyboy2018 said: 

The max UK state pension is about 7500k which is not enough to live off.

The basic is around £6750 pa, unless you benefit from pre 97 additional state pension less COD (Contracted out deduction) as I understand it. It is of course not enough to live off, it is just there to save the better off from the embarrassment of having to watch UK OAPs die from starvation. We wouldn't want our poor to have decent pensions like those awful continentals that we are trying to get away from now - would we. 

42 years we,ve been paying into the eu,how's it benefited our pensioners pray tell?

[champers]

36 minutes ago, kingdong said:

42 years we,ve been paying into the eu,how's it benefited our pensioners pray tell?

I worked in the UK coal industry and when I was made redundant my redundancy payout was enhanced because the UK was part of the EU Coal and Steel Community. I was also eligible for a EU subsidised mortgage when I bought my house. Many thousands of former coal and steel employees benefitted similarly. The cherry on this cake is the attractive index linked pension, also subsidised by the EU and guaranteed by the UK Government. Again, many thousands are benefitting from similarly attractive pensions.

I believe the details for such arrangements can be found in the Treaty of Rome. I have no need to ask what the Romans did for me.

 

[chrisandsu]

5 minutes ago, champers said:

I worked in the UK coal industry and when I was made redundant my redundancy payout was enhanced because the UK was part of the EU Coal and Steel Community. I was also eligible for a EU subsidised mortgage when I bought my house. Many thousands of former coal and steel employees benefitted similarly. The cherry on this cake is the attractive index linked pension, also subsidised by the EU and guaranteed by the UK Government. Again, many thousands are benefitting from similarly attractive pensions.

I believe the details for such arrangements can be found in the Treaty of Rome. I have no need to ask what the Romans did for me.

 

????subsidised by the EU ? Where do you think that money came from in the first place ? We are one of the oldest ages to retire in Europe and have one of the lowest (cost of living) pensions in the whole of Europe while making pretty much the biggest contributions to the EU state . I’d say we are screwing over our OAPs . 

[champers]

9 minutes ago, chrisandsu said:

????subsidised by the EU ? Where do you think that money came from in the first place ? We are one of the oldest ages to retire in Europe and have one of the lowest (cost of living) pensions in the whole of Europe while making pretty much the biggest contributions to the EU state . I’d say we are screwing over our OAPs . 

I am not in receipt of the state pension yet. I am talking about an occupational pension scheme enhanced by the EU paid from age 50, no doubt funded by UK payments plus payments from other countries, most of whom had been in the EU 15 years more than the UK (with particular regard to the Treaty of Rome which was enacted in 1960).

[kingdong]

1 hour ago, champers said:

I am not in receipt of the state pension yet. I am talking about an occupational pension scheme enhanced by the EU paid from age 50, no doubt funded by UK payments plus payments from other countries, most of whom had been in the EU 15 years more than the UK (with particular regard to the Treaty of Rome which was enacted in 1960).

Well make the most of it,we,'re out in the near future,appears a lot of remainers are copping out of these schemes subsidised by the rest of us.

[kingdong]

On 10/25/2019 at 10:46 AM, GarryP said:

Life isn't always fair.  

Nors frank brunos harris.

[Nigel Garvie]

2 hours ago, chrisandsu said:

????subsidised by the EU ? Where do you think that money came from in the first place ? We are one of the oldest ages to retire in Europe and have one of the lowest (cost of living) pensions in the whole of Europe while making pretty much the biggest contributions to the EU state . I’d say we are screwing over our OAPs . 

 

 

With the exception of special one off schemes like the one Champers referred to, the EU doesn't pay for UK pensions. There is no EU wide general pension, (Direct employees excepted)  each country makes their own arrangements under their own schemes. The UK happens to be spectacularly mean to our own pensioners, but that has nothing to do with the EU at all. Other more enlightened EU countries actually despise us for this meanness, but the rules are made by the roughly 70% of the UK population who have 2nd or occupational, pensions. They don't give a flying F### about State pensioners, ask your local Tory MP.  

 

There is a huge fundamental flaw in this argument "Where do you think that money came from in the first place".

A left wing version goes like this  

1) I don't like Trident

2) The money I pay in taxes is going on Trident

 

Try

1) I don't like the EU

2) My taxes are going to support pensions in other EU countries.

Answer...... No they are not. A very small proportion of your taxes goes to the EU, why imagine that this amount is spent on one particular item.

It is not used to subsidies our or any other countries pensions anyway.

[kingdong]

3 minutes ago, Nigel Garvie said:

 

 

With the exception of special one off schemes like the one Champers referred to, the EU doesn't pay for UK pensions. There is no EU wide general pension, (Direct employees excepted)  each country makes their own arrangements under their own schemes. The UK happens to be spectacularly mean to our own pensioners, but that has nothing to do with the EU at all. Other more enlightened EU countries actually despise us for this meanness, but the rules are made by the roughly 70% of the UK population who have 2nd or occupational, pensions. They don't give a flying F### about State pensioners, ask your local Tory MP.  

 

There is a huge fundamental flaw in this argument "Where do you think that money came from in the first place".

A left wing version goes like this  

1) I don't like Trident

2) The money I pay in taxes is going on Trident

 

Try

1) I don't like the EU

2) My taxes are going to support pensions in other EU countries.

Answer...... No they are not. A very small proportion of your taxes goes to the EU, why imagine that this amount is spent on one particular item.

It is not used to subsidies our or any other countries pensions anyway.

A "very small proportion of your taxes go,'es to the eu"well dare I suggest that "small proportion" be diverted to help one of the worst pension schemes in europe. ?

[chrisandsu]

10 minutes ago, Nigel Garvie said:

 

 

With the exception of special one off schemes like the one Champers referred to, the EU doesn't pay for UK pensions. There is no EU wide general pension, (Direct employees excepted)  each country makes their own arrangements under their own schemes. The UK happens to be spectacularly mean to our own pensioners, but that has nothing to do with the EU at all. Other more enlightened EU countries actually despise us for this meanness, but the rules are made by the roughly 70% of the UK population who have 2nd or occupational, pensions. They don't give a flying F### about State pensioners, ask your local Tory MP.  

 

There is a huge fundamental flaw in this argument "Where do you think that money came from in the first place".

A left wing version goes like this  

1) I don't like Trident

2) The money I pay in taxes is going on Trident

 

Try

1) I don't like the EU

2) My taxes are going to support pensions in other EU countries.

Answer...... No they are not. A very small proportion of your taxes goes to the EU, why imagine that this amount is spent on one particular item.

It is not used to subsidies our or any other countries pensions anyway.

This is smoke and mirrors . While our EU contributions may not pay directly into the pot it sure does lessen the load for Tin pot nations to divert funds to their own pension schemes while dipping into the pot to pay for other things . Ask labour why they never tackled the appalling pension fund while in power ? They couldn’t care less either as their unions have sweet deals too . 

[kingdong]

9 minutes ago, Nigel Garvie said:

 

 

With the exception of special one off schemes like the one Champers referred to, the EU doesn't pay for UK pensions. There is no EU wide general pension, (Direct employees excepted)  each country makes their own arrangements under their own schemes. The UK happens to be spectacularly mean to our own pensioners, but that has nothing to do with the EU at all. Other more enlightened EU countries actually despise us for this meanness, but the rules are made by the roughly 70% of the UK population who have 2nd or occupational, pensions. They don't give a flying F### about State pensioners, ask your local Tory MP.  

 

There is a huge fundamental flaw in this argument "Where do you think that money came from in the first place".

A left wing version goes like this  

1) I don't like Trident

2) The money I pay in taxes is going on Trident

 

Try

1) I don't like the EU

2) My taxes are going to support pensions in other EU countries.

Answer...... No they are not. A very small proportion of your taxes goes to the EU, why imagine that this amount is spent on one particular item.

It is not used to subsidies our or any other countries pensions anyway.

Well according to campers his"occupational pension "is subsidised by the eu ,any other countries receiving subsidy for their "occupational pensions" in the eu?

[kingdong]

9 minutes ago, chrisandsu said:

This is smoke and mirrors . While our EU contributions may not pay directly into the pot it sure does lessen the load for Tin pot nations to divert funds to their own pension schemes while dipping into the pot to pay for other things . Ask labour why they never tackled the appalling pension fund while in power ? They couldn’t care less either as their unions have sweet deals too . 

Why do you think those dossers,sorry cival servants vote labour?their gold plated pensions subsidised by the ratepayers are. Very generous,i,m all right jack f*** you

[oldhippy]

13 minutes ago, kingdong said:

Why do you think those dossers,sorry cival servants vote labour?their gold plated pensions subsidised by the ratepayers are. Very generous,i,m all right jack f*** you

Your eruditeness never ceases to impress me.

[kingdong]

7 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

Your eruditeness never ceases to impress me.

I do like to add a bit of intellect to these debates

[oldhippy]

1 minute ago, kingdong said:

I do like to add a bit of intellect to these debates

Oh? Is this a debate? Your posts are more what I would call verbal hooliganism.

[sirineou]

4 minutes ago, kingdong said:

I do like to add a bit of intellect to these debates

So what's stopping you?

[kingdong]

3 minutes ago, sirineou said:

So what's stopping you?

Be like trying to teach a chimpanzee to play the piano.

[champers]

1 hour ago, kingdong said:

Well according to campers his"occupational pension "is subsidised by the eu ,any other countries receiving subsidy for their "occupational pensions" in the eu?

Any country with (or who had) a coal or steel industry. Germany, Poland, France, Belgium mainly but others I am sure.

[Prairieboy]

On 10/24/2019 at 5:44 AM, pegman said:

The OP doesn't restrict the ratings to public pensions. Some countries have discouraged private defined benefit pension plans do to lobbying from investment firms and banksters. In Canada my public pensions don't amount to much but my employer DB plan helps make life easy. I wish I could have contributed longer but there is a 35 year cap.

The public pension (OAS) in Canada is a joke - not enough to buy groceries each month!

[bristolboy]

4 hours ago, kingdong said:

A "very small proportion of your taxes go,'es to the eu"well dare I suggest that "small proportion" be diverted to help one of the worst pension schemes in europe. ?

 About 350 million per week will now be available for pension subsidies. It's true. I read it on a bus.

[kingdong]

1 hour ago, bristolboy said:

 About 350 million per week will now be available for pension subsidies. It's true. I read it on a bus.

Naw the nhs got that,sorry you backed the wrong horse but we,'re leaving the eu,sorry if your pension is subsidised by them.

[kingdong]

4 hours ago, champers said:

Any country with (or who had) a coal or steel industry. Germany, Poland, France, Belgium mainly but others I am sure.

And punters wonder why the uk voted to leave.

[kingdong]

5 hours ago, sirineou said:

So what's stopping you?

Up to me

[Nigel Garvie]

14 hours ago, chrisandsu said:

This is smoke and mirrors . While our EU contributions may not pay directly into the pot it sure does lessen the load for Tin pot nations to divert funds to their own pension schemes while dipping into the pot to pay for other things . Ask labour why they never tackled the appalling pension fund while in power ? They couldn’t care less either as their unions have sweet deals too . 

That's a lot of pots there, I'm confused, maybe it is confusing. The whole principle about supporting "Weaker" nations within the EU (Even at the very modest level that we do) is economic. Read Keynes or about the Marshall plan. If you help other countries become more developed then they buy your goods, which otherwise they couldn't afford. Everyone ends up better off - it's called the benefit of trade - that's how civilization started, with the sharing of surplus (Wheat etc then) which lead on to specialization. 

 

If I had any illusions a) that there actually was a financial Brexit bonus and b) that it would be redistributed by the leading Brexiteers to the NHS or the Pension scheme, then I would see it in a different light. Poor people in the UK - state pensioners etc - who still imagine that the likes of Farage, Johnson, Banks, Rees Mogg, and the owners of the Tory gutter press, care about them, are living in a total fantasy world. 

 

Yes I agree neither Labour nor the Tories have ever given a toss about the self employed. The demographic time bomb that the state pension threatened was side stepped by politicians till it was too late.