please dont bash a brother, just a bit curious about how old you old farts are in here, lol.

A smidge older than Mr. D. (2 months)

but that's when I do my best fighting.

When I was 19, I was at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba babysitting 30,000+ Haitian & Cuban migrants who made makeshift boats to float to the coast of Florida. Oh, I was single too! I miss those days. Enjoy them while you can!

but not by much... creeping up on my 23rd b-day... approaching the horrid "mid 20s" mark :-x

at 16 you can drive, 18 you can vote, 21 you can drink... legally, and 25 your insurance drops... after that it's all down hill ;)

But you'll still need a primary insurance before medicare covers you. It's grand!

my social security benefits... the funds will probably be washed out by the time I retire ;)

401(k) plans & IRA's are much better options anyway. They're not bulletproof either though. IMHO I think that anyone who is counting on SS whether it's in the future or not is a fool. I could do better by detailing a handful of cars per month & putting it into a savings account for retirement. Since I'm recently a former federal employee, I can say that the loss of the third tier of my retirement plan (SS) isn't going to worry me too much. Personally, I don't like paying into an account that was intended for WWII era citizens. But that's just me. I'll just consider it the price of living in America. I've lived in a communist country, & am very grateful to be in America despite the cost.

I currently have 2 Roth IRAs open, and have a TSP (thrift savings plan.. aka a 401k) here at work. And the govn't kicks in 6% additional to my contribution, so I'm making out pretty good.

I plan on continually adding to my my IRAs, cuz you're right... SS will probably not be too beneficial for me once the time comes. And it does irritate me as well that I contribute to a system that probably won't give anything back to me (SS that is)... but it is the price you pay. Only thing that makes me smile is that I'm recapturing some of my tax dollars cuz i'm working for the man ;)

I figured that I'd have to roll it over into a Roth, but the pamphlet I received during out processing said other wise. I can't add any more to it from earned income until I am re-employed w/ the gov, but I can roll money into it from another retirement fund. My wife's TSP is tax exempt, but unmatched (for now). I am wanting to open a Roth IRA, but don't know too much about them. Is there a minimum monthly contribution, or maximum annual? Tax deferred?

it's good no matter ifyou're with the company or not.

I opened 2 Roth IRAs... one with van kampen, one with liberty mutual. My van kampen is a total wash... lost pretty much all of the $$ I put in it cuz I put in tech funds, and that was in '99 just before all tech funds went south.

The one I contribute to now is a fidelity... which is doing quite well. If you talk to the fidelity people they are really helpful with the stuff... and try to get you to understand how it works. My Roth IRA with them basically runs like a brokerage fund with a money market account where I put my money to invest, and then the individual investments I make with the money all lumped in one IRA.

In a Roth IRA you take your already taxed dollars and invest them. The $$ you earn in that IRA over the years you have them invested can not be taxed AS LONG AS you don't withdraw it before your retirement. If you pull it before you're allowed you're taxed on it.

As of now, you are allowed to invest $3,000 per year for your contribution. 5 years ago when I opened my first IRA it was 2,000.

I think that's about all the overview I can give ya... but if you wanna learn more, talk with the fidelity people. I personally learned from my folks cuz they're really good with this stuff... but when I did my investments today with my IRA $$ I was talking with the fidelity reps and they went out of their way to help me out.

I'd like to learn the whole investment business someday.

makes me feel like I'm actually learning something =P

Also, if you didn't already know this, your TSP is tax deferred dollars, and won't get taxed unless you pull it out before it's time (I think... I'm not positive on the latter half of this statement)

its much less painful....;-)