My First "Meemaw's Medicare Journal" Blog! Young Kids, DO NOT CHANGE Social Security OR Medicare Unless YOU Pay Me Back EVERY DIME I Paid In!!

This is my first post. I am a baby boomer. I am 60 years old.
There is so much to learn about Medicare. I am starting my blog so you can join me on my venture into retirement, social security and Medicare.

The 1st thing to understand is: Social Security is NOT Medicare. Medicare is Healthcare. Social Security is not.

Social Security is a benefit which I earned based upon my years of work and paying into the system. Social Security is a mandated retirement system in the US that was established in 1935 as a part of President Roosevelt's New Deal. Regardless of what Republicans say, it is not an Entitlement.

I am eligible for Social Security at 62. Of course I will not receive my FULL social security benefits at 62. I will receive about 75% of it. For those born between 1943 and 1954, for example, you can start collecting benefits at age 62, but you’ll only get 75 percent of what you’d get if you waited until 66. If you wait until 67, you get 108 percent of your monthly benefit. And at age 70, you collect 132 percent — the maximum you can get by delaying benefits.

But your total lifetime payout depends on how long you live. The average life expectancy in the U.S. in 2003 was 74.8 years for men and 80.1 for women, or 77.5 for both sexes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you make it to 65, your life expectancy rises to an average of 83.4 for both sexes.
Let me share my numbers with you. I have earned enough credits to qualify for benefits.
At age 62, my SS checks will be about $1,800.
At 66, my SS checks will be: $2,400.
At 72, my SS checks will be: $3,200.

If I become disabled right now, my SS checks will be: $2,400.

If I die tomorrow, I've earned enough benefits for my spouse to receive $1800 a month.

My one time Death Benefit will be $255. Seems paltry, but then again, this plan was developed in Roosevelt's era and has not been updated since. Back then, that is what the funeral and casket/burial cost. Times have changed. (But no one told the Republicans. Go figure!)

My little Social Security flier (which I receive at least once a year with my latest updates) told me: You have earned enough credits to qualify for Medicare at age 65.

Ahhh Medicare. The Republicans keep telling us this is an entitlement. However, it is important to note that in order to be eligible for Medicare, you must have worked for 40 quarters. (Let me do my math, count my fingers and my toes...Wow! That's 10 years to qualify and I've worked 40.)

For those young kids that say you are working to pay for my Social Security or Medicare I say: I BEG TO DIFFER! I worked 40 LONG YEARS of my Life! I have PAID INTO THE SYSTEM FOR 40 LONG, HARD WORKING YEARS! ANYTHING I COLLECT, I EARNED OFF OF MY HARD WORK, BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS!!! If you want to CHANGE the System, then I expect YOU will pay me back EVERY DIME I Paid Into the System!