"Veteran's Pensions"

[YellowBelly]

"Proposed changes to forces pensions are "arbitrary and unfair" and will leave veterans worse off, MPs say. ........"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3322923.stm

[YellowBelly]

Sad to reply to your own posting, but looking at the number of hits this posting has achieved (144 at the time of writing) compared to 'Aircrew Watch Info Required' (1092 hits) it does make me wonder where pruners priorities lie - or should we take it for granted that a Defence Committee thinks the new armed forces pension scheme is c@@p?

However, Mrs YB informs that the biggest topic on her E-Bay chat room last night was 'My Goldfish is sick' - puts it all into perspective really....

[Red Line Entry]

The sad fact is that throughout the review process (which has lasted, what, 2 years?) both the select committee and the Pension Society heartily critisised many of proposals. To my mind the most outrageous decision was to make the whole affair a "nil-cost" exercise. And that decision was taken right at the start, before any assessment of the existing structure had been made!! So, inevitably, any changes made on that basis simply redistributes the unfairness within the system.

I love my job, I really do. BUT... where I once had been certain that I would serve for life, I am now far more analytical about the pros and cons of staying in. In some ways, pensions represent the gratitude of an employer for extended loyalty; the cynical and miserly way in which this review has been conducted has made me question whether the Service actually justifies such unquestioned loyalty in the first place (maybe it's just me getting older and "wiser")

Rant over, I'll go back to my beer...

[soddim]

How many people give much thought to their pension until retirement is looming - not many , I bet. By then it is too late to make sensible provision for avoiding becoming poor for the last maybe 20 years of your life - just when you have the time to enjoy it you can't afford to. This has to change but it is too late now for the bulge of retirees just beginning.

Suggest you 25 to 35 year olds out there get smart now because the rate at which you can accumulate retirement funds is likely to stay low for some time yet. Wish I had thought about it before age 40.

[BEagle]

Saw it coming and pulled the handle!