Dee Randall wrote:

> I took SS early, too. I think I've already beat the odds. But then, again,
> it isn't much here for me; I hardly know I have it; but of course, I would
> notice it if I didn't have it.

My wife just started collecting hers last month. It's about $500 per month. It
wouldn't be much if that was all she was getting, but that is on top of her
pension, so it's a nice bonus. I feel sorry for people who don't have a decent
pension plan through or some substantial investments for their old age. They
are going to have a rude surprise when they retire and have only those meagre
government pensions to get by on.


Some people make out okay on those government pensions. I had an aunt who had
Alzheimer's and had suffered a few strokes. My father had PoA for her after my
uncle died, and I took over the PoA when my father died. My father had applied
for a widow's pension on my aunt's behalf. She was already receiving a
survivor's benefit because my father had served in the army during WW II. But
she had been married briefly to a fighter pilot. He went overseas shortly after
they were married and was a killed within a few weeks. So she ended up getting
two pensions form the armed forces, plus Old Age and CPP. She was living in a
good chronic care facility and cleared close to $1200 a month more than the cost
of her care. She was making more money on pensions than I was working.





PoA for my aunt after my uncle died, a