The new Ontairo Pension plan

[irishfield]

I have no problems with my own CPP.. I paid both sides into it since the age of 22 ! Hopefully I get to actually collect some back.. not like my sister that got screwed with her total $2500 pay out on death (and it was taxable!).

Edited April 26, 2015 by irishfield

[Rod Caster]

Ya I can see how it's seen as another payroll tax for employers, especially small business. Luckily your federal tax rate just went down to 11 or 9%? I guess that should offset a bit.

[cram]

I think people should be responsible for saving on their own. You shouldn't need a gov program to force you to save (and let them manage your savings on \your behalf).

[Mister G]

I think people should be responsible for saving on their own. You shouldn't need a gov program to force you to save (and let them manage your savings on \your behalf).

Responsible, you want people to be responsible for themselves......good idea but that was declared not PC years ago.

[crappieperchhunter]

I think people should be responsible for saving on their own. You shouldn't need a gov program to force you to save (and let them manage your savings on \your behalf).

X2. This is one that's close to my heart and I could rant on forever. But I'll just leave it at "your responsible for your future". If things don't work out 99.9% of the time the person to blame is looking back at you from the mirror in the bathroom every morning.

[lookinforwalleye]

X2. This is one that's close to my heart and I could rant on forever. But I'll just leave it at "your responsible for your future". If things don't work out 99.9% of the time the person to blame is looking back at you from the mirror in the bathroom every morning.

 

Bull.....there are plenty of cases where life just deals you a bad hand and it can cost you....emotionally, physically,mentally and financially....

[Big Cliff]

X2. This is one that's close to my heart and I could rant on forever. But I'll just leave it at "your responsible for your future". If things don't work out 99.9% of the time the person to blame is looking back at you from the mirror in the bathroom every morning.

So, lets take a poll; How many people on this board alone worked hard most of their life then had the company they worked for go bankrupt leaving them with little or no pension?

 

How many people ran their own business but because of market conditions (the Target failure comes to mind) ending up having to use all of their savings just to make sure their employees didn't hurt too much?

 

How many people had medical poop happen in their lives that destroyed their savings? My own son needs a medication that is going to cost $60,000.00 a year and it isn't covered by OHIP. Where do you think that money is going to come from?

 

My daughter has Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, ya, like she is going to have an opportunity to save for her retirement if she ever gets there!

 

My wife has heart issues and has had to go through a really rough time, an ICD/pacemaker implant that didn't go so well, multipul trips to the hospital, Dr.'s offices, and clinics. Sure the treatments and surgery are covered by OHIP but the $20.00 a visit and the 200+ km trips, the time I have to take off work, none of those are coveredI I think I am reasonably smart but how do you think I should have ben able to forsee all of these costs and plan for them!

 

If however you are a politician and serve just two terms you get a full pension for life, extended medical and dental benifits.....(I am also paying for that)

 

No, I have watched the government piss my money up against the wall while they fill their own pockets, I've listened to them lie then tell more lies to cover up the lies.

 

I am happy for those of you that have had things go well in your lives, that haven't lost jobs through no fault of your own, that haven't been sick or had someone close to you get sick, who's pension plans have been well managed and you can retire with a cushy pension. Good on you but don't look down on those of us who have worked just as hard but have been handed challanges you probably can't even understand.

 

Oh, and when I do look in the mirror every morning I see a tired old man who has been working for the last 55 years to take care of his family, pay his taxes, contributed to CPP and not be a burden on socity and for that I get to collect the whopping sum of just over $1000.00 a month. Lets see; 8 years in politics = $12,000.00 a month in pensions +, 55 years of working hard everyday = $1000.00 a month in pensions.

Edited April 26, 2015 by Big Cliff

[lew]

My own son needs a medication that is going to cost $60,000.00 a year and it isn't covered by OHIP.

 

 

That's insane Cliff, where the heck would anybody be able to come up with that amount every year.

[Big Cliff]

 

That's insane Cliff, where the heck would anybody be able to come up with that amount every year.

Well Lew, what are the choices? You do what ever you have to do to take care of your family just as I know you would!

[crappieperchhunter]

So, lets take a poll; How many people on this board alone worked hard most of their life then had the company they worked for go bankrupt leaving them with little or no pension?

 

How many people ran their own business but because of market conditions (the Target failure comes to mind) ending up having to use all of their savings just to make sure their employees didn't hurt too much?

 

How many people had medical poop happen in their lives that destroyed their savings? My own son needs a medication that is going to cost $60,000.00 a year and it isn't covered by OHIP. Where do you think that money is going to come from?

 

My daughter has Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, ya, like she is going to have an opportunity to save for her retirement if she ever gets there!

 

My wife has heart issues and has had to go through a really rough time, an ICD/pacemaker implant that didn't go so well, multipul trips to the hospital, Dr.'s offices, and clinics. Sure the treatments and surgery are covered by OHIP but the $20.00 a visit and the 200+ km trips, the time I have to take off work, none of those are coveredI I think I am reasonably smart but how do you think I should have ben able to forsee all of these costs and plan for them!

 

If however you are a politician and serve just two terms you get a full pension for life, extended medical and dental benifits.....(I am also paying for that)

 

No, I have watched the government piss my money up against the wall while they fill their own pockets, I've listened to them lie then tell more lies to cover up the lies.

 

I am happy for those of you that have had things go well in your lives, that haven't lost jobs through no fault of your own, that haven't been sick or had someone close to you get sick, who's pension plans have been well managed and you can retire with a cushy pension. Good on you but don't look down on those of us who have worked just as hard but have been handed challanges you probably can't even understand.

 

Oh, and when I do look in the mirror every morning I see a tired old man who has been working for the last 55 years to take care of his family, pay his taxes, contributed to CPP and not be a burden on socity and for that I get to collect the whopping sum of just over $1000.00 a month. Lets see; 8 years in politics = $12,000.00 a month in pensions +, 55 years of working hard everyday = $1000.00 a month in pensions.

 

I have always said some people have bad luck. No 2 ways about it. Those people will always have my sympathy and deserve compassion and or assistance. But I truly believe this is the .1 % of the population. Percentage wise I believe the rest of us have the ability and the opportunities to make for a comfortable retirement. Perhaps we disagree on the %. My point has always been that MOST people who complain have squandered there chance to take ownership of there finances and there future and try to lay blame on others and the government in particular is always an easy target. The government has always and will always be inept with our money. That will never EVER change. I honestly can't believe people think it ever will. I have just excepted it for what it is and moved on. Fixating on something you can't fix or change is not good for anyone.

 

Cliff my company got rid of our pension 4 years ago. My grandfathered pension will not be enough to keep us in groceries. We have went through the cancer dance in our house. I have been laid off from work twice although both jobs where years ago.We have health issues that will only get worse as we get older and we have wasted money on things that could have been used in a better way for our futures so I think we have had many things happen that could have seriously impacted our futures. And neither Debbe or I have ever had a high paying job. But somehow we have managed to save a little from EVERY paycheque for the last 30+ years and it does add up. I believe 99.9% my generation and older generations have had the same opportunities as Debbe and I and in most cases if you haven't been able to make a decent go of it you are at fault for your shortcomings MORE then the government or your employer or anyone else someone feels they should point the blame at.

 

All this is a generalization and I'm not pointing fingers at anyone on here or anyone in particular. It's just how I feel about people preparing for there futures in general. Agree or disagree. I'm not trying to upset anyone. I was just giving my opinion.

[lew]

Well Lew, what are the choices? You do what ever you have to do to take care of your family just as I know you would!

 

I'm not disagreeing with you Cliff, I'm on your side and just saying 60 grand is far more than most could afford. I'm just wondering what the heck happens when folks don't have the $$$$ for these drugs.

 

My wife needed a 10 day supply of drugs a couple months ago and it was $2600 and I thought that was terrible but at least OHIP picked up the tab for it.

[fishermccann]

Big Cliff, not to get to personnel, but I just looked it up. If your only income is 12,000.00 a year you are eligible for 211.00 a month GIS. All you have to do is submit the form. You get up to 950.00 a month, if you earn nothing.

Edited April 26, 2015 by fishermccann

[lookinforwalleye]

I agree with you Cliff 100% been there doing that....on the bright side I have lived to learned how to live with less and have become pretty good at stretching a buck!

Edited April 26, 2015 by lookinforwalleye

[aplumma]

No matter what the governmental system is or whose it is there is a large amount of waste. I have no issues with a safety net that I pay into to help those that have been hit by financial issues it could be me even with all of the hard work and struggling I did to save while my friends had the shiny new cars...etc. I however am against the amount of money that is spent on those that have found a way to bilk the system with false claims or miss use of the process. I don't have the answer on how to fix it because more regulation spends more of the money. I have yet to see a government program produce better financial rewards better than a smart investment portfolio, The theory that a government can get 1.00 from each person and use that money to help a few is a waste of money that the masses could use to fund their futures. It would take a massive educational program and people willing to help themselves but in our society it seems to still be an impossible dream. Many wonder what the difference is between a man doing well and a poor person if both are given the same resources and tragedies in life. Big Cliff is a good example as some has asked how does he survive it is because he saved when he could and right now is making the hard choices to survive. With that attitude if he had not the trials that are before him he would be having a retirement that we all envy and want. The use of government resources to help him and people in his situation are what the system was designed for but it seems that the abuse of it prevents it from doing the job we empowered our governments to achieve.

 

 

Art

[Big Cliff]

 

 

Cliff my company got rid of our pension 4 years ago. My grandfathered pension will not be enough to keep us in groceries. We have went through the cancer dance in our house. I have been laid off from work twice although both jobs where years ago.We have health issues that will only get worse as we get older and we have wasted money on things that could have been used in a better way for our futures so I think we have had many things happen that could have seriously impacted our futures. And neither Debbe or I have ever had a high paying job. But somehow we have managed to save a little from EVERY paycheque for the last 30+ years and it does add up. I believe 99.9% my generation and older generations have had the same opportunities as Debbe and I and in most cases if you haven't been able to make a decent go of it you are at fault for your shortcomings MORE then the government or your employer or anyone else someone feels they should point the blame at.

 

All this is a generalization and I'm not pointing fingers at anyone on here or anyone in particular. It's just how I feel about people preparing for there futures in general. Agree or disagree. I'm not trying to upset anyone. I was just giving my opinion.

I too have managed to do a little saving over the years too Steve or we would be living in a little one bedroom apartment somewhere and still couldn't survive on my pensions. You also know me well enough to know that I respect your opinion just as I know you respect mine!

 

 

I'm not disagreeing with you Cliff, I'm on your side and just saying 60 grand is far more than most could afford. I'm just wondering what the heck happens when folks don't have the $$$$ for these drugs.

 

My wife needed a 10 day supply of drugs a couple months ago and it was $2600 and I thought that was terrible but at least OHIP picked up the tab for it.

Did not think you were disagreeing with me at all Lew! You, I, and many others on this board would give up everything we own if our family needed it!

 

Big Cliff, not to get to personnel, but I just looked it up. If your only income is 12,000.00 a year you are eligible for 211.00 a month GIS. All you have to do is submit the form. You get up to 950.00 a month, if you earn nothing.

Well, even with the subsidy I could not afford to live without working but because I do work, I don't qualify for the subsidy LOL. Thanks for the info though.

[John Bacon]

 

How many people had medical poop happen in their lives that destroyed their savings? My own son needs a medication that is going to cost $60,000.00 a year and it isn't covered by OHIP. Where do you think that money is going to come from?

 

 

Are you familiar with the Trillium plan? They may cover at least part of that.

[Big Cliff]

Thanks, he is looking into that right now, he just got back out of the hospital on Friday so he is going to see if/what help is available. We can cover it for a while but this would be an on going thing.

[manitoubass2]

Big cliff,

 

I was not aware of your personal situation. Im not sure maybe you mentioned it on here and I just missed it???

 

Thats completely insane what is happening to you and your family, im soooo very sorry. And like a good man, i know youde do whatever it takes(as would most of us) for your family.

 

This is a little off topic but ive seen some people posting on a website to get donations for certain causes. I wish I remembered the name???

 

Try to find it so us OFCers can donate and share the heck out of it.

 

I know charity is not the preferred choice for most strong family men, but geez at this point it cant hurt.

 

How in this country is medicine so expensive???? 60,000/month and not covered????

 

Human lives exceed dollar amounts. Somewhere we have this assbackwards

Edited April 27, 2015 by manitoubass2

[dave524]

I don't know about it being expensive here, my wife of 15 years is from Florida,previously Indiana, she could not believe how inexpensive prescription drugs are here compared to the States. Don't they have buses full of seniors coming across the border to buy their meds here anymore ??

[lew]

Don't they have buses full of seniors coming across the border to buy their meds here anymore ??

 

Saw a segment on TV, maybe 60 minutes, a couple years back and that's exactly what they were talking about, all the American seniors crossing into BC to pick up their cheap(er) meds.

[DRIFTER_016]

Big cliff,

 

I was not aware of your personal situation. Im not sure maybe you mentioned it on here and I just missed it???

 

Thats completely insane what is happening to you and your family, im soooo very sorry. And like a good man, i know youde do whatever it takes(as would most of us) for your family.

 

This is a little off topic but ive seen some people posting on a website to get donations for certain causes. I wish I remembered the name???

 

Try to find it so us OFCers can donate and share the heck out of it.

 

I know charity is not the preferred choice for most strong family men, but geez at this point it cant hurt.

 

How in this country is medicine so expensive???? 60,000/month and not covered????

 

Human lives exceed dollar amounts. Somewhere we have this assbackwards

 

Go Fund Me is the site you are thinking about.

 

http://www.gofundme.com/stories/welcome-l2?pc=fb_pp_ga_042415_fri&gclid=CjwKEAjwvPepBRCoqo37teOD1XsSJAC7v6WQlgtNFjLSEpT5ffnEqfVcA3KA6Jpz8-YzSoPFh_9LIxoC5kPw_wcB

[jimmer]

I doubt many of us will be able to retire completely. The only way I can do it, is to sell my house, move into a trailer and try to enjoy that while working part time for play $$$$. I waiver back and forth over retiring at 60 (close) or 65. My mother died at 65 and she would not have collected any CPP if we didn't talk her into retiring early. So, I'm looking at 60 collect CPP and continuing to work part time.

I hear your pain Cliff, it hurts when you hear about the government pensions and as far as I'm concerned there is no argument that can defend the thievery. The problem is, it's been that way for hundreds of years and will continue.

 

I don't know if the Provincial Government took charities into consideration when they came up with the OPP idea. Ours will probably have to do some kind of another fundraiser to meet that need.

[Big Cliff]

Big cliff,

 

I was not aware of your personal situation. Im not sure maybe you mentioned it on here and I just missed it???

 

Thats completely insane what is happening to you and your family, im soooo very sorry. And like a good man, i know youde do whatever it takes(as would most of us) for your family.

 

This is a little off topic but ive seen some people posting on a website to get donations for certain causes. I wish I remembered the name???

 

Try to find it so us OFCers can donate and share the heck out of it.

 

I know charity is not the preferred choice for most strong family men, but geez at this point it cant hurt.

 

How in this country is medicine so expensive???? 60,000/month and not covered????

 

Human lives exceed dollar amounts. Somewhere we have this assbackwards

That is $60,000.00 a year, not a month but non the less, more than any of us on this board could ever hope to deal with out of our own pockets.

 

As for charity, you are right, not my thing unless I have given everything I have first and there was no other way. We will hope it doesn't come to that, my son is talking with the Trillium Foundation to see if there is some way they can help, I guess that is charity of a sort but it is what they do and it is based on your financial situation. The company he is working for have been wonderful and have promissed to hold his job until he is able to return to work, that alone took a big load off his mind.

 

He has also been told that if he contacts the drug manufacturer they might offer to provide the medication at a reduced price on compassionate grounds. The kid is only 43 years old and has always been a hard worker, paid his bills and raised a family, sometimes bad things happen to good people! We'll get through it, that's just what we do!

[manitoubass2]

Sorry cliff for misreading that.

 

Still 60 a year is a decent wage, never mind figuring in food, shelter etc.

 

I hope it works out and youse all find a way, but i wouldnt reject help.

 

Your situation is insane, you shouldnt have a worry in the world but your family

[SirCranksalot]

I think people should be responsible for saving on their own. You shouldn't need a gov program to force you to save (and let them manage your savings on \your behalf).

 

There are a lot of 'shoulds' in life! Realistically we know that only a minority will save on their own. Canadians have more per capita debt than ever before. Let's look at the consequences for the future if people don't voluntarily save enough for their retirement------a lot of seniors at the poverty level. So who is going to pay for the social services---welfare or whatever. Obviously the responsibility will fall on the general taxpayer. Isn't it better to prod people into saving their own money to spend later on rather than have to rely on other folks money??