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But that's sort of the point. I don't have a problem with this article which is largely good advice but I think it's useless. Everyone knows what he's saying is true yet people aren't saving.

As someone whose friends are predominantly in their 20s I can tell you people generally give 2 excuses...

1. "One of these startups will eventually work and I know I'll cash out on at least 1 big IPO before I retire so it doesn't matter"

2. "I don't know anyone whose saved for retirement and the average american household owes 20% more than they make. So the Government will have to do something and even if I don't have enough money I'll be taken care of"

So the bottom line is people are in denial and you can print this article up and tape it to their heads and it still isn't going to fix that problem



3. If I do save, it will all be taxed off me to pay for those who didn't.

Here in the UK, the last government started levying a tax on the pension funds, and the present government hasn't revoked it. So people who have guaranteed pensions paid for by the taxpayer, out of tax revenues, are doing so off the backs of those in the private sector who save for their retirement. It disgusts me.


One can make this "off the backs" argument about any tax. Why is the tax you describe worse than other taxes, or isn't it?


Yes, it is worse. Already private sector workers know, despite record levels of NI, we cannot expect the State to look after us in our retirement. To tax us further to secure the votes of the unionized public sector is the worst sort of political cynicism.




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