Did You Put Off Saving For Retirement?

by Shakita 35 Replies latest jw friends

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  Shakita

  The JW's put it into our heads that the end is coming any day now. I didn't think that I would ever retire in this system of things. I felt that long before retirement age the new system would be here and I would have no money worries. As the years rolled by and I didn't have any thing saved for retirement, I became more and more anxious. Then as my fortieth birthday loomed on the horizon, I realized that I had better start saving for retirement or my wife and I would be in bad shape at retirement. I have been saving now for about five years and I am just starting to build a nest egg. Soon I'm going to increase my percentage of withdrawal for retirement so that I can catch up.

  I remember feeling many years ago, that to save for retirement was the same as saying that I didn't believe that the end was coming. I felt that I would be telling Jehovah that I didn't put faith in all his promises. Since the GB told us continually that the end would be here any day, I believed them and so I put off something that I should have done years ago. Thankfully I'm still young enough that I can save for retirement. I can't remember how many times elders would tell me and my family to be content with sustenance and covering. Do you think that those elders would have been there for me and my wife if we had little or no money saved for retirement? Forget about it.

  How about all of you? Did you put off saving for retirement? Did you put it off because you were struggling just to pay the bills? You know, being joyfully content with sustenance and covering. Do you have JW family or friends that are now in a jam because they listened to the GB and are now burned? Are their JW brothers and sisters helping them out in their time of need because they sacrificed for the kingdom and now are relying on only Social Security? I'm glad that I woke up. Hopefully, my wife and I can enjoy our retirement and we'll actually have a little cash available to enjoy ourselves.

  Mr. Shakita
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  Blueblades

  Hi SHAKITA.Yes! Back on March 9th I posted this thread,"Lest We Forget--Unplanned Retirement".

  Shutterbug pointed this out in the awake issue may 22,1969 page 15."As a young person you will "NEVER"fulfill any career that this system offers".

  Freedom96 wrote,"This is yet another example of how the WTS.hurts people,and they offer nothing to help.I feel for those who spent so much time in the organization,and now reality hits,and something has to be done.For way too many it is too late".

  I wrote:"Of the many abuses that the Society is responsible for is the unplanned retirement of so many who have given their youth and strength and have sacrificed their whole lives, even selling their homes and businesses,not going to college etc.on the words coming out of the so-called slaves mouth that we trusted in about an "END" that never materialized.

  Many are now turning more attention to their personal finances as many more face an unplanned retirement.Many are hopelessly in debt and burdened with mental/emotional problems from years of pioneering and slaving until they can give no more.Disappointed from an "END" that never materialized.

  The WT. study for today March 9,2003 continues this abuse when it tells the rank and file not to plan for your future retirement,continue to put the preaching work first,forget about wasting time in the pursuit of your own personal needs,just pray,,just pray.

  I am one of many who have become a victim of this kind of abuse.So,for those of you who are young and still have years ahead of you,avoid having to wake up to the realization of an unplanned retirement.By all means plan for your future,do not let this abuse of enslavement of your youth ensnare you as the WT.study for today is continuing to try to do to the unwary.

  How many on this forum can testify to the years of service they gave to the Society and now have to try and recover from an unplanned retirement as I am doing now?

  Blueblades,60 years old and making up for lost time (32yrs.a wt.slave) and involved in a new career in the health field and not planning to retire for a long time yet.

  Shakita, thank you for reviving this topic again,for so many need to be reminded of this abuse,so many of our elderly are still suffering because of it.
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  Blueblades

  Also,Happysistah wrote:It is very unfortunate that the WTS.tells people to not plan for their retirement.Personally I have not really planned for retirement either,because I thought Armageddon was coming.So now I have to aggressively save.I have a little more time since I'm in my mid 40's.

  The WT. does not encourage people to be money savvy at all.I think on occasion throughout the years,there may have been afew articles on the peril of getting into debt,but that's about it.Likewise,there are many people on this board that probably did not go to college,because the WT.said to put spiritual interest before material interest.And of course,this has directly affected people's ability to earn a living.

  Ido sympathize with you Blueblades because there are so many people who did put spiritual interest first and are now suffering materially.For some faithful JW'S,the golden years are turning into the financial crises years.

  In the United States,the bottom line is money and the WTS.understands that.That is why the WT. has its publishers and pioners out there pushing their products.The WTS.has cheap labor--its free! At the end of the day ,the pioneers and publishers suffer. Happy Sistah.Thank you for your understanding.

  Blueblades
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  Shakita

  Hi Blueblades,

  You wrote: Many are now turning more attention to their personal finances as many more face an unplanned retirement.Many are hopelessly in debt and burdened with mental/emotional problems from years of pioneering and slaving until they can give no more.Disappointed from an "END" that never materialized.

  I'm sorry that I missed your thread. I didn't know anyone had posted about this subject. I think that many JW's are now wise to the end not materializing any time soon so they have been squirreling away their retirement nest egg for many years now. My own son has already started his retirement fund and he almost has as much saved as I do. I'm happy that he'll be able to make sound decisions free from the influence of the WT.

  The irony of the WT's the end is coming, sacrifice your health, wealth and life to us is that they are no slouches when it comes to investing soundly all the money that we diverted their way when we were funding them. It's amazing that we would give our monies over to an organization that would say, in effect, tough luck if you don't have enough money to live on during retirement.

  Recently a JW highlighted their trip to Patterson on the internet. The JW's spared no expense in making the Patterson complex. Yet we were expected to be frugal and be content with sustenance and covering. So, the GB kings are able to have a palatial estate to enjoy, while we are out here struggling to make ends meet. Doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?

  Mr. Shakita
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  herk

  Hi Shakita and Blueblades,
  

  I'm another. I had serious doubts about WT teachings, and I couldn't go on living a lie. So I left JWs and 40 years of full-time service at age 58. I lost all my relatives and friends of a lifetime. My parents and siblings disowned me. It was at a time when it was hard to find a job. When I finally did get one, it was for minimum wages. For awhile I had to live out of my old car alongside a river. I got my food from a soup kitchen staffed by some of the local churches. Occasionally I got a good night's sleep by bunking out at a Catholic home for men.

  I'm 67. Because I put nothing aside for my old-age, I get less than $500 a month for my pension. It doesn't cover my expenses so I keep working. I have no reason to complain since I have good health and the stamina for a regular full-time job. I'm grateful for that. Additionally, I believe in prayer, and based on some fine experiences I've had since leaving JWs, I'm convinced the Lord will never leave me in the lurch.

  I don't dislike JWs as people. I know that perhaps millions of them will someday be in the same shoes I'm in. I just wish I could grab hold of every decent member of the organization and give each one of them a shaking that would pound some sense into them. The WT Society is surely not a Christian organization in any sense of the word. It is in fact, I believe, an instrument of the Devil that he uses to bring severe hardship and ruin into the lives of a countless number of people.
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  rocketman

  Fortunately, I work at a place that takes retirement savings out of my pay, and it's mandatory. Otherwise, I'd have likely been in that jw mentality and probably only started saving recently.
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  Shakita

  Hi Herk,

  You wrote: I'm 67. Because I put nothing aside for my old-age, I get less than $500 a month for my pension. It doesn't cover my expenses so I keep working. I have no reason to complain since I have good health and the stamina for a regular full-time job. I'm grateful for that. Additionally, I believe in prayer, and based on some fine experiences I've had since leaving JWs, I'm convinced the Lord will never leave me in the lurch.

  I'm sorry to hear that you have to continue working past retirement age. I'm sure that your case is just the tip of the iceberg. It's good that you have a positive attitude and that you still pray. I hope that some lurkers will read about your experience and stop putting off saving for retirement because they believe that the end will be here any day now. You are experiencing two injustices and cruelties. Because of your many years of sacrifice for the WT, you didn't save for your retirement. Also, because you couldn't in good conscience embrace falsehoods any longer, after slaving for the WT for 40 years, your family and friends cruelly shunned you. God will not forget their treachery. Isn't it ironic Herk that those devilish, Babylonish, idol-worshipping Catholics are the ones that provided help to you in your time of need.

  Hey Rocketman,

  You wrote:

  Fortunately, I work at a place that takes retirement savings out of my pay, and it's mandatory. Otherwise, I'd have likely been in that jw mentality and probably only started saving recently.

  I'm happy for you. I wish that saving for retirement had been mandatory where I work, but I'm beginning to catch up. After reading of Herk's experience, I can say that I have nothing to be concerned about. Mr. Shakita
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  Thirdson

  Mr. Shakita,

  I put it off and dismissed opportunities to save for the first 17 years of my working life. I doubt I'll get anything from the government I paid social security monies to during that period either since I left and stopped paying income tax etc.

  So I am playing catch-up big time and ramping up my 401K withholding. My employer also matches up to 6% which is very helpful but I still expect to work fulltime until today's nominal retirement age. (I hope my investments will bounce back by then too.) I do not expect to quit working when I am old but I would like to be doing something purely for enjoyment and not have to worry about supporting Mrs. Thirdson and myself while enjoying the things retired people get to do.

  My dad saved nothing during his working life and afterall 4 of his kids wouldn't even be out of school by the time the "New System (tm)" came along. Fortunately, his last employer, after 1975, and where he spent 20 years had a retirement plan that now adds greatly to his state pension. Four of my dad's grandkids are now in the working world and none are looking for divine help for their pension plans.

  Thirdson
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  Shakita

  Hey Thirdson,

  You wrote: I put it off and dismissed opportunities to save for the first 17 years of my working life. I doubt I'll get anything from the government I paid social security monies to during that period either since I left and stopped paying income tax etc.

  Your situation is the same as mine. I too didn't start saving for retirement until 17 years into my working life. At least we will both eventually catch up. It is sad to see some that have been cast aside and that had nothing saved for retirement. The GB should have money set aside to help the elderly among them in their time of need. These elderly ones gave decades of their life to the WT. Of course, it ain't gonna happen. Don't ya just love those good ol' senile money grubbin' GB boys. I get all weepy when I think of those geriatric nitwit thieves. NOT!

  Mr. Shakita
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  Number 6

  Hi all,