National Save For Retirement Week on October, 2024: what is the point of working and paying national insurance contributions?

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what is the point of working and paying national insurance contributions?

National Insurance is tax. It all goes into the Treasury coffers and most of it pays for our National Health Service. I worked for a large chunk of my life, paying tax and national insurance knowing that I was better able to make a contribution than those lacking the health, education or will-power to earn as much. Now get on with it, be glad you've actually got a job, and stop whinging.

Enlisted in National Guard,not happy with Bacherlor’s degree. Guidance please.?

Enlisted in National Guard,not happy with Bacherlor's degree. Guidance please.?

You have a tremendous amount of questions here - I'll answer the National Guard v. ROTC part.

Stay in the Guard. You make more money and if you decide you like the service, your NG service counts toward retirement - your 20 years. ROTC participation doesn't count toward retirement - it does give you a slight increase in pay but your NG pay will be significantly higher.

When you get your degree, apply for a direct commission in the military - any of the services. You will be commissioned as a 2d LT with 4 or so years of service and probably will pick up your 1LT much faster than the ROTC guys.

Good luck to you

How much money could the U.S. save each week if the U.S. withdrew its forces from Afghanistan?

How much money could the U.S. save each week if the U.S. withdrew its forces from Afghanistan?

First of all, the US has spent 156 billion dollars fighting in Afghanistan in the last 10 years (according to the Pentagon) That equals 288 MILLION dollars a week. Not 2 BILLION dollars a week.

Second, the US has budget deficit of 1.3 Trillion dollars per year. That means we must cut 1.3 trillion dollars a year in programs simply to stop "losing" money. Then you still need more cuts to actually start reducing the 14.3 Trillion dollar debt.

If we tomorrow magically disappeared from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya and reduced the armed forces numbers accordingly (which FYI is going make approximately 400,000 people instantly unemployed. Raising the national unemployment level to over 20%) the US would still have a 1.27 Trillion dollar a year budget deficet.

It is why no one really talks about ending the wars as a major money saver. The US spends 663 Billion dollars a year on the Department of Defense. That is including all the wars, all the bombs and bullets, but also all the retirement and health care for every soldier from all the past wars (There are still a few WW2 vets left I believe) It also includes things like research, rent for military offices in cities, soldiers pay checks, etc.) At the same time, the US spends 2 Trillion dollars a year on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Welfare.

Then it gets even worse when you realize that the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid costs arent static... By 2050 Social Security and Medicare alone will cost more money than the US brings in from taxes (it will be at a 1:1 ratio with the GDP)

Holidays also on this date Tuesday, October 1, 2024...