Originally Posted by
Denny Crane
i don’t have the Guard/Reserve retirement or Tricare and will do my best not to take PBGC until 65 or later. My safety net comes in the form of real estate (two houses) one of which has skyrocketed in value over the last 20 years. Now? I couldn’t afford to buy my own house! 😅 The second one is my family home that my mom designed (she graduated from MIT in 1950 with a degree in Architecture. Only used it to design this house.) My dad and the family built it. Just finished a remodel on it. I’d post a couple pics but have never figured out how to do it. I don’t want to sell either one but in event of a BK, that may need to be re-evaluated. .
As far as healthcare goes, if I go September 1, after 24 months my wife will have just turned 65 and go on Medicare and I will pay the contractual 51% for DPMP for a year and a couple months before going on Medicare. We will have to purchase some sort of Medicare supplemental insurance.
At this point I think taking the VEOP is worth the risk but I’m constantly evaluating it.
Denny
If your wife turns 65 before you do, you may want to look at filing for social security benefits as a dependent. It’s based on her eligibility and isn’t related to your anticipated benefits. The rules may have changed, but I had a friend a few years back file for dependent benefits under his wife and start drawing a check without starting his benefits, and his wife hadn’t filed for hers yet either. Small side benny if you marry a more mature woman.