[LuxLiving]

My Dad has a VERY VERY SMALL pension from his 16 year job at a hospital. None from his professorship. Likely he never contributed to either of these himself in any fashion as I don't even believe that was an option then. His one check is so small that he says he's embarassed to take it to the bank, so he started getting it direct deposited. That's his story anyway. He does get SS and is still working at ranching and makes a very nice living at still, but his health is beginning to fail. He doesn't invest. His money is in the bank in savings and in CDs. His wife doesn't work, but was a State government employee so does have nice insurance coverage since she retired w/a disability and does get a disability check.

My Mom has a very very NICE pension from her years working as a state administrator in the health care system. She may have been able to pay into hers in more recent years. She complainingly told me the other day how much her and her second husband's retirement income was - I liked to of choked A COW, as it's about five times the income Hubster currently brings home and I stretch to provide necessities for four of us. There is just the two of them. Well, I should say she isn't hurting any too badly! She has always been very proactive w/money management whereas my Dad has always been a more haphazard steward. Not wasteful, just not as watchful. My stepdad also retired as an educator and has a good pension, but he augments it now as he is has a full-time pastorate.

I do not have one as I never worked long enough at any place that offered one. However, if I go back to work soon as planned, I am definitely looking at benefits before I agree to lock myself in the work dungeon!!

Hubster will have a medium sized one. Maybe enough to help pay the utilities and house taxes but not much else. Certainly not enough to live on. Also, for a number of years his employer contributed to a profit sharing program and when his company went bankrupt and he was laid off for a while before being hired back by the buy-out company we were able to roll the profit sharing program $$'s over into a Traditional IRA. That will provide some of our retirement income. It's all nicely invested in indexed accounts w/heavy proportion in bond index as he is fast approaching the golden watch age. (I would have it more in equities, but he is one of those staunch conservative risk averse investors.)

Hubster's father received a nice pension from working for an airline manufacturer. His mother never worked as she was a SAHM of five children.