This is a semi-silly idea, but based on some real life experiences.
In my late teens to mid-twenties, I had no idea what I really wanted to do with my life, and neither did my friends. But once we reached the age of majority, we had to move out of our parents' houses, get jobs, and go to college. Once in college, we had very little life experience, and many of us declared a major simply because it sounded interesting.
Meanwhile, at the other end of life, I noticed that many of my friends' parents didn't really want to retire - especially if they were business owners or independent contractors. They'd finally found something they enjoyed doing in life, and saw no reason to stop.
It took me until I was about 24 years old to really know what I loved doing, what I was good at, what I might like to study. If only I had been able to wait a couple years after high school, before going to college and choosing a job, I might have made a much better start towards my career. Several of my friends have lately made the same complaint. They have joked that "retirement is wasted on the old."
So, my idea is that at 18 years of age, each U.S. citizen should be eligible to elect to take 2-4 years of their SSI benefits. They might still need a part-time job to supplement their income, but this would give young people a chance to develop some experience of the world, get a feel for how to live on their own, pay bills, etc. They would have time to develop interests, volunteer locally, find out what they're good at. Perhaps if they wanted to start their own business, this could provide them with time and a little capital to do so.-- WhatArmy, Aug 12 2010 Kinda Baked Retire_20First_2c_2...20Until_20You_20Die [Grogster, Aug 12 2010] Logan's Pension Logan_27s_20Pension [theircompetitor, Oct 05 2011] see the button over the left side says "Search" ?
We did this like 2 weeks ago :D
something something something work'til you die-- FlyingToaster, Aug 12 2010 It was "Retire First, Then Work Until You Die." [link] Of the 15 people that voted on it, it was pretty much split right down the middle with the bones barely outnumbering the buns...-- Grogster, Aug 12 2010 Alain de Botton has expressed similar views about the best age for going to university and choosing a career (approximately 30 years old was his suggestion). It would be interesting to see the effect on society if we made the minimum age of entry into university about 25.-- xaviergisz, Aug 12 2010 no that won't work - if you have your kids at 18 - 20 and they're still living at home till their 30's, you'll get no peace or a tidy home until you're 50 anyway!-- po, Aug 13 2010 This idea is not redundant. If you think it is, please read it again. [+]-- Voice, Aug 17 2010 Would this be available to those with suicidal tendencies, or who intended to pursue a career likely to lead to an early demise?
In any case, as I approach my 50s, I can see that I wouldn't have known what to do with the time and money when in my 20s or 30s. Now I have the knowledge and resources to live out my days in my workshop, which is what I intend to do as soon as possible.
Each of us needs to retire at a time when we have sufficient life experience to be able to make good use of the time, while still retaining the health to be able to actually achieve anything.
The problem would be with those who abuse the system.-- Twizz, Aug 17 2010 In this country (Noo Zeeland), the benefit is freely available at eighteen. That is why nobody works here, except the mentally challenged, also Asian immigrants who without exception, are born with a fully wound spring and will work quite happily from dawn till dawn, until a longer working day is introduced, in the misguided belief, it is better to earn an honest day's pay. God bless America! Oops.Sorry. Noo Zeeland.-- Ah Supp, Oct 04 2011 The simple answer is to be born sixty five years old and regress. Worked for Benjamin Button. Don't know if he qualified for the free bunce lurk though.-- Ah Supp, Oct 05 2011 If kids got the pension they would not have an excuse to put the hard word on their Grand parents-- Ah Supp, Oct 05 2011 I don't agree in getting money for free at age 18, but I do think people should go work from 18-25 and not enter college until they have some work experience. I don't know why 18 is the magic age for college admission. By 25, people will know what they want to learn more about and college can supplement that idea.-- phundug, Oct 05 2011 Blasphemer! I brand thee _socialist_!!!-- Alterother, Oct 05 2011 random, halfbakery