Why I regret being a SAHM

[mommylamb]

So you have to work 40 quarters/10 years before you can get what you paid into social security when you worked? So if you worked under 10 yrs, you can't get any of the amount?

It is scary because a lot of people don't realize all this. For us, it was an issue because DH used to work for a foreign government and because he was a green card holder, not a citizen, at the time, we fell into a tax loophole where he didn't have to pay payroll tax. Of course, this meant he wasn't paying SS that whole time. Once he got his citizenship, he started paying SS tax, and now he works in the private sector anyway. He will work for more than 10 years before it's time to retire, so he'll qualify, but it did keep me up at night a bit back in the day.

[mjs64]

I am not a SAHM, but some of the things she lists are very much the things that kept me in the workforce. I'm not sure why people are so irked by her essay. Maybe it hit a nerve? I think her main point is a great one - it is important to think about the long term consequences of the decision.
.

This is true for me too. It was actually an affirming article for me. It reified the reasons for the decision I'm making now. I worry so much that the time I spend working makes me a lesser mother to my child.

If one part of the article irks me, it's that while she acknowledges her privilege, the article is addressed to women who are privileged like she is--who can make the choice to stay home. It is a choice I cannot make--I am the breadwinner for the family.

[larig]

It is scary because a lot of people don't realize all this. For us, it was an issue because DH used to work for a foreign government and because he was a green card holder, not a citizen, at the time, we fell into a tax loophole where he didn't have to pay payroll tax. Of course, this meant he wasn't paying SS that whole time. Once he got his citizenship, he started paying SS tax, and now he works in the private sector anyway. He will work for more than 10 years before it's time to retire, so he'll qualify, but it did keep me up at night a bit back in the day.

My work as a teacher doesn't count toward SS either. It is worrisome to me.

[maestramommy]

My work as a teacher doesn't count toward SS either. It is worrisome to me.

Wait a minute. How is this possible? You mean you could be a teacher for 30+ years and still wouldn't get any SS at the end of it, because you were in public school?

[egoldber]

It depends on if you paid SS taxes or not when you were working. If the employer has its own pension plan sometimes their employees did not pay SS taxes. So that time does not count toward SS benefits.

That's why wellyes' father did not earn SS credits while he was working for the federal government. Before 1984, federal employees had their own pension plan and were not eligible for SS benefits.

[maestramommy]

It depends on if you paid SS taxes or not when you were working. If the employer has its own pension plan sometimes their employees did not pay SS taxes. So that time does not count toward SS benefits.

That's why wellyes' father did not earn SS credits while he was working for the federal government. Before 1984, federal employees had their own pension plan and were not eligible for SS benefits.

So if an employer has its own pension plan, does that include benefits (like health insurance) as well? Or not necessarily? My dad was a minister and his pension plan (from the denomination) does have health insurance. But he also gets Medicare.

[egoldber]

Well, the short answer is, it depends. He needs to check on the details of his plan. With some private retirement insurance plans, the retirement plan is primary and Medicare is secondary. In some its the other way around. My MIL was a teacher in Detroit and under her plan, Blue Cross is her primary and Medicare is secondary. She also gets both SS and her teacher pension because she worked 10 years outside the school system.

[maestramommy]

Well, the short answer is, it depends. He needs to check on the details of his plan. With some private retirement insurance plans, the retirement plan is primary and Medicare is secondary. In some its the other way around. My MIL was a teacher in Detroit and under her plan, Blue Cross is her primary and Medicare is secondary. She also gets both SS and her teacher pension because she worked 10 years outside the school system.

Oh that does make sense, thanks. Glad to know my teaching counts, since it was private school and I know I saw that FICA line item every time!

[egoldber]

You should check online at the SSA website. It's very easy to create an account. I just did it and was able to see that my account was correct. I just realized that the job I had in the summers at college earned enough for credits for those years as well.

[AnnieW625]

It really depends but historically city employees and teachers do not have to pay into SS, same thing with some other municipal and county governments. Both DH and I are state employees and we pay into SS, but it doesn't surprise me at all that not all govt. employees with pensions would or have to pay into SS.