My Comment: A great number of my clients are now retired or soon will be. Part of that is a function of my age and the fact that I’ve been a financial planner and investment advisor for over 37 years.

The political and economic landscape has changed significantly over these years and it’s always a challenge to separate what was inevitable from what exists as a result of decisions made by those in power years ago. Entitlements and how they have affected attitudes among our electorate will strongly influence the next round of elections, and by extension, the financial security of so many of us. My role is to find the best possible solutions for those who ask my help. Arriving at those solutions involves as complete an understanding as possible of the forces that will influence our lives going forward. This is one of them.

By Philip Moeller | U.S.News & World Report LP – Mon, Jan 23, 2012 11:47 AM EST

The Great Entitlements Debate will move into high gear this year. The need to rein in government healthcare spending on Medicare and Medicaid is undeniable. But there is no political consensus over how severe the cuts should be or how quickly they should be implemented. There is also a related debate about Social Security. Its financial impact on U.S. deficits is, depending on how you measure it, either nonexistent or modest, at least compared with healthcare.

During these discussions, the financial welfare of older Americans is likely to be a centerpiece issue. The nation’s rising sensitivity to income and wealth inequalities is not limited to the 1 percent versus the 99 percent. Are older generations sucking unfair amounts of money and wealth from the government and, at least indirectly, from younger generations? Or are they struggling with meager retirements, rising healthcare costs, and dismal futures? Here are some of the central studies and viewpoints that will be rolled out again and again as weapons.

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