Cost of Senior (former Golden Age) Pass Is About to Skyrocket!

audreyh1 said:
Yes, there are definitely seniors who are not well off, and traditionally discounts were available, I assume, because these folks were no longer working and on a "fixed income" (which is no longer fixed). But I always find the blanket senior discounts rather ironic as the wealthiest group by age in the US is the 65-74 group, followed by the 55-64 group according to a Federal Reserve report that covers 2010-2013. And the 74+ group is still better off than all the groups below 54. This article charts the age distribution by age and links to the more comprehensive Fed report which covers multiple topics.Wealth Is Distributed Extremely Unevenly Within Every Age Group | Demos
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A few years ago I read (and have never forgotten) that retirement security for the Baby Boom generation can be divided in thirds: the top third will have no worries, the middle third, called "the worried well", have savings but will live "right on the edge", and the bottom third will have no security in retirement at all. That's two out of three in that generation who will not be secure. I personally know many people who fit the middle and bottom profiles all too well.
 
Options said:
A few years ago I read (and have never forgotten) that retirement security for the Baby Boom generation can be divided in thirds: the top third will have no worries, the middle third, called "the worried well", have savings but will live "right on the edge", and the bottom third will have no security in retirement at all. That's two out of three in that generation who will not be secure. I personally know many people who fit the middle and bottom profiles all too well.
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And the middle and especially the bottom third are probably not taking a lot of vacations to national parks so the pass at any price is not something they are interested in, while the top third most likely would visit the parks with or without the pass if they wanted to see them.
 
Bestwifeever said:
And the middle and especially the bottom third are probably not taking a lot of vacations to national parks so the pass at any price is not something they are interested in, while the top third most likely would visit the parks with or without the pass if they wanted to see them.
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That's the way the cards are stacked. If you have a good job, you get health care tax free. If you pay for your own, it is with after tax dollars. Have a nice 401(k)? Put away $24K pretax. Only have an IRA? Only $6500 for you. Own a house? Deduct the mortgage interest and RE taxes. Rent? Sorry.
 
Options said:
A few years ago I read (and have never forgotten) that retirement security for the Baby Boom generation can be divided in thirds: the top third will have no worries, the middle third, called "the worried well", have savings but will live "right on the edge", and the bottom third will have no security in retirement at all. That's two out of three in that generation who will not be secure. I personally know many people who fit the middle and bottom profiles all too well.
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I can imagine. Unfortunately, I suspect retirement security for folks following the Baby Boom generation is going to be even worse. Many of the retirement benefits available to the Baby Boom generation and the generation prior have been steadily eroding, and look to erode further as options change cutting out younger folks.
 
audreyh1 said:
I can imagine. Unfortunately, I suspect retirement security for folks following the Baby Boom generation is going to be even worse. Many of the retirement benefits available to the Baby Boom generation and the generation prior have been steadily eroding, and look to erode further as options change cutting out younger folks.
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I agree 100%. And given that most people do not have the self-discipline to start saving money at an early enough age I think that the retirement scene is going to go the way it was in the 1940's and before - you worked until you couldn't anymore and then depended on whatever you had managed to save and charities.

Maybe more people will see this coming and start saving at a much earlier age than before? I hope so, but from what I've read about psychology I am not optimistic.

DW and I consider ourselves to be extremely fortunate to have the retirement package of benefits that we do, a package that changed in the 1980's for then-future hires. Fortunately they allowed the current employees to be "grandfathered" in to the old plan.
 
Thanks to this reminder, I drove about 15 miles to the nearest location, and voila, $10 pass. [emoji41]
 
audreyh1 said:
I can imagine. Unfortunately, I suspect retirement security for folks following the Baby Boom generation is going to be even worse. Many of the retirement benefits available to the Baby Boom generation and the generation prior have been steadily eroding, and look to erode further as options change cutting out younger folks.
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And many are going to see the lessons coming, that various things will be means tested, so don't save a penny spend it now and have fun and let the savers pay for the poor retired person.
 
Sunset said:
And many are going to see the lessons coming, that various things will be means tested, so don't save a penny spend it now and have fun and let the savers pay for the poor retired person.
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I see another set of "lessons" coming for retirees after that.......

Youngsters will tire of busting butt to satisfy the wants of geezers who have computer entries at brokerage houses saying they are "worth something." They'll begin exchanging real goods and services amongst themselves with little head to the numbers on the computer screen. Geezers will find they need to participate in the current economy to survive since their "book entries" aren't that tasty, even with salt and pepper!

I'm all for it.
 
Thanks for the heads up on this. I got my pass today.
 
I went online and saw that you have to go in person or do it by mail so put it in the mail today. Thanks!
 
We got our pass today (backup)--ranger said they had received an email today advising the rate is to go $80 effective Jan 1, 2017. So, you have still got one business day and maybe this Sat to grab the old rate.
 
It appears that you can order it online for $20 as long as you upload a scanned document such as a driver's license or passport. Am i wrong? Also, could someone purchase the pass tomorrow, Dec. 31st if you found a location that was open such as a museum/historic site?
 
Sweet! My mom just picked up the $10 pass a couple weeks ago when we were vacationing in San Juan, PR (saved us the $5 x 2 admission fees since the senior pass also admits 3 guests along with the senior). Unfortunately my dad didn't get one (he was working :( ). $80 is still a pretty good value if you visit national parks even infrequently.
 
It cost me 20 to do the mail in but I am assuming they will use the postmark to qualify which was the 28th.
 
Woohoo! DH will beat that deadline.

I thought he had already missed out. But we would have happily paid $80 - still a great deal.
 
We just received our senior pass in the mail yesterday. I wouldn't have known about this if not for this thread. Thanks to everyone for posting about this. DW and I are about seven months into our retirement and just purchased our new motorhome last week. Really looking forward to our future travels and getting getting good use from our senior pass.
 
powerplay said:
According to this site the price will increase to $80 on 10/1/2017.

National Park Service Lifetime Senior Pass Price To Increase - National Park Subscription Box

I don't see it on the official site though.

https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm
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Yipeee! I'll be 62 three weeks before the deadline. October 1 is the start of the federal government Fiscal Year (e.g., FY 2018) so that date makes a lot more sense than changing the regs/price during the middle of summer.
 
I bought the pass last year but have yet to use it.....time to start making some travel plans!
 
Mine arrived today, Yosemite for free forever - :)
 
I have no idea what places are included in this pass, but from the sounds of it some sort of hiking is involved, or walking the trails. These type of activities fall into my non bucket list. I wouldn't do them for free. Now that they hiked the price I have an excuse, "Im on a fixed income." Ill stay home and watch the dog.
 
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