Seniors have earned their ‘entitlements’

A sincere thank-you to Mr. Ken Wuestenfeld of Elk Grove Village for his letter of April 10 concerning the “entitlements” given to senior citizens via Social Security. I am one of those folks who shudders every time one of our government representatives or members of the news media start talking about all of the entitlements we seniors receive as though we did nothing to earn said benefits. Almost like we boomers just showed up and started making demands and having expectations and that we collectively decided to start living the good life on the backs of the younger generation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I want to say that I have worked in the business world for 37 years and paid into the Social Security system each and every one of those years. When I had my very first interview with a Social Security representative upon filing for the earned benefits at the time of my retirement, he advised me that I would have to pay taxes on my monthly stipend. Hello! No free ride here.

My Medicare A benefits come with a hefty monthly cost and are deducted from my Social Security check as well. The Social Security Department does not call them “premium payments,” but that is exactly what they are as far as I am concerned — again, no free ride. Just wanted to enlighten the “entitlement” crowd as to the reality of this issue.

Alice Coughlin-Ryan

Hoffman Estates