SALINAS, Calif. - You put in time, punch the clock, expecting to enjoy the golden years at 65. But that may be an unreality these days for many. Now, you could be working until you're 70.
A group of top business executives is proposing reforms to social security and medicare, including an increase in the retirement age to 70.
Some people on the Central Coast said the proposal from the executives of the Business Roundtable might not be all that practical.
"I am 77 years old and I've been working ever since I was 17," said Marlene Hill, business owner in Old Town Salinas.
She could retire now, but Hill said working keeps her mind and body active. But owning a business also pays the bills.
"Nowadays, your Social Security isn't enough," she said. "I do need the money to live on. It's expensive nowadays."
Now with top business executives proposing to increase the full retirement age from 65 to 70, more people would have to work longer.
"It gives older adults who want to work, and have the capability and capacity to work, the opportunity to work, a value very strong in the aging community to uphold an older person's right to work," said Sam Trevino of the Monterey County Department of Social Services and Employment.
But Trevino said said the aging community might not be able to stay in the job market any longer, because of frailty, disease or incapability, so increasing the retirement age could add more strain on them.
"That's why we have the capacity to retire early," he said.
Some said though people shouldn't be relying on the government in the first place.
"We should stop depending on someone else to take care of us. Save for your own retirement," said Chris Reynolds of Salinas.
Fr people like Hill who could retire, but choose not to, it's going to take a lot more than a law to keep them at home.
"I'll keep busy as long as I can," she said.
Some experts said requiring people to work longer makes an already competitive job market, even harder to get in.
If the proposal to increase the retirement age to 70 goes through, it would only affect people who are 55 and younger now.
