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elharo comments on Why is it rational to invest in retirement? I don't get it. - Less Wrong Discussion

20 Post author: diegocaleiro 16 May 2013 01:28AM

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Comment author: drethelin 16 May 2013 06:15:29PM 2 points [-]

Saving for retirement is the traditional conscientious young person thing to do. It doesn't make any sense if you believe in radical life extension or uploading or the singularity (assuming it's within your lifetime). As medicine and technology increase, retirement age will stop even being a thing, because it won't make sense to stop working at 65 and then live 65-650 more years.

On the other hand, investing to maximize your long-term income and wealth potential makes a LOT more sense than saving for retirement. Basically: saving for retirement is like taking the sure 450 instead of flipping the coin for 1000.

Comment author: elharo 24 May 2013 11:06:36AM *  1 point [-]

Saving for retirement makes sense even if you don't expect to retire provided that you can access the retirement funds for other purposes, and that the laws of your country are such that this is still an advantaged position. In the United States and some other countries, saving for retirement is investing to maximize your long-term income and wealth potential.

Saving for retirement makes more sense, not less, if there will be radical life extension. Do you want to work for 650 years? or work for 50 and play for 600? (Feel free to define "play" as choosing more fulfilling but less lucrative work.)

Most importantly, saving for retirement makes a heck of a lot of sense if you don't place 100% certainty on uploading or the singularity by the relevant date when you'd otherwise retire. Or you aren't sure the singularity will actually eliminate the need for money and capital. For instance, what if uploading is possible, but costs $2 million a person in 2013 dollars? A magical singularity genie that grants everyone a cycle of infinite wish spells would be awesome, but it is not a retirement plan.