Retirement!!!!!! Did you not read the papers or watch the news for a few years. 26.6 BILLION UNDERFUNDED. Now we are capped at 1.5% cost of living increases unless the state house approves more. You know the same people who underfunded it to begin with. Better to take the off duty check and put it into an ira. Before you say the market is down 10 years ago it was around 2000 points it is now around 8000 points. long term it is still up and averages over 20% increase in a life time. Social Security