Anecdote: I know a couple, she a former high-level bureaucrat for the state of Ca., he a former mid-level Ca. bureaucrat. I say former because they both retired

Anecdote: I know a couple, she a former high-level bureaucrat for the state of Ca., he a former mid-level Ca. bureaucrat. I say former because they both retired at 55. I don't claim to know much about the public employee's retirement system. I do know public employees do not pay into Social Security, and no one can retire on SS at age 55. I also know it's very likely this couple will live long enough so that they both enjoy more years in retirement than the people of Ca. paid them to do something productive.