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Retirement pros have questions for candidates

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The future of Social Security and Medicare will be central issues in the 2012 election. The ongoing debate about income inequality also is tied to retirement policy, since the erosion in middle class wages affects 401(k) savings, pension benefits and the ability to retire at all.

Yet these issues have yet to receive a serious airing in the debates, aside from accusations about Social Security Ponzi schemes and general threats to replace Medicare with vouchers.

In hopes of lifting the level of debate, I asked top retirement and aging policy experts this question: "If you could pose one question in a presidential debate to the Republican and Democratic nominees, what would it be?"'

Their questions follow; debate moderators and panelists feel free to plagiarize at will. I can promise you that none of these folks will mind a bit.

Copyright Reuters, 2011