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Federal retirees and the impact of Social Security COLA
Retirees from federal employment are carefully watching the impending announcements of 2017 Social Security cost of living adjustments (COLA), with a sinking feeling that the adjustments will likely not offset the rise in health care costs expected in the coming year.…
The Importance of Planning an Income Stream in Retirement
As you look ahead to your retirement years, it’s extremely important that you establish a baseline income stream as part of your financial strategy. In an article posted on www.reviewjournal.com, Paul Harasim of the Las Vegas Review-Journal provides some basic discussion on points…
Taxation of Social Security Benefits – Some Thoughts on Planning for the Inevitable
From charity giving to QLACs, there are ways to plan for the most effective tax rate for your Social Security benefits. Check out this article by Kimberly Lankford posted on www.kiplinger.com for some interesting background information. Read the article here… Notice:…
Making Medicare Personal through Modernization
As older adults live longer and with more chronic conditions Medicare needs to move from fee-for-service model to a model of care that fully integrates medical treatment with personal assistance and social supports. Read article here… Notice: The link…
2015-2025 Projections of National Health Expenditures Data Released
(Source – www.cms.gov) Total health care spending growth is expected to average 5.8 percent annually over 2015-2025, according to a report published today as a ‘Web First’ by Health Affairs and authored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’…
Baby Boomers in the Tech Industry
One of the hardest areas to work in for Baby Boomers is the technology industry, specifically in Silicon Valley. Even those that grew up championing the cause and trailblazing in its infancy are finding themselves being pushed out for younger…
Aging Population and Federal Budget
The Congressional Budget office recently put out their budget report. This report underscores the problems faced by programs like Social Security and Medicare now and in the years ahead. Some of the problem comes from increased spending year after year due…
Schedule your Social Security office visit
Scheduling Social Security office visits makes netter sense than just dropping in, reports a Social Security staff member. Citing workforce cuts, the worker suggests a telephone call to set-up an appointment as the most effective to get one’s questions addressed.…
Understanding the rules for spousal benefits in divorce situations
There are special rules that apply to beneficiaries in divorce situations, and Certified Financial Planner Jim Ludwick outlines them in an article posted on www.nerdwallet.com. Check out the article here… Notice: The link provided above connects readers to the full…
The 2016 Medicare Trustees Report: Is Medicare Doomed?
(By Stuart Guterman, for Health Affairs Blog, July 12, 2016 ) The June 22 release of the annual Medicare Trustees Report has, as usual, elicited conflicting responses. Some have focused on the positive—Medicare spending per enrollee has continued to grow…