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Taking Charge: Senior shouldn’t drop Medicare for Obamacare
Q: I am 69 years old and enrolled in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. I also have a Medicare supplement insurance plan and a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. I’ve heard so much talk about the Affordable Care…
New Year Brings New Laws Of The Cyber Variety
Thanks to the recent success of hackers and cyber criminals, one state’s new laws are going to focus on your data and how it’s stored. Starting January 1st, companies in California can no longer just maintain personal information. They’ll have…
Monday Money Tip: Making sure tax preparers work for you, not themselves
As taxpayers, we entrust vital personal data to the person preparing our tax returns, including pay stubs, investments, and Social Security numbers. But not all tax-preparers are ethical. To thwart identity thieves and other unscrupulous tax-preparers, the Internal Revenue Service…
Did Social Security always have a COLA?
With the 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2015 about to begin, it is worth noting that many pensions do not have a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) provision. Unlike the inflation protection provided by Social Security retirement, survivors and disability benefits,…
Social Security: Will You Get Your Money’s Worth?
Hundreds of millions of Americans have paid into the Social Security system since it began, and several generations of retirees have counted on Social Security as a major means of financial support during their retired years. Given that everyone who…
Congress provides a hand-up to the disabled community
In a rare display of overwhelming bipartisan support earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 647 — more commonly referred to as the ABLE Act — by a 407-17 vote. The Senate followed suit with a 76-16…
California’s royals of retirement denial
For most Americans, it’s tempting to live in denial or outright fantasyland when it comes to paying for retirement. That’s because doing the math evokes less-pleasant emotions like fear, anger or hopelessness. Social Security, which replaces just 40 percent of…
Health Column: Important info for Medicare beneficiaries
Under provisions in the Affordable Care Act of 2010, some Medicare recipients are suddenly finding themselves without a safety net when in need of subsequent care at a skilled nursing facility. It has resulted in the proposal of new legislation…
Dying and profits: The evolution of hospice
The influx of for-profit companies into the hospice field has benefited patients, advocates say, because the commercial companies made big investments in technology, focused on efficiency and made care more accessible. But a Washington Post analysis of hundreds of thousands…
Affordable Care Act will play major role in tax filing
We had to have this talk sooner or later. Tax-filing time is around the corner, and this season will be the first in which the Affordable Care Act figures heavily. To that end, the Internal Revenue Service has a new,…