Latest News
Changes coming in Medicare
Each year the federal Centers or Medicare and Medicaid reevaluate the numbers for Medicare Parts A and B to determine if changes need to be made to deductibles, coinsurances and out-of-pocket amounts. SHIIP, the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program, wants…
Transformative Year
2013 was a momentous year for the LGBT community, with nine states (California,Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Utah) joining the marriage equality ranks; landmark marriage rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court; the Social Security Administration making it easier for transgender people to obtain Social…
Some could be missing out on Medicare savings
Millions of low-income older Americans struggle to pay their prescription, health care, food, and energy costs. The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) has been instrumental in helping these disadvantaged seniors to regain their economic footing and lead…
Paul Ryan: Retirement pay can’t take over defense budget
The Bipartisan Budget Act that Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and I drafted will soon become law. We think it’s a small step toward fiscal discipline in Washington. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will reduce the deficit over…
Congress Prepares to End Automatic Cuts to Medicare Provider Payments
After successful votes in the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees last week, Congress is on the verge of permanently eliminating the system of Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) cuts to Medicare providers. The Senate and House Committees each passed…
Baby names & getting a SSN for your newborn
Every year near Mother’s Day, the Social Security Administration posts popular baby names for the prior year based on Social Security number (SSN) card applications. If you are expecting a New Year’s baby in the family and still need a name,…
Votes in Washington
Readers have told us they want to know how local and Ohio members of the U.S. House and Senate are voting on major issues. In most Monday editions, we will publish a list of votes. Last week only the Senate…
7 Things You Need To Know About Your Finances If You’re Turning 65
Age 65 is not as special as it used to be. Mandatory retirement has long since vanished for most jobs. Social Security’s Full Retirement Age is gradually rising to 67. Many 65-year-olds pursue active lifestyles that would have seemed fantastic…
5 Ways Other Countries Do 401(k)s Better
If you were to design a retirement program from scratch, you probably wouldn’t create what we have now. The problems with the 401(k), IRA, Social Security “system” — or hodgepodge, if you prefer — are almost too numerous to count. The result of its flaws…
Retirement Planner: For retirees, stick to tried-and-true strategies
At the five-year anniversary of the Bernie Madoff tragedy, major news publications have published interviews with victims regarding how their lives have been altered, in some cases, by losing everything. It brings us to the question of how much money…