5 Social Security Changes for 2021   The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced on Oct. 13 that its annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will be 1.3 percent, an average boost to retirement benefits of about $20 per month for individuals starting in January. Social Security COLAs have averaged a 1.65 percent increase annually the past decade, with no increase at all to benefits in 2016. Continue reading HERE...

 3 Guided Meditations     Research shows that cutting through the mental static and focusing your mind this way helps alleviate stress and anxiety, slows aging, improves your attention span — and can even act as a sleep aid. "People often think meditation is about getting rid of thoughts or feelings, which it's not,” says Sharon Salzberg, co- founder of the Insight Meditation Society, and author of Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation and the forthcoming Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World. With mindfulness we learn to feel a whole range of emotions and physical sensations without getting swept up in them — or trying to push them away.  CONTINUE HERE...            

  Things Medicare Doesn't Cover 1. Prescription Drugs.   2. Long-Term Care.   3. Deductibles and Co-Pays.   4. Most Dental Care.   5. Routine Vision Care.   6. Hearing Aids.   7. Medical Care Overseas   Read More HERE…

  What to do if you’re feeling sick.     The flu, a cold or COVID-19? Prepare for flu season by getting a vaccine now. You may need a test to determine if you have COVID-19 or the flu. Medical experts give advice on how to tell the difference between flu, a cold or COVID-19. Prepare for flu season by getting a vaccine. Now, as we head into flu and cold season, a difficult situation is going to get worse. To help people understand the basics about flu, colds and COVID-19, we consulted with various medical experts But please keep in mind that on your own, without a test, you can’t rule out COVID-19. How do I distinguish the symptoms of the flu, the common cold and COVID-19? READ MORE... HERE .

 Your Medicare Options Video 1

  Unexpected Expenses in Retirement If you talk to people who have been retired for at least 15 years or more, they will often talk about the major 'stealth' expenses that can arise after you stop working, such as a medical condition or major home repair. Statistics show that one in five retirees and one in four retired widows will get hit with at least four major financial shocks after they stop working.  Continue reading  HERE...

    Antioxidant vitamins don’t stress us like plants do—and don’t have their beneficial effect.     Illustration by John Hendrix .  Perhaps you steer toward “superfoods , ” fruits , nuts , and vegetables advertised as “antioxidant , ” which combat the nasty effects of oxidation in our bodies . Maybe you take vitamins to protect against “free radicals , ” destructive molecules that arise normally as our cells burn fuel for energy , but which may damage DNA and contribute to cancer , dementia , and the gradual meltdown we call aging . Warding off the diseases of aging is certainly a worthwhile pursuit . But evidence has mounted to suggest that antioxidant vitamin supplements , long assumed to improve health , are ineffectual . Fruits and vegetables are indeed healthful but not necessarily because they shield you from oxidative stress . Eating food from plants that have struggled to survive toughens us up as well . Rather than killing us , t...

  Utility company calling? Don’t fall for it.   Every day, millions of people who have lost their jobs are making difficult choices about how to pay their bills. If you get a call from someone claiming to be your utility company, here are some things you can do: Continue Reading HERE...

 2021 COLA: A Raise Likely for Social Security Recipients After All Relax , looks like an increase is coming for 2021 Social Security checks . Inflation has been on a roller coaster in 2020 . Summer rebounds in those commodities , as well as increases for in-demand items like used cars , meat and haircuts , have put the consumer price index back on a more normal trajectory , one that will likely mean an increase in the Cost of Living Adjustment for 2021 . The Kiplinger Letter is now forecasting a 1 . 2% increase in the 2021 COLA , which should be welcome news to retirees and others who receive Social Security benefits . The Social Security Administration is required by law to prevent inflation from eroding the buying power of the benefits paid out to nearly 69 million Americans . It uses a Social Security COLA formula based on the consumer price index to adjust payouts every January . Note that the Social Security Administration ties its adjustment for S...

Help available for paying for healthcare costs.  Having trouble paying for healthcare costs? CALL 719-299-1438 to Learn about Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs that may be able to help you pay your Medicare premiums and other costs. Learn more about Medicare Savings Plans at Medicare.gov HERE...

  When to join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan   The best time to join a Medicare health or drug plan is when you first get Medicare. Signing up when you’re first eligible can help you avoid paying a lifetime Part D late enrollment penalty . If you miss your first chance, generally you have to wait until fall for Medicare’s annual Open Enrollment Period (October 15–December 7) to join a plan. During this time each year, you can also drop or switch your plan coverage. It’s important to understand when you can enroll in Medicare and be confident in your choices. Learn more about signing up for Medicare ... continue reading HERE ... Annual Enrollment Period starts Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. Call me @ 719-299-1438 to find your Medicare Health Plan for 2021! #medicare #MedicareAdvantage #seniorcare  

  Who is entitled to their ex-spouse's Social Security?  You are eligible to collect spousal benefits on your former wife’s or husband’s earnings record as long as: The marriage lasted at least 10 years. You have not remarried. You are at least 62 years of age. Your ex-spouse is entitled to collect Social Security retirement or disability benefits .  Your former spouse doesn't have to be collecting his or her retirement benefits yet for you to claim ex-spousal benefits. However, if this is the case, the divorce must be at least two years old. (There is no such requirement if your ex is already receiving benefits.) Continue Reading HERE ...

 

  Changing from the Marketplace to Medicare If you have a Marketplace plan, you can keep it until your Medicare coverage starts.   Once you’re eligible for Medicare, you’ll have an Initial Enrollment Period to sign up for Medicare. For most people, the Initial Enrollment Period starts 3 months before their 65th birthday and ends 3 months after their 65th birthday.   In most cases, if you have a Marketplace plan when you become eligible for Medicare, you’ll want to end your Marketplace coverage. Continue Reading HERE .  

  When can I collect Social Security?  The earliest you can start collecting retirement benefits is age 62. You can apply once you reach 61 years and 9 months of age .  Continue Reading HERE ...

    An Effective COVID Treatment the Media Continues to Besmirch  There are now 53 studies that show positive results of hydroxychloroquine in COVID infections. A recent study from Spain published on July 29, two days before Margaret Sullivan’s strafing of “fringe doctors,” shows a 66% reduction in COVID mortality in patients taking hydroxychloroquine.  Read More HERE ...