15 Cheapest States to Live In

Title: 15 Cheapest States to Live In

Article Snip: "...The rise in inflation over the last year has led many Americans to consider shifting to states with a lower cost of living. The annual inflation rate rose to 9.1% in June 2022 to its highest level since the 1980s. To combat the raging inflation, the US Federal Reserve has already raised the benchmark interest rates...a significant number of Americans migrated out of states such as New York, California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Meanwhile..."

Reference: yahoo.com
Inflation 2023,Less Expensive States to Live ,

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Senior living industry tells federal lawmakers of ‘unprecedented’ financial issues

Title: Senior living industry tells federal lawmakers of ‘unprecedented’ financial issues

Article Snip: "...Collectively, senior living providers incurred more than $30 billion in expenses, including gowns, gloves, masks and other infection prevention and control supplies; wage pressures; higher recruiting and retention costs; and regulatory, licensing and employee certification costs, Elehwany said. “Because of supply chain disruptions and exponential demand for personal protective equipment, costs became exorbitant..."

Reference: www.mcknightsseniorliving.com
Senior living industry

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New York tops list of least affordable states to retire in

Title: New York tops list of least affordable states to retire in

Article Snip: "The Empire State ranked at the very bottom in terms of affordability, and 46th overall when factoring in quality of life and healthcare, according to a report by WalletHub comparing all 50 states. ...The report noted that even with $1 million in retirement savings, the average person would only be able to cover about 14 years of expenses. “Retirees must evaluate the burden of state and local taxes when making their residential decisions..."

Reference: nypost.com
Worst states to retire in,New York,Least affordable states to retire in,

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Riots erupt in France over retirement age increase

Title: Riots erupt in France over retirement age increase

Article Snip: "Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne of France invoked a special constitutional power to avoid having the lower assembly vote on the pension reform bill Thursday. ...The protests stemmed from Macron’s attempt to raise the age to receive a full pension following retirement in the country from 62 to 64 years old by invoking special constitutional powers that allow him to skirt the national assembly..."

Reference: www.foxbusiness.com
France, Destruction of Seniors, Working Until You Die, Retirement is for the Wealthy Not You,

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How to Build a CD Ladder for Retirement

Title: How to Build a CD Ladder for Retirement

Article Snip: "...Retirees often give certificates of deposit short shrift, and that’s unfortunate. Leveraged properly, CDs can give people living on a fixed income the one financial necessity they need in retirement: a reliable income stream with low relative risk. That’s especially true with CD laddering – Wall Street’s way of building a reliable interest rate-return staircase in their golden years...."

Reference: usnews.com
Finances, CD's,

The Pros and Cons of a Credit Union Versus a Bank

Title: The Pros and Cons of a Credit Union Versus a Bank

Article Snip: "Credit unions can offer higher savings rates compared with traditional banks. ...The main difference between a bank and a credit union is that a bank is a for-profit financial institution, while a credit union is a nonprofit. ...Credit unions are insured by the federal National Credit Union Administration, which provides the same protections that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation applies to banks – insurance coverage on deposits up to $250,000. NCUA's website allows credit union members to check on their insurance coverage; the agency also recommends checking for a prominently displayed sign at the credit union that says it is NCUA-insured."

Reference: usnews.com
National Credit Union Administration (NCUA),

Long-term care pause | Two-year freeze on applications

  Long-term care pause | Two-year freeze on applications

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has paused all new applications for the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program.

Unenrolled individuals cannot apply for the program.

The suspension period, which will run for 24 months from Dec. 19, 2022, is designed to give OPM and the John Hancock Life and Health Insurance Co., the program’s carrier, “time to thoroughly assess benefit offerings and establish sustainable premium rates that reasonably and equitably reflect the cost of the benefits provided,” according to the suspension notice on the program’s website.

Current enrollees’ coverage will not change as long as they continue to pay their premiums. However, current enrollees may not increase coverage.

Those who applied for the program before the cutoff date will have their application considered and, if approved, will receive all relevant information.

For those in claims status, there is no change to coverage or claims reimbursement as long as benefits have not been exhausted.

For more information on the suspension, call LTCFEDS at 800-582-3337. For other benefits-related questions, contact the Wellness team.

Reference: USPS News Link via NPMHU Local 317 - Alabama

Don't even think about retiring until you have these 3 things completely paid off — your mortgage isn't one of them

Title: Don't even think about retiring until you have these 3 things completely paid off — your mortgage isn't one of them

Article Snip: "'Hold onto your money': Jeff Bezos issued a financial warning, says you might want to rethink buying a 'new automobile, refrigerator, or whatever' — here are 3 better recession-proof buys. ...Here are the three loans Americans must pay off before even considering retirement..."

Reference: moneywise.com

Biden attempts to comfort citizens over U.S. financial collapse

Title: Biden Urges Confidence in US Banks After Collapse

Article Snip: "...President Joe Biden on Monday assured Americans that the nation’s financial systems are sound, following the swift and stunning collapse of two banks that prompted fears of a broader upheaval. “Americans can have confidence that the banking system is safe..."

Reference: www.newsmax.com
U.S. financial collapse,Biden Legacy,Run on Banks,Biden Economy 2023,

There are 10 types of Medicare Supplement Insurance plans)

Title:

Article Snip: "There are 10 types of Medicare Supplement Insurance plans, each designated by a letter of the alphabet (you can find details about all 10 plans at Medicare.gov)...Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, Plan F*, Plan G*, Plan K, Plan L, Plan M, Plan N..."

Reference: www.medicare.gov
10 types of Medicare Supplement Insurance plans

Compare Original Medicare & Medicare Advantage

Title: Compare Original Medicare & Medicare Advantage

Article Snip: "Consider these things when deciding between Original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage Plan for your health coverage. ...if you choose a Medicare Advantage plan, you may not be able to switch back later to Original Medicare with a Medigap plan. “It doesn’t mean you can’t switch, and I’ve had people be able to switch,” “But it’s certainly not guaranteed, and in many parts of the country it would be impossible.”.."

Reference: www.medicare.gov
Original Medicare vs Medicare Advantage

Lawmakers unveil plan to keep Americans from claiming Social Security too early

Title: Lawmakers unveil plan to keep Americans from claiming Social Security too early

Article Snip: "...Social Security Administration (SSA) needs to do a better job at communication — including bringing back paper statements. “We believe that SSA should take more proactive measures to provide Americans with the tools and resources to determine how best to set themselves and their families up for financial security in retirement..."

Reference: www.aol.com

Bill to Boost Federal Firefighters’ Retirement Benefits is Back

Title: Bill to Boost Federal Firefighters’ Retirement Benefits is Back

Article Snip: "...Rep. Gerry Connolly’s legislation would include mandatory overtime hours in calculations to determine federal firefighters’ pension benefits. ..."

Reference: www.govexec.com
Federal Firefighters,

Here are 3 crucial things you must let go of in retirement. Most folks can't do it — but can you?

Title: Here are 3 crucial things you must let go of in retirement. Most folks can't do it — but can you?

Article Snip: "If you really believe that he or she who dies with the most toys wins, then maybe you haven’t thought much about whether that comes with an eternal storage locker. The fact is that excess stuff will only weigh you down, especially if you want to travel or spend more time tending to your relationships (more on that in a bit). Retirement marks an ideal time to take inventory. Just how many trinkets have you accumulated?..."

Reference: www.msn.com

Americans with poor longevity literacy at greater risk of outliving retirement savings: Survey

Title: Americans with poor longevity literacy at greater risk of outliving retirement savings: Survey

Article Snip: "...Many Americans lack a basic understanding of how long they tend to live in retirement and may be at risk of outliving their savings, a recent survey said. Sixty-three percent of American adults are working with inaccurate longevity measures ...Understanding life expectancy is just one piece of successful retirement planning; the other is building financial security..."

Reference: www.foxbusiness.com
Longevity,

Millions of Americans nearing retirement age with no savings

Title: Millions of Americans nearing retirement age with no savings

Article Snip: "...Millions of Americans nearing their golden years are still financially unprepared for retirement. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, 50% of women and 47% of men between the ages of 55 and 66 have no retirement savings. ...For her and others without a nest egg, experts said it is not too late to make a plan. According to the AARP, that includes"

Reference: www.cbsnews.com
Savings

There’s No Turning Back From Some Retirement Choices | Certain benefits decisions are irrevocable

Title: There’s No Turning Back From Some Retirement Choices | Certain benefits decisions are irrevocable

Article Snip: "...deciding whether and when to retire isn’t the only big choice. Once you’ve concluded it’s time to take the plunge, there are other decisions to make. And some are irrevocable. Let’s look at what you can change and what you can’t turn back from. ..."

Reference: www.govexec.com
Tips and Actions in Retirement and Pre-retirement,

Regular exercise improves memory in old age even if taken up in 50s and 60s, research shows - as trials into whether keeping fit can delay dementia

Title: Regular exercise improves memory in old age even if taken up in 50s and 60s, research shows - as trials into whether keeping fit can delay dementia

Article Snip: "...Scientists from University College London (UCL) tracked the exercise habits of 1,400 participants over 30 years. When each person turned 69, the volunteers took a test to assess their memory, attention, language and verbal fluency. ...researchers behind the new study say their results are proof that every little helps, and that it is never too late to start."

Reference: www.dailymail.co.uk

FEHB and Medicare Webinar to be held March 9

Title: FEHB and Medicare Webinar to be held March 9

Article Snip: "...Representatives from GEHA, a not-for-profit provider of health plans for federal employees, will conduct the webinar and explain how Medicare works with FEHB plans, including information on Medicare parts A, B, C and D. Participants must register before the event on the webinar website. After signing up, directions for accessing the webinar will be emailed to each registrant. Following the session, registrants will receive an email with a link to an archived recording, along with the slides shown. Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees may only participate off the clock or during authorized breaks...."

Reference: usps.com
FEHB and Medicare Webinar

White House’s controversial ‘woke’ ESG consideration will damage retirement plans

Title: Biden's ESG rule will 'hurt America's retirement security,' GOP lawmaker warns

Article Snip: "For decades, those standards have said investment decisions must be guided by the goal of maximizing the return on those investments. However, the rule from Biden’s Labor Department said investment plan fiduciaries can consider companies that prioritize climate change and other social issues as they invest. ...this bill disapproving this Department of Labor regulation that would steer Americans into lower-performance, higher-fee, less-diversified portfolios… because whether you're a Republican or a Democrat, we think most Americans don't want politics to be a factor in allocating their capital and determining whether or not they're going to have a secure retirement," the Kentucky congressman said. Barr further argued that Biden’s threat to veto the bill when it gets to the president’s desk will "hurt America’s retirement security.""

Reference: www.foxbusiness.com
ESG vs TSP, ESG limits investment profits, TSP,

The Truth About Men and Women Who Stay Single

Title: The Truth About Men and Women Who Stay Single

Article Snip: ""If you have only stereotypes and scare stories to go by, you know what your life is supposed to be like if you get to your golden years without ever having married. You are going to be utterly miserable and lonely. Reality begs to disagree. More and more people are staying single...The right way to test that is to compare the people who never got married to those who did marry, whether they stayed married or not. Fellow Psychology Today blogger Elyakim Kislev tested that prediction and reported his findings in Happy Singlehood."

Reference: www.psychologytoday.com
Retired And Single,Single life,Senior singles,

Why are many remaining single?

Title: Young men reveal why they’re single: ‘Dates feel more like job interviews’

Article Snip: "They’re single but they’re not mingling. New data from the Pew Research Center has shown that 63% of men under 30 are single – up from 51% in 2019. COVID isolation and women’s high expectations for something serious are the main reasons they’re avoiding going out and coupling up, young guys say. “Dates feel more like job interviews now. Much more like ‘What can you do for me and where is this going?..."

Reference: nypost.com
Cut to the chase, Selfishness and dating, What can you do for me?, Preference to being single, Single life,

Millions of Americans nearing retirement age with no savings

Title: Millions of Americans nearing retirement age with no savings

Article Snip: "...juggling two jobs, sometimes working up to 11 hours per day, not what she expected to be doing at age 66. "I would hope to be retired, playing the piano again, just enjoying my life," O'Connor said. With no savings or 401(k) — not even enough to cover an emergency — she sold her home and bought a smaller one with two other women. "It's been a matter of life and death," she said of her current financial situation. ..."

Reference: www.cbsnews.com