Title: Chinese Spy Balloon May Be Watching Our Cellphone Traffic: Ex-U.S. Colonel
Article Snip: "Chinese spy balloon...monitoring cellphone traffic in the U.S. . In other words, they're looking at our cellphone traffic, our radio traffic." gathering information on U.S. communication systems and radar...President Joe Biden decided against shooting down the balloon..."
Reference: www.newsweek.comArticle Excerpt: "...“I tried with Senator Grassley back in the 1980s to freeze all government spending, including Social Security, including everything,” Biden said in 1995. ...“When I argued that we should freeze federal spending, I meant Social Security as well,” he told the Senate in 1995. “I meant Medicare and Medicaid. I meant veterans’ benefits. I meant every single solitary thing in the government. And I not only tried it once, I tried it twice, I tried it a third time, and I tried it a fourth time.” (A freeze would have reduced the amount that would be paid out, cutting the program’s benefit.)" ...Biden himself, at least on his campaign website, now supports making Social Security more generous, not less. But that’s at odds with decades of his own advocacy, a record that could become a major political liability
Title: Credits for New Clean Vehicles Purchased in 2023 or After
Article Snip: "...You can use your modified AGI from the year you take delivery of the vehicle or the year before, whichever is less. If your modified AGI is below the threshold in 1 of the two years, you can claim the credit. The credit is nonrefundable, so you can't get back more on the credit than you owe in taxes. You can't apply any excess credit to future tax years. ...You will need to provide your vehicle's VIN."
Reference: www.irs.govTitle: Does the FERS special retirement supplement ever increase?
Article Snip: "...It’s set at the amount of Social Security benefit you earned while a FERS employee. The SRS is paid out of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund because you haven’t yet reached the minimum Social Security retirement age. When you reach age 62, the SRS will..."
Reference: www.federaltimes.comArticle Snip: "...The numbers were either not issued by the U.S. government or "did not match the name and/or date of birth information provided … suggesting potential identity fraud.”..."
Reference: www.nbcnews.com
Title: What is ‘Ozempic face’? Doctors warn about facial ageing side effect of diabetes medications
Article Snip: "“Weight loss may turn back your biological age, but it tends to turn your facial clock forward,” one dermatologist says ...Doctors are warning individuals who have turned to diabetes medications to lose weight that the drugs may result in unwanted side effects such as facial ageing. In recent months, injectable prescription medications such as Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy, which were created for those with type 2 diabetes, have seen a rise in popularity among individuals who view the drugs as a quick-fix weight-loss method. ..."
Reference: www.independent.co.ukTitle: When can I download my 1099r tax form?
Article Snip: "The 2022 '1099R Statements of Annuity Paid' are now available. ..."
Reference: Federal RetireeTitle: Trump: ‘Under no circumstances’ should Republicans cut Social Security or Medicare
Article Snip: "...“Under no circumstances should Republicans vote to cut a single penny from Medicare or Social Security to help pay for Joe Biden’s reckless spending spree, which is more reckless than anybody’s ever done or had in the history of our country,” Trump said in a recorded video statement posted to Truth Social. The former president, who in November launched a 2024 White House campaign, called for cuts to a slew of other areas, including funding for “corrupt foreign countries,” “climate extremism,” “left-wing gender programs from our military” and “waste, fraud and abuse everywhere we can find it.”..."
Reference: yahoo.comTitle: How early can I apply if I want to draw Social Security at age 62?
Article Snip: "...You can apply for retirement benefits up to four months before you want to start receiving your benefits. Even if you are not ready to retire, you still should sign up for Medicare three months before your 65th birthday. ..."
Reference: ssa.govTitle: How many years must you have worked to apply for Social Security benefits?
Article Snip: "...The Social Security Administration was established in 1935 to provide financial support for retired workers who contributed to the program through taxes on earned income. Additional programs have been added over the years to cover benefits for disability, survivors and those with limited financial means. While the standard amount of credits a worker must obtain to apply for retirement benefits is 40, each program has its own requirements. Here’s a look at how long you need to work in order to qualify for Social Security benefits. ..."
Reference: as.comTitle: What is the federal government's new retirement program?
Article Snip: "...Under the new program, the federal government will deposit a 50% match on up to $2,000 of a worker’s contribution to a workplace or individual retirement account — a maximum of $1,000 per person. Eligibility is based on income, and the match is reduced over certain limits. ..."
Reference: www.seattletimes.comTitle: Want that $7,500 EV tax break? Why buyers need to talk with an accountant and not just a car dealer
Article Snip: "...Consumers considering electric vehicles, solar panels or other home energy efficiency upgrades should do some tax planning before making big-ticket purchases ...Want that $7,500 EV tax break? Why buyers need to talk with an accountant and not just a car dealer /tt>"
Reference: www.marketwatch.comTitle: California ranked one of the worst places in US to retire, study says
Article Snip: "...Blacktower Financial Management Group ranked every state in the U.S. based on several factors, including cost of living, crime, and life expectancy. ..."
Reference:Title: Average Retirement Income 2022: How Do You Compare?
Article Snip: "...The numbers you will review below represent both mean (average) and median income. Median income is closer to the reality for most households of retirement age. ...Average Household Retirement Income 2022 is $...down from $56,632 in 2019..."
Reference: www.newretirement.comTitle: Oversight of Federal Employment, Retirement Issues Ahead
Article Snip: "...“Republicans will return the Oversight Committee to its primary duty to root out waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the federal government and hold the Biden Administration accountable,” he said in a statement. Those priorities will include, he said, Biden family business dealings, immigration, the origins of Covid-19, the withdrawal from Afghanistan and how pandemic relief funds were spent. Not a word about federal employees and retirees, except indirectly in a reference to making the government “more efficient, effective, transparent, and accountable to the American people.”..."
Reference: www.fedweek.comTitle: Here’s what Secure 2.0 means for you if you’re getting close to retirement
Article Snip: "...Because there are more than 90 provisions in Secure 2.0, there are other changes that could impact your retirement planning. For instance, there are modifications related to annuities and qualified charitable distributions that may factor into how you plan financially for your retirement. Additionally, if you’ve lost track of a retirement plan you had at a previous employer, be aware that Secure 2.0 directs the Labor Department to create, within two years, a national online, searchable “lost and found” database. ..."
Reference: www.cnbc.comTitle: If I have retiree coverage through the FEHB, do I need to enroll in Medicare?
Article Snip: "...Should I enroll in Part B if I have FEHB coverage? Deciding whether to enroll in Part B is complicated. And unlike Medicare Part A, all enrollees pay a premium for Medicare Part B ($171.10/month in 2022 for most people). While FEHB plans cover most of the same types of expenses that Medicare covers, FEHB plans’ coverage may be more limited than Medicare Part B when it comes to orthopedic and prosthetic devices, durable medical equipment, home healthcare, medical supplies, and chiropractic care. Conversely, FEHB plans cover emergency care received outside the United States, and this isn’t covered by Original Medicare at all – and is rarely covered by Medicare Advantage. FEHB plans may also pay for vision and dental care that’s not covered by Original Medicare and is limited in Medicare Advantage. ..."
Reference: www.medicareresources.orgTitle: How Current and Future Federal Retirees Could Be Affected by the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022
Article Snip: "...Many health insurance professionals recommend that federal retirees enroll in both an FEHB health plan together and in the “original” Medicare (Medicare Parts A and B). In so doing, they will minimize -and for most federal retirees – eliminate any out-of-pocket medical expenses. This means no deductibles, no co-insurance, no co-payments. ..."
Reference: www.myfederalretirement.com