...providing retirement news snippets from various sources for federal employees, postal employees, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities who receive Social Security . Your resource for retirement living, investment, employment, health care, and retirement leisure. - Stay Informed!
Title: Four Tax Changes Those Over 65 and Retirees Should Watch in 2025
Article Snip: "...This year brings key tax changes that could affect your retirement taxes and income. ..."
Reference: www.kiplinger.comTitle: Affordable dental insurance for CHAMPVA beneficiaries
Article Snip: "Covered dental care for qualified spouses & children...CHAMPVA doesn’t cover dental care costs unless that care is part of a treatment plan for a covered non-dental medical condition. VADIP helps fill that gap by offering CHAMPVA beneficiaries discounted private dental insurance. ..."
Reference: va.govTitle: How to Break Free From the 'One More Year' Trap and Actually Retire
Article Snip: "Despite having more than enough money to retire, some people simply cannot leave their jobs. ...Maybe you’ve saved plenty of money for a happy retirement. But, for any number of reasons — sense of identity, purpose, or social connection — you just can’t say goodbye to the office. For some, work can offer structure and status that retirement might not replace. For others, it’s about staying mentally sharp, avoiding boredom, or having a deep attachment to the job. Financial security doesn’t always address these emotional or psychological needs.
According to the Pew Research Center, while 66.9% of people aged 65 to 74 have left the workforce, only 17.1% of people aged 55 to 64 are retired. ..."
Article Snip: "...Life expectancy in the US hovers around 78.4 years — there’s a special group of people who surpass this mark with flying colors. The retirees, known as “SuperAgers,” exhibit the memory and cognitive abilities of people in middle age.
A new report out of Northwestern University reveals unique traits of SuperAger brains that appear to shield them from dementia. ..."
Title: CEO warns America faces generational workforce crisis as boomers reach retirement
Article Snip: "CEO advises skipping college for skilled trades as workforce ages out ...U.S. Census Bureau data indicates that the U.S. population is older today than it’s ever been, and the number of Americans aged 65 and older is projected to increase from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050. ..."
Reference: www.foxbusiness.comTitle: Five Super Foods for Your Heart | Every heart-healthy diet should include these foods
Article Snip: "...Blueberries
This "powerhouse" tops the list, says Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD, WebMD's director of nutrition.
And Lisa Hark, PhD, RD, says, "Blueberries are not only delicious but are also rich in antioxidants. ..."
Title: US plans to test Medicare, Medicaid coverage for weight-loss drugs, Washington Post reports
Article Snip: "...The Trump administration is considering a five-year pilot program to cover weight-loss drugs under Medicare and Medicaid, the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing documents from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The documents outline plans that would allow the government insurance programs to cover Novo Nordisk's ..."
Reference: www.reuters.comArticle Snip: "For most retired Americans, Social Security is more than just a monthly check. It represents a financial foundation that helps them make ends meet. ...CPI-W, shelter and medical care services inflation respectively hit 3.8% and 3.4% on a trailing-12-month basis, ended June 2025. As long as the prevailing rate of inflation for these two critical spending categories remains higher than the COLA beneficiaries receive, the purchasing power of a Social Security dollar seems destined to decline.
But this is just one of two ways retirees appear set to lose in 2026.
In addition to key expense categories rising at a brisk pace, the Medicare Part B premium is projected to soar ...
"
Title: Millions of Medicare beneficiaries are facing a rude awakening
Article Snip: "...For the first time in the program’s history, CMS rejected some standalone Part D plan bids, citing “unacceptable, significant increases in cost sharing or reductions in benefits.” The agency also extended its emergency Premium Stabilization Demonstration, which caps how much monthly premiums can rise, though the cap will increase to $50 in 2026 from $35 in 2025. ..."
Reference: www.thestreet.comTitle: I’m a Retirement Planner: 5 Best Money Tips for Supplementing Social Security
Article Snip: "...Retiring comfortably often means getting creative with your income sources. If you’re counting on Social Security, for many retirees that alone is not enough income to live on.
But how does one go about supplementing Social Security? ..."
Title: Where do older folks meet other people?
Article Snip: "...A Reddit discussion on where older people meet others..."
Reference: www.reddit.comTitle: Prenups and Retirement Planning: Saying "I Do" In Later Life
Article Snip: "...Prenups aren't a traditional part of retirement planning, but for the growing number of over-65s getting remarried, they're an essential financial tool. ..."
Reference: www.kiplinger.comTitle: Tariff Stimulus Checks Coming? New Proposal Seeks Tax Rebates for U.S. Workers
Article Snip: "...A new GOP bill proposes to send $600 in tariff rebate checks to eligible taxpayers. Is there a catch?...(tax rebates), funded through revenue collected from President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported goods.
That is the promise behind the American Worker Rebate Act, introduced in 2025 by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and seemingly backed by Trump. ...Trump has also chimed in, saying,
Title: UnitedHealth dropping some Medicare Advantage plans, impacting 600K
Article Snip: "...the decision to exit certain Medicare Advantage plans during a second-quarter earnings call Tuesday, noting it would primarily affect members in “less managed products such as PPO offerings.”
Medicare Advantage plans are private health insurance plans approved by Medicare that provide an alternative way for people to receive their Medicare benefits. In 2024, more than half (54%) of eligible Medicare beneficiaries, about 32.8 million people, were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. ...Insurers have seen a rise in expensive emergency room visits, and UnitedHealth leaders said that doctors are billing for more tests and services during those visits than they anticipated.
Insurance companies are also dealing with growing prescription drug costs, especially from expensive treatments for cancer and obesity, as well as gene therapy, The Associated Press noted."
Title: Social Security Administration backtracks on decision to end paper checks, reports say
Article Snip: "...The Social Security Administration will continue to send some paper checks to beneficiaries of the retirement program, reversing its recently announced plan to move all social security payments to electronic deposits beginning in the fall, according to media reports and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
... SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano agreed to continue to issuing paper checks for those who are unable to receive payments otherwise. ..."
Title: Ozzy Osbourne's rare form of Parkinson's sparks questions about lifestyle factors
Article Snip: "Combination of genetic variant and environmental factors may have contributed to disease progression, expert says...He and wife Sharon Osbourne revealed the rock star’s diagnosis of PRKN-2, a genetic condition typically defined as early-onset Parkinson’s disease that evolves more slowly. ..."
Reference: www.foxnews.comTitle: UnitedHealth says it is cooperating with DOJ investigation into Medicare billing practices
Article Snip: "...UnitedHealth Group revealed it is facing a Justice Department criminal and civil investigation over its Medicare billing practices, adding to a string of setbacks for a company that owns America’s largest and most powerful private insurer. ...DOJ interviewed several doctors about UnitedHealth’s practices and whether they felt pressured to submit claims for certain conditions that bolstered payments from the Medicare Advantage program to the company. ..."
Reference: www.cnbc.comTitle: Why More Seniors Are Seeking Therapy in Secret
Article Snip: "...Older adults face unique life transitions that younger generations rarely consider. The move from a structured work life to retirement, the loss of social circles, and the decline of physical health can all take a significant toll on mental health.
However, admitting the need for therapy can be difficult for seniors due to deeply ingrained beliefs about self-reliance. ...One of the leading reasons seniors turn to therapy is loneliness. According to studies, social isolation among older adults has reached alarming levels ..."
Title: Social Security 2026 COLA estimated at 2.7%, but much of it will go to Medicare Part B
Article Snip: "...A cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, is meant to help Americans keep up with inflation so they can maintain their standard of living year to year. But the hikes are falling short, especially when Medicare premiums, alone, are rising at a faster clip, seniors say. That happened in 2025 and is set to do so again next year. ...Medicare Part B costs are rising several times faster than its average rate of increase in recent years. ..."
Reference: www.usatoday.comTitle: Social Security Watch | What is the average monthly benefit for a retired worker? (Jan. 2025)
Article Snip: "...The estimated average amount changes monthly. For example, the estimated average monthly Social Security retirement benefit for January 2025 is $1,976. ..."
Reference: www.ssa.govTitle: Prenups and Retirement Planning: Saying "I Do" In Later Life Article Snip: " ...Prenups aren't a traditional p...