Huntsville Alabama | A City Council That Is Attempting to Increase Water Rates by 35%

Title: Huntsville Utilities proposes 35% water rate increase

Article Snip: "Huntsville city council members held a first reading for a proposal allowing Huntsville Utilities to raise water rates by 35%..."

Reference:WAFF
Huntsville Alabama,Cities With High Utility Costs,Destruction of the Working Class,Huntsville City Council, Water Rates in Huntsville Alabama, High Cost Cities,Inflation 2023,Bidenomics,

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Is It Smarter For Me to Use Retirement Savings to Pay Off Debt?

Title: Is It Smarter For Me to Use Retirement Savings to Pay Off Debt?

Article Snip: "Generally, it’s best to leave your retirement savings untouched because you want as much uninhibited growth as possible. That said, paying off debt with your retirement savings in specific situations can make sense. ...Weigh Debts Against Investments Not every debt demands immediate repayment. For instance, mortgages are generally low-interest loans you pay gradually. As your equity grows, your home becomes an asset instead of a liability. On the other hand, credit card debt usually has astronomical interest rates that can ruin your finances quickly. Therefore, repaying a credit card debt of $5,000 is immensely beneficial, whereas allocating an extra $5,000 toward your mortgage may not be as advantageous."

Reference: finance.yahoo.com

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What is the average pension of a retired postal worker in 2023?

Title: What is the average pension of a retired postal worker in 2023?

Article Snip: "The amount of money a postal worker makes in retirement depends on their age and how long they worked as a postal worker or government employee. A postal worker who retired in 2023 with 25 years of service would make a monthly basic annuity between $1,..."

Reference: Postal NewsGroup

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Why a federal retiree might consider a reverse mortgage ...or might not

Title: Why a federal retiree might consider a reverse mortgage

Article Snip: "...However, there are also potential drawbacks to consider that most reverse mortgage professionals immediately recognize as applicable to all potential borrowers. These include “the possibility of losing the house to foreclosure if the homeowner cannot afford to pay the property taxes; the homeowner will likely leave less inheritance to his or her heirs; at least one individual has to be living in the home (such as the co-borrower or spouse) if the funds from a HECM mortgage are used to pay for the homeowner’s move to an assisted living or nursing home facility.” Potential borrowers also need to understand that there are a lot of potential expenses the reverse mortgage customer is and could be subject to, including a loan origination fee, mortgage insurance premiums, counseling and other fees. ..."

Reference: reversemortgagedaily.com
Reverse Mortgage, HECM mortgage,

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What retirees should do right now to prepare for a recession

Title: What retirees should do right now to prepare for a recession

Article Snip: "Retirees often underestimate the potential impact of recessions on their financial well-being ...There are several essential strategies and preparations that retirees should employ to prepare for and navigate recessions successfully. ..."

Reference: www.marketwatch.com
Recession 2023,Biden Economy 2023,

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The FERSGUIDE 2023 Upated on Amazon

Title: The FERSGUIDE 2023 Upated on Amazon

Article Snip: "This book is designed for both employees and annuitants, with 40 pages dedicated just to Social Security and Medicare. Those 40 pages alone are one of the best Social Security and Medicare guides out there. ..."

Reference: Amazon
Reading,Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS),

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Federal Employee Benefits Training For Retirement Planning Announced By Public Sector Retirement Educators (PSRE)

Title: Federal Employee Benefits Training For Retirement Planning Announced By PSRE

Article Snip: "... PSRE's courses include a range of training modules covering FEGLI, FERS, CSRS, and TSP benefits. With the online retirement training program, employees can learn using any device, and a complimentary demo is available to provide access to one training module for a full 60 days. ..."

Reference: www.benzinga.com
Public Sector Retirement Educators (PSRE),retirement planning,Federal Employee Benefits Training,

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Veterans have less than 6 months to make this change to their pension | Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)

Article Title: Veterans have less than 6 months to make this change to their pension

Article Excerpt: "Qualifying service members are offered a chance to enroll in the Survivor Benefit Plan, which offers spouses (and sometimes their children) a pension of up to 55% of the veterans’ retirement pay. The inflation-adjusted payment is provided through the surviving spouse’s lifetime, or until the child reaches a maximum age. Prior to 2023, veterans’ decisions were permanent, but this year, they will have an opportunity to opt in or opt out. “The Survivor Benefit Plan is a good benefit..."

Reference Source: www.marketwatch.com

FDA fully approves 'novel' Alzheimer’s disease drug Leqembi, will be covered by Medicare

Title: FDA fully approves 'novel' Alzheimer’s disease drug Leqembi, will be covered by Medicare

Article Snip: "Leqembi has shown clinical benefit in fighting Alzheimer's disease. ...The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has fully approved a "novel" drug used to treat adult patients with Alzheimer’s, the agency announced. Leqembi, which is produced by Japanese drugmaker Eisai and American-based drugmaker Biogen..."

Reference: www.foxnews.com
Leqembi,Medicare,Alzheimer's, Health,Alzheimer’s Drugs,Food and Drug Administration (FDA),amyloid beta-directed antibody, Biogen, Eisai, Lecanemab,

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Retired Long Island postal worker collects big lottery prize a year after drawing

Title: Retired Long Island postal worker collects big lottery prize a year after drawing

Article Snip: "...Retired postal worker Genine Plummer took nearly a year to claim a $1,000 A Week For Life prize she won playing New York Lottery’s CASH4LIFE. The Islip woman purchased her winning ticket back in May 2022. But she didn’t realize she had..."

Reference: greaterlongisland.com
Lottery in Retirement

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Tom Brady sticks to strict diet regimen even after retirement

Title: Tom Brady sticks to strict diet regimen even after retirement

Article Snip: "The legendary quarterback, who doesn’t include white sugar, white flour, iodized salt, caffeine, nightshade vegetable and even strawberries in his diet, is continuing the TB12 method. ..."

Reference: www.foxnews.com

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IRS quietly changes rule on how your children's inheritance is taxed - here's what you need to know to avoid a shock bill

Title: IRS quietly changes rule on how your children's inheritance is taxed - here's what you need to know to avoid a shock bill

Article Snip: "Americans have turned to irrevocable trusts to protect their assets from spend-down in order to qualify for Medicaid...In the last decade, more families have begun utilizing 'irrevocable' trusts and the ruling will impact estate planning...Most families will not find themselves subject to estate tax when the value of their home is included because the current federal estate tax is only applicable to estates valued at $12.92 million or more. ... "

Reference: www.dailymail.co.uk

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Remain wary of mail following white powder reports

Title: Remain wary of mail following white powder reports

Article Snip: "On Monday, June 19, Kansas Republican leaders say that while there has been a small amount of good news to come out of the investigation into more than 100 letters that contained white powder mailed to elected officials in the Sunflower State, the week has certainly been stressful. “At this point, it appears over 100 elected state and legislative officials have received threatening letters filled with a suspicious powdery substance,” said the legislators. “Thankfully, the KDHE is saying the substance is presumptively negative for any biologicals.” Kansans have been urged to remain vigilant and cautious as they open their mail..."

Reference: www.msn.com
Attacks on Republicans,

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Your Roth 401(k) Is About to Become a Much Better Retirement Plan

Title: Your Roth 401(k) Is About to Become a Much Better Retirement Plan

Article Snip: "...Before this change, Roth IRAs were the only retirement-focused accounts that both allowed for tax-free withdrawals in retirement and let you keep your entire balance in the account throughout your life. For higher earners, getting money into a Roth IRA is a bit more complicated than getting it into a Roth 401(k), due to income limits on direct Roth IRA contributions. That can make it more challenging for many people to build a nest egg inside a Roth IRA. Now that Roth 401(k) plans will soon be exempt from those RMDs, it becomes possible to build that lifelong source of tax-free retirement cash without going through an IRA...."

Reference: www.fool.com
Retirement Financial Planning,ROTH,401(k),

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Federal Employee Pay Lookup

Title: Federal Employee Pay Lookup

Article Snip: "...Information available through this dataset may include name, job title, duty station, and salary for most Federal civilian employees. Some individual's names have been withheld by the OPM or specific agencies for security reasons. While FederalPay attempts to provide this dataset as a public service, exactly as provided by the OPM, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the results provided. ..."

Reference: www.federalpay.org
Federal Employee Pay Lookup

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Traditional Medicare vs Medicare Advantage

Title: Traditional Medicare vs Medicare Advantage

Article Snip: "......the federal government reported that 13% of denials in Medicare Advantage would not have been refused under traditional Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans are also increasingly ending nursing home and rehabilitation care before providers consider patients ready to go home...."

Reference: Federal Retirement
Traditional Medicare vs Medicare Advantage

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Why are Postal retirees being forced out of FEHB?

Title: Big Medicare Changes Coming For Postal Service Retirees

Article Snip: "...money is likely the driving force. ...this change could save the Postal Service $5.6 billion through 2031 while adding $5.5 billion in costs to Medicare during that span...For those who retire before April 2024, they can either enroll in Part B right away or pay attention and watch for more information about the SEP. My former client’s wife decided to continue with her current FEHB plan and enroll in Medicare Part A, hospital insurance. (This is premium-free and those who want to receive Social Security retirement benefits must be enrolled. It is a condition of receiving benefits.)"

Reference: www.forbes.com
Medicare Special Enrollment Periods (SEP),

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The great unretirement! How droves of employees are now being forced BACK to the workplace as inflation hammers their savings - here's what to know before you quit work

Title: The great unretirement! How droves of employees are now being forced BACK to the workplace as inflation hammers their savings - here's what to know before you quit work

Article Snip: "An estimated 1.5 million retirees re-entered the labor market in the year up to May 2022, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by Indeed economist Nick Bunker for The Washington Post. This is a reversal of the trend which saw millions of people fleeing the workforce during and following the Covid-19 pandemic. And according to a study by payroll services company Paychex this year, one in six retired Americans are now considering going back to work. ..."

Reference: www.dailymail.co.uk
Retirement under Democrats,Inflation 2023,Biden Legacy,Biden Economy 2023,

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Medicare will continue to restrict coverage of a new class of Alzheimer’s drugs, even when fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Title: Medicare won’t change coverage policy for pricey Alzheimer’s drugs

Article Snip: "Currently, Medicare coverage is even stricter, as the agency will only pay for the drugs if a patient receives them through a clinical trial. The treatments in question are monoclonal antibody infusions that target brain plaque known as amyloid that’s a signature characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. The drugs are intended for early stage Alzheimer’s patients and are meant to slow the progression of memory loss, but are not a cure. They are costly, and there are only two: Eisai’s Leqembi and Biogen’s Aduhelm. Both were granted accelerated approval by FDA..."

Reference: www.yahoo.com
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

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How your ex will know if you've been stalking their Facebook: Embarrassing glitch exposes snoopers - how to see if you've been busted

Title: How your ex will know if you've been stalking their Facebook: Embarrassing glitch exposes snoopers - how to see if you've been busted

Article Snip: "The bug sent automatic friend requests to any profiles people had viewed, leaving users scrambling to cancel them as quickly as possible. ...if you're still worried you've been affected by the technical defect, head to facebook.com/friends. From here, click 'Friend Requests' in the left-hand tab followed by 'View send requests' to review the pending requests. "

Reference: www.dailymail.co.uk
Facebook Busted You!

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NOVOS Face Age Test | How Old Do I Look?

Title: Utilizing Artificial Intelligence To Visually Measure Your Facial Age

Article Snip: "NOVOS’ algorithms are based on Deep Learning and mimic human perception of aging. The algorithm has been trained on 12 million images and validated by human dermatological experts. This service is free as part of NOVOS being a Public Benefit Corporation, and does not require an app download.

Although accurate in most cases, it’s not perfect. Lighting conditions, camera quality, camera angle, lack of sleep, dehydration and other variables can impact your scores.

Your face should be centered similarly to how the model in the example below is shown. Make sure it is well lit from the front. Move hair back as applicable, remove any glasses, extensive make-up or mask. ...TAKE THE TEST NOW

"

Reference: novoslabs.com
NOVOS Face Age Test

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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