Article Snip: "...The platform addresses a range of economic issues, including a pledge to "end inflation" and "make America affordable again." It also says it would preserve Social Security and Medicare benefits without any cuts and not raise the retirement age.
The platform says the GOP would address inflation by ending illegal immigration and lifting restrictions on American energy production, which it says would allow access to more affordable energy. ..."
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Biden Is Starving Retirees On Social Security; Trump Will Help Protect Your Social Security
Monday, July 15, 2024
West Virginia is the most affordable state, study says
Title: West Virginia is the most affordable state, study says
Article Snip: "...CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — If you’re looking for an affordable state to live and buy a home, several recent studies say that West Virginia is your best option in the U.S. A recent report by doxo used the 2024 Cost of Bill Index (COBI) found that West Virginia’s standard cost of living is 25% lower than the national average. ..."
Reference: www.wboy.comThursday, July 11, 2024
Bankrupting Social Security Retirees | This Is the Average Social Security Benefit for Age 62
Title: This Is the Average Social Security Benefit for Age 62
Article Snip: "...The average retired worker who collects Social Security receives a monthly benefit of $..."
Reference: www.fool.comTuesday, July 9, 2024
Federal employee gets conflicting advice on Medicare
Title: Federal employee gets conflicting advice on Medicare
Article Snip: "...Your friends are correct: You should enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when you retire. The rules regarding when and how to enroll in Medicare also apply for federal employees, a change that took place a few years ago. Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) must ..."
Reference: www.reviewjournal.comMonday, July 8, 2024
1 in 4 Americans in their 50s will become 'silver squatters' and need financial support from family in retirement
Article Snip: "...Few retirees dream of spending their golden years living in their adult kids’ basements or begging family members for money. Unfortunately, that's the harsh reality for a significant number of GenXers, according to Prudential's 2024 Pulse Of The American Retiree Survey...."
Reference: yahoo.comSunday, July 7, 2024
When You And Your Spouse Meet While Partying
Title: When You And Your Spouse Meet While Partying
Article Snip: "The most common is when one partner stops wanting to party so hard and the other still does. ...the partner who isn’t ready to give up constant socializing or getting drunk at work happy hours will really frustrate the partner who is ready to transition to a more stable life...Another issue that can plague couples who primarily spent time together when drunk/partying is a difference in sexual desire. When low libido people are drinking or using drugs, their libido may be artificially inflated and their inhibitions are much lower. ...If this resonates with you, read the memoir Smashed. The author talks about how she was thought to be, and felt internally, much younger than her age because she had only really learned to socialize when drunk. When she stopped drinking, she realized she had lost years of social development and was basically frozen at the age that she was when she started binge drinking, which was early adolescence. When you don’t learn to talk to others when sober at a younger age, you need to learn this later on."
Reference: www.drpsychmom.comThe big problem with couples retiring at different times?
Title: The big problem with couples retiring at different times?
Article Snip: "...The big trouble, however, is with couples retiring at different times — and how it impacts long-term financial security. More than half of American households do not retire all at once if you count individuals working in retirement and spouses retiring at different times. ...The result is that 6 in 10 couples “experience spending volatility at the beginning of retirement ..."
Reference: finance.yahoo.comSaturday, July 6, 2024
The disability benefits application process just got a little easier thanks to SSA adjustments
Title: The disability benefits application process just got a little easier thanks to SSA adjustments
Article Snip: "The Social Security Administration (SSA) is adjusting its evaluation process to help Americans with disabilities more easily access the benefits they need. Typically, when an individual becomes disabled, the SSA offers benefits through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. ..."
Reference: www.foxbusiness.comThursday, July 4, 2024
I Used to Think It Was Possible to Retire on Social Security Alone. Here's Why That's Definitely No Longer My Plan.
Article Snip: "I can admit that there was a time when I thought it was possible for a person to retire comfortably on Social Security without any other source of funds. ...But relying on Social Security alone to cover your budget in retirement is a horribly bad mistake. And I'm grateful that I learned that years ago so I could switch gears on my long-term financial planning. My new game plan Even though I've only been writing about Social Security for about 10 years now..."
Reference: www.aol.comMonday, July 1, 2024
Biden’s Medicare Advantage Cuts May Come Back To Haunt Him
Title: Biden’s Medicare Advantage Cuts May Come Back To Haunt Him
Article Snip: "President Joe Biden’s move in April to cut Medicare Advantage benefits for seniors may come back to haunt him. ...The Biden administration in April finalized plans to cut MA benefits, which experts said could lead to an additional $33 a month for out-of-pocket costs, or $396 a year, for enrollees. Critics of the cuts said they would be especially devastating to seniors living on fixed incomes who are already coping with ongoing inflation issues. ..."
Reference: dallasexpress.comSunday, June 23, 2024
The Trump Drug Rebate Rule Would Have Saved Seniors Billions; Biden Repealed It and Gave Billions to China EVs
Article Snip: "...What can’t be denied is that his administration, whether he’s actually in charge of it or not, is abusing American seniors just trying to get their medicine. The cure – as for many of the world’s problems – is to go back to what Donald Trump had already been doing. This year, premiums are up more than 20 percent for the more than 50 million Americans enrolled in Medicare Part D. In 2025, it’s estimated that premiums could go up another 50 percent! What could actually lower healthcare costs for seniors is if the federal government brings back the Trump Rebate Rule. In 2020, President Trump announced a policy that provided seniors the chance to capture the rebates..."
Reference: www.breitbart.comMonday, June 17, 2024
Yay! Bidenomics CPI Manipulation Got You Again | Inflation isn't as bad as yo feel it, don't believe your lying purse
Title: Cooling Inflation Has 2025 Social Security COLA Estimate Dropping
Article Snip: "These latest estimates are based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) consumer price index (CPI) data for May, ... For the month, the index decreased 0.1% prior to seasonal adjustment. ...As such, the CPI-W can undercount when compared to spending patterns of older consumers Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E), which means it can subsequently underpay Social Security recipients, she notes. “This disparity suggests that my COLA estimate, which is based on the CPI-W, may be undercounting real senior inflation by more than 10%,” says Johnson. "
Reference:Friday, June 14, 2024
Flag Day
Article Title: Flag Day (United States) | Flag Day is a holiday celebrated on June 14
Article Excerpt: "...The History of Flag Day | The first celebration of the U.S. Flag's birthday was held in 1877, on the 100th anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777. However, it is believed that the first annual recognition of the flag's birthday dates to 1885 when schoolteacher BJ Cigrand organized a group of Wisconsin students to observe June 14, the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes as the Flag's Birthday. Cigrand, now known as the Father of Flag Day, continued to publicly advocate the observance of June 14 as the flag's birthday, or "Flag Day," for years. Just a few years later, the efforts of another teacher, George Balch, led to the formal observance of Flag Day on June 14 ...."Reference Source: www.military.com
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Americans’ Purchasing Power Is Down Under Biden
Title: The Numbers Don’t Lie: Americans’ Purchasing Power Is Down Under Biden
Article Snip: "...Since taking office in January 2021, the cumulative rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index, a figure calculated by the federal government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), stands at 19.4 percent. On the other side of the equation, the increase in average weekly earnings, also calculated by BLS, stands at 14.1 percent. In other words, since Biden entered the Oval Office, real wages are down about 5 percent. Such is why the number one concern among Americans heading into election season is the high cost of living. According to Gallup, the vast majority of likely voters cite the “economy in general” and the “high cost of living/inflation” as the “most important problem facing the country today.”..."
Reference: townhall.comThursday, June 6, 2024
D-Day's 80th Anniversary Brings World War II Veterans Back to the Beaches of Normandy
D-Day's 80th Anniversary Brings World War II Veterans Back to the Beaches of Normandy
Snippet of Article: "...80th anniversary of D-Day.
The Allied invasion, which began on June 6, 1944, led to the defeat of the Nazis and the end of the war. The assault began with Allied aircraft bombing German defenses in Normandy, followed by around 1,200 aircraft that carried airborne troops. As dawn broke, Allied forces started bombing German coastal defenses and shortly after that vessels began putting troops ashore on five codenamed beaches: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. By the end of the day, nearly 160,000 Allied troops had landed in Normandy, although there were thousands of casualties.
Few witnesses to history’s biggest amphibious invasion remain alive today. ..."
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Retiree saved $2 million using 401k, low cost of living
Title: Retiree saved $2 million using 401k, low cost of living
Article Snip: "For many people at or near retirement age, the outlook is dire. One in five older Americans have no retirement savings...Mark — whose last name is known to Business Insider but withheld for privacy purposes — retired three years ago at age 62. Throughout his nearly 40-year-long career in geology, he was able to sock away over $2 million for his retirement, even after putting multiple kids through college.
"You just leave it alone, and you look up 40 years later, and it's a really nice number," he said...."
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
No. 1 Best Seller | 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make
Title: 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make
Article Snip: "UPDATED WITH 2024 MEDICARE INFORMATION...New to Medicare - This book will help anyone approaching Medicare eligibility at age 65 who needs to learn the basics and is afraid of making a mistake that will result in penalties or inadequate healthcare coverage
✓ Retiring after 65 - Perhaps you have worked past age 65 and maintained employer coverage but now you are retiring and want to successfully transition from group health insurance coverage to Medicare as your primary coverage. This book will show you the exact steps to take while also sidestepping unexpected (and often undeserved) late enrollment penalties.
✓ Beneficiaries Facing Indecision - Get this book if It's time for you to make a choice between a Medigap plan (Medicare supplement) and Medicare Advantage but you find yourself torn and aren't sure which route would be a better fit for you.
✓ Confused by Election Periods - Are all the various Medicare election periods making your head spin? This book carefully explains what changes and plan selections you can make during the various election periods and more importantly, what those election periods WON'T give you that you probably expect.
✓ Adult Children and Caregivers - If you find yourself in a situation where you need to help your parents make Medicare coverage decisions but have no idea how Medicare works, this book will be immensely helpful to you.
Every year thousands of seniors make big mistakes during their Medicare enrollment that can result in expensive penalties and untold hours of hassle and headaches. While some of these mistakes are fixable, others can affect you for the rest of your life.
In 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes, Medicare expert Danielle K. Roberts exposes the most common pitfalls that new to Medicare beneficiaries unwittingly make and shares how to expertly avoid them. ..."
Reference: Amazon
Social Security announces a date change for June 2024 payment for those usually paid on the third Wednesday of every month
Title: Social Security announces a new change for June payments: A payment date change for retirees
Article Snip: "...In this case, specifically for beneficiaries who meet two conditions:
If active workers decided to retire after May 1997.
If their birth dates fall between the 11th and 20th.
Under these circumstances, SSA usually pays on the third Wednesday of every month. But on June 19, the US ...to avoid delays or other potential problems with the banking system, the payment will be made the day..."
Is There Really a Retirement Crisis? Most U.S. Retirees Say They’re Doing Just Fine.
Title: Is There Really a Retirement Crisis? Most U.S. Retirees Say They’re Doing Just Fine.
Article Snip: "...71% of retirees said they are confident that they have enough money saved to last the rest of their lives. ..."
Reference: www.barrons.comHealth | Colorectal cancer is rising among young adults — could this diet be to blame?
Title: Colorectal cancer is rising among young adults — could this diet be to blame?
Article Snip: "The OSU researchers lay blame on Fusobacterium, a bacteria commonly found in the mouth that is suspected of fueling colorectal cancer growth. Other cancer scientists have also explored the bacteria’s ties to colorectal cancer. “Microbes are manipulatable — you can target them. So [as] we see that this microbe is getting to tumors and may be contributing actively to disease progression...20% of new colorectal cancer cases in 2019 were in people younger than 55, up from 11% in 1995, according to the American Cancer Society. ..."
Reference: nypost.comSaturday, June 1, 2024
Health | Cheap and widely used cholesterol drug could reduce cancer risk: study
Title: Cheap and widely used cholesterol drug could reduce cancer risk: study
Article Snip: "...Researchers further discovered that a statin called pitavastatin suppressed the activation of the cancer-causing protein by blocking a signaling pathway. They also found that in mice, the statin suppressed inflammation caused by environmental toxins, thereby preventing inflammation-related pancreatic cancers. They plan to continue to determine other ways in which statins can prevent cancer-causing inflammation. “Next, we aim to further examine the impact of statins in preventing cancer development in chronic inflammation in liver and gastrointestinal tract and to identify other novel, therapeutic approaches to suppress cancer-prone chronic inflammation,” said Demehri. ..."
Reference: nypost.comHealth | Revolutionary new drug for sleep apnea could put an end to CPAP machines
Title: Revolutionary new drug for sleep apnea could put an end to CPAP machines
Article Snip: "...The most common form of the disorder is obstructive sleep apnea. In OSA patients, the upper airway partly or completely closes during sleep, blocking the flow of air to the lungs and causing breathing to repeatedly start and stop. In addition to risks like death, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and possibly cognitive decline and dementia, OSA contributes to a serious decline in sleep quality. ...85% to 90% of people with sleep apnea don’t know that they have it. ..."
Reference: nypost.comThursday, May 30, 2024
Writing a retirement résumé? Drop the AOL email and 5 pages of experience, and follow these tips to get hired while retired.
Article Snip: "Working in retirement is becoming a necessity for many, how to put your best self forward...the frustrated job applicant complains that no one will hire them because they’re “old,” Haller said. “I wince a bit when I hear that, because the responsibility is on the candidate to put together the documentation to get a job,” she added. “People tell me: ‘I sent out 500 résumés, I got nothing!’ And then I look at the résumé and I know exactly why.”..."
Reference: www.marketwatch.com3 Reasons Retirees Could Be Surprised by the Most Recent 2025 Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Forecast
Article Snip: "...The Senior Citizens League increased its 2025 COLA forecast to 2.66% following the most recent inflation reading for April. That's an increase from earlier forecasts of 1.4% in January, 1.75% in February, and 2.6% in April. Still, many retirees may find the latest forecast surprising. Here are three reasons why. ..."
Reference: yahoo.comSunday, May 26, 2024
How Technology Can Help Retirees Age in Place
Title: How Technology Can Help Retirees Age in Place
Article Snip: "Tech has solutions to enable people to safely stay in their homes at a time when few want to enter nursing homes. ...“Technology has an array of uses that are really going to help people retire in almost a different way,” says Kathleen Cameron, senior director of the National Council on Aging’s Center for Healthy Aging. ..."
Reference: www.kiplinger.comFriday, May 24, 2024
Destruction of the American Retiree | Stocks Retreat After Fed Minutes Show Uncertainty Over Inflation
Title: Stocks Retreat After Fed Minutes Show Uncertainty Over Inflation
Article Snip: "...Stocks fell Wednesday after minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting showed concerns about persisting inflation and cast more doubt on when officials might cut interest rates. The S&P 500 declined 0.3% and the Nasdaq Composite edged 0.2% lower after ..."
Reference: Wall Street JournalWednesday, May 22, 2024
Medicare Part B Covers A Bone Mass Measurement Once Every 24 Months or More Often If Necessary
Title: Bone mass measurements - Your Medicare Coverage
Article Snip: "...Your costs in Original Medicare? You pay nothing for this test if the doctor or other health care provider accepts assignment. ...Your doctor or other health care provider may recommend you get services more often than Medicare covers. Or, they may recommend services that Medicare doesn’t cover. If this happens, you may have to pay some or all of the costs. Ask questions so you understand why your doctor is recommending certain services and if, or how much, Medicare will pay for them."
Reference: www.medicare.govAfter Gas Prices Climb Again, Biden AGAIN Robs Our Gas Reserves (strategic reserves) to Temporarily Lower Prices So He Can Tout 'Lower Gas Prices'
Title: Trump Blasts Biden for Releasing Gas Reserves
Article Snip: "He's destroyed everything we had. We were energy independent. We were shortly going to be energy dominant, and now we have to go into what's called the strategic reserves. ...Under Biden, energy costs, especially the price of electricity, are up nearly 30%, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Electricity prices are up 29.4% since January 2021 and have risen 13 times faster than the previous seven years, the analysis found. "
Reference: www.newsmax.comTuesday, May 21, 2024
What Risks Do Near Retirees and Retirees Face from Inflation
Title: What Risks Do Near Retirees and Retirees Face from Inflation
Article Snip: "...High inflation tends to harm older households, but the size of the impact varies due to three factors: the extent to which income and assets...retirees are hurt more than near retirees as, outside of Social Security, their income is less indexed to prices and they hold less debt. ..."
Reference: crr.bc.eduFollowing Biden's Inflation lies, Senator Blackburn’s inflation fact sheet corrects the purposeful misrepresentations
Title: Blackburn Releases Inflation Fact Sheet Following Biden Lies
Article Snip: "...U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released a fact sheet on the “True Cost of Bidenflation” in response to President Biden’s repeated dishonesty about his economic record. Under the Biden administration, inflation hit its highest rate in 41 years, and prices across the board are up nearly 20%. ...While the inflation rate is only up 3.4% over the past year, prices are up nearly 20% across the board since President Biden took office."
Reference: www.blackburn.senate.govFriday, May 17, 2024
Updated 2025 Social Security COLA Estimate Released
Title: Updated 2025 Social Security COLA Estimate Released
Article Snip: "...Mary Johnson, former Social Security and Medicare analyst for nonprofit Senior Citizens League, and still follows COLA changes, suggested that for 2025, it could jump 3.2 percent, higher than the forecast she provided last month of 3 percent, according to MarketWatch. The outlet pointed out that the official COLA for next year will be made public in October by the government. ..."
Reference: www.newsweek.comMonday, May 13, 2024
I’m a doc — and this embarrassing health issue is actually very common
Title: I’m a doc — and this embarrassing health issue is actually very common
Article Snip: "...frequent urination is surprisingly common — and not talked about enough. The health issue affects as many as 30% of men and 40% of women. And although treatment options exist, many people may not reach out to their doctor. ..."
Reference: nypost.comSaturday, May 11, 2024
76% of Americans feel it's a bad time to buy a house: Gallup
Title: 76% of Americans feel it's a bad time to buy a house: Gallup
Article Snip: "...the 30-year fixed mortgage rate still sits above 7%. Meanwhile, according to a Gallup Poll, 76% of Americans feel it is a bad time to buy a home. ..."
Reference: finance.yahoo.comWednesday, May 8, 2024
Social Security isn’t keeping up with inflation. That could weaken Biden’s support among some seniors
Article Snip: "...cope with the runaway inflation of earlier this decade and the continued high prices for food, housing, utilities and other necessities.
That’s forcing more of them to spend their emergency savings, carry debt on credit cards or apply for assistance programs, according to The Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan public education and advocacy group. ...senior citizens are often in a more difficult predicament because many live off fixed incomes. Many depend heavily on Social Security – some 42% of elderly women and 37% of elderly men rely on the monthly payments"
Friday, April 26, 2024
Cannabis Use Linked to Epigenetic Changes, Study Reveals
Title: Cannabis Use Linked to Epigenetic Changes, Study Reveals
Article Snip: "...Using cannabis may cause changes in the human body's epigenome, a study of over 1,000 adults suggests. The epigenome functions like a set of switches, activating or deactivating genes to change how our bodies function.
"We observed associations between cumulative marijuana use and multiple epigenetic markers across time," Lifang Hou, a preventative medical doctor and epidemiologist from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine explained in July 2023.
Cannabis is a commonly used substance in the United States, with 49 percent of people ..."
Reference: www.sciencealert.com
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Dave Pascoe | I’m 61 but have the body of a 38-year-old — here’s how I biohacked the aging process
Title: Dave Pascoe | I’m 61 but have the body of a 38-year-old — here’s how I biohacked the aging process
Article Snip: "...Dave Pascoe, who hails from Michigan, is a retired network-security engineer and a “full-time biohacker” devoted to turning back his genetic clock.
On his website, the age-defying singleton shares his elaborate exercise and diet plans, claiming that he takes a whopping 158 supplements per day. ..."
Saturday, April 13, 2024
OPM Video | A Quick Guide to the Federal Retirement Process
Title: OPM Video | A Quick Guide to the Federal Retirement Process
Article Snip: "...The Retirement Quick Guide walks you through what to expect as your retirement application is processed and your benefits are determined. Federal employees can see an outline of the steps they should take prior to retirement, as well as links to more information about different benefits..."
Reference: www.youtube.comSunday, March 31, 2024
Federal Register Notice Relating to a U.S. Postal Service Web Site Called keepingposted.org
A Notice by the Postal Service on 02/22/2013
Title: Federal Register Notice Relating to a U.S. Postal Service Web Site Called keepingposted.org
Article Snip: "The U.S. Postal Service has a Web site called keepingposted.org available for retired USPS employees who want to stay connected with postal news, events and people. This site also provides links to other retirement resources and services. ...
II. Rationale for Changes to USPS Privacy Act Systems of Records
The Postal Service wants to contact postal retirees to make them aware they can find on the Keeping Posted Web site up-to-date news and information about the organization, messages to retirees from the Postmaster General, as well as continuing federal retiree benefit information. ..."
Friday, March 29, 2024
Legislation to Protect Retirees From ESG Investing in Retirement Plans Resurfaces
Title: Legislation to Restrict ESG Investing in Retirement Plans Resurfaces
Article Snip: "...Retirement plans, like 401(k)s, that are tax-advantaged to help individuals save for retirement should be managed to maximize return, not to invest in risky holdings like those propped up by ESG factors,” Rep. Murphy said in a statement. “Americans' nest eggs should be built on a solid foundation that confers the greatest growth probability, not investments that are unstable and whitewashed with fake ethical and sustainability scores. ..."
Reference: www.asppa.orgMonday, March 25, 2024
I paid my 40 quarters, why is my social security benefit reduced?
Title: I paid my 40 quarters, why is my social security benefit reduced?
Article Snip: "...While your annuity cannot be reduced, any Social Security benefit you are entitled to will be affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision. The WEP reduces that benefit if you have fewer than 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security. For a full explanation of the WEP and how it will affect you, go to https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf . ..."
Reference: www.federaltimes.com