Last Updated: 6/25/2008 Are you having difficulty getting the pension or 401(k) plan funds you worked years to earn? Five pension counseling projects, funded through the U. S. Administration on Aging and serving plan participants and their beneficiaries in 22 states, can help! The retirement system’s complexity and unresponsiveness can overwhelm the most Read Full Article
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Second Marriages and Life Insurance
Last Updated: 8/5/2008 As second marriages become more and more common, beneficiary designations become more complicated. If you are remarried, choosing a beneficiary for your life insurance policy may not be simple‚ especially if you have children from a previous marriage. When it comes to life insurance, how do you make sure your spouse Read Full Article
Millions of Retirees and Vets Are Leaving Stimulus Money on the Table
Last Updated: 10/7/2008 The IRS reports that more than 5 million retirees and disabled veterans who are eligible to receive a tax rebate under the $152 billion economic stimulus package have failed to take the steps necessary to get their checks.As we have previously reported, Social Security recipients (including beneficiaries receiving Social Security Disability Read Full Article
New Web Site Invites Reviews of Nursing Homes and Other Senior Care Services
Last Updated: 10/7/2008 A new Web site, seniorDECISION, features consumer ratings and reviews of nursing homes, assisted living, retirement communities, and home health care agencies. The site is a forum for seniors, caregivers, and aging professionals to share opinions on more than 75,000 senior care and housing services nationwide. Unlike many Web sites that Read Full Article
The Complete Book of Wills, Estates and Trusts
Last Updated: 10/7/2008 Alexander A. Bove, Jr., Esq. The Complete Book of Wills, Estates and Trusts. Henry Holt and Company, New York, NY. 2005. 3rd. Ed. 364 pages. $11.56 from Amazon (click on book to order). Everything you ever wanted to know about estate planning is contained in The Complete Book of Wills, Estates, Read Full Article
How Parents Can Provide for a Caregiver Child
Last Updated: 10/7/2008 Taking care of a parent can be a full-time job. Children may have to give up paying jobs in order to provide care to aging parents. Unfortunately, caregiving is usually unpaid work. Parents who want to compensate a child who takes on the burden of caregiving may do so in one Read Full Article
Online Calculator Gives Personalized Estimate of Future Social Security Benefit
Last Updated: 10/7/2008 The Social Security Administration (SSA) has unveiled a new online calculator that allows you to project what your monthly Social Security benefit will be based on your actual work record. The Retirement Estimator also lets you create “what if” retirement scenarios based on different earnings projections and retirement ages. The calculator Read Full Article
Senior Move Managers Help Make Moving Easier
Last Updated: 3/24/2009 Moving can be stressful for anyone and especially so for seniors. On top of hiring movers, packing, and setting up the new home, there is the emotional toll of leaving a house the senior may have lived in for years. If the move seems overwhelming, a senior move manager may be Read Full Article
On Your Own: A Widow's Passage to Emotional and Financial Well-Being
Last Updated: 10/7/2008 Alexandra Armstrong, CFP, and Mary R. Donahue, PhD. On Your Own: A Widow’s Passage to Emotional and Financial Well-Being. 4th Edition. Armstrong, Fleming, & Moore, Inc., Washington, DC. 2006. 415 pages. $19.95 at Amazon (click on book to order) Becoming a widow at any age is one of the most difficult Read Full Article
How Does Work Affect Your Social Security Payments?
Last Updated: 10/6/2008 Many people continue to work beyond retirement age, either by choice or out of necessity. But if you are receiving Social Security benefits, you need to be aware of how working can affect your benefit payments. Earning income above Social Security thresholds can cause a reduction in benefits and mean your Read Full Article