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December 29, 2019 — What makes for a happy retirement… and what are the factors that drive the not so good ones? We would love to find out more about that dynamic. Plus, get a base level reading on just how happy the Topretirements Membership is. So please help us…
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
Nov. 12, 2020 — The standard Part B monthly premium amount in 2020 will be $144.60, up $9.10 from 2019. Most people will pay the standard Part B premium amount. If you modified adjusted gross income as reported on your IRS tax return from 2 years ago is above a…
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
November 4, 2019 -- Last year about three million older people sought emergency room treatment for injuries sustained in falls. About 1 out of 3 people over 65 had a serious fall. We've all heard tales of older people (that is getting to be us!) whose lives were changed, irrevocably, for the worst after a big fall. A broken hip or pelvis can mean the end of an active life.
So what are you doing to stay agile, flexible, and strong so you don't suffer a fall, or not seriously hurt if you do? If you say you are doing nothing, that is a problem, because you might be headed for a .... fall.
How well are you aging tests
Doctors and therapists have a number of tests that measure how people are aging. One of them claims to be an excellent predictor of your chances of dying within 6 years. See Today Show Video
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
October 8, 2019 -- The results are in from the 555 people (so far!) who took the Medicare IQ test. We are thankful to all those intrepid souls: we are impressed with your solid grasp of most Medicare essentials. The test represents good timing, because this year's Medicare Open Enrollment period begins next week (Oct 15) and runs through Dec. 7. During this time you can freely change plans without losing coverage. Didn't take the quiz yet - here is the link to the Medicare IQ Quiz.
For learning purposes here is a question by question review of the quiz, along the scores by question. We arbitrarily set a passing grade of 60%, but the average score was just over 71%. Almost everyone understood the basic questions, such as the difference between Part A and Part B of Medicare. But three questions in particular tripped up about half of the people taking the quiz. Those questions involved the fine points of when you can sign up for Medicare (Question 10), which Medigap or Medicare Advantage Plan has the smallest deductible and copays (Q 11), and what events are covered under a Special Enrollment Period (Q 12).
Question 1: At what age are you eligible to Medicare on your own earnings record?
Some 82% answered correctly that the age to do this is 65. Wrong answers were 62 and 66.
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
October 8, 2019 -- Stopped at the intersection, the light turned green. Your editor pushed on the bike pedals, ready to pass the tourist couple in front, who were wobbling to a start on their tandem bicycle. Except there they went, quickly gaining distance and fading away. Puzzled, I finally figured out they were on an eBike - a new category of bikes assisted by a battery powered motor. These new products are rapidly attracting a whole new group of people to biking.
Electric bikes have several big advantages:
Great for people who live in hilly country or on a big hill. They have just enough assist to make you not dread starting out your ride or finishing with a monster climb.
More fun for everyone. Our friend Brian and his wife just got back from a trip to Boulder, Colorado. With power assisted electric bikes their rental bike outings were fun for both of them - she could keep up without becoming exhausted, and he could pedal as hard as he wanted. Routes with big hills, which before they would have tried to avoid, were no problem for either of them.
Commute without getting sweaty. If you are working or going to a social event in hot weather an eBike can get you there without you needing a shower once you arrive.
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
Medicare can be awfully confusing. Take this quick quiz and you’ll find out just how much you know about this powerful benefit. You’ll get a score and the right answers, plus in the next few days we’ll have an article with a detailed explanation of all of the answers.
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
September 21, 2019 -- Our friend and long-time Member Ed Lafreniere was kind enough to send us some of the articles he has written for his new website, RetirementHumor.net. They take the form of a funny, but pertinent question, and an equally amusing but useful answer. We chose this particularly useful one as a great follow-up to our recent article on "How Different Retirement is from Every Other Lifestage". Meanwhile, you might enjoy Ed's lighthearted approach to retirement over at his site! Thanks Ed.
Dear Sage:
My husband retired six months ago and is experiencing a huge void in his social life now that he’s no longer working. He misses the lunches, the camaraderie, and, I believe, the respect and status. Over 45 years of work in the auto industry, his ego grew like a balloon – not a massive Macy’s parade-sized balloon, but one that was of reasonable and respectable size. Now it’s been punctured and he’s feeling deflated. We have moved to Florida and he has a lot of time to reflect, since all the distracting tasks involved in a 1,400-mile move have ended. He’s getting more than a little down, as if he’s been abruptly cut off from his known world, and his disappointment is driving me nuts, though I try my best to be understanding and supportive. He calls former co-workers, or emails them, but they often don’t respond. And when they do, the replies seem politely perfunctory, and hubby senses (correctly, I think) that he’s being patronized more than a little bit – they’ll treat the old codger with due dignity given his long tenure, but that’s about it. Short of my sticking a bicycle pump in his ear and blowing his ego back up, how can we get him out of this funk?
Frustrated in Florida
Dear Frustrated:
First of all, The Sage would not recommend a bicycle pump, as you can readily purchase an air pump made for the express purpose of blowing up balloons. But you don’t really want to risk an invasion of your home by OSHA inspectors arriving with sirens blaring after you misuse portable power equipment, do you?
Your husband’s issue is far from unique. Post-career adjustment difficulties are common, especially for those who have not planned for change in their social lives and who instead have assumed that as soon as they leave their retirement party, they will put that chapter behind them and proceed head-first into retirement as if cliff-diving in Acapulco. Problem is, many people don’t know how to swim in these new waters, let alone land safely.
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
September 8, 2019 -- As promised, our series on Medicare continues with an analysis of the competing forms of Medicare: Original Medicare + Medigap insurance vs. Medicare Advantage (Part C). This seems like a particularly good time for it, since the Medicare Open Enrollment Period begins on Oct. 15. We are grateful to Tom Cretella, CLU, an insurance broker with almost 50 years of experience and know-how in this field, for answering these frequently-asked questions. You can find the other articles in this series listed at the end. As always, we welcome your comments and questions on this complex and important topic.
Q. What is the significance of the Open Enrollment Period (AEP) which begins Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7?
A. The Annual Open Enrollment Period happens each year from Oct 15- Dec 7. During this time people can change coverages without fear of pre-existing conditions not being covered. If they have a Medigap plan and original Medicare they can change plans or elect a Medicare Advantage plan. This enables a Medicare beneficiary to buy a plan that suits their utilization habits and pocketbook. All changes become effective on January 1. On Sept 30 each plan is required to send a Notice of Change to Medicare Beneficiaries outlining any changes for the following year. More Blog articles like this...
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
September 3, 2019 -- Lately we have had a mini-avalanche of comments and questions about Medicare. They are mostly to do with which is the best plan to choose - Regular Medicare, or one of the many choices under Medicare Advantage? With plans ranging from A - N, it can all be downright confusing. So, to help you prepare for the upcoming Medicare Open Enrollment period (starts October 15 and runs through December 7), we are fortunate to have a Q and A article with a real Medicare insurance expert (now available). Tom Cretella of Cretella and Belowsky will try to answer many of the questions we have seen come up on this issue. Stay tuned, it should be very helpful! (Also, see list of related articles in our Medicare series at end)
New Medicare Comparison Plan Tool Announced by Medicare.gov.
More Blog articles like this...
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
August 21, 2019 - New research from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston suggests that the magical goal of 10,000 steps a day might not be the right number. The research, conducted among women aged 62 to 101, found that the quartile that averaged 4,400 steps a day had a 41% increase in longevity compared to the lowest quartile, which averaged only 2,700 steps. There were modest longevity gains in the third quartile (average of 7,500 steps), but no noticeable improvement in the 4th quartile (more than 7,500).
Courtesy of Ricardo Esquivel
The magic number of 10,000 steps appears to have little if any scientific basis. It appears to have been started by a Japanese company that manufactured a pedometer, whose Japanese name meant 10,000 steps meter in English. One thing that 10,000 steps would do for you is to get you closer to an average of 30 minutes of exercise per day, although it is not clear that would result in an improvement over a more modest amount.
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