Shotgun Wedding! 2019

[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"] Gail and Carl were soul mates and had lived together for several years. But now it was time to turn on their Medicare A&B, select a medical plan, and turn on their Social Security benefits. As we met with them, they had several questions on many retirement topics. As we enlightened them on their selections, they were delighted to find out that many Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans give a 5-6% household discount if they were both on the same plan and carrier and if the applicants were living at the same address, married or not. “Finally! Some benefits of living together,” they laughed. As we continued our discussion on Social Security questions, they found out that since they were not married neither could claim spousal benefits. Even worse, since Carl’s monthly benefit check amount was much larger than Gail’s, if anything happened to Carl, she could not claim spousal benefits and get the larger of the two monthly benefit checks. If Carl passed away, she would only continue to get her much smaller benefit check, instead of his much larger check as the surviving spouse. As we closed out their meeting, we joked about them just tying the knot with a shotgun wedding and a preacher. After all, it’s not like they didn’t care for each other after several years. We all had a good laugh and they said they’d be back with more questions after they digested all the information we gave them. The following week, Gail called back the office and informed us that she needed to update some information in their files. Specifically, change from “Single” to “Married”! They had indeed called their kids and invited them over to their house, where a local pastor presided over a quick service and then the deed was done! Then there was a backyard BBQ party! We could not have been happier for them both! Their adult children and all their friends were delighted! There were endless jokes that they were doing it just for financial benefits, but Carl quickly put an end to that nonsense. “I just needed a nudge to propose” he exclaimed. “I intended to make an honest woman of her all along”. To which Gail replied, “What made you think I would say yes”? This brought out another round of laughs. So, if you haven’t tied the knot with your loved one yet, as a couple you could be missing out on benefits provided by Government programs! Not sure? Call us we can help! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

It’s May! It’s May! 2019

[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"] Celebrating May has been around since ancient times, so basically, folks have loved this month for a long time and for plenty of good reasons! This month in 1707 the countries of England and Scotland joined, creating the United Kingdom; with this union, we have the modern day Union Jack flag. Mother Jones, a labor union leader, was born this month and spent her life making working conditions better for American workers as well as placing restrictions on child labor. This woman has an incredible story if you have never read about her. Our Mexican neighbors celebrate Cinco de Mayo as their Independence Day from the invading French forces of Napoleon III. Viva La Mexico! Decoration Day started as we remembered our fallen heroes in the Civil War and then expanded to the remembrance of our WWI heroes. This remembrance has turned into our modern-day Memorial Day where we celebrate all our fallen heroes who have kept the free in freedom! May 1961 is when we saw Alan Shepard launch into space as the first American to do so. May is the birth month of many of our famous and loved historical folks. Composer Johannes Brahms, Psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud, American Poet Archibald MacLeish, Red Cross founder Henri Dunant, President Harry S. Truman, and songwriter Irvin Berlin were all born. And Margret Mitchell wins the Pulitzer Prize for writing “Gone with the Wind”. Are you a breakfast fan of “Cheerios”? May 1941 saw the first cereal boxes to hit grocery stores. Movie buff? The Academy of Motion Pictures is founded in May 1934. May 1889 saw the start of the Paris Exposition with the grand opening of the Eiffel Tower. The U.S. Post office is established in May 1794. Coca Cola is invented by Pharmacist John S. Pemberton in May 1886. The “secret formula” is still a secret. President Lincoln establishes the U.S. Department of Agriculture in May 1862. May 1884 saw the premiere of the Ringling Brother’s circus. Not only is May a springtime month we look forward to every year, but there are also many fun and interesting things that happened in May throughout history! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Medical Bill! HELP! April 2019

[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"] Bart and Grace are long-time clients and were enjoying their retirement. Hiking, biking, and some travel. It was what they had envisioned their lives would be after retiring. On a bright and early Monday morning we received a call from Bart, who was in a panic! Grace had fallen ill, and they immediately scheduled an appointment with her Primary Care Physician, whom they had known for years. Some tests were run, and her doctor’s worst fears were confirmed. Grace needed immediate surgery. After verifying that the surgeon was in their Medicare Advantage network, as well as the hospital, Grace was admitted, and the surgery scheduled. After the surgery was completed, Bart was relieved that everything went extremely well, and Grace would be able to go home soon. But as the surgeon was making the rounds that afternoon, he gave Bart some additional news he wasn’t expecting. While Grace didn’t need to be in the hospital, she was not quite well enough to go home. Her doctor was recommending that she be transferred to a skilled nursing facility for a few days. Then if she was doing well, she could go home. While disappointed, Bart knew that this was in his wife’s best interest, but he was starting to worry about what this was all going to cost. On his way out of the hospital, he stopped by the business office and requested a copy of the bill to date. He was handed the printout and Bart folded it and stuck it in his pocket and took it home. Later that evening, while sitting at his kitchen table, he started reviewing the bill and was shocked that the bill was already almost $80,000. And this amount didn’t include the additional costs for the skilled nursing facility. At this point…… he called us. After we reviewed the Medicare Advantage plan that they were both on, we were happy to report that he didn’t need to worry about the $80,000 bill. On their plan, they have no deductible, and the hospital co-pay was only $200 a day. The skilled nursing facility was also going to be at no cost for the first 20 days. So, their entire out-of-pocket expenses would be less than $1,000 in co-pays. She was in the hospital for 4 days, at $200 a day, for a total hospital co-pay of $800, and the skilled nursing facility was at no cost since she was only there for 4 days before she could go home. Bart was incredibly relieved to be reminded of their co-pays. Now that he didn’t have to worry about the medical bills, he could focus on helping Grace get the care she needed. We originally assisted them in selecting their Medicare Advantage plan several years ago, and he was thankful he could call us for clarification of the coverage. If you are not sure about how your plan works? Give us a call we can help! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Remote … April 2019

[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"] Remote? Now, what does that word conjure up in your mind when you think about it? What immediately pops into your consciousness? TV Remote? Garage Door Opener? Working at a task so many times that you can do it …by remote? Whatever you think of, or whatever came to your mind first thing, it makes you…. you! Do you remember what your first experience with a remote was? I sure do. The parents of a well-to-do friend in my childhood days bought a brand-new color TV in the mid-1950s, and of course, all the kids in the neighborhood wanted to see it. Now back then the color quality wasn’t anything near what it is today, but it was incredible to those of us still watching black-and-white TV. The other amazing thing was it had a remote control to change the channels! WOW! Were we impressed by this box about the size of a pack of cigarettes with buttons for up and down and off and on? But that was about it. Again, nothing compared to what we have today. So, for the next few weeks, we all would go to his house after school to watch a cartoon or two on the new TV. At the time, many TV shows were still broadcast in black and white, so the novelty wore off, and soon, we were back outside playing ball or riding our bikes. But I never forgot our reaction to that advanced technology. The other thought many folks have was their job at the time where many worked on assembly lines doing the same thing over and over all day. While boring at times, these new manufacturing jobs paid pretty well and we were happy to have a paycheck. But these jobs also became routine and we worked on remote. As we walk through a typical household today, just about anything can be on remote and/or automated. Garage door, house lights, phone, TV, alarm system. Automatic timers on the stove, microwave, coffee pot. Just set the remote and ta-da! It’s ready when you are. And…. what about the new cars! Keyless entry, remote starters, and you don’t even need a remote switch as the car computer talks to you! A friend had purchased a new car and was picking me up to go to an event. While driving on the freeway he pushed a button on the steering wheel and the next thing I knew he started working and typing on his laptop with no hands on the steering wheel! When I quickly became alarmed, he calmly stated: “oh, it’s a self-driving car”. I was fascinated when the car would speed up or slow down in the traffic and even change lanes if it was advantageous, all by itself……on remote. So, whether you think technology is a blessing or a curse, it appears as we go through our future experiences, more and more of our daily tasks will be done for us. These new improved changes are a blessing to many that are disabled or handicapped, and some find the talking computers to be annoying. I still take comfort in knowing I can simply turn them off and enjoy some task at my leisure without a machine telling me I’m doing it right or wrong. I still have a wife for that. By the way, make sure your retirement needs are on remote! If you are not sure that all your plans are complete, call us! We can help. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Ah Spring! April 2019

[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"] Happy April Fools’ Day! Most of us have a warm fuzzy (or funny) memory of a prank played on us during this special day each year, so I hope you have a good giggle of some memory of a family member or good friend and …...what was the joke? But April is not only for a day of jokes, as there are many other special days for the month of April. On the serious side, it’s the month many Americans dread each year, as we get to pay our yearly tax bill. But in some cases, it’s also a great time of year as many receive a tax refund check! Ahhh…. the pros and cons and ebb and flow of good vs. evil! Which one do you fall into? We also have Easter Sunday that falls on the 21st this year. Religious sunrise services, and, of course, the other member of this day as the Easter Bunny hides his eggs for the annual Easter Egg Hunt! Love those chocolate bunnies! Let’s not forget our office staff on the 24th for “Administrative Professional Day”! Time for a special lunch or maybe some flowers on the desk of your ‘attention-to-detail’Admin at the office that makes our business lives much easier to deal with, as they screen calls to protect us and take care of all those little nagging details that keep your day from unraveling. Appreciate them with a treat! And for our tree hugger friends, it’s “Arbor Day” on the 26th (last Friday of the month). Plant a new tree or join in and volunteer for a cleanup day in your local neighborhood. Keep American beautiful! Got a daughter? Remember, the 25th this year (4th Thursday of the month) is “take your daughter to work day”. This is an opportunity to show your kids that “no, money doesn’t grow on trees”, Mommy or Daddy work for it! Get them involved and let them help! It’s Spring! So, pick one of the wonderful opportunities and enjoy April! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Can I go? 2019

[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"] George, a longtime client, had called us in a bit of a panic about what to do. We asked him to be a bit more specific, so we could determine how best to help. “I had a heart attack and the pulmonary doctor has indicated that I might need triple bypass heart surgery!” He was obviously alarmed, in an excited state, and was worried all at the same time. “George, take a deep breath and tell me how I can help,” I requested as calmly as possible. I was concerned that he might have a heart attack while we were simply trying to answer his question over the phone. “I want to know what my options are for where to go for my heart bypass surgery if I have to have it!” he exclaimed, still somewhat loudly.“Well, where do you want to go?” I asked in a way to continue to calm him down. “Can I go to the Houston Heart Center for my surgery if I want to?” he inquired. “Of course, you can.” We double-checked what Medicare coverage plan he had and found that he was on a Medigap plan to go with his Medicare A&B.“Any doctor, any hospital, anywhere in the USA,” we explained to remind him of what coverage he had selected a few years before. George, you must remember that Medicare is your health coverage. Medicare gets the bill, processes the claim, and pays its portion of the bill. Medicare then sends an electronic message to your Medigap carrier and the Medigap (supplement) carrier has one job, pay the balance of the bill as instructed by Medicare.“What if the doctor doesn’t take Medicare?” he inquired. Ultimately, you are responsible to pay the provider (doctor or hospital) in a situation where the provider does not participate in Medicare. That just means that you, as the recipient of the services, must send the bill to Medicare. Medicare will still process the claim and pay its portion, then will bill your Medigap for the unpaid portion, and the Medigap still pays the difference. In other words, when you pay the bill, you file the claim with Medicare. Medicare will send you a check and the Medigap will send you a check and you get reimbursed. If the doctor’s office files the paperwork, the checks go to the doctor. When you file, the checks come to you. Over 90% of providers participate in Medicare, so in most cases, the doctor’s office will handle the billing paperwork. So, it’s rare that members must submit a bill to Medicare themselves. There is a claim form available at www.Medicare.gov. Just enter medical claim form in the search box, or click on the forms section of options. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Why am I me? Crystal Ball 2019

[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"] Don’t you often wish you had a crystal ball? Wow, would that be great or what! Look into the future and know what is going to happen so you can prepare and be ready? Stock market crash, who will win the World Series, what’s going to happen to the characters in your favorite TV show? Winning lottery numbers! The possibilities are endless! But your beliefs in this area of fortune telling makes you…. you. While someone who can tell the future can be called psychic or clairvoyant, no one can really tell the future. But just because we can’t tell the future doesn’t mean we should not prepare for it. Now, I’m not talking about throwing a quarter into the local “Zoltan The Great” machine, who will then spit out your fortune on a small piece of paper. I’m talking about a real effort in thinking and planning the future. Many folks in the world prepare for the end of civilization as we know it. They pack away supplies and food items that have a 20- 30-year shelf life in hopes it will give them some peace of mind that they are prepared. Some people become extreme hoarders and squirrel away all kinds of items from batteries to tools, gas, and medical supplies. I know one guy who has cases of toothpaste and toothbrushes; he thinks he’ll make a fortune when those items are no longer available when SHTF. What? So, did you have a relative or friend who influenced you in this area? Do you have even a little hoarding going on at your house? Home builders are even adding an extra room to new homes, calling it the Sam’s or Costco room, where people can store bulk- purchase items. But I digress. Looking into the future can be somewhat practical with some things, like saving for a child’s college education. Many grandparents are including a college funding mechanism in their financial retirement planning to help pay for a grandchild’s future education. Planning for the future by having an emergency fund is also practical and there’s no need of a crystal ball, either. We all know there’s going to be a major car repair, home repair, or something of the sort. That’s why many of us add a small amount of money to that emergency fund every month. I know for me, I’m glad I keep such a fund because I recently had to replace the AC unit on my house. Ouch! While I hated to write that check, I was glad my bride of 37 years and I made plans for such a repair and had the money in our emergency home repair fund. How is your ability to plan the future? Need some help? We have loads of experience on our team of planners that will ask you all kinds of questions to “make a plan” to ensure you are prepared for your future retirement. So, while it might be fun to pay a few bucks to a fortune teller and have your palm read or your future told, remember it’s just that…. fun. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

March On! 2019

[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"] There are many times in our lives when we meet challenges and weather storms that are financial, health, or just plain old well-being and happiness related. When these challenges happen, many times our friends or relatives will simply say to carry on, get through it, hunker down, or march on! While it’s nice to get encouragement, it still means you must get through the ordeal, either by yourself or with a loved one. As we get older, we still learn new things and continue to grow through these new experiences, either good or bad, sometimes by choice, sometimes by necessity. Either way, it creates an opportunity for you to expand your horizons; we should embrace these opportunities as adding to our repertoire of life experiences. I know that when on vacation, I always look for some activity or experience that I haven’t had before. Recently while on vacation in New Zealand, I had an all-day rafting trip down the Kaituna River, where we rafted down a 21-foot waterfall. What an experience! Some rafts made it, others didn’t and flipped upside down when they hit the bottom of the fall, causing the riders to be tossed out of the raft and swimming for shore. Fortunately, we made it through in an upright position with no unexpected “swim for your life.” Our guides made it clear that no matter what happens, keep going! With the start of spring in March of each year, it’s a chance of renewal. While many northern states are still having winter weather, other parts of the country are seeing the trees bud with spring leaves and the weather finally getting warmer. So, as we March into spring, try to start fresh and do some spring cleaning, either physically or mentally, or both. It’s our opportunity to wipe the slate clean and make improvements. Don’t like the news? Don’t watch it. Annoyed about something? How serious is it…really? When I get myself in a state at times, my wife calmly reminds me of the old “don’t sweat the small stuff”. And you know? She’s right! Discard the negative and keep the positive! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Sweetheart of a Deal!- 2019

[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"] It’s February, and anyone with a pulse can’t miss all the Valentine advertising going on in retail stores. Sweetheart deals abound at flower shops, dinner dates at restaurants offering 2-for-1 romantic dinners, and don’t forget a card! Cupid is in full overtime! Remember when we were in grammar school in the 50s and 60s and everyone brought valentines cards to classmates and the Teacher? They all had “will you be mine” and the “do you like me, check yes or no”? Little heart candies in pink boxes? Each one with a few words of love and endearment stamped on the face. A girlfriend that was special might even receive a big, heart-shaped box with individually wrapped chocolates inside that was a mystery? You picked one and hoped for the best that it would be something that you liked, or at least it would be edible? I liked the chocolate covered nuts the best. The other goofy ones that had thick, jellylike, substances and all kinds of funky flavors that were chewy didn’t appeal to me at all. School rooms were decorated with Cupids and all shapes and sizes of hearts. We trimmed the self-cut-out hearts in lacy white and wrote endearments on the front. Lots of red-, pink-, and white-colored crepe paper and stuff everywhere. Can you remember that special girl or boy from all those years ago? Your first real experience with romance? Is it a fond memory, or did you get your heart broken? The experiences in grammar school were definitely puppy love, but, as we progressed into High School, the relationships took on a more serious tone and some of these relationships resulted in marriage after graduation. Back in those times, it was not unusual for a couple to get married right out of high school, get jobs, and start a family. These days it is much rarer, and many youths can only think about going to college or university before they even think about getting married. For those of us who are true romantics? Reach out to your main squeeze, get a hug and a kiss, and let them know that after all these years they’re still the one! Me? I still like love and marriage and am happy to still have my one and only for these past 37 years (and counting)! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

I Lost My Doctor- 2019

[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.101" background_layout="light"] Phil called our office in a panic. He had chosen a Medicare Advantage Plan four years ago and was very happy with his plan. He had contacted his primary care physician in October and asked the staff if his doctor was going to be on the same Advantage plan network for the coming new year. They had replied, “Yes, the doctor has been on that network for a long time”. So, Phil did nothing as his enrollment in his Advantage plan would just roll over and continue into the new year. Then a strange thing happened. He called his doctor’s office to get an appointment in February, and the appointment staff member stated that his doctor was no longer in Phil’s Advantage plan network and that Phil would have to pick a new primary care doctor that was still in his plan. Phil was dumbfounded, and was even somewhat angry, in that he had called the doctor’s office back in October just to make sure he didn’t need to switch plans to keep his doctor. Now he was stuck with a medical plan and had lost his doctor of many years. His next call was to American Retirement Advisors, where he knew we could help him get some answers and see if there was a solution to his predicament. “I like my plan but I’m losing my doctor,” he lamented when we met with him. There was, of course, good news that we were able to help. There is a new Medicare enrollment period called “Open Enrollment Period” (OEP) that starts Jan 1 and ends March 31, each year. This is a new enrollment period that just went into effect for 2019. It’s exactly for folks just like Phil, who picked a plan only to find out their primary care physician wasn’t on the plan. This OEP allows a one-time switch for the new plan year. We researched all the available Advantage plans in his geographic area and found that his primary care doctor was on three ttherAdvantage networks. One of the plans even had more appropriate co-pays for services then the plan that Phil was currently on. “So, I get to keep my Doctor and I have lower co-pays”? Phil could not believe his good luck! If you find out that you’ve selected a new Advantage plan for the new year only to find out that your doctor that was supposed to be on the plan, is not, you get a do-over! Don’t confuse this new OEP with the Annual Election Period (AEP) where you get to research plans and select a new plan each October 15th through December 7th. This is a completely new enrollment period that allows a one-time change if you selected the wrong plan. So, if you have questions? Call us! We can help! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]