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So many things have happened in the month of October throughout history. It’s almost like opening a time capsule of our lives. The list is so long that we’ll just keep it to events that happened in the good old U.S.A.
From our childhood memories of early TV shows, we had the October premiers of “I Love Lucy” in 1951, and “The Twilight Zone” in 1959.
Mickey Mouse made his first appearance in the brand-new Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida (1971).
Like Snoopy and the gang? “Peanuts” comic strip premiered for the first time in 1950. Thank you, Sparky!
October 1881 was the famous OK Corral shootout between the Earp’s and Ike Clanton gang.
France presented the USA with the Statue of Liberty (1886).
Inventor Thomas Edison showed the first motion picture in October 1889. That same day, the first
movie critic happened (Ha-Ha)!
The U.S. Navy was created (1775).
October 1921 “saw” the Baseball’s World Series broadcast on radio for the first time.
The Revolutionary War officially ended in October 1781. Hostilities had ended much earlier.
The United Nations came into existence in 1945 and was nurtured by President Eisenhower after World War II.
Women were not to be left out of historical October events. An estimated 25,000 women marched through the streets of New York City demanding the right to vote in 1915! And in more modern times, America’s first woman to walk in space (Kathryn Sullivan) happened in October 1984.
There were some dark dates in October as well, which included;
The New York stock exchange crashed in 1929 and started the great depression.
Magician Harry Houdini died from a ruptured appendix in 1926.
In 1962 the “Cuban Missile Crisis” began.
It was also a bad month for Mobster Al Capone as he was convicted of tax evasion in 1931.
As we deal with Halloween in October every year, remember it was originally a celebration to appease ghosts and spirits by giving them candy and treats, so they would leave you in peace. The holiday had some of its earlier origins in the British Isles by the Celts. Eventually, it became a holiday for children who are still shouting the traditional “Trick or Treat”!
Have a fun and safe Halloween!
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Take Time Off 2018
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Do you take enough time off? Do you work too much? Some people enjoy their work so much they neglect their family and friends, and even their pets! Is there a balance in your life and do you get enough “off” or “down” time? Depending on how you handle this aspect of your life, it’s what makes you…. you!
My charming bride makes me take a vacation off from work every 3-4 months, otherwise, I’d work every day…. yeah, I’m one of those workaholics. But, thank goodness, I’m married to a wise woman. She keeps me on the straight and narrow and makes me schedule time off to spend with her and my family. I get those regular reminders to be sure and block off such and such date for a vacation she has planned. I’m grateful she does that planning.
A recent trip was to several beaches. There was the regular old beach with the white sand so fine it was like talcum powder. The next beach was more like little pebbles that kind of hurt my feet to walk on. Then there was an entirely black sand beach made up of totally black volcanic sand. Then the weird beach was a green beach that had green sand! It seems that some of the local geology makeup of the area was a green rock deposit that, over the years, made green sand. It was cool seeing green sand! Where were all these beaches? The Big Island of Hawaii. They are all within a few hours drive of each other, but the green beach was way off the beaten path and took a good hour by a four-wheel drive over rough terrain to get there. But it was worth it to see something you don’t see every day!
So, what do you do to relax? Take a trip? Go camping? Head to the lake? Or just chill at home for a staycation for a few days and enjoy your humble abode? Get a few small projects completed that you’ve been meaning to do and just let things be? Possibly throw something on the grill and have a cold bottle of something in your hand? It probably feels good just to take some time for yourself.
As we go through our lives, we are pulled in several different directions. Work at your job, work at home that must be done, and work on your relationships (or you’ll wind up with none). There will be periods in our lives that there’s just too much for you to handle. At those times, you need to take a breath and take a step back and figure out what the priorities are. And, also figure out what’s causing the stress in your life. Maybe you’re one of those people who can’t say ‘no’ and take on too many things to help family or friends, but at who’s expense? Yours!
This is when you need to take a little break, say ‘no’ a little more often, and have some “me” time. Maybe even go to the beach?
When you are having a hard time figuring out your life and making plans for retirement, health care, or financial planning for retirement, sometimes you just need to take some “me time” with a person who can review all that “stuff” and help you get organized and make some decisions. Need help? Call us, we know a thing or two, and a have a staff of specialist who can make your glide path into retirement a whole lot easier. Let us help eliminate the stress with your planning!
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by David S. Edge
One of our long-time clients called and wanted a meeting ASAP! Clair was very concerned about her mom and just had to talk to us!
When we met, Clair had mom (Doris) with her and it became clear what the issue was. Doris was moving to be close to Clair and all her grandchildren. She was selling her home back east that she had owned for over 40 years and was more than a little apprehensive about all that was going on with the new changes. The most important thing Doris was concerned about was her health care plan that she had at her old address.
“But I’m losing all my doctors,” she lamented. Her daughter, Clair, was quick to chide her by stating “But mom, at 94 years of age, most of your doctors have retired and you need new ones anyway”. Doris was silent for just a moment and then conceded that Clair was correct. She needed new doctors. After some humorous discussion, it appears Doris was only concerned about losing her one new and much younger, primary care doctor who looked like a young Dr. Kildare from the old TV series. “He’s such a cutie” she mentioned.
While I could not guarantee Doris that I could find another primary doctor for her as cute as the one she was giving up, I did mention that with the local plan we found for her, she could change her primary doctor any month she chose to. The plan also had great co-pays that were less expensive than her old plan. She seemed to warm up to the idea that she would spend less money with her new health plan. She was also interested to find both hospitals in her new neighborhood were on her plan and that she could choose which one she liked in the event she needed one. “I’ve only been in a hospital to deliver my children” she was proud to say. And since she still walked 5 miles every day, she was pleased that her plan offered free gym membership!
As we finished up her paperwork and they were getting ready to leave, Doris said, “Well, I have to have a hug as you have made me relieved about my health care. As I leaned over for my hug, I whispered in her ear, “From your lips to God’s ears, I hope I am as ‘with it’ as you are at age 94”.
That earned me another small giggle from my new friend.
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Help, our Part B is expensive 2018
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Help! Our Part B is really expensive!
Joe and Nancy called our office soon after signing up for their Medicare plans. They were concerned that they had been billed for more than the monthly $134 each for their Part B of Medicare. It was a whopping $267.90 a month each!
We assured them there was a logical answer and proceeded to ask questions. We reminded them that in our prior meeting we had asked if their income was more than $170,000 a year, filing joint on their taxes. They had told us “no”. If your income is below the $170,000 filing joint, everyone pays the $134 for Part B. What they didn’t tell us was that Joe had gotten a retirement check the year before, and for that year their adjusted gross income was way above the $170,000.
When Medicare is establishing your Part B and Part D monthly premiums, they check your last two years IRS returns and base your Part B premium on those amounts. Since their income the year before was about $250,000 it resulted in $267.90. “Is there anything we can do?” they exclaimed? Yes! File an appeal with Medicare that informs them that you had a life event and retired, and your yearly income will be much lower, and below the $170,000 threshold per year.
They were happy with the instructions we offered, but keep in mind that even with an appeal it is not certain their Part B premium will be reduced. It’s never a sure thing when dealing with Medicare.
Medicare will automatically review your Part B premium amount each year when you file your taxes with the IRS. Medicare will then automatically adjust up or down your monthly Medicare Part B premium. You must keep in mind that Medicare, the IRS, and Social Security are really good friends and they each know everything about you, especially your yearly income!
$$ Filing Single $$ Filing Jointly You Pay Monthly *IRMAA Part D IRMAA**
$85,000 or Less $170,000 or Less $134 $0
$85,000 to $107,000 $170,001 to $214,000 $187.50 $13.00
$107,001 to $133,500 $214,001 to $267,000 $267.00 $54.20
$160,001 to 214,001 $320,001 to $428,000 $428.60 $74.80
*IRMAA Income Relate Monthly Adjustment Amount for Part B Medicare **Same for Single or Joint
Refer to the chart for 2018 and see where your income will fall and then see the corresponding Part B premium you will be responsible for.
Also, Medicare will automatically deduct the monthly Part B premium right out of your Social Security monthly benefit check. If you are not taking your Social Security check because you are letting it grow, Medicare will bill you quarterly. If you are billed you can pay with a check, credit card, or set up autopay out of your bank checking account.
*Source: www.medicare.gov
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August Hot Time 2018
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It’s this time of year every summer when the kids start realizing summer is almost over and time to get ready to go back to school (groans). Adults are happy they are going back to school (yea!). Band and football practice camps have already started, and teachers are getting their curriculums written and approved for the new school year. The kids don’t realize it yet, but, compared to the rest of their lives they will look back and think these were the easy years for most of them.
Looking back, would you go back and repeat those years? Some say with a degree of enthusiasm, absolutely! While others would not want to repeat their years of puberty for all the tea in China!
But remember those lazy summer days where you had no responsibilities and could just play all day? Riding bikes, swimming, playing ball, etc. You’d take a quick break and eat some lunch and then you’d be right back to playing? The smells associated with summer like fresh cut grass, and the tinkling music of the ice cream truck, where you could get a cold popsicle or ice cream sandwich for a nickel. Maybe there was some fishing or camping involved.
Summer vacations in the mountains or at the beach? A Sunday at your grandparents’ house with a big family meal with some homemade ice cream? Did you take your turn at cranking the ice bucket and the cream turned into a delicious frozen concoction?
Fresh peach or maybe strawberry flavored with real fruit? Or maybe it was something a little simpler with just a hotdog off the grill, potato chips, and a cold Coca-Cola… ahhhh…. Those were hot and easy days of summer.
As we got into our teen years, those easy summer lazy days turned into a summer job to earn some extra cash for school. Or maybe you were saving up for that first car? Did you and your friends go to a drive-in movie? Visit the local indoor ice or skating rink? Or maybe you were the local bowling champ? Sometimes an indoor activity was just what we needed to get out of the heat!
Our Arizona summer days are filled with heat and then we get our local monsoon season with wind storms and sudden, and often violent, rain. We all have memories of a sudden downpour of several inches of rain that quickly turned our streets into dangerous flood zones. Did you have to rescue someone who drove into a flood zone that had a sign “Do Not Enter When Flooded”? And they, of course, entered anyway? They made the six o’clock news with a picture of them sitting on top of their automobile, drenched, with water up past their car windows?
So be safe, be cool, and follow directions! … Remember, Fall is just around the corner with cooler weather!
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Bad Language 2018
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Bad Language
Hmmmm… ever had your Mom threaten to wash your mouth out with soap, and then actually did because you said whatever it was just to defy her? I remember that soap tasted horrible, but it did the trick. It wasn’t the soap so much as the fact that I realized not to push my Mom because my Mom would follow through with any threat or promise she made. Raising three boys by herself didn’t give her an option so she set the rules pretty early, and even as grown men there is always the “Yes, Mama” that follows any direction or request. Sometimes depending on the situation, it was a required “Yes Ma’am”. So, when did you experience your first situation with bad words? Was it a dirty joke, or something scrawled on a bathroom wall? Somewhere while growing up you experienced your first exposure to curse words and that experience made you…. you!
Bad words. It seems we are surrounded by more and more ugly things and it doesn’t matter if it’s on TV, radio, movies or just out in public. I hear the “F” word being spoken by kids as young as 9 or 10 and it’s not just the boys, as sometimes the girls are just as bad or worse.
Even in politics, we are hearing more and more foul language coming from political leaders. There was a time not too long ago where your fanny would get sent to the principal’s office just for the mere utterance of a foul mouth word. When that happened, while in confession, how many Hail Mary’s were required as penance?
Our moral compass was set pretty good while growing up, as our Mom made sure we were in church every time the door was open and there was a threat you would burn in hell for any sins that included foul language. We even had a lecture one time that even the use of a harmless word, if it was used in intent as foul language, was just as bad. We kids thought that was funny and walked around for weeks shouting “Double Fudge Brownie” if we had a misstep, accident, or hit our finger with a hammer and needed some verbal relief.
This using normal words as curse words developed into a sort of game for us boys and we got creative about it. We even came up with a routine. “Got down off of my horse, fell into a pile of shifting sand, picked up a damp stick and beat the health out of my horse, slipped down and broke my aspirin bottle.” You must put the right emphasis on the words that start like a curse word but end up being something else. We thought it was funny. What’s not funny is that in the current times it appears we have lost our dignity. Local newspapers and TV personalities make fun of our President with vulgarity, everyone is a victim, it’s not my fault, and if you don’t agree with me I’ll get violent. What happened to manners? Civility? More importantly, some good old common sense?
When friends ask me how I deal with this issue I always say the same thing, “Let it begin with me”. I’ll be the civil one, I’ll be the polite one, I’ll be the example and help each person equally regardless of race, creed, or color. But I also know I have a “three strikes and you’re out” rule to keep folks from taking advantage of me. If more of us in the silent majority made it a point not to put up with this deviant behavior and simply not tolerate it, we might be able to save this thing called civility. So, what were your experiences? Who was there, what was being discussed? What was said that you found offensive? Did it affect your personal behavior and set boundaries on your language? Whatever it was, it made you …. you!
Language sometimes can be misconstrued, or just plain hard to comprehend. Got language in your medical plan, retirement, or financial statements that you don’t understand?
Call us! We’ll be glad to interpret and help you make the right decision for you!
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Where to go when your dead?
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Where do you go when your dead?
Brian called us in a panic! He was receiving multiple inquiries from Social Security, Medicare, IRS, his bank, his pension, and credit card companies! All these entities were asking for certified copies of his death certificate! He was alarmed and confused all at the same time and immediately thought of one office he could call for help! American Retirement Advisors. Brian remembered that we offered to help him if he ever had any questions about retirement or any problems or issues.
We suggested he come into the office and bring any documentation for these “requests” he was receiving. Upon his arrival, we discovered a disturbing pattern. Someone was trying to alter his income and redirect it to someone else.
We asked about the usual list of possible suspects. An angry ex-spouse? A family member who was mad at him and just wanted to cause him aggravation? A goofy friend who thought this might be a great joke to play on him? Or more simply, just a case of I.D. fraud? When reviewing the issue, we asked who would benefit from this type of action? More importantly, how can he fix this? How do you prove you’re still alive? All these entities have put a hold on his income and benefits until the issue is cleared up! He now has no income to pay his bills!
What to do? First, make sure that the government is clear that you are alive. Take all documentation to your local Social Security office. These items need to include your driver’s license, birth certificate, divorce papers, passport, or basically anything that proves you are you!
Next, contact all the credit bureaus and place a lock and password on all your accounts. Same with your bank and credit card companies. You can also set up accounts with providers like “LifeLock.”
Set up passwords with your Social Security and Medicare accounts. This can be done online at www.socialsecurity.gov and www.medicare.gov.Visit your bank in person and let them know that there is fraud occurring with your identity and get them involved on your behalf as well.
We also assisted Brian in contacting his retirement accounts, and with these remedies in place, he was on the right path of proving “I’m alive”!
If you’re not doing so already, make sure you check your bank account on a regular basis as well as performing bank reconciliations monthly at a minimum. Call your credit card providers in advance when you are traveling and let them know where you are visiting so that they can be aware of credit card charges from somewhere that’s not normal for you. It’s the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
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Changes, Changes and more Changes
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Most folks do not like to change things. They get things in their life just the way they want them and then hope that…... well…. things can just stay the way they are. Or can they? Dealing with changes in your life and how you handle those changes is what makes you…You!
What changes are we talking about? Well, what was the last big change in your life? New job? New house or apartment? Maybe you have a new addition to your family? Child, grandchild, or maybe just a new furry four-legged addition? When’s the last time you had to move? Major changes with your current job or working conditions? Or, maybe you retired and now can sit back and relax, sleep in, and do whatever you want? Yeah, right!
These events in your life caused you to be uncomfortable and how you dealt with that un-comfortability tells you something about yourself. Who was with you when it happened? Was the change planned or was it a total surprise? Did it affect just you or a group of folks or family? Did you react with excitement? Was the change something that made you happy? Sad, confused? Take a moment and fill in some blanks about your last big change and perform some self-analysis on exactly how you felt and reacted.
Was there a group hug or did you lash out in anger? How long did it take to get used to the thing that changed?
I know recently while on vacation my management decided that I needed a new office remodel, so upon returning to my office, boy was I surprised! New furniture, new computer, and monitors, plants, shelves, even my old favorite office chair was gone! After feeling excited about all the new goodies, there was a small panic attack in that I didn’t even know how to turn on my new computer and monitor and had to call the IT staff! It took me about a week to get used to all the new ways of doing stuff and it took me out of my comfort zone. But after a week with all the new toys, I could not remember how much harder it was to do my job with my old equipment. The new stuff worked so much faster and better! So, while it made me uncomfortable at first, it was, in the end, a good change!!
We deal with many clients each year during the open enrollment period, where we need to perform drug plan and medical plan searches in order to ascertain if the client is still on the most appropriate health plan for the coming new year. We assist thousands of folks just to make sure their doctor they want to keep is still in their network next year. Or maybe their drug plan had major changes to their co-pays and deductibles as well as the monthly premiums. Change, change, and more changes. The thing is to just be prepared and roll with the variations. More to the point, shop until you find the most appropriate solution and make the best use of the change. Research and education on your choices is key. And just sometimes what you have right this minute is the correct choice and you don’t have to change! Yea!
So even if you’re not looking for change, sometimes change is necessary and can save you some of your hard-earned cash! When is the last time you checked your Medigap plan? You can change those any month of the year. Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans both coincide with the Annual Election period (Open Enrollment) each October 15th through December 7th. You definitely want to shop and ensure you are on what’s most appropriate for you! Call us! We can help!
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As we all know, the 4th of July is Independence Day in the United States and has been celebrated for the last 242 years! We’re getting close to our 250th!!! Wow, that will certainly be a Star-Bangled party!
Throughout history, there have been so many events that happened in the month of July, far different from our Independence Day!
July 1st, 1862 was the date President Lincoln signed a bill creating the first income tax in the USA. And, guess what? That
same day the Bureau of Internal Revenue was also created!
July 1st is also Canada Day for our friends to the north! Heh?
July 2nd, Thurgood Marshall was born and became the first black American to serve on the Supreme Court.
July 4th, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the U.S. Congress. It was almost July 2nd but some members had travel issues and arrived 2 days late, making the official date July 4th! Just a few days later, on July 8th, the first official public reading of the Declaration of Independence was made to a crowd in Philadelphia.
July 5th, one of the most famous showmen in history was born, P. T. Barnum!
Another July 5th birthday was Cecil J. Rhodes, the diamond mine multimillionaire who created the Rhodes scholarship at Oxford. He also had the country of Rhodesia named after him!
July 12th marked the birthday of Josiah Wedgwood, the inventor of Wedgwood pottery fame.
July 12th for you war buffs also marked the largest land battle involving mechanized tanks between Russia and Germany during WWII. Over 600 tanks took part in the battle.
July 16th, 1945 saw the explosion of the “Fat Boy” experimental atomic bomb in a New Mexico desert. This was the start of the Atomic age.
July 20th, Astronaut Neil Armstrong took his first step on the moon and proclaimed, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.
Throughout the history of the USA we have had many inventors of incredible everyday items that make our lives much more productive and simple. We’re happy the US Patent Office first opened its doors on July 31st, 1790.
History is a fun thing to know and, sometimes history happens during your lifetime. Where were you and what were you doingwhen these events happened?
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Why Am I Me June 2018
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At some point in your life did you get an award for doing something so good that you were considered the best? If so, what was it? Who was there to see you get the award? Who gave you the award? Were you excited to receive the award? Was it unexpected or were you aware that there was a competition and the results were closely followed over a period of time? Whatever this event or award you received, it made you…you!
We’ve all probably been in a position at work to receive a bonus, an award, or certificate of some type for completing a project, class, or license. Did your co-workers or teammates applaud you and were happy for you? Or was it a case of some others felt they should have received the honor? Maybe just a tad jealous? I always took the attitude “if they can do it, so can I”! How did your family react? Was your spouse proud or excited for you? In your youth was there an older brother or sister who had also received the award in some earlier year and you were merely following in their footsteps? I know this was a case for me; my older brother received the National School Choral Award his senior year in high school and I received the same award in my senior year. Not to be outdone, my twin received the National School Band Award the same year.
As we got older and started our professional careers, often there were certificates we had to earn or job training we had to accomplish in order to keep our jobs. Or just maybe you put in the extra efforts so that you would win that promotion at work! In our office, we regularly must complete some 150 hours of testing and certifications each year in order to offer our clients a choice of any carrier products in our geographic market. We kid our spouses that they are not football widows but test widows every August when the certifications must be completed. We give up a lot of weekends in August every year to complete these accreditations.
Did you ever win a trip that was connected to getting an award? I’ve been fortunate enough to have won several over my career; in some cases, the trip took me to another part of the world where I might not have ever gotten to on my own. How many people get to go to Reykjavik Iceland? Wow! That was a surprise award trip!
Whatever your memory is of that special moment where you were recognized, it has probably stayed with you your entire life. It was that one moment that you were the best. And once a winner, you’ll always be a winner.
Speaking of awards, when is the last time you rewarded yourself by reviewing your retirement needs? Because as with all things, life changes.
Call us. We will help you get your plan on the winning track!
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