Peninsula Daily News Column 1-26-12 "Free tax aid to the rescue on Peninsula"

            After all these years, there’s a reason that we insist on continuing to call this little weekly effort, “Help Line,” and that reason is that we are supposed to, at least occasionally, help, which most of us find eminently reasonable, if not painfully obvious; so, here comes “help.”

            To begin, I know that if we listen long enough to people who want us to listen long enough, we begin to get a bit confused about who is or isn’t paying taxes, or at what rate, or whether corporations are people or people are corporations or whether people might want to incorporate in order to become “people” who might not have to pay taxes, or…I know. And if we stop listening long enough, here’s where we’ll end up: Most of us have to pay taxes, or (at least!) deal with the reality of a tax return.

            This is a realization which rarely cheers us up at this time of year, so we’ve placed Valentine’s Day squarely in the middle of February, and characterized it with chocolate, as an incentive to continue to continue. This is an example of “help.”

            Corporate status aside, taxes are looming directly ahead, so who’s coming galloping to our rescue (again!) with real help? Right: TAX-AIDE! (That’s the “William Tell Overture” you’re hearing in the background)

            For those of you who have only recently joined the species, TAX-AIDE are the good folks who come to our rescue at this time every year by providing free, skilled tax preparation and “e-filing” (that means that they do the whole tax thing online) and, thus, saving us from ourselves.

            These are volunteers who get to read copious amounts of tax stuff, then go to classes, then take a test administered by the IRS to see if they really learned all the tax stuff that they had to read and listen to in classes and then give away major portions of their lives – For free! – To help us.

            They must like us. And we certainly like them!

            TAX-AIDE is sponsored by the IRS and AARP. You do not have to be a member of AARP to partake; in fact, you don’t even have to be an Elder! You can just be a regular tax-paying-or-tax-return-filing person of any age – Alas…

            Now, look: If you have mega-bucks, own property in nine different states, have bookoo investments and have long-since incorporated yourself, give these folks a break, huh? For the rest of us, here’s the deal:

            Bring a photo ID, Social Security cards for you, spouse and dependents, W-2’s, 1099’s and any other stuff necessary to get the tax return job done, your 2010 tax return AND bank account routing and account numbers, if you want a refund deposited directly, wait for it to be February 1^st (Hint: next Wednesday) and show up at one of these sites:

• Port Townsend Community Center, Tuesdays and Fridays, 10:00-2:00. You’ll need an appointment, so call 385-9007, to get one;
• Tri-Area Community Center, Mondays, 10:00-2:00 or Wednesdays, 3:00-7:00. Appointment? Yes! Call 732-4822;
• Sequim Senior Activity Center, Wednesdays, 12:30-4:00 or Saturdays, 9:00-4:00. Call 683-6806 for appointment;
• Port Angeles library, Tuesdays, 9:00-3:00 and Saturday mornings, 8:30-12:30. No appointment necessary, so just show up, with something to read and good natured patience;
• Port Angeles Senior Center, Mondays, 9:00-3:00 – Call 457-7004 for an appointment, and…
• …Forks City Hall, from 10:00-4:00, on these Saturdays: February 4^th & 18^th, March 3^rd, 17^th & 31^st and April 7^th. Call 374-2558 for an appointment.

The last time I heard, TAX-AIDE was trying to schedule some sites in the Sekiu/Clallam Bay area, so stay tuned.

Feel free to thank these folks, because except for migraines, that’s all they’re getting out of doing this.

And now, since I’m in such a helpful mood and talking about “good guys,” try this: The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office has put together a survey that will, they hope, solicit some feedback from us so they can do better! How many chances do we get at something like that?

Right, so you can go to the Sheriff’s web site at http://www.clallam.net/Sheriff/ and click on the survey button OR you can “like” the Clallam County FACEBOOK page (I know, but some of us do that) and select the survey at https://www.facebook.com/clallamcountysheriff and have at it.

And if you’re still hearing the “William Tell Overture,” try humming the theme song from “M*A*S*H*.”

Peninsula Daily News Column 1-19-12 "Home not sweet if not egonomic"

            OK, that’s it! Enough of this post-holiday giddiness! And if you haven’t finished the leftovers by now…well, they aren’t “leftovers,” anymore.

            It’s time to get back to work! And “work” is this “Boomer Primer,” designed to give Boomers (and anyone else who might care to come along for the ride) a list of “Things to Think About” regarding this whole “aging thing.” We’re assuming that you (whoever “you” are) are in your early-to-mid 60’s, or rapidly closing in on same, and have been shocked to discover that your immortality is in question. Ready?

            Most of us steadfastly declare that we want to “stay in our homes.” What most of us mean when most of us say that is that we don’t want to end up in an institution, spelled “nursing home;” now, if “home” happens to be a camping trailer in your ex-father-in-law’s backyard or an apartment immediately next door to several thousand 20-somethings, the above may not be universally true, but if you’re in your own place and you pretty much like it most of the time, it’s probably pretty close.

            Now, look around you (go ahead, we’ll wait) – What do you see? Well, I know, but you can clean that up later – What do you see? Nothing in particular? Don’t feel stupid, because that’s what most of us see.

            Next, picture yourself 15, 20 or 30 years from now; now, what do you see? Do you see slippery stairways? Narrow doorways? Stuff stashed where you have to be your height-or-better to reach it? A “normal” kitchen? A “normal” bathroom? Three steps up to the front porch? A dark hallway with throw rugs? All the bedrooms (or the ONLY bathroom!) on the second floor? You’re beginning to get this, aren’t you?

            Right: If you’re going to stay home, “home” has to like you – And it has to like who you are now, not who you were some other time, so if this is really where you mean to plant yourself, you might want to consider whether or not you’ll be able there if you don’t have the physical acumen of a high school football player which, by the way, you haven’t had for some time.

            I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that you don’t particularly want to make “home” look like a nursing home – I get it, I don’t, either – But things have a long way since the last time you saw or thought about this stuff, which might include “never.” You could see some of this stuff on the covers of fancy home improvement magazines and think, “Wow!”

            The concept is “universal design,” which means that these modifications make life easier for EVERYBODY, not just folks who “need” them; or you may have heard the phrase, “aging in place,” which can mean several different things in several different contexts, but just take it literally: AGE in this PLACE.”

            Now, what do you see?

            Consider doorknobs, or even just reaching into the mailbox. Turning lights off and on, or water off and on or just using the electrical outlets. Opening or closing windows, or even just changing which way the doors open and close (and, Yes: Wider is smarter!).

            Reaching cabinets? Reaching counters? Reaching the freezer? Go look at the tub/shower.

            And if the only bathroom is upstairs, well…

            Look: There’s a lot of info on this stuff online now; further (Better!) there are folks who specialize in assessing your home for its ability to remain your home, then giving you a laundry list, from which you can pick-and-choose, or better yet, prioritize, so could chip-away at it one piece at a time.

            Expensive? Well, it depends on what you might need and what you might want, but I’ll bet you the price of a brighter light bulb that it’s not as bad as you imagine.

            And do you have to do EVERYTHING that shows up on the aforementioned list? No – You don’t HAVE to do ANYTHING! – But you might want to at least consider the “high points.”

            Try this: Most of us have friends and/or family who are Elders or folks with disabilities, so if you want to hear from the real “pro’s,” go ask them what they did (or what they wish they’d done) – If they think you’re honestly interested, and you’re not “pitying” people who didn’t ask for any, they’ll probably tell you the truth.

            Here’s what most of us do: Nothing; then something bad happens (usually a medical something), and here we are, trying to live in a home that is waiting for who we used-to-be to show up, but we have to live here NOW! – And off we go on a desperate, fearful, emotion-driven foray into the wonderful world of “home improvement,” which is not (usually) when we’re likely to find the best deals or the most competent professionals.

            Here’s the truth: Most of us aren’t willing to do everything we “should” do, right? So, we make compromises, right? Choices. I’m willing to do “this,” but not “that” – Kinda like diet and exercise and…We make choices.

            And we’ve been making choices since we were old enough to have any, so the fact is, nothing has changed, but you might want to take another look around, because it could be time to have a heart-to-heart with “home sweet home.”

           

Peninsula Daily News Column 1-12-12 "How much you get depends on work"

            Good Morning, Survivors!

            Well, think about it: You’ve survived Medicare’s “open enrollment” for 2011, you’ve survived the Christmas holidaze with your faculties more-or-less intact, you’ve survived a few more weeks of government’s inability to do anything helpful about almost anything AND you’ve survived a New Year’s transition into 2012,  so it seems to me that someone ought to say, “Congratulations!”

            CONGRATULATIONS!

            OK, that’s enough of that - I’m going to charge straight ahead with our “Boomer Primer!” – Now, what was the deal with that?

            Fair question. This “Boomer Primer” is an attempt at giving Baby Boomers, who are teetering precariously on the verge of retirement OR just trying to figure out this whole “aging thing” a place to start – A list of “Things to Think About,” if you will, then actually DO something about; otherwise, it’s just another thing to clutter up the space in your mind between thoughts.

            And I’ve realized that no self-respecting “Boomer Primer” can call itself that without, at least, a nod to Social Security; alas, it’s going to be a brief nod because it is not possible to explain Social Security in a little column. It is not possible to explain Social Security in 30 “little columns,” because there are a million little nuances that turn on your particular situation. That’s what web sites are for, so pour yourself a friendly beverage and go to www.socialsecurity.gov where you will find a wealth (No kidding!) of info. Take your time.

            Hey: There’s even a page where you can “research popular baby names!” Well, OK, not a biggie for most of us but entertainment is where you find it.

            Let’s begin by clearly stating what is and is NOT true:

1. Social Security payments come from the Federal government – I’m sorry, but they do;
2. Social Security is NOT “welfare.” You’ve been paying into it throughout your working life. Think of it more as “insurance” or an “annuity” – You’ve paid for it, so it’s yours;
3. If you doubt #2, consider the fact that your Social Security payment (“benefit”) is based on how long you worked and how much you made, which is a way of calculating how much you paid into it (more or less) so, YES. It’s yours.

If you were born after 1929, you have 40 “credits” to collect; in other words, 10 years of work. As noted above, the longer you worked and the more you earned, the larger your Social Security benefit will be. If you retire before your “full retirement age” (“early retirement”), you’ll get less. If continue working and retire later than your “full retirement age,” you’ll get more. If your year of birth is from 1943 to 1954, your “full retirement age” is 66. If you were born in 1955, it’s 66 + 2 months. If you were born in 1956, it’s 66 + 4 months. You get it.

Can you work AND collect your Social Security at the same time? Yes. Your earnings in or after the month you reach your full retirement age will NOT reduce your Social Security benefit. If you started collecting Social Security BEFORE you hit your full retirement age, they will, to the tune of $1 less for every $3 you earned.

Social Security isn’t taxable, right? Wrong, because it is, but that depends upon how much you or both of you brought in from all sources, and how you file your taxes (joint vs. separate, etc).

What about Social Security “disability?” Well, what about it? It’s a way of attempting to sustain yourself if you’ve been disabled to the point where you can’t work. It’s complicated, and it can be harrowing, but it is not impossible, so if you find yourself in that circumstance, consider it. Another thing it is is well beyond the purview of anything we can tackle here, so just know that it exists.

When should I start planning for retirement? Yesterday, if you do, in fact, plan on retiring, in the classic sense. A better question might be, “How much will my Social Security benefit be?” Go to the web site I noted above, where you’ll find a tool for estimating your benefit that actually works remarkably well – AND it will let you “play” with “what-ifs:” “What if I retire early?” “What if I retire later?” Etc – You get it.

If I’ve enrolled in Medicare, haven’t I already signed-up for Social Security? No. The two are hopelessly (and, probably, incestuously) entwined, but they are two VERY different critters.

OK, then how do I sign-up for Social Security? Well, you can (a) go to the web site above and do it online (Really!); (b) call 1-800-772-1213 and do it on the phone, or (c) you can make an appointment at any Social Security office and do it eyeball-to-eyeball.

Aren’t the Feds messing with Social Security? Well, the Feds are talking about messing with Social Security, but so far, it’s talk. Look: All any of us can realistically do is play by the rules as they currently exist and hope for the best, because hoping for the worst would be stupid. Do I think that folks who are currently collecting their Social Security benefits are going to lose them? No. Do I think that folks who are a short-step away from collecting will lose it? I sincerely doubt it. Is that my personal opinion, based on nothing in particular? Yes.

Finally, remember this: Millions of people have figured this out, so you can, too. Go to the web site, take your time, make notes and think. What you’ve heard from your neighbors, buddies, cronies or family may or may not have anything to do with what’s true for you.

And that’s why you’re a “survivor.”

             

           

Peninsula Daily News Column 1-5-12 "Medicare open enrollment coming"

            You guys are hard-core!

            It’s January 5^th of a new year! We’re surrounded by opportunity and the prospect of Valentine’s Day! You ought to be recovering from the frenzy of the holiday spirit and the vagaries of airline schedules!

            But, Oh NO! Not you guys – YOU want to talk about…Medicare?? OK, while I think your time would be better spent burying last year’s fruit cake in the neighbor’s backyard, I live to serve, so (since you’re asking) Medicare it is.

            Yes, there is another “open enrollment” coming up. Some people, professionals and bureaucracies like to argue about whether or not it should be called an “open enrollment,” because there are two or three other equally obtuse monikers that can be applied, but for most of us who are just trying to navigate this sucker, it’s an “open enrollment.”

            Beginning January 1, 2012, and running through February 14^th (I know – No, I don’t know…Maybe because it’s a day we can remember? Who cares?), we can leave a Medicare Advantage Plan and switch to “original” Medicare. If we do that, we will have through Valentine’s Day to join a Part D plan. Coverages will begin the first day of the month after the Plan(s) gets your form.

            Here’s what you CAN’T do between now and February 14:

1. You can’t switch from Original Medicare to an Advantage Plan;
2. You can’t switch from one Advantage Plan to another Advantage Plan;
3. You can’t switch from one Part D plan to another Part D plan, and…
4. …you can’t switch or drop a Medicare Medical Savings Account Plan.

Another thing you probably can’t do between now and February 14 is go outside and get a tan, but Medicare doesn’t care.

IF you decide to do this, and IF you’d be adding a Medicare Supplement plan to your “back-to-Original-Medicare” New Year’s jaunt, you might want to investigate whether your supplement plan-of-choice will even take you, given your health status, because they don’t have to.

And what, you’ve asked, are these 5-star plans? Well, beginning this month, you can switch to a “5-star” Advantage Plan any time during the year, IF there’s one in your area AND you can only do that once in a calendar year. An Advantage Plan gets a “5-star” rating based on feedback from members, healthcare providers, etc. There are, for now, only two in Washington: Group Health Cooperative and Kaiser Permanente Senior Advantage, so unless you live around one, no help.

And speaking of “no help,” have you wondered what we’d do if our local hospital went away? Probably not, because most of us think of our hospitals like we think about firefighters or law enforcement or 24-hour plumbers – OF COURSE they’re there! They’re ALWAYS there! We count on them!

Yeah, we do; so if, in our frenzy to cut every program that doesn’t cut us first, we keep whacking folks off of things like Basic Health, Maternity Support, Disability Lifeline, Medicaid, etc, what do we suppose happens?

Do we suppose that all those folks stop needing hospitals or healthcare? Probably not. So, what do we suppose that they do? Right, same thing you and I would do: Go to the ER and end up becoming “charity care.”

And do we suppose that our hospitals have an infinite capacity to absorb more and more and more charity care? Probably not. Could a hospital actually have to…close? Yes, or dramatically reduce services or something, because this is America and everything runs on money – Nothing runs on nothing.

So this whole economic “thing” may not be just about the folks who are actually on those programs – It may also be about you and me and Grandma.

Oh, well, as long as I’m on a soapbox, consider this: Hospitals are businesses, right? Patients (customers) come in, services get rendered, hospital gets paid – Rather like a beauty salon; so, if a business (hospital) doesn’t have enough customers, what happens? Right: Same thing that happens to the beauty salon.

Sound fun? No. So, when you hear about shopping and buying “locally” to support our local economies, consider applying that same principle to our local hospitals. Now, certainly, if you need to go somewhere else to get the care you need, then go! – I would! – But if you can get what you need here…Well, “here” is where you live.

But I digress. What this whole column should have been about is what to get 98-year-old Aunt Tillie for next Christmas. Do hospitals sell gift cards?