Senior Living
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Toni Says: Is Original Medicare part of a health network?
Hi Toni,
I need your guidance. In September I turn 65, and I am unemployed. I’m on COBRA since retiring in May after I had a heart attack, and I don’t know what to do about enrolling in Medicare. The cardiologist informed me last week that the only thing that will improve my health is having heart surgery.
What health network does Medicare...Read more
Social Security and You: Happy (Belated) Birthday to Social Security
Doesn't it just bug you when you miss the birthday of a close friend? That happened to me when I recently missed the 90th birthday of someone who (well, actually something that) has been a big part of my life for the last half century. I'm talking about the Social Security program that turned 90 a week or so ago. Former President Franklin Delano...Read more

5 ways financial advisers make estate planning easier
Estate planning often sits at the bottom of people’s to-do lists, but it plays a crucial role in securing your family’s financial future. It ensures your loved ones are provided for after you pass away, and outlines how your belongings are distributed.
“Estate planning is for everyone, not just wealthy people,” says Stephen Kates, a ...Read more

These decisions can make or break your retirement
For those nearing retirement, there is no shortage of advice about whether to save more, spend less or somewhere in between.
And while those general principles certainly help increase the probability that you will enjoy a more comfortable retirement, there are three specific choices that a person will make as they approach their golden years ...Read more

Toni Says: Know your options for a long-term care plan when there are health issues
Morning, Toni:
I am retiring in January, when I turn 70 and my wife, Sharon, will be 66. I have heart issues, with atrial fibrillation (AFib), and Sharon is a diabetic. Last month, we each applied for a long-term care policy and were both denied due to our health. The agent who helped us search for long-term care insurance plans said that ...Read more
Social Security and You: Not So Common Questions
Not So Common Questions
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column about some of the most common questions I receive. This week, I thought it would be interesting to write a column answering some of the more unusual questions I get. Or to clarify, they may be unusual to you. But not to me. In the 50-plus years I've been dealing with Social ...Read more

Seniors are more likely to die in falls in this state than in almost any other
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota is on a top 10 list no one wants to be a part of, with the second-highest rate of deadly falls for people age 65 and older, after Wisconsin.
The deadly falls are twice the national average and rising.
Nearly 142 Minnesota seniors per 100,000 died from injuries sustained in a fall in 2021, according to recently released...Read more

Toni Says: Is 24/7 home care after a liver transplant covered by Medicare?
Dear Readers: Recently, I received a text message from a Toni Says Medicare client that I would like to share with you. The text reads Toni: I need to put together a 24/7 home care recovery plan after a liver transplant. The surgery is over a year out, but I would appreciate your advice on how to plan for this medical event. Thanks in ...Read more

As last baby boomers reach retirement, they tackle a quest for fulfillment
CHICAGO -- Forty-two stories above ground, Jon Gottlieb traced his bicycle route. From his vantage point by the pool, on his building’s roof, he could see the stop sign where he turns right, the road he hates crossing, the park he rides through and the tunnel that leads to the Lakefront Trail bike path.
Gottlieb, 75, rode this route at least ...Read more
Social Security and You: Privatizing Social Security ... Yada Yada Yada
Well, once again, the idea of privatizing Social Security is in the news. It's a topic that delights some people, angers others, and confuses just about everyone. I've discussed it many times in the past. But I guess it's time to clarify things once again.
One form of "privatizing" Social Security has to do with how the fund's assets are ...Read more

As last baby boomers reach retirement, they tackle a quest for fulfillment
CHICAGO -- Forty-two stories above ground, Jon Gottlieb traced his bicycle route. From his vantage point by the pool, on his building’s roof, he could see the stop sign where he turns right, the road he hates crossing, the park he rides through and the tunnel that leads to the Lakefront Trail bike path.
Gottlieb, 75, rode this route at least ...Read more

Jack Nicholson’s cap played a role in retired teacher’s mission to sell hot dogs
NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- Earl Weinmann makes a decent dog using locally sourced beef, sauerkraut, onions and a homemade secret sauce for the more adventurous. At $5 each, it’s the best fast-food deal this side of Taco Tuesdays.
But the main draw to his Weinmann’s Weenies, the hot dog-shaped cart at Northfield’s Riverwalk Market Fair, is the ...Read more

Colorado man officially back from the dead after Social Security mistake
DENVER -- Aurora, Colorado, resident Alex Vukovich is officially back from the dead, after months of trying to fix a mistake that held up his monthly Social Security checks.
Vukovich first found out the federal government had him listed as dead when his January payment disappeared from his bank account. He notified the Social Security ...Read more

Toni Says: Knowing your Medicare enrollment options when turning 65 can save you money
Hello Toni,
My sister has collected your articles on Medicare for years and suggested that I contact you about my Medicare issue. I turn 65 on October 20 and am preparing to retire next February. I have a question about my enrollment timing.
I plan to work through January 2026 to help with the transition of my job...Read more
Social Security and You: Questions I'm Asked Over and Over Again
In the 28 years I've been writing this column, I bet I've written 128 columns about the most common questions I get. However, I suppose not everyone is clipping those columns and pasting them into their Social Security scrapbook, because I keep getting the same questions repeatedly. Here comes column number 129, with answers to some of the ...Read more
A rabbi and reverend keep the faith, even in retirement. They host senior meetups
MIAMI -- A rabbi and a reverend walk into a South Florida retirement home and begin talking about topics long forbidden from most family dinner tables: God, religion and politics.
Yes, it sounds like an age-old joke setup but it’s actually the premise for a new conversation series held at a South Florida retirement community, Vi at Aventura, ...Read more

Toni Says: America, there is a new Medicare scam!
Dear Toni:
I recently had a hospice agent knocking on the doors in my neighborhood who said he represented Medicare. He was giving away free hospice gifts and told me that I could receive these Medicare services at no charge for me and my husband. I told him that I did not give out personal information to anyone that I do not know because I ...Read more

Travel Trending with Kathy Witt: Raise a glass and say 'santé' to a Viking Bordeaux river cruise
You know it’s going to be a memorable trip when you are greeted by a giant bottle of Bordeaux wine on arrival at the Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport. And it’s fitting for this adventure, a seven-day Chateaux, Rivers & Wine-themed voyage through France’s sumptuous Bordeaux wine country—home of some of the world’s most coveted wines—sailing...Read more
Social Security and You: Social Security Disability Benefits and Incentives to Work
Social Security Disability Benefits and Incentives to Work
Q: I am 57 years old and getting Social Security disability benefits. I understand I can work and make $23,000 and still keep my disability checks. Is this true?
A: No, it's not true. The dollar figure you cite applies to retirees who are under their full retirement age and working. ...Read more

Maybe it’s not just aging. Maybe it’s anemia
Gary Sergott felt weary all the time. “I’d get tired, short of breath, a sort of malaise,” he said. He was cold even on warm days and looked pale with dark circles under his eyes.
His malady was not mysterious. As a retired nurse anesthetist, Sergott knew he had anemia, a deficiency of red blood cells. In his case, it was the consequence ...Read more