Financial
Funeral Preplanning an Extension of Estate Planning
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To help relieve their families, an increasing number of people are planning their own funerals, designating their funeral preferences, and sometimes paying for them in advance. They see funeral planning as an extension of will and estate planning.
Free, Unbiased Medicare Guidance Available
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Medicare Annual open enrollment begins Oct. 15, and Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight, PA MEDI, is available to help Medicare beneficiaries explore and understand their health insurance plan options.
How Inflation Will Impact Homeowners — and What You Can Do About It
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- Written by Jonathan MacKinnon Jonathan MacKinnon
It’s official: Inflation recently reached its highest level in decades, and Goldman Sachs has predicted that the situation may become worse than initially predicted this year. The general cost of goods and services tends to increase during periods of high inflation, and real estate is no exception.
Remember These Tips When You Buy a Second Home
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Thinking of buying a second home? You don’t have to be rich, but you do have to be careful.
Savvy Senior: What is an Annual Notice of Change?
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- Written by Jim Miller Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Last year I received a “notice of change” letter from my Medicare provider. Should I expect another one this year, and what should I do with it?
– Medicare Rookie
Savvy Senior: What Happens if You Die Without a Will?
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- Written by Jim Miller Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
What happens to a person’s possessions if they die without a will? I’m almost 60 years old and have never gotten around to making one, but the coronavirus crisis has made it a priority.
– Will-less Willie
Bob’s Tech Talk Extra: The Brave New World of Tap-to-Pay
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- Written by Bob DeLaurentis Bob DeLaurentis
There are newer, more secure, and more convenient choices available to make payments at most cash registers. Secret PIN codes and signatures are making way for methods like tap-to-pay plastic cards and smartphones.
Savvy Senior: How to Get Underutilized COVID Funeral Assistance Funds
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- Written by Jim Miller Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I recently saw a news segment on TV about a government funeral assistance program available to families who lost loved ones during the pandemic.
What can you tell me about this? I lost my 78-year-old mother to COVID in 2021 and want to find out if I’m still eligible for any funeral funds, and if so, what I need to do to get them.
– Still Sad
Savvy Senior: How to Get Help as an Elder Orphan
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- Written by Jim Miller Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I need to find someone honest and reliable to look after my estate, health, and long-term care when I’m no longer able to do it myself. I’m a 67-year-old recent widow with no children and one sibling I rarely talk to. Any suggestions?
– Solo Ager