Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008

Recent IRS statistics show that about 74 percent of eligible senior citizens, disabled veterans and low-income workers nationwide have received their stimulus payments, leaving about 5.2 million people who have yet to claim their payments.

The IRS recently launched a campaign to reach seniors and disabled veterans who qualify for the rebates but have not taken the steps to claim them.People can receive up to $600, or up to $1,200 for married couples filing joint returns, plus $300 for each child under 17. Those who are not required to file tax returns would receive at least $300, or $600 for married couples.Most people who live on Social Security or disability would receive $300.

To claim the checks, people who do not otherwise have to file an income tax return should file Form 1040A with basic information including their name; address; dependents, if any; the amount of qualifying income, which must be at least $3,000; their direct deposit information; and signatures.  The form is due by Oct. 15.More information and the form are available at www.irs.gov.

Monday, February 11th, 2008

With the 2008 tax season getting strted, AARP is providing a tax aide program across southwest Ohio for seniors until April 10.Volunteers from AARP will be available for one-hour sessions at various locations throughout Butler County. Hopefully we will see this help all over the United States.

For more information, call 888-687-2277 or visit www.aarp.org/taxaide.

Monday, February 11th, 2008

Do I qualify for a rebate and how much can I expect?

One-time rebates will be sent to at least 117 million low- and middle-income households, 20 million senior citizens living off of Social Security, and 250,000 disabled veterans.

To be eligible for a full rebate, single tax filers must have 2007 adjusted gross income (AGI) below $75,000 and joint filers must have AGI below $150,000.Single filers with AGI below $75,000 will get rebates of as much as $600. Couples with AGI below $150,000 will receive rebates of up to $1,200. In addition, parents will also receive $300 rebates per dependent child; there is no cap on the number of children eligible.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Thursday night that the IRS will start sending out checks in early May. Last month, he said it should take about 10 weeks to crank out all the checks. In all likelihood then, you’ll see the money sometime between May and early July. That assumes, of course, that you hit the IRS deadline and file by April 15.

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008

Fall-prevention step 1: Make an appointment with your doctor

You and your doctor can take a comprehensive look at your environment, your health and your medications to identify situations when you’re vulnerable to falling.

Fall-prevention step 2: Remove home hazards

Clutter can get in your way and so can the decorative accents in your home. To make your home safer, remove boxes, newspapers, electrical cords and phone cords from walkways. Move coffee tables, and side tables from high-traffic areas. Secure loose rugs with double-faced tape, tacks or a slip-resistant backing. Repair loose, wooden floorboards and carpeting right away. Store clothing, dishes, food and other household necessities within reach. Be sure to immediately clean spilled liquids, grease or food. Use nonslip mats in your bathtub or shower. Those are a few of the basicis. You can hire a geriatic care manager to evaluate your home.

Fall-prevention step 3: Keep moving

Activities such as walking and water workouts are great for aerobic activity.You can even try tai-chi ,which is very popular. These activities reduce your risk of falls by improving your strength, balance, coordination and flexibility.

Fall-prevention step 4: Wear sensible shoes

High heels, slippers and shoes with slick soles can make you slip, stumble and fall. Have your feet measured each time you buy shoes. Buy properly fitting shoes with nonskid soles. Choose shoes that lace-up shoes instead of slip-ons.

Fall-prevention step 5: Light up your home

Keep your home brightly lit with 100-watt bulbs or higher to avoid tripping on objects that are hard to see. Don’t use bulbs that exceed the wattage rating on lamps and lighting fixtures since this can present a fire hazard.

Friday, January 4th, 2008

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that The Treasury Department is set to offer a prepaid debit card for Social Security recipients. The Treasury Department has chosen Dallas-based Coamerica Bank as the card issuer.The report said the card is targeted at Social Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients who don’t have bank accounts, and is also aimed at providing cheaper and more secure payments by shifting away from paper checks.

Source: www.reuters.com

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

If you are planning an early 2008 retirement, now is the time to contact Social Security!

Don’t let yourself be concerned by the possibility of traffic, bad weather or waiting rooms. Simply apply now through the Social Security’s Internet website at www.socialsecurity.gov and check off one more item on your busy fall schedule and upcoming holiday season.

If you are not quite ready to retire yet but are thinking about doing so in the near future, you might want to visit Social Security’s website to use the convenient and informative retirement planner at www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/ . You can find out just how close you are to meeting your financial goals to retire and then save it to your favorites to be able to get right back to the site!

Please visit www.socialsecurity.gov for more information.

Wednesday, October 31st, 2007

THE FIRST of the 80 million American baby boomers have started applying for their Social Security benefits from a system that cannot afford to pay them! In only three years, they start going on Medicare.

The government has known for decades we were going to have a mass of Americans applying for mediacre and getting their social security checks, but little has been done to adjust either system to handle it. Given life expectancies, the number of Social Security recipients in 2030 will be about 84 million and the number of people on Medicare will hit 79 million!