Are you caring for your aging parents? If so, then you already know how heavy a burden it can be, emotionally and financially. But even if your parents don’t seem to need your assistance now, there’s a growing likelihood they will in the years to come, and the more prepared you are for your new…
By Kirk Larson, Social Security Washington Public Affairs Specialist During the month of April we observed both Ex-Spouse Day and Tax day. These two observances are extra important if you are an ex-spouse, because Social Security pays benefits to eligible former spouses. In addition, you may need to have claimed this income on your tax…
Here at AgingOptions a great number of the retirement-related questions we get involve Social Security benefits. It’s surprising how much misinformation there is about this program that touches so many millions of lives. That’s why we’re always on the lookout for articles that help people better understand this vital government-run system of benefits. Here’s one…
What is the one illness we tend to be most afraid of – the one we fear more than cancer, stroke or heart disease? The answer probably does not come as a surprise: it’s Alzheimer’s disease. But this fascinating article we recently discovered on the website of Kaiser Health News sheds new light on this…
The members of Congress enjoy one of the best retirement plans in America. But that doesn’t stop them from coming after yours! So says this recent article from the pages of the Wall Street Journal. Writing in the Journal, financial columnist Jason Zweig warns that, as part of its tax reform deliberations, Congressional negotiators have…
If you’re like millions of Americans, you’ve read over the past decade or more that sugar-laden soft drinks and other sugary juices are bad for your health. So over the years you’ve made the switch to diet soda, because it’s the healthier choice, right? Guess again. Diet soft drinks have been connected with a wide…
By Kirk Larson, Social Security Washington Public Affairs Specialist Social Security is a critical federal program that promotes income stability among millions of households in the United States. Social Security is always evolving to meet the needs of the American public. We’re optimistic about the future and the limitless possibilities for progress. Much of the…
Here’s a startling statistic: more than 800 Americans break a hip every single day. Most of those are seniors, and the overwhelming majority of those injuries – which can prove devastating, even life-threatening – are caused by falling down. For many years doctors have concentrated chiefly on treating the after-effects of falls. But now a…
What if you heard of an epidemic that was causing up to 125,000 deaths each year in the U.S.? What if this epidemic was also responsible for 10 percent of all hospitalizations in the country, and was costing the American health care system well over $100 billion annually? And what if you discovered that this…
According to an article we recently read on the website of the authoritative Forbes magazine, there may be big changes coming in the way consumers pay for long-term care (LTC) insurance. If you’re considering buying an LTC insurance policy or know someone who is, you owe it to yourself to read this timely article. At…
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