Retirement

By Bev O’Shea, Next Avenue Susan Nilson was hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles with her pit bull-Labrador rescue dog, Maggie, when a rattlesnake bit her pet in the face. A frightening few hours followed, as Maggie was transferred from Nilson’s regular veterinarian to a specialty animal hospital, where she required four

Since January 1, 2023, there has been a cap on insulin for Medicare beneficiaries. The cap applies to those who have Part D prescription drug coverage, whether through a stand-alone plan or as part of a Medicare Advantage plan. (The cap also applies to insulin administered via a pump under Part B, medical insurance.) P

The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP, M3P or MP3) will take effect January 1, 2025. It will allow those who have Part D prescription drug coverage to spread the costs out over the year, instead of paying all at once. As with anything that is brand-new, this plan can be confusing. Because drug plan enrollees

Vice President Kamala Harris said she wants to create a home-based long-term care benefit under Medicare. She’s suggesting an historic change in the health care system for older adults and some younger people with disabilities. But the Democratic presidential candidate’s idea raises important political and policy questions. Harris describes the broad outlines of her plan

As expected, the start of Medicare Open Enrollment Period revealed major changes in the availability of plans and pricing. The biggest changes are in Medicare Advantage plans and Part D prescription drug plans. We knew significant changes were on the way because of announcements from major insurers and policy changes from the Centers for Medicare

Introduction So, I joined a new gym and am working with a personal trainer. During any workout trainers and clients always shoot the breeze and somehow it came out that I was an estate planning attorney. So, Tom asked “Can I have a card my mom needs a simple will?” I replied that I doubt

“Evaluating your life through the lens of your death is raw, powerful, and perhaps a bit scary,” writes author and entrepreneur, Shane Parrish, in his excellent book, Clear Thinking. But despite our hesitation to consider our inevitable demise, he thinks it’s worth exploring because, “What matters most becomes clear.” Clarity around what matters most is

By Chris Farrell, Next Avenue Mention college and the conversation swiftly turns to student loans — with good reason. The current loan-based system to pay for postsecondary education is failing too many students, including a surprisingly large number of debtors nearing or in their retirement years. For one thing, $1.6 trillion worth of student loans

This year’s hurricane season brought a stark reminder that nobody is safe from the traumatic impacts of severe weather. Hurricane Helene brought devastating once-in -1000 years flooding to part of Appalachia considered relatively safe from those effects. In fact, Asheville, NC, was called a “climate haven” before the hurricane. Hurricane Milton quickly followed, wreaking havoc

With October in full swing many people are grabbing their favorite pumpkin-spiced drink and re-watching their favorite horror movies featuring ghouls, ghosts, and other creepy supernatural creatures. However, for many people, the spookiest and scariest things in life are closer to home. Recently, Paul Long of New Way Forward wrote an article titled “Retirement Isn’t