Let’s Talk About Retirement

taca c asked:


I need to help a retiring family member 57. He had a steady job for 9 yrs + at home business for 5 yrs. Due to receive settlement from a on the job injury. Need to resolve tax issue NOW. Yes he has most of his records (80%).

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Michele Rogers asked:


More and more the internet has become a part of a lot of lives. We find it easy to surf by most well we fear some purchasing on line. With the security features that most web sites have we should not hesitate to buy just what we want.

By using precautions online while we are buying is smart. Whenever you purchase your items, first be sure to check if you have a secure connection, by checking to see if somewhere on your screen you have a little padlock that is locked. By clearing all cookies when you are finished is another way to allow you to safely buy and surf.

Some retirees may wonder if the sites are secure themselves. Most are encrypted language, which will protect you. Be aware of emails that you receive, as some are scams. While some look harmless, read between the lines. Make sure you keep notes of recent purchases and the company from whom you purchased your item.

Remember when your parents told you never to give out your Social Security number? Well the time for that is past. Most places need it and will not set you up for pay plans or accept payments from you, such as utilities. Keep a list of where and when you gave your number, if there are any future problems, you can address them.

Lastly be sure that when you receive your billings statements that there is only one purchase on the card, for your item. Read you billings and be aware of your purchases. Keep your billings from your credit cards for about 5 months. That way if you forget whether or not you used your card you may be able to find a pattern if your card numbers were stolen.



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outspokenchick asked:


Is there an actual age limit? I’ve read 65, but is that accurate? What if they don’t want to retire at that age, can they continue to work as long as they feel well enough to do so, or do they have to retire and become like a volunteer if they wish to continue being at there place of current work?

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Ralph K asked:


NFL Players have some outrageous contracts that they sign, (Like Shawn Alexanders 62 million dollar contract in 2006), what happens to that agreement when they retire? Are they paid nothing? Is the team still on the hook for half?

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Dr. Cynthia Barnett asked:


Summer is a wonderful time to be outdoors and to be active. It is the vacation season for millions. But summer can be a very dangerous time as well. And, like it or not, once we reach the age of 65 or we develop heart disease or high blood pressure, we are at greater risk of suffering a heat-related illness during the summer. Here, then, are my top summer health and safety tips for retirees.

1. Know the symptoms of heat-related illnesses. The greatest risk, of course if heat stroke. But other problems can also occur due to summer heat. Thirst and less frequent ********* are signs of dehydration. Prickly heat bumps are a really irritating skin rash. Some people experience cramps and swelling of the hands and feet. It is also possible to experience heat exhaustion (clammy skin, paleness, dizziness, nausea, fever, and headache). Heat stroke symptoms include: sluggishness, rapid heart rate and breathing, confusion and irritability, high body temperature, intense muscle aches, fever, diarrhea or nausea and even fainting and convulsions. Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation. People suffering heat stroke need to get to a hospital immediately.

2. Drink lots of water throughout the day. Water cools and prevents dehydration. Be sure to drink lots of water throughout the day, not just with meals. Sports drinks are also helpful. But avoid drinks with a lot of caffeine, lots of sugar, or alcohol because they can cause you to lose more body fluids.

3. Be smart about physical exertion. It is best to limit exercise to moderate activity. Plan to engage in any activities that require great physical exertion either early in the day (before it gets really hot) or late at night (after the sun goes down and it cools off). You will find that you have more energy at these times and that you place yourself at less risk for heat-related problems.

4. Protect your skin. Protecting your skin with either a hat, clothing or sun screen will not only prevent an uncomfortable sun burn, but it will protect your skin against the damaging UV rays of the sun and protect you from potential skin cancer. Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30+ or higher is the best choice. If you plan to be in the water, it is important to use a water resistant sunscreen. You can also protect your face, neck and ears by wearing a hat with a wide brim.

5. Think about your clothing. Most of us dress for the occasion or the purpose. But as we grow older and our skin becomes more sensitive and our bodies are more likely to feel the effects of heat, we also need to think about what we wear a bid differently in summer. Of course, we want to wear cool clothing. Lightweight clothing is best, but with a tight weave, if possible to keep off the sun. Remember that natural fabrics breathe better than synthetics. And don’t forget that black clothing tends to absorb heat while white clothing tends to reflect it.

6. Know how heat and sun interact with your medications. Some medicines make us more sensitive to the sun (increased photosensitivity), more sensitive to heat, or more likely to become dehydrated. A quick conversation with your physician or pharmacist will alert you to problems that could arise due to your medications.

7. Pay attention to Air Quality Warnings. Breathing difficulties are more common as we grow older. Smog, pollutants, allergens and humidity can make it difficult to breathe. Check your television weather information or check online to see what the air quality is before engaging in strenuous activities or before deciding to spend time outdoors.

8. Don’t forget to protect your eyes. The UV rays of the sun can also damage your eyes, and will be uncomfortable, especially if you are developing cataracts. Always protect your eyes when outdoors by wearing tinted lenses, a hat with a wide brim, or sunglasses.

9. Stay as cool as you can. Staying indoors in an air conditioned place is the best way to protect yourself from the summer heat. Electric fans might be helpful, up to a point, but once the temperature passes the 90 degree mark, they really don’t do enough. If you don’t have air conditioning, you might want to visit a friend or family member, go to a public place, like a library, shopping mall, etc. or a “cooling center” to spend time in cooler air. Even a few hours in a cool environment can help you prevent heat-related illness. The best time to go to a cooling center is always during the hottest part of the day.

10. Rest. Try to space out your activities so you have time to rest between them. If you begin to feel the effects of summer heat, stop what you are doing and rest for a bit before continuing. The less active we are the less our bodies are stressed by heat.

In addition, be safe by paying attention to normal safety tips. When traveling, pull over to eat snacks. This year, we should all be particularly careful where we swim and especially where we dive since many lakes and ponds have been affected by this year’s droughts and have significantly lower water levels. And, be very careful with fire of any kind.

Copyright 2007 by Dr. Cynthia Barnett



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Kris Koonar asked:


The shortage of long haul truck drivers has given an opportunity to the empty nesters to prove them still work hard in one of the most dependable job. If you are retired and still have the zeal to work and add a little more to your pension, the local truck companies will surely hire you. This is because the there is scarcity of truck drivers for long haul, thus delaying consumer usable goods in the market. Most of the truck companies get applications from old people and retirees as truck drivers. The companies do not really mind hiring old people. In fact, the companies themselves admit that retirees have more working ability with truth and justice and are very reliable, as compared to the young drivers. The companies hire, train, and place you for long hauls.

Studies have shown that many women these days have also joined this industry. Old women join their husbands for this job as husband-wife team. The husband-wife team concept evolved a 90s, when many senior citizens would voluntarily approach companies for job; even after their retirement, age had arrived. The main idea of women joining their husband is that, women at that age do not have much work and their kids have already grown up and settled. So, instead of sitting at home, they tour with their husband. They get a free ride all around the country at the cost of the company. It is not necessary to have your wife along if you are a retiree, even single retiree can drive.

As it is advantageous for old people, it is also advantageous for the companies. Empty nesters demand for less, they have experience, it is not hard for them to locate routes and are reliable, this is what most of the truck companies expect from their drivers. An average retiree, as a truck driver earns between $45,000 to $50,000 annually and a husband-wife team earns about $70,000 to $85,0000 annually. This job lures many retirees too, because besides being a less tough job, it also earns them enough to survive and add to their pension.

Truck companies have been one of the major sources of providing employment to retirees and empty nesters. Truck companies bring in retired employees, explain them the job structure, routes they have to follow and time targets. Therefore, even if you new to the job and the routes, but want to work as a trucker, all you have to do is just approach a truck company with a CDL and the company will do the needful. Some of these companies even help you get a CDL.

There are some terms and norms these truck companies lay before they give you any commitments. They ask you for your medical report and reviews with your job applications. Some companies do the medical check in their associated private clinics. If you have any health related issues like high diabetes, fluctuating blood pressure, cataract, etc, you will stand less as a chance. This is because long haul truckers need to drive at least 16-18 hours a day, and have to cover many miles per day. They also have age and physique criteria for the truckers.

So go ahead, be confident, and hit the road.



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Crybaby Bob asked:


The Senior people in the military can not be trusted anymore than our politicians. They support large dollar programs that are unnecessary in order to make themselves salable to the military industrial complex on retirement.

Your tax dollars which you think are going to protect the country are being wasted to make a job for a General who is retiring and colecting $5000-$8000 a month for the rest of his life from the coffers of the PEOPLE. But they can’t behappy with that they need to rob you, sell your safety to be able to continue to slop at the trought.
Congress needs to reform laws to protect the soldiers from their commanders. And the people from its Military.
What do you think?
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,983949,00.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military-industrial_complex
http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1241.shtml
There are people that will sell themselves for money. You think cause a guys a general he’s apatriot? Benidict Arnold was a US General. They’re making deals and just because you don’t see it, I got stories. I’ve been around and I’ve been around where the deals have been made.
I bet every one of you who disagree with me are in the military probably enlisted and hope to get out someday and continue to work for some General at KBR.

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asked:


General Motors Corp. announced a couple of years ago that its salaried retirees will shoulder much more of their health care costs this year. This is an effort to save money for its restructure plan.

The raise in deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, co-payments and premiums will pay for the expenses that go beyond a payment cap the automaker set in 2006 on its salaried retiree health care tab. The cap sets GM’s annual liability for this group’s benefits at the level it paid in 2006. As health costs rise, salaried retirees will continue to pay more for their health care to make up the difference, reported The Detroit News.

Capping payments is the automaker’s solution to the intensifying rivalry in the global automotive industry along with the constant increase in health costs. The increases to salaried retiree health care costs this year will help GM make up the difference, some $45 million, between actual health care costs in 2007 and the cap, said Michelle Bunker, a GM spokeswoman.

The Detroit automaker spent $3.3 billion for retiree health care in 2006, a tab GM does not break down by salaried or hourly status. The automaker has 432,000 retirees, of which 100,000 are salaried.

The increases differ depending on the type of plan. But for most salaried retirees covered with an Enhanced PPO plan, the changes will cover an increase of plan deductibles from $500 to $750 for an individual and from $1,000 to $1,500 for a family. Also, it was announced that prescription co-pays for generic drugs will double from $5 to $10 for a drug filled at a retail location and from $10 to $20 for a drug ordered through the mail. Additionally, out-of-pocket maximums will surge from $1,500 to $2,000 for an individual and from $3,000 to $4,000 for a family.

Co-pays for preferred and nonpreferred drugs also will increase, and for the first time, the automaker will require retirees taking certain drugs to pay a co-pay higher than the one it has set for nonpreferred brand name medications, the report continued.

The changes are not sitting well with some retirees, who feel “cast adrift,” said Richard Dreist, who retired from GM in 1992 after 30 1/2 years. Dreist is appealing the automaker’s decision to slash coverage for Cialis, a drug he takes following a bout with prostate cancer. “It’s a quality of life issue,” he said.

Dee Edington, the director of the Health Management Research Center, at the University of Michigan, has this to say: “From the retirees’ point of view, it doesn’t seem like a very loyal program. On the other hand, it is a trend that GM is following.”

To further cut costs, the automaker will offer coverage for retirees who are eligible but do not enroll for Medicare Part B. It will only pay the amount Medicare would pay for care covered under Part B. Care covered include durable medical equipment and limited services thus leaving the retiree responsible for the rest of the bill.

But the automaker has a slice of good news for the upcoming year. GM will extend the number of days for which salaried retirees can get prescriptions filled at a retail pharmacy, from 21 to 30 days at a time.

“It really irritated people that they could only get three weeks at a time,” Bunker noted. “Retirees should be happy about that.”

GM has to take its plan seriously otherwise the company will be outpaced by other automakers. Other automakers like the maker of Dodge brake dust shields also are serious with their restructure plans.



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ibanchief asked:


Oh, it must be enviromental friendly.I believe in doing my part in preserving the enviroment.Hopefully be a modle for other farms in the area. I have a 7 acres piece of land with its own spring source which i find ideal for my plans. The land is a gentle slope ending in about an acer of marsh which i plan for some fresh water fish cultivation. My problem is no expertise in this field and quite limited in my funds,which is why i am asking for ideas.

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Heather asked:


A co worker of mine is retiring today and I haven’t got her anything- what is a good idea?

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