Scams related to Medicare this year include low-cost or free knee or back braces, or great deals for genetic testing. This year, scammers may demand that you send a gift card or wire money in exchange for not suspending your benefits.   Just Hang Up. Medicare will almost never call you, unless you have called them first. Neither will the IRS. If you get a phone call seeking your personal information like your Medicare number, Social Security number or bank account information, just hang up, especially if they get demanding or they call back repeatedly. Of the 332,000 reports
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Take Charge of Your Retirement Journey! We invite you to join us for a free educational workshop. The course is based on the retirement principles taught in Eric L. Scott’s book, The Five Crossroads. You’ll learn… Tax Reduction Ways to potentially reduce taxes on federal and state income, capital gains, dividends, interest and more… How tax burdens may affect the surviving spouse Retirement Income Analysis Strategies to enjoy your lifestyle income by maximizing Social security income, pension benefits, investments and more… Ways to replace income lost for a suriving spouse Risk Management How to uncover the hidden risks that can derail
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Ingredients 1-lb bulk pork sausage 1 celery rib, chopped 1 medium carrot, chopped 1/2 medium onion, chopped 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 20 wonton wrappers Directions In a large skillet, cook sausage, celery, carrot and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, 10-12 minutes, breaking up sausage into crumbles, drain. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine pumpkin, cream, wine and spices. Heath through (do not allow to boil). Preheat oven to
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  EASY RECIPE From “The Food Network,” Serves 4 Ingredients: 12 ounces fresh linguine 6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 3 cups cherry or grape tomatoes 1 shallot, thinly sliced 2 large eggs 1/3 cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese, plus more for topping 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest Freshly ground pepper, salt 1 cup fresh basil, torn Directions: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1-1/4 cups cooking water, then drain the pasta; set aside. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large nonstick
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  CROSSROAD #3: RISK MANAGEMENT In Eric Scott’s book The Five Crossroads, written to lay out the principles of retirement planning that he has developed over his 30 years of experience as a financial advisor, the third crossroad that pre-retirees Sue and John reach is the “Risk Management” crossroad. In the narrative, the Guide in the book explains that, “Risk management is about building from a position of strength and support so you can plan for the worst while hoping for the best.” There are several things that could happen to negatively affect your retirement dream. Things like health issues,
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  Looking for your next getaway adventure? Here are four options – fun in every direction! 7 Hours North: Bear Lake Nestled in the mountains between the Utah-Idaho border at an elevation of 5,923 feet, Bear Lake is a natural, freshwater lake called the “Caribbean of the Rockies” for its unique turquoise-blue color, which is created by the refraction of light on the water’s suspended limestone composition. With sediment cores dated back to 250,000 years, Bear Lake is known by geologists as one of the oldest lakes in North America; it’s possibly several million years old. There’s plenty of American
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  You have seven more years to potentially save yourself a lot of money in taxes As you know, the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” changed the income tax rates and tax brackets for individuals starting with the 2018 tax year. What you may not know is that the changes for individuals are temporary and will expire in 2025, meaning that for the 2026 tax year, they will revert back to 2017 levels. You need to act now in order to potentially take advantage of current lower rates.   THE MYTH OF THE LOWER TAX BRACKET IN RETIREMENT Taxable ordinary
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Ingredients 1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 pound) 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1/2 lemon, juiced (about 1 tablespoon) 1 pinch sugar Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons fresh mint, roughly chopped Directions Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the eggplant cubes, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and salt directly on a quarter sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes, or until caramelized and tender. Turn off the oven. Season the cooked eggplant with the lemon juice, sugar, black pepper, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch more salt if
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What’s Your Handicap? Many golfers, when asked that question, won’t be able to give an accurate answer. If you play regularly it’s a good thing to know. The purpose of the handicap system has always been to attempt to level the playing field for golfers with various abilities. Terminology There are a few terms you need to know to truly understand the handicapping calculation. A Handicap Index, issued by a golf club or golf association compares a player’s scoring ability to a scratch golfer* on a course of average difficulty. This number reflects a player’s potential score and is based
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  Gery and Paul Bryson have been married for 35 years. Gery officially retired from nursing in 2006, although she has started a new career as a one-of-a-kind jewelry artist. By choice, Paul is only semi-retired from the police force, having launched a computer forensics business in St. George in 2006. He also works as a realtor due to his lifelong passion for residential architecture.   ABOUT GERY Gery was a nurse and still has her RN license, working for insurance companies for 19 years in case management, and in a hospital for 11 years before that. She decided on
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