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☆ How to talk to your aging parents about safe driving
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Chris Taylor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

One person may represent a danger on the roads at age 65, while another may be perfectly fine at age 85. Upgrades can help them stay safe, including technologies to keep drivers from drifting out a lane, backup cameras and various other detection systems. Special licensing requirements for elderly drivers can help screen out problems with vision and cognition. Some states require more frequent renewal for older drivers, or demand regular vision checks, or prohibit online renewals altogether. For a few hundred dollars a year, you could get a $1 million policy that should let everyone sleep better at night – both you, and your parents.

☆ Romance Scams Are Booming — Especially on Facebook and Instagram
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Eve Upton-Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Americans lost $1.3 billion to romance scams last year — an 164% increase from 2019 — and $3.3 billion in total since the start of the pandemic. According to the FTC report, the most popular way scammers reached out to their victims last year was through Instagram (29%) and Facebook (28%). And as these schemes get more widespread and more complex, the number of people falling for romance scams keeps growing. Confluence of crypto and romanceIf loneliness was the reason "why" for the soaring number of romance scams, then crypto is the "how." 1 payment method for romance scams last year was cryptocurrency.

☆ 5 ways to file your taxes for free this season
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

IRS Free FileIRS Free File offers free online guided tax preparation for your federal tax returns and some state filings if your adjusted gross income was $73,000 or less in 2022. It's a good option for those who have simple returns, don't need ongoing tax planning advice and could benefit financially from the free service. Although 70% of taxpayers qualify for IRS Free File, only 2% used it during the 2022 filing season, according to the National Taxpayer Advocate. Tax prep for older AmericansOlder Americans may also qualify for free in-person and virtual tax help through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. The program works with VITA and Tax Counseling for the Elderly, or TCE, which also provides free tax preparation for those who qualify.

☆ The racial retirement savings gap remains wide – How these state IRA programs are working toward equity
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Indeed, about 64% of Hispanic workers, 53% of Black workers and 45% of Asian American workers have no access to a workplace retirement plan, according to AARP. State-facilitated individual retirement account savings programs have stepped in to attempt to close that racial savings gap. As of the end of January, there were more than $735 million in assets in these state-facilitated retirement savings programs, the center found. How it worksRather than competing against large corporate retirement plans, state-facilitated retirement savings programs turn their focus toward an underserved corner of the market: small businesses. Most of these state programs require businesses to either offer a workplace retirement plan or to help automatically enroll their workers into the state's program.

☆ 'P-Valley' star Brandee Evans shares how she balances her career with being a caregiver to her mother who has MS
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Brandee Evans does just as much work off-screen as she does in her role as "Mercedes" on the popular TV series, "P-Valley." When she's not filming, you can find Evans caring for her mother, who has multiple sclerosis. I literally was breaking down in my health, my mental health and my physical health, because I was trying to do it all," says Evans. Still, Evans equates managing her work and caregiving with walking "on a tightrope." Here's what Evans has learned along the way and tips for those who help care for a sick loved one.

☆ Elder financial fraud is a $3 billion-a-year problem. This bill in Congress aims to help prevent it
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Seb_ra | Istock | Getty ImagesA bill that's pending in the Senate aims to battle a persistent danger to older adults and other vulnerable individuals: financial exploitation. The bill would "provide folks on the front line with the tools necessary to help prevent exploitation," Jennings said. Called the Financial Exploitation Prevention Act of 2023 and sponsored by Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., the bill cleared the House last month in a unanimous bipartisan vote. watch nowA nearly identical version of the bill that cleared the House in 2021 ended up languishing in the Senate. Older adults with cognitive challenges are the most vulnerable to exploitation and may have up to twice as much stolen than those without those issues.

☆ House GOP asks Fauci and dozens of health officials to testify in investigation into Covid origins
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

House Republicans have asked former White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony to testify before Congress as they launch a new investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. "If there are oversight hearings I absolutely will cooperate fully and testify before the Congress," Fauci told reporters during his final briefing at the White House. He stepped down from his posts at the White House and at the helm of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in December. EcoHealth Alliance provided funding, which originated at NIH, to the Wuhan Institute of Virology to study coronaviruses. About $600,000 of that money went directly to the Wuhan Institute of Virology to study the threat posed by bat coronaviruses.

☆ Ron DeSantis backed deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare while in Congress. Trump is ready to hammer him for it ahead of 2024.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Trump has made it clear that he will attack DeSantis' past support for changes to Social Security and Medicare. It would have also increased the full retirement age for Social Security to 70 as well. The AARP tore into Ryan's proposal at the time, particularly for its proposed changes to social security. Trump has made it clear that he would not propose cuts to Social Security and Medicare and is ready to attack 2024 nomination challengers who have in the past. Insider couldn't find any comments he made at the time, but he was far from the only Republican or even the only Florida Republican to vote against the bill.

Millennials have lived through two recessions and might be facing a third as their parents retire. Talking money with your parents isn't going to be fun, but it's a good idea to know their status. A major part of that preparation is figuring out where the money will come from to care for their parents. Decide who can provide the financial caretakingSo should millennials be saving for their parents' care? But Williams, the financial planner, doesn't advise millennials to focus their saving efforts on their parents' care.

(Some partners also offer free state filing.) This is an opportunity many people overlook: About 70% of Americans qualified for IRS Free File in 2022, according to the Taxpayer Advocate,, but only 2% actually used it. Even if you meet the income requirements, Free File might not have the forms you need. If you don't meet the income requirement for Free File, you can still use the site's fillable forms. Bottom lineThere are lots of ways to file your taxes for free, whether that's with the IRS or a commercial tax software company.

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If you only need to file a simple tax return or meet certain income requirements, you can file your taxes for free, using programs sponsored by the IRS or online tax software. Use IRS Free FileIRS Free File is a free online service for filing taxes designed by the IRS. Roughly 70% of Americans were eligible to use IRS Free File last year, but only 2% actually used it. It also won't work for you if you have business or self-employment income, income from rental property or stock sales, or unemployment income. Or, if you prefer a free tax software with no paid upgrades at all, consider Cash App Taxes (formerly known as Credit Karma Tax).

☆ Seniors urge Congress to protect Social Security, Medicare ahead of State of the Union
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

President Joe Biden speaks about protecting Social Security, Medicare, and lowering prescription drug costs, during a visit to OB Johnson Park and Community Center, in Hallandale Beach, Florida, on Nov. 1, 2022. Kevin Lamarque | ReutersSocial Security and the debt ceiling debateThe future of Social Security and Medicare have increasingly come up in the debate around the debt ceiling. Both Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have vowed to keep changes to Social Security and Medicare off the table. That would include Social Security's pension and disability, Medicare Part A and highway trust funds. Social Security changes require bipartisan support

☆ As some retirees worry about surprises this tax season, these resources may help
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Seniors may also seek help from other tax professionals this year to meet the April 18 deadline to file their federal returns. Where to find free tax helpAARP's Tax-Aide program is the largest volunteer-based tax assistance program in the country, according to Lee-Villanueva. The program works in collaboration with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, and Tax Counseling for the Elderly, or TCE, programs, which provide free basic tax return preparations to individuals who qualify. The government temporarily made the child tax and earned income tax credits more generous during the Covid pandemic. Tom O'Saben director of tax content and government relations at the National Association of Tax Professionals

Donald Trump told the GOP to leave Medicare and Social Security cuts out of debt ceiling negotiations. But former President Donald Trump is warning the GOP to keep social spending programs out of it. "Under no circumstances should Republicans vote to cut a single penny from Medicare or Social Security," Trump said in the video. However, in the lead-up to Trump's 2020 run, the former president embraced abandoning a payroll tax that helps fund Social Security. Republicans and Democrats have sparred over Medicare and Social Security for years, with Republicans routinely looking to cut benefits for both programs.

☆ As state-run retirement programs become more popular, participants are expected to have $1 billion in savings this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Within the last decade, 16 state legislatures have adopted retirement-savings programs targeting workers whose employers don't offer a 401(k) plan or similar option. Contributions to Roth accounts are not tax-deductible, as they are with 401(k) plans or similar workplace options. "We've seen a growth of new 401(k) plans in those states that have adopted auto-IRAs," said John Scott, director of Pew's retirement savings project. Limitations to the state programsThere are limitations to the state programs. For example, they do not provide a matching contribution as many 401(k) plans do.

New legislation working its way through Congress could improve retirement security for U.S. workers. The plan is part of a stopgap spending bill, and it includes a provision that would automatically enroll eligible employees into their company's retirement plan. Under the new legislation, employers could consider a worker's student loan payment to be the equivalent of a 401(k) contribution and match it accordingly. Finally, the legislation offers a 100% tax credit to businesses with 50 employees or fewer for the cost of maintaining a 401(k) plan. "It’s a bill that helps all income levels and all different types of workers and retirees," Richman, of the Insured Retirement Institute, said.

☆ Arizona Democratic Party official says voters feel that Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has 'totally turned her back on the people who got her into office'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced she would leave the Democratic Party on Friday. An Arizona Democratic official said Sinema "turned her back" on the people who voted for her. Michael Slugocki, the vice-chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, said Sinema "has no constituency group in Arizona" anymore after her announcement on NBC's Meet the Press on Friday. "They feel like she's totally turned her back on the people that got her into office," Slugocki said on Meet the Press. —Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) December 10, 2022Sinema announced on Friday that she would be leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an Independent.

We're here to clear up common misconceptions and help consumers find the best no medical exam life insurance options. Accelerated underwriting life insuranceAccelerated underwriting may seem like a given with no medical exam life insurance. Because of public records information, the pricing on this type of no medical exam life insurance is most likely comparable to standard life policies. Whether due to age, prescription history, or other medical history, buyers should have life insurance alternatives involving a medical exam. How to pick the best life insurance policy for youParticularly when choosing life insurance, customization is critical.

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☆ How Trump’s legacy became ‘pure poison’ for independents
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Ronald Brownstein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Among female independents, Trump’s ratings were even worse: just 23% favorable and 72% unfavorable, according to previously unpublished exit poll results provided by the CNN polling unit. Trump’s unfavorable rating hit a comparable 69% among independents with at least a four-year college degree. That was a significantly smaller advantage than the double-digit lead among independents Democrats enjoyed in both the 2020 presidential race and the 2018 contest for the House. While Democrats held the presidency, Republicans won independents by double-digits in House elections in the midterms of 2014, 2010 and 1994. Gretchen Whitmer won 59% of the independents with degrees and 56% of women independents.

☆ The Caregiver's Lament: How to handle the costs of care
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Chris Taylor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In fact, the United States has 53 million unpaid caregivers, according to a study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and the AARP. No wonder 62% of caregivers for loved ones with disabilities or special needs report being overwhelmed by financial stress, according to Fidelity. However, “programs do exist at the federal and state level to help families and caregivers,” said Dyvonne Body, author of the Aspen Institute report. “In our surveys, 46% of caregivers don’t even think to ask about benefits like that,” said Fidelity’s Stoddard. Long-term care insurance helps with issues like home healthcare and nursing homes, with policy premiums generally cheaper the earlier you secure coverage.

☆ Analysis: ‘Welcome to Chippendales’ strips down a true crime origin story
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

So in the coming weeks, we shall be switching things up and putting a little meat on the bone. Three things to watch‘Welcome to Chippendales’Kumail Nanjiani in a scene from Hulu's "Welcome to Chippendales." This new limited series, starring Kumail Nanjiani and Murray Bartlett, among others, also doubles as a true crime tale. Let me grab my dollar bills now, because the first two episodes of “Welcome to Chippendales” are streaming now. Grime is a British genre of hip-hop/electronic music, and Stormzy is one of its best-known stars.

☆ Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has big campaign cash advantage over GOP's Herschel Walker going into runoff election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock's campaign has almost three times as much cash on hand as Republican candidate Herschel Walker's heading into the final stretch of Georgia's runoff Senate election, according to new Federal Election Commission filings. Warnock, who is trying to defend his seat in a tight race, had just over $29 million on hand as of Nov. 16. Walker, a former NFL player and favorite of ex-President Donald Trump, had over $9.8 million on hand heading into the final weeks of the election. Warnock's campaign raised $52 million during that time period, compared with Walker's nearly $21 million, records show. In the midterms, Democrats flipped Pennsylvania's GOP-held Senate seat and defended contested seats in Arizona and Nevada.

☆ I'm a 56-year-old IT worker who got laid off last year and have been unemployed ever since. I have a hunch I'm not finding work due to ageism. How do I prove it?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Workers ages 50 and over have a harder time finding work than younger workers, research shows. I'm not sure why I'm not getting them, but I suspect ageism has something to do with it. Research indicates that after the Great Recession, it took older workers who were displaced about twice as long to find a new job as younger workers. What's more, older workers who were unemployed for six months or more had far worse outcomes in reemployment, including 59% who made less money than in their previous job. To prove age discrimination, you have to show that your age was the difference between being hired and not, as opposed to some other legitimate rationale.

The runoff race between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican nominee Herschel Walker remains tight in Georgia, an AARP poll finds. Fifty-one percent of all likely voters have a favorable view of Warnock, while 45% of likely voters in the same age group view Walker favorably. Forty-five percent of likely voters have an unfavorable view of Warnock, while 49% view Walker unfavorably. Walker's favorability rating is only above 50% among Republicans, men over age 50, voters over age 65, white voters and voters without a college degree. Meanwhile, Warnock's favorability rating is above 50% among all likely voters, voters under age 50, Democrats, independents, women, Black voters and voters with a college degree.

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