Consumer Issues Tips on Protecting Yourself Against Robocall Scams
May 29, 2019 Herb

Are you unaware of Caller ID Limitations?  Are you underusing ‘Do Not Call’ Registry?  If your aswer is “yes,” don’t feel alone.  According to a newly released survey from the AARP Fraud Watch Network, while most Americans suspect that most of the automated messages (called “robocalls”), few are taking actions to protect themselves. Photo Credit: Social Security Matters, Social Security Administration  An estimated 48 billion robocalls came into the United States last year. Nearly half of U.S. adults surveyed by AARP said they receive seven or more robocalls per week With its efficiency to make mass…

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Consumer Issues AARP Report Says Seniors Are Shouldering Student Loan Debt
May 20, 2019 Herb

Carrying student loan debt into your retirement years can make it especially difficult to cover your retirement expenses.  A growing number of seniors are defaulting on paying their federal student loans and as a result are seeing decreased  tax refunds and part of their Social Security benefit withheld to repay the loan. According to a report released by the Washington, DC-based AARP Public Policy Institute (PPI), student loan debt his skyrocketing across age groups, and older American’s are taking a hit by financing college education for their children, grandchildren and other family members. Federal Reserve data shows that Americans owed $1.5 trillion in student loan…

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Healthcare News New Jersey Governor Proclaims May as Older Americans Month
May 15, 2019 Herb

Line Dancing at Senior Center New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has issued a proclamation recognizing the month of May as “Older Americans Month” (OAM).  The month has been designated by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as OAM and New Jersey embrace the national theme for this month, “Connect, Create and Contribute. According to Murphy’s proclamation, there are 1.8 million New Jersey residents who are aged 60 and older.  He says that individuals continue to play an important role by continuing to contribute their life experiences, wisdom…

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Consumer Issues FBI Releases the IC3’s 2018 Internet Crime Report
May 6, 2019 Herb

Elder Fraud Photo Credit: Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reminds seniors that cruising the internet can be hazardous to your pocket book.  The statistics (gather complaints in 2018 – an average of more than 900 every day) by the FBI’s internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for 2018 reveal that internet-enabled theft, fraud, and exploitation remain prevalent and were responsible for a whopping $2.7 billion in financial losses in 2018. The FBI’s annual internet crime report pulls together information from 351,936 filed complaints of suspected internet crime, with reported losses in excess of…

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Healthcare News Senate Bill to Crack Down on Fraud Targeted at Seniors Clears Senate Committee
April 29, 2019 Herb

About two weeks ago, S. 512, The Seniors Fraud Prevention Act of 2019 authored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) cleared the Senate Commerce Committee (ordered to be reported without amendment favorably) and now awaits consideration by the full Senate.   The Seniors Fraud Prevention Act would help fight scams designed to strip seniors of their assets by helping educate seniors about fraud schemes and improve monitoring and response to fraud complaints Schemes directed at seniors include fraudulent investment plans, prizes, sweepstakes, Internet fraud, charity scams, predatory home lenders, telemarketing and…

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Healthcare News Social Security Trustees Report Systems Financial Health Improving
April 22, 2019 Herb

A Social Security Check… Photo Credit: National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare The Social Security Board of Trustees today released its 2019 annual report on the long-term financial health of the Old-Age Survivors Insurance (OASI) and Disability Insurance (DI) Funds.  The report notes that the combined funds reserves are projected to become depleted in 2035, one year later than projected last year, with 80 percent of scheduled benefits payable at that time. The DI Trust Fund reserves are estimated to become depleted in 2052, extended 20 years from last year’s estimate of 2032, with…

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Healthcare News Taking a Nap May Lower Your Blood Pressure
April 14, 2019 Herb

Photo Credit: National Institute of Health Why not catch some midday z’s?  According to new research study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 68th Annual Scientific Session on March 18, taking a nap may do more than reenergizing and improving your mood, it may also result in a noticeable drop in your blood pressure when compared with those who don’t take naps. The benefits of napping were similar to what would be expected from things like lifestyle changes and medication. “For example, salt and alcohol reduction can bring blood pressure levels down by 3–5 mm Hg,”…

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Healthcare News New AARP Study Puts the Spotlight on Grandparenting
April 8, 2019 Herb

Grandparents with Grandchildren Photo Caption: U.S. Census Bureau Today, the Washington, DC-based AARP released its Grandparents Today National Survey, taking a close look the latest trends impacting the growing number of American’s who have become grandparents.  Since 2001 the number of grandparents has grown a whopping 24 percent from 56 million to 70 million. The online survey of 2,654 grandparents ages 38+ was conducted between August 20 and September 4, 2018. According to AARP’s research study, released on April 8, grandparents spend an average of $2,562 annually on their grandchildren, pumping $179 billion dollars per year…

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