عنوان

The complete idiot's guide to Social Security and Medicare /

1592575196

9781592575190

b768340

The complete idiot's guide to Social Security and Medicare /

[Book]

by Lita Epstein.

2nd ed.

Indianapolis, IN :

Alpha Books,

©2006.

xxi, 324 pages :

illustrations ;

23 cm

Includes index.

pt. 1. Hatching the nest egg -- 1. Letting the chicks out -- Roosevelt to the rescue -- A declaration of security -- A civil idea -- Designing the safety hatch -- Passing the rules : 1935 Social Security Act -- Spreading the word -- 2. Social security grows up -- Implementing the plan : the Social Security Board -- Finding the folks : U.S. Postal Service to the rescue -- Crafting accounts -- Paying the bucks -- The 1939 Amendments -- A growing family -- Getting an early start -- More benefits = more costs -- The 1950 windfall -- Help for the disabled -- Medicare to the rescue -- Facing a money crunch -- 3. Today's security -- Looking at Social Security's bottom line -- Paying the bill -- Workers' and employers' bills -- Entrepreneurs' payouts -- Who doesn't pay -- Feeding the trusts -- Trust money rules -- Trust funds and the budget -- Weathering the baby boom storm.

pt. 2. Getting your share -- 4. It's all about me -- Something to live on -- Money for your spouse -- Support for your kids -- Protecting yourself if you can't work -- 5. Following the rules -- Your out-of-pocket costs -- How it works if you're employed by someone else -- How it works if you're self-employed -- Your time commitment -- Retirement requirements -- Disability dues -- Survivors and benefits -- Meeting Medicare requirements -- Credit poor -- Admitting your age : when older is better -- Starting the paper trail -- Correcting errors -- Getting your statement -- Didn't get a statement? -- 6. Counting your cash -- Cracking the payout rules -- Why you might get less -- Planning your strategies -- Collecting your stash -- Making contact -- Gathering the right documents -- 7. Timing your exit -- Your date to escape -- Your lifespan determines your income -- Early arrival -- Late to the party -- What timing is best for you?

pt. 3. Cracking open your nest egg -- 8. Picking up the pieces -- Dealing with a loss of a spouse, divorce, or disability -- Protecting your assets -- Making the right moves -- Protecting yourself from scams and fraud -- Suspicions of theft -- Fixing the mess -- Changing numbers -- 9. Partings not so sweet -- Social Security and divorce -- Timing is everything -- Spousal benefits -- Survivors' benefits -- No peeking -- Multiple marriages -- The remarriage trap : why so many seniors just live together -- Changing numbers -- Changing names -- 10. Hard choices after the death of a spouse -- Timing your actions -- Your benefit options -- Married with children -- Remarriage hurts -- Benefit options -- Government pension offset -- Making changes -- Women's differences -- Women's bigger benefit -- Women's future benefits -- 11. Children's share -- Dough for kids -- Getting kids' money -- Benefits for a disabled child over age 18 -- Supplemental income for disabled kids -- Meeting the criteria -- Continuing reviews -- New rules at 18 -- Applying for SSI benefits -- Medical care -- 12. Dependent parents' slice -- Learning the rules -- Caregiving resources -- Taking leave from work -- Finances and your dependent parents -- 13. Collecting disability -- Passing the test -- Establishing a work history -- Applying for benefits -- Determining disability -- Special rules if you are blind -- Collecting your money -- What if you are rejected? -- Avoiding benefit loss -- Staying in touch -- Going back to work -- How going back to work affects benefits -- Trial work period -- Extended period of eligibility -- Expedited reinstatement of benefits -- Continuation of Medicare -- Impairment-related work expenses -- Recovery during vocational rehabilitation -- 14. Supplementing income -- SSI : assisting the poor and disabled -- Rules for supplementing income -- Applying for help -- Collecting benefits -- Appealing the decision -- Reporting changes -- Reviewing your case -- Going back to work -- Getting a PASS -- Other help you can get.

pt. 4. Living right -- 15. Making ends meet -- Keeping your head above water -- Getting COLAs -- Stretching your bucks -- Track and rate your expenses -- Learn to live frugally ... before you need to -- Seeking community support -- Sharing your living space -- 16. Working again -- I don't want to quit -- Scouting the rules -- Using the formulas -- What counts as income? -- Special rules for the self-employed -- Special rules for the year you retire -- Reporting earnings -- Benefits of going back to work -- 17. Using your assets -- Identifying assets -- Integrating assets -- Using your investments -- Tapping you home equity -- Selling your house and moving -- Home equity line of credit or a new mortgage -- The reverse mortgage option -- 18. Minimizing the tax bite -- Tax rules in retirement -- Putting worksheets to work -- Overearning -- Adding children's benefits to the mix -- Withholding taxes from your benefits -- What is taxed? -- Retirement plan distributions -- Tax on early distributions -- Purchased annuities -- Railroad retirement benefits -- Military retirement pay -- What isn't taxed.

pt. 5. Staying healthy -- 19. Getting Medicare coverage -- Medicare : starting coverage -- If you're 65 and already collecting Social security -- If you're 65 and not collecting Social Security -- Buying into Medicare -- Should you apply if you are still working? -- What's in Part A -- It's not free! -- Benefit periods -- Your costs -- What's in Part B -- Preventive care coverage -- Don't forget those ugly exclusions -- Privatizing Medicare : Medicare advantage plans -- Sorting out the plans -- Determining what's best for you -- Why all the Medicare changes? -- Medicare rights -- Detecting and preventing fraud and abuse -- The future of Medicare -- 20. Paying for your drugs -- What the Medicare prescription drug plan covers -- Who is eligible? -- You're eligible, but take action carefully! -- Don't fall prey to slick marketers -- Are your drugs covered? -- Figuring out formularies -- Testing out the tiers -- Limiting your drug use -- Getting an exception -- Drugs excluded by law -- Finding a plan that covers your drugs -- Picking a pharmacy -- Understanding the costs -- Buying from Canada cheaper? : not anymore -- Generics will save you money -- Does the plan make financial sense if you don't use many drugs? -- How to enroll in Medicare Part D -- How to pay -- Getting help if you can't afford to pay -- Making a change -- Conducting a yearly review of your options -- 21. What's missing from Medicare -- Long-term care drain -- Home care services -- Affordable health care for the poor -- 22. Closing the gaps -- Closing the gap with Medigap -- Long-term care options -- Buy early and save -- Choosing coverage -- Your coverage options -- Continuous-care communities : are they for you?

pt. 6. What's next for the nest egg -- 23. Running out of money -- The multitrillion dollar question -- Future speculation -- What are the trusts? -- Who are the trustees? -- Draining the trust funds -- Medicare's troubles -- Social Security shortfall -- Long-range outlook for the funds -- After the trusts -- 24. Modernizing Medicare -- Dealing with the shortfall -- The battle of add prescription drug coverage -- New bill causes increases in Medicare premiums -- Improving information management -- Working with an outdated system -- Disease management programs -- Demonstrations for modernization -- 25. Rescuing Social Security -- Setting the stage -- The crisis isn't immediate -- The trust funds are real -- Key players -- The proprivatization side of the fence -- The fence straddler -- The antiprivatization side of the fence -- Private parts -- The cost of privatization -- The Kolbe-Stenholm bill -- Administering the accounts -- International players -- Looking at the UK -- Next steps -- 26. Following the changes -- Monitoring the government -- The administration -- Congress -- Tracking private advocacy groups -- Key research studies and Websites you shouldn't miss -- YOur role in Social Security and Medicare's future -- Appendixes -- A. Glossary -- B. Resources -- C. Special rules for state and local government workers.

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Presents a history of Society Security in the United States and covers the basics of collecting retirement benefits, disability benefits, Medicare, medigap, and privatization of Social Security.

Social security and Medicare

Medicare, Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Medigap, Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Social security-- United States, Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Medicare.

Medigap.

Social security.

United States.

7

Epstein, Lita.

20201206135553.0

[Book]

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