Update on 2014 Affordable Care Act

Now that January, 2014 is only a few months away, it is becoming clearer how the Affordable Care Act will be implemented.  Like millions of other Americans, I recently received a letter from my insurance carrier, Kaiser Permanente, that provided more information about what to expect in the coming months.

These changes will have a major impact on many families and it is important that all of us stay informed so we are prepared to make the best decision for our family.  In addition, you may want to read my earlier blog post, "Help Soon for Boomers Without Health Insurance," to learn a little more information about how the the new health insurance exchanges will work.

Brief Overview of Heathcare Reform Changes

As of January 1, 2014, nearly everyone in the United States will have new health insurance opportunities as the result of the Affordable Care Act.  Here are some facts you will want to know:

Nearly everyone will be required to purchase health insurance or they will pay a penalty on their taxes at the end of the year.  At the end of the first year the penalties will be minimal, allowing people time to become accustomed to the change.  Gradually, the tax penalties will increase.

Every state will operate a Health Insurance Marketplace or Exchange.  Open enrollment begins in October, 2013.  You will be able to purchase insurance either in person, through the mail, by phone or on a website.

You cannot be turned down for health insurance, even if you are currently being treated for a serious illness such as cancer or diabetes.  You will no longer be required to have a medical review prior to approval.  People who have been unable to purchase an individual insurance policy in the past will now become eligible.

You may be able to get financial assistance to pay for your insurance and your out-of-pocket expenses.  The amount of assistance you get will depend on your income.  Kaiser gave the example that a single person earning less than $45,000 a year will be eligible for some financial aid.  This will be a tremendous help to a lot of single people and young families who are currently uninsured.  It could also help Baby Boomer couples when one of them is old enough for Medicare and their spouse is not.  If the older spouse is retired and their family income is low, they will be able to get financial assistance to help with the cost of health insurance for the younger spouse.  Since I have known several Baby Boomer couples who were faced with this situation, this could literally be a life-saver.

The Affordable Care Act requires four levels of coverage.  These have been called Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.  Bronze plans will have the lowest premiums and the highest co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses.  At the other end of the spectrum, Platinum plans will have the highest premiums and the lowest co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses.  These four options will give everyone the choice that best meets their budget and healthcare needs.  Regardless of cost, all of the policies will have the same basic benefits such as a free annual physicals and certain diagnostic tests.

In addition to the plans mentioned above, there is also a catastrophic plan option.  This is only available for young adults under the age of 30, as well as families and older individuals who can show that they are not covered under an employer provided plan or an affordable individual plan.  The catastrophic plans will have even lower premiums and higher co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses than the Bronze plan mentioned above.  They will also provide the same basic benefits as the other plans, such as a free annual physical and preventative tests.  It's main purpose is to make it possible for everyone to have a comprehensive annual physical so that illnesses are caught early, when they can be treated most economically.  The catastrophic plan will also provide protection against crippling medical bills in the event of an emergency or serious illness.

If you currently have health insurance, over the next few months your carrier will be providing you with information about the changes you can expect to your policy.  Each company will have their own versions of the various plans for their customers to review. For those of you who do not currently have health insurance, you will find additional information in the coming months on this blog, as it becomes available.

Planning for Retirement

If you want more information to help you with your retirement plans, you may be interested in reading some of the articles listed in the index links shown below.  Click on the category that interests you and you will discover an introduction and a links to related articles on each topic:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Baby Boomers


You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of stethoscope courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Traditional IRA vs Roth IRA

As you save money for retirement, you may be confused about whether you would be better off sticking with a traditional IRA or moving your money to a Roth IRA, instead.  Both are great retirement tools, and there are advantages to each.  Recently, the April, 2013 edition of the AARP Bulletin addressed this very question (pg. 28). While there is no answer that is right for everyone, learning a few important facts about each type of retirement savings plan may help you make the decision that will work best for you. Here is some information that will help you compare the two.

Traditional IRA

The traditional IRA is what most of are are accustomed to using for our retirement savings.  They are a great way to save tax deferred income that you will be able to withdraw when you retire.  Here are some facts you should know about this type of savings:

You can put $5500 a year in an IRA or $6500 if you are age 50 or older.

When you initially invest the money in the IRA, that money is not subject to income taxes.  This reduces the amount of taxes you owe in the current year.  The taxes are deferred until you withdraw the money. This will reduce your tax liability during your working years, which can be a major benefit to families who want to save for retirement and reduce their taxes at the same time.

However, if you make early withdrawals, they may be subject to taxes and penalties (there are some exceptions).  When you die, any remaining money that is passed on to your heirs is also subject to income taxes.

You will not pay income taxes on the money until you begin to withdraw it when, presumably, you will be taxed at a lower tax rate than you currently pay.  On the other hand, once you do begin to withdraw your IRA savings, the additional income could increase the tax rate some people actually do pay on their retirement income.  In other words, if your Social Security income alone is low enough that you would not be required to pay taxes on it, adding annual disbursements from your IRA could mean that more of your income is subject to taxation.  This will not apply to everyone, but it could apply to people who will be withdrawing large amounts from their IRA's.

Mandatory withdrawals are required beginning at age 70 1/2.  You can no longer contribute to a traditional IRA after that time.

Roth IRA

The Roth IRA works quite differently and is an excellent retirement option for people who expect that their tax rate will be about the same after retirement as it is now.  However, the taxes on the money that is invested in a Roth IRA are not deferred.  Savers must be willing to pay income taxes on the money during the year the money is earned.  Here are some additional facts you will want to know about a Roth IRA:

You can invest up to $17,500 this year, and $23,000 if you are age 50 or older.

As mentioned above, when you put the money in your Roth IRA account, you will still include it as part of your earnings on this year's tax return, and you will pay income taxes on it.

The Roth IRA has the advantage that you can make early withdrawals at any time, without penalty, so you can treat your Roth IRA as a savings account.  Since you already paid taxes on the principal, you do not owe taxes or penalties on your initial investment when you withdraw it.  In addition, if you hold the money in your IRA for at least five years and you reach the age of 59 1/2, the dividends and capital gains you earned  on the money over the preceding years will be also be tax free when you withdraw these funds.  

Paying the taxes up front can be a big advantage if you expect to hold the investment for a long time and you believe that your investments could increase substantially in value.  This can potentially give you the income you need in your later years while keeping your tax rate low.  In addition, your heirs can inherit the funds tax free.

You do not have to withdraw your money at age 70 1/2.  In fact, if you are still working at that age, you can continue to contribute to the Roth IRA.  

Can You Change Your IRA Designation?

If you have money in a traditional IRA and you want to put it into a Roth IRA, it is possible to make the change as long as you are willing to pay taxes on the money during the year when you make the transfer. 

If you don't want to pay taxes on all the money you have in your traditional IRA in one year, you can spread the transfer out over several years.  

Which IRA is right for you?  That depends on many factors.  As always, you would be wise to discuss this decision with your CPA and your investment adviser.  No one choice is right for everyone.

If you want to learn more about factors that could affect your retirement planning, you may also be interested in reading the information in the index articles listed below.  Each one contains links to a number of helpful articles on that topic.

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement

You are reading from the the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo courtesy of www.morguefile.com

 

Pros and Cons of Reverse Mortgages for Seniors

Many Baby Boomers have decided that they do not want to move to a retirement community or anyplace else when they retire.  Instead, they plan to age in place. They love their current home and neighborhood, and they have no intention of going anywhere.  For those retirees who have a lot of equity in their homes, most believe that they will have no problem continuing to live in their home.  After all, if home repairs are needed or medical bills pile up, they blithely assume that they can simply get reverse mortgages and tap the equity in their homes.  In some cases, this is a reasonable solution that has made it possible for thousands of seniors to remain in their homes.  However, in far too many situations this complicated type of loan has resulted in the loss of the family home along with all the equity that had been accumulated in it.  Before a homeowner considers this option, borrowers need to understand the advantages and disadvantages.

What are Reverse Mortgages?

Reverse Mortgages are loans that allow homeowners to borrow against the equity they have built up over the years. The homeowners do not make payments on the loan and the loan is not repaid until they either die or move out of the house. 

To qualify, the borrower has to be at least 62 years old.  They must either have paid off the house entirely or have a small enough mortgage that they can pay it off when they take out the reverse mortgage.  This loan is available to any homeowner, regardless of their income or credit rating. 

As mentioned, you do not have to repay the loan or even make payments on it until you either move out or die. However, you are expected to continue paying the annual property taxes and insurance bills on your home, as well as any homeowners' association fees and maintenance expenses.  If you fail to pay for the insurance and taxes, the company that gave you the reverse mortgage can declare you to be in default and foreclose on the home ... forcing you to move out.

Pros of Reverse Mortgages

There are advantages to these loans for some people, and they are certainly one tool that many have used to improve their quality of life as they age.

For example, if someone on a small fixed income is having trouble keeping up with their mortgage payments, a reverse mortgage can eliminate those payments for the rest of their life.  This may make it possible for them to continue to live in the home for years without house payments.

In addition, if someone has other debts such as large medical bills that they cannot afford, a reverse mortgage may enable them to pay off all their debts (including their remaining mortgage) and eliminate the payments.  Again, this can allow them to remain in their home for years and make it easier for them to survive on a small fixed income.

Cons of Reverse Mortgages

Unfortunately, not all the news about reverse mortgages is positive.  According to the April, 2013 edition of the AARP Bulletin, about 58,000 (or one in ten) of these mortgages end up in default.  Here are some of the problems:

People frequently take these mortgages out as soon as they can, often before they are even retired, and use the the money to finance their lifestyle.  If they face a real emergency in the future, they no longer have any equity left in their homes.  If the home requires major maintenance, such as a new roof, they are unable to come up with the money to make the repairs.  The federal government is concerned about these issues.  Skip Humphrey, who runs the Federal Office for Older Americans at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has expressed concern that many borrowers are taking out these loans as soon as they turn 62.  The Bureau feels that these loans are more appropriate for people who are in their 70's or older.  (March, 2013 AARP Bulletin)

In addition to taking the loans out too soon, some people get into trouble with them because they cannot afford to pay the property taxes and insurance.  They may start out using some of the borrowed money to pay these bills during the first few years after they take out the loan.  However, eventually they run out of this cash and cannot borrow more.

There are problems with these loans for married couples, too.  If the older spouse takes out a reverse mortgage while the younger spouse is still too young to qualify, the younger spouse will be kicked out of the home when the older spouse dies.  This can be a serious problem for the younger spouse who risks losing their home and all the equity in it at the very time when they are also distraught  over the loss of their spouse.  Frequently, the home is only real asset the couple may own, and the result can be that the surviving spouse is left destitute.

Finally, many people do not realize that the up-front fees on reverse mortgages can be $10,000 or more, and these fees are financed as part of the loan.  

Proposed Changes to Reverse Mortgages

The AARP Foundation and some other organizations have filed suit to force changes in the ways that these mortgages are handled.  The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has also begun to make some reforms to these loans.  Among the proposed changes are:

Protecting surviving spouses;
Getting stricter about deceptive advertising;
Requiring a financial assessment before these loans are approved;
Requiring set-asides to cover future expenses such as taxes and insurance for a number of years.

Hopefully, the benefits of these loans will be preserved while some of the disadvantages will be minimized.


If you are interested in learning more about how to get the most out of your retirement planning, look through the five index articles listed below.  Each one contains links to nearly all the articles that have been written for this blog.

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement



You are reading from:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of home courtesy of:  http://www.morguefile.com

Retire to Friendly Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

For those readers who hope to retire in the Northeast and are looking for charming small towns, low taxes, and appealing retirement communities, one area to consider is Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  This county is in the center of Pennsylvania Dutch country and has a large Amish population.  Last year I wrote an article on one of the retirement communities in the county, named Garden Spot Village, and thought my readers would enjoy knowing more about this growing retirement mecca.

Reasons to Retire in Lancaster County

There are a number of reasons why retirees are being attracted to this lovely area.  The number one comment that I have heard over and over again is the small town friendliness.  For people who are used to living in some of the big cities on the Eastern seaboard, this is very appealing.

Lancaster County is also in a convenient location for people who do not want to move too far away from their grown children and grandchildren.   Depending on exactly where you settle within the county, it is approximately 90 minutes from Philadelphia, two hours from Washington, D.C., and three hours away from New York City.

Low taxes are another attraction for retirees.  The sales tax is 6% and groceries, clothing, prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines are exempt.  The state income tax is a flat rate of 3.07% of your taxable income, and your Social Security benefits and both private and public pensions are exempt from the state income tax.  This means that many retirees will pay little or no state income tax.  Property taxes vary throughout the county, so new residents may want to take that into consideration when they decide where to settle.  In one estimate I saw, the property taxes on a $167,000 house would be $6,805 in the city of Lancaster and only $4,041 in the Ephrata Township.  This is a significant difference, and should be taken into account when choosing where to live.  However, for people who are moving out of the large metropolitan areas in the East, just the fact that they can find homes in the $160,000 price range is a welcome advantage to living in Lancaster County.

Retirement Communities in Lancaster County

Currently there are at several communities for residents over the age of 55 in Lancaster County.  Here is a little information about each of them, as well as their phone numbers in case you want more detailed information or would like to arrange a visit.  Since this article is being written in 2013, interested readers will have to check on pricing, since it will change over the years.  However, the prices listed below will give you a general idea what you expect.

Traditions of America at Mount Joy
(717) 492-4529

New homes ranging in price from about $225,000 to over $300,000.  There is a clubhouse and pool.

Home Towne Square
(717) 283-5790

Developed by nationally known Landmark Homes, prices for single family homes range from about $250,000 to around $310,000.   There is a clubhouse as well as walking and hiking trails.

Heritage Strasburg
(800) 325-3030

Built by Charter Homes & Neighborhoods, this 55-plus community is on 28 acres conveniently located adjacent to the main street in the town of Strasburg, Pennsylvania.  Homes range from approximately $225,000 to over $300,000.

United Zion Retirement Community
(717) 626-2071

Another choice in Lancaster County is United Zion Retirement Community.  According to its website, it is "a friendly, faith-inspired Life Plan Community .... which offers independent living cottages and apartments, personal care, and skilled nursing services, including short-term rehabilitation."

Willow Valley Retirement Communities
(800) 770-5445

This is a continuing care retirement community where you can start out in an independent living apartment and gradually move into a skilled nursing or memory support facility as the need arises.  Residents pay a purchase price which ranges from $73,500 to $428,500 to move into the community plus a monthly fee of over $1,235. 

Garden Spot Village in New Holland
(717) 355-6000

You will want to read more about this popular community by reading last year's article which I have linked here: Garden Spot Village.  They offer a nice selection of retirement apartments, cottages and homes, with continuing care available when needed.  The apartments start at about $81,000, with cottages and townhomes going up in price to over $300,000.

Healthcare in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

In addition to the retirement communities that offer skilled nursing facilities, there are also excellent hospitals and medical centers in the county.  Among them are Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster Regional Medical Center (affiliated with Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute), Heart of Lancaster Regional Medical Center in Lititz, and Ephrata Community Hospital.

If you are interested in learning more as you prepare for retirement, you may want to use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this article, or check out the index articles shown below.  Each one contains links to a wide variety of additional articles on those topics:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


Sources of information:

www.gardenspotvillage.com
Where to Retire Magazine, March/April 2013
www.uzrc.org
www.en.wikipedia.org

You are reading from the blog:  http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of  North Duke Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania courtesy of www.wikimedia.org.

What If You Can't Afford to Retire?

Once again a report on Yahoo! Finance relayed the grim message that the majority of Baby Boomers have so little savings that many of them believe they will never be able to retire.  In the article entitled "5 Things to Do When Retirement Savings Fall Short" by Lisa Scherzer,  the author reported that 57% of workers have less than $25,000 put aside in either investments or savings.  In her article, she focused on ways to cut your housing expenses in order to afford to retire.  However, while this is a major area where Baby Boomers may want to reduce their expenses, there are many other actions they can take, as well.

Despite the alarming numbers we keep hearing that indicate approximately three out of five Baby Boomers cannot afford to retire, the purpose of this blog is to help people explore their options and discover the many ways they actually can retire, no matter how bad the numbers sound.  I want to help people have a fun and fulfilling retirement, regardless of their financial situation.

In fact, many of us will have to retire whether we think we can afford to or not.  While a low savings rate may cause us to feel that we will never be able to stop working, the truth is that most of us will need to leave our current jobs sooner or later.  Some types of careers have mandatory retirement ages; in other cases, health issues may force us to stop working full-time earlier than we expected.  Most of us cannot rely on the idea that we will simply work until we drop.  We need to have some sort of a plan.  Fortunately, there are actions you can take that make it possible for nearly everyone to retire someday, even if they have very little money in savings.  You may not be able to stay in your current living situation or drive the types of cars you currently own, but most people have discovered that there are a number of ways they can simplify their lives and still have a happy retirement.

Where to Make Cuts

The first thing we all need to do is figure out where we can cut our expenses.  The Social Security Administration recently reported that people who are over 55 generally split up their expenses in the following ways:

35 % to Housing, Utilities and Related expenses
14 % to Transportation
13 % for out-of-pocket medical expenses
12 % for food
21 % for state income taxes, travel, debt servicing, insurance, clothing, and other expenses
05  % for entertainment

Your personal expenses may be a little different.  The first step you need to take is to list how much you currently spend in the same categories and see how your expenses compare.

Cut Your Housing Expenses

One of the suggestions that was made by Ms. Scherzer in her article was to move to a state with a lower cost of living.   In particular, she recommended Florida, Nevada, Texas and Washington because those states do not have a state income tax.  In comparison, California has a 9.3% tax on the incomes of single people who earn more than $46,766 a year.  She also suggested that some people may want to move to another country with a lower cost of living.  These suggestions are being followed by thousands of Americans, as we have discussed in this blog in the past.  At the end of this article, you will find links to a number of articles about many of these alternative retirement locations.

However, not everyone wants to move somewhere totally new. As I mentioned in my last blog post entitled "Age in Place Villages Provide Resources in Your Neighborhood," many people wish to stay close to their families when they retire.  Therefore, pulling up roots and moving to another location may not be a desirable option.  In fact, if you spend a lot of money traveling to see your loved ones, there may not be much savings at all in a distant move.

This does not mean that it would be impossible for you to cut your housing expenses.  Here are some other suggestions:

Move to a much smaller and cheaper home
Rent out a room in your current residence
Refinance your current home to a lower monthly payment
Get a roommate, particularly a close friend or relative
Move in with your adult children (preferably in your own attached apartment)
Apply for Section 8 subsidized senior housing, if your retirement income is exceptionally low.

This last choice benefits many low-income retirees every year.  A friend of mine recently moved his mother into a senior apartment complex here in Orange County.  While rents for one bedroom senior apartments in the complex typically run $1300 a month, she will be able to substantially reduce her costs by using Section 8 vouchers.  She qualifies for this help since her Social Security benefits only amount to $1400 a month. 

We have other friends who are also benefiting from Section 8 vouchers.  Two recently retired Baby Boomers we know were both successful businessmen in their younger days.  However, due to financial setbacks, they both lost most of their money just prior to reaching retirement age.  Both of them applied for and received subsidized senior apartments in a safe community where they feel comfortable, independent and able to remain near their families and friends.

If you are afraid you cannot retire due to financial setbacks, contact the state housing authority in your area to find out if you qualify for assistance.  In addition, contact you local Social Security office to see if you qualify for Supplemental Security Insurance, food stamps, assistance with your Medicare premiums, or other benefits.  If not, you may want to try one of the other options listed above in order to cut your housing expenses.  Once you have cut your housing expenses, you will also want to reduce your other expenses, as well.

Cut Your Transportation Expenses

If you are one of those people who spend 14% or more of your monthly income on transportation, this is an area where you may be able to make cuts.  If you are a couple, do you need two, large cars?  Is there reliable bus service in your area?  Can you get by with a Smart Car, a golf cart or another inexpensive vehicle to use as your primary vehicle or as a second car for your spouse?  If you are no longer commuting to a job, you may discover that you can easily get by with a much less expensive vehicle to own and maintain.

Cut Your Medical Expenses

One woman I know is married to a doctor and they have always chosen to use a PPO insurance plan.  Recently, she told me that they had switched to a low-cost HMO Medicare supplemental plan because all the doctors they saw through their PPO were also listed in the HMO.  She saw no reason to keep paying the higher premiums. 

In my case, I recently joined Kaiser Healthcare.   Kaiser's Medicare Advantage plan is listed as a 5-Star program, yet the premiums are quite low.


Cut Your Miscellaneous Expenses

As mentioned above, one way to lower your cost of living after retirement may be to move to another state where there are no state income taxes.  However, another big expense that falls into the miscellaneous expenses category is debt servicing.  Are you still paying off student loans to put your kids through college; do you have large credit card bills, or similar expenses?  If so, you will want to pay off or renegotiate these loans so that you can retire.

You'll notice that I have not mentioned cutting your entertainment expenses.  Most retirees spend a minimal amount of money in this area.  What is the point of retiring if you cannot spend any money at all for entertainment?  While you don't need to go overboard, everyone should budget a little money in this category, even if it is just for a movie with a friend once a month.

Some other miscellaneous expenses that fall into this category may include items such as life insurance or long-term care insurance.  If you are single and no one depends on you, you may decide that you no longer need the life insurance.  On the other hand, long-term care insurance is almost certainly worth keeping.  It will allow you to have your future expenses covered should you need a home health aide or skilled nursing care in the future.  If you have been fortunate enough to already have one of these policies, I would not let it lapse.  It could save you a substantial amount of money in the future.

Get a Part-time Job

As mentioned many times in the past on this blog, there are a number of ways to earn money after retirement.  You might want to work part-time, give lessons, write books and articles, babysit, or run errands for your elderly neighbors.  You may also want to work in your current field, but cut back on your hours.  Any money you earn can go a long way towards having a more comfortable retirement once you retire from your current, full-time career.

Your Personal Retirement Plan

The point of this article has been to encourage you to not to give up on your dream of retiring from your full-time job in your late 60's.  Look through the suggestions that have been made here and pick a few that you think will work for you.  Begin to implement them as soon as you can, even before you stop working.  In this way you will have the confidence to know that one of these days you can take that giant leap of faith and retire from your job one day one day soon.

 
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You can find additional retirement information ideas by clicking on the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page or checking out the information you will find in the index blog posts below.  Each of these articles contains an introduction followed by links to a number of articles related to that topic:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo of retirement ribbon courtesy of www.morguefile.com