Websites to Help Protect Your Identity

If you are like most people, you probably feel as though your identity has been sold so many times that everyone in the world must have your name, address, Social Security number and other private information by now.  Identity theft is an ongoing problem and it seems to get worse every day.

However, there are still a few things you can do to protect yourself.  While no system is perfect, with the help of a few websites you can at least reduce the amount of information that can be used against you.

The first step you need to take is to limit the amount and kinds of information about yourself that is available.  Next, you need to know how to check your credit information to make sure it is correct and has not been contaminated by a company's carelessness or by someone who has been using your identity for their own purposes.  Then, learn how to keep your personal information private whenever you use social media.  Finally, consider using a credit tracking company to protect your identity in the future.  Below is the information you will need to do these things.

How to Get Yourself Off Phone and Mailing Lists

Everyone should contact the services below and have their name removed from as many lists as possible.  Start with these free services:

To Remove Your Name from Direct Mailing Lists:
www.dmachoice.org

or write:
DMA Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 643
Carmel, NY  10512

For Telemarketing Lists - Use the Government Do Not Call List:
www.donotcall.gov
1-888-382-1222

Remove the name of deceased individuals, whose identity is frequently stolen:
www.ims-dm.com/cgi/ddnc.php

Opt out of pre-approved credit offers:
www.optoutprescreen.com
1-888-5 OPT OUT

Remove your email address from internet or email ads:
www.dmachoice.org

How to Check Your Credit Reports

Everyone is entitled to free copies of their credit reports.  It is important that you check yours several times a year to make sure no one is taking out credit cards or opening accounts in your name.  You can contact the credit bureaus directly or you can contact them all at once by using the single service listed below.  Do NOT pay to get your credit reports.  If anyone asks for your credit card information, you are on the wrong site.

www.annualcreditreport.com
1-877-322-8228

Another site that provides free credit reports and will help monitor credit applications in your name is CreditKarma.com. 

https://www.creditkarma.com/

A third site that allows you to check your credit scores is WalletHub.com.  They will also monitor your accounts and you can join for free.  They also update credit scores and credit reports every day, so your information is always as current as possible.

https://wallethub.com

Learn How to Keep Your Information Private on Social Media

Both the police and criminals have become adept at using social media.  The police use it to catch criminals; the criminals use it to find victims.  You do not want to make yourself an easy victim.

Read the privacy information on sites like Facebook.  Make sure you use the tightest privacy settings possible.

Do not become Facebook friends with people that you do not know very well.  Unfriend people who you suspect are sharing your posts with strangers.

Just to be extra careful, do not post detailed personal information on social media, especially your travel plans.  Wait to post photos of your trips until after you get back home.  You do not want strangers to know that you are out-of-town.

In addition, reset your passwords periodically, especially if you think your account has been hacked.

Services that Protect Your Credit

In addition, if you are still concerned that your private information might be stolen, use a service like LifeLock.  For a monthly fee, they will give you your credit rating or report to you any attempt to open an account or credit card in your name.  If you are the person who opened the account, then there is no problem.  If you weren't the person, then you will be alerted and take immediate action.

www.lifelock.com

A free service which will also give you free credit reports and monitor credit applications that are made in your name is Credit Karma.

https://www.creditkarma.com/ 

Take Action to Protect Your Identity

With so many hackers and other criminals, it is important for all of us to do everything we can to protect our identity.  While we would like to think that the government and corporations are doing it for us, the truth is that they are not doing a good job of protecting us.  We have to make sure we do everything we can on our own.

Another step you can take is to ask your bank and credit card companies to send you new cards that contain chip technology rather than the "old-fashioned" strips.  The chips are much harder to hack.

If you are looking for more information to help with your financial planning or other information of use to retirees, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

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

Photo credit:  morguefile.com

Senior Living Communities for Baby Boomers

Senior living communities have many activities, today.

Occasionally, I allow retirement experts in specific fields to write a guest post for this blog, if I believe it is on a topic that would be of interest to Baby Boomers … either those who have already retired or those who are planning to retire.

The guest post below was provided by Jacqueline Hatch of Seniorly and deals with the ways in which senior living communities are changing so they will be more attractive to Baby Boomers as we age.   Seniorly helps match retirees with senior housing in California, but the information Jacqueline provides in this post applies to similar communities throughout the United States.

Whether we like to think about it or not, most of us will eventually need to spend a portion of our lives in an independent living retirement community, an assisted living facility or a skilled nursing home.  Many of us may have preconceived opinions about these types of living arrangements, especially if our parents or grandparents have lived in one.  However, Baby Boomers will be pleased to know that many of these types of residences have improved dramatically over the past few years.  The guest post below discusses some of the improvements you might expect to see in one of today’s senior living communities.  It also explains how you can find more information about living options in California, if that is where you want to retire.

Senior Living Communities Change to Appeal to Baby Boomers

by Jacqueline Hatch

Baby boomers entering retirement age have a different set of expectations when it comes to considering residency at assisted living, independent living, and skilled nursing communities. To meet these specific needs and preferences, communities are now transforming to improve their offerings, making their homes more marketable to a younger demographic.

Senior housing providers are looking to rebrand in order to highlight their full continuum of care, going beyond basic needs such as health care to offer more to their residents. It’s not uncommon for these communities to offer art and music classes, film nights, community outreach options, lifelong learning programs and even happy hours for the enjoyment of community residents.

After all, one of the greatest benefits of living in a care community is the socialization aspect. In their effort to attract boomers, communities are working to highlight the aspects of their programs that support socialization. Communal dining options, fitness classes and philanthropy opportunities all appeal to younger folks who want to remain happy, active and engaged as they age.

Our friends at Seniorly.com share articles and blogposts on the topics of aging, health care and fitness for older adults.

Get more information ontopics that matter to you at Seniorly >>

Do you need to find senior housing for yourself or a loved one? Make the search process easier by signing up with Seniorly for free; you’ll get access to local community profiles, as well as a friendly customer support team and information on pricing and availability.

*****

Are you looking for additional information on where to retire in the U.S. or abroad, financial planning, common medical issues, Social Security, Medicare or more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

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

Photo credit:  morguefile.com

New and Expanded Medicare Programs

Beginning in early 2016, Medicare has announced several new and expanded programs which could benefit millions of Americans.  This information is based on a longer article by Deb Jones, "Changes in Medicare for 2016 Include Expansion of Coordinated Care."  Readers can find links to the full article at the end of this post.

First, however, you will find an introduction to the 2016 changes.  If you need more information, you are encouraged to check out the full article which was originally published in The Daily Voice News.

The first change will be an increase in the number of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).  Medicare has been experimenting with this approach for several years and discovered that it has improved outcomes and saves money ... certainly the direction we all want to see Medicare going.  This new type of coordinated care will be expanded to include over 20 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries.

In the second change, Medicare has agreed to pay doctors to discuss Advance Directives with their patients.  This will allow people to have an in-depth discussion with their physician about end-of-life decisions.  In my personal experience, my HMO has classes to help patients go through their Advance Directive so they can decide for themselves what type of care they want at the end of their life, should they not be able to communicate their wishes when they are near death.  Advance Directives take pressure off family members who do not want to be responsible for making these final decisions.  In addition, Advance Directives allow people to think about and convey their wishes long before the time comes.

The third Medicare change would allow more people to receive some types of curative treatments while they are in hospice care.  Currently, patients cannot be in hospice care and undergoing any curative treatments other than palliative care, which is only intended to keep the patient comfortable during the last weeks or months of their life. This trial program is still in an experimental stage and may not be available in all locations.

Finally, Medicare is initiating a trial of a 90-day comprehensive treatment program for people undergoing joint replacement surgeries. 


Below is the introduction to a more detailed article about these Medicare changes.  For more information about any of the programs mentioned above, click on the title of the article or use the link below the Table of Contents:

"Changes in Medicare for 2016 Include Expansion of Coordinated Care"

As Medicare in the United States begins its 51^st year, there are a number of changes of interest regarding Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), counseling regarding end-of-life decisions and trial changes in areas such as hospice care and joint replacements.

1. Coordinated Care Expands to Encompass More than 20 Percent of all Medicare Beneficiaries

2. Medicare to Pay for Annual Voluntary Advance Directive Consultations

3. Medicare Begins Evaluating Hospice Care that Includes Curative Services

4. Medicare to Evaluate Trial of 90-Day Care for Joint Replacement Surgeries

The above intro was re-printed by permission from the author.  Read the full article at:

http://thedailyvoicenews.com/2016/01/25/changes-in-medicare-in-2016-include-expansion-of-coordinated-care/

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

If you are interested in learning more about Social Security & Medicare, common medical issues, where to retire, financial planning and more, use the tabs or pull-down menu at the top of the page for links to hundreds of additional articles.

Photo credit courtesy of @MedicareGov (Medicare.gov Twitter account)