Page 8 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - February 2017 - 24-02

Page 8
Senior Times - February 2017
Senior Times
WHERE 50 IS A PLUS
Published by Scene Publications,
A Division of W.W. Thayne Advertising Consultants, Inc. 4642 Capital Avenue Southwest Battle Creek, Michigan 49015-9350 Administration — (269) 979-1411 Advertising — (269) 979-1479 FAX — (269) 979-3474 Email: ssherban@wwthayne.com
Publisher & Executive Editor............. Sherii Sherban Advertising Consultants........................... Pat Fosdick ....................................................................... Sally Goss Marketing / Administrative Asst . Christyn McCleary Staff Photographer / Artist .................. Keith Sherban Artists.................................................... David Sherban .............................................................. Matthew Travis ......................................................... Frederick DeRuiter Publisher Emeritus .......................... Richard DeRuiter
updates on your
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SOCIAL SECURITY
Senior Times of South Central Michigan is published twelve times per year by W.W. Thayne Advertising Consultants, Inc. Senior Times is distributed free through our advertisers, area profes- sional offices, and key points of interest throughout South Central Michigan. To be added to the distribution list contact Christyn McCleary at extension 301.
Senior Times is also made available by mail subscriptions for $20 per year. To subscribe call Christyn McCleary at (269) 979-1411 ext. 301. Due to bulk rate restrictions, copies of Senior Times are not forwarded automatically by the U.S. Post Office to recipients when they move or are tempo- rarily away. Please contact Senior Times with your new address before you move or are temporarily away so we can update the mail list and provide you with uninterrupted service.
Opinions expressed by writers in Senior Times are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of Senior Times or W.W. Thayne Advertising Consultants, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
CHANGE TO FULL RETIREMENT AGE IN 2017
“Full retirement age” refers to the age when a person can claim their Social Security benefits without
any reduction, even if they are still working part or full time. In other words, you don’t actually need to retire from your work to claim your full benefits. Also note that wait- ing until you’re 70, if you can, will bring you a higher monthly benefit. The choices you make will affect any benefit your spouse or children can receive on your record, too.
If you claim benefits early, it will reduce their potential benefit as well as yours.
As the bells rang in a new year, they also rang in changes in 2017 for people considering claiming Social Security retirement ben- efits. For people who attain age 62 in 2017 (i.e., those born between January 2, 1955 and January 1, 1956), full retirement age is 66 and two months.
Full retirement age was age 65 for many years. However, due to a law passed by Congress in 1983,
it has been gradually increasing, beginning with people born in 1938 or later, until it reaches 67 for peo- ple born after 1959.
You may start receiving Social Security benefits as early as age
62 or as late as age 70. The longer you wait, the higher your monthly benefit will be. Your monthly ben- efits will be reduced permanently if you start them any time before full retirement age. For example, if you start receiving benefits in 2017 at age 62, your monthly benefit
Matters
amount will be reduced permanent- ly by about 26 percent.
If you wait to start receiving your benefits until after your
full retirement age, then your monthly benefits will be perma- nently increased. The amount of this increase is two-thirds of one percent for each month – or eight percent for each year – that you delay receiving them until you reach age 70.
If you pass away, your retirement date can affect the benefit amount your surviving loved ones receive.
If you started receiving retirement benefits before full retirement age, we cannot pay the full amount to your survivors. Their benefit amount will be based on your reduced ben- efits.
You can learn more by visiting our Retirement Planner at www. socialsecurity.gov/planners/retire.
Question: If I retire at age 62, will I be eligible for Medicare?
Answer: No. Medicare starts when you reach 65. If you retire
at 62, you may be able to continue medical insurance coverage through your employer or purchase it from a private insurance company until you become eligible for Medicare. For more information see our publica- tion, Medicare, at www.socialsecu- rity.gov/pubs, or call us at 1-800- 772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
Vonda VanTil is the Public Affairs Specialist for West Michigan. You can write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49525 or via email at vonda.vantil@ssa.gov.
Stacey Lott
Attorney at Law
Estate Planning & Elder Law
269.963.8222
130 East Columbia Avenue Battle Creek, MI 49015
www.staceylottlaw.com
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Of The Heart
Vonda VanTil, Special to Senior Times
By: Jane Johnson, RN, Life Coach
Being connected is at the heart
of being human. How we connect is different for each person but equally as necessary. There have been some studies of Senior Citizens who, due to physical, cognitive or living arrange- ments, are connection deprived. Praise the Lord you take time to visit. Visits, lunches, suppers, or just plain conver- sation.
Many times, due to time con- straints we direct the conversation when all they want is to be heard, time enough for spontaneous con- versation.
Sometimes we put off needed vacations or times away, or surgeries because we feel obligated to the visit. After over 25 years in Senior Care
I praise the Lord for all of you who visit.
Here are a few ideas to help you get the life you need:
1. Put together a group of people that
your loved one knows. Set up a schedule of visits while keeping them and communication open with an online group.
2. Rotate joining them for a meal once a week.
3. Plan weekly or monthly outings or bring something in.
4. Engage them in a book or a movie or a game.
5. Gifts become more difficult with aging so how about giving the gift of visits.
• Sometimes that could be nail or hair care.
• How about a massage?
• Or how about a hired visitor?
When it comes to “Matters of the Heart” I believe I can be of assistance. As a Life Coach, RN, Past Assisted Living Community Manager, and prior to that years of nursing, I feel qualified to be a hired visitor. Let me be your paid-for visitor to free you for periods of time. Another avenue that these visits could help with would be areas of understanding and facilitating the role of advocate. It is for sure that we are not only our own advocates
in healthcare but also the advocates for those we love. Let me help you explore the questions you have and
as a Medical Professional let me help you understand the circumstances and the follow through options. Time is
an unreplaceable commodity so let’s make the best of it. I can be reached at (269) 209-9562 and feel free to review my Web Site that is being rebooted; www.thejourneywithjane. com.