Money

Hey AARP!  You do realize that this administration doesn't give a rat's ass about your petition or protest or the pain they cause the general population.  We're just pawns to be manipulated.It's time that AARP gets political.  Not partisan, but POLITICAL.  You had a chance to alert your membership that Trump and Republicans were itching to implement these cuts in 2024, but you didn't, and Trump got elected, and now your membership will suffer for it.  Thanks a bunch.  And I mean that very sarcastically.

Today I will be discussing a type of scam that doesn't initially set off any red flags but the more you talk the more suspicious it becomes. This scam has been plaguing dating apps for some time; the main premises of this scam is for the scammer to get the victim to send explicit or revealing photos to the scammer. Who is posing as a beautiful woman on a dating site, then using those photos to blackmail a victim usually stating that the scammer will send the photos to loved ones and or your job unless a ransom is paid. I recently found myself as a potential victim of one of these scams. I was using a dating app and I seemed to match with this girl who was not far from me and recently moved from Oklahoma. I began a conversation that would last two weeks before she sent me her phone number. Me being me, I did a reverse phone number search and found that this number was registered to an elderly man in Texas. This was the first red flag I encountered, upon texting her directly the conversa

Last year the FBI logged over 48,000 phishing reports from people 60 and up, about double the year before. Almost all of it comes in by email. A friend's parent kept getting hit, so we sat down one afternoon and went through the account together. Here is what we did, in the order we did it. Do it with your parent at the keyboard, not you. It goes better.1. Two-step sign-in. Gmail: Google Account, then Security, then 2-Step Verification. Yahoo and AOL: Account Security, then Two-step verification. Use their phone number. Most account takeovers stop right here.2. Recovery email and phone. Someone who breaks in changes these first. Check that both belong to your parent or to you.3. Forwarding and filters. In Gmail that's Settings, See all settings, then the Forwarding tab and the Filters tab. If mail is being forwarded to an address you don't know, delete that rule. On accounts that have already been broken into, this is the thing I find most often.4. Devices and connected apps. Google Ac

I’ve been researching the challenges people face as they approach retirement, and I keep coming back to one question.There are already resources for Social Security, Medicare, finances, healthcare, estate planning and more—yet many people still seem overwhelmed.Do you think the problem is not enough information, or that there’s already so much information that it’s difficult to know what applies to you and what to do next?I’d really like to hear from people who are retired or approaching retirement.

[Monday 9/21/26 7:49pm ET]It seems EVERY YEAR of late I am getting "notified" about a DATA BREACH (my info compromised).I had stopped requesting my 3 FREE Credit Reports when I retired. Use to do it online EVERY YEAR.Decided I better start up this habit again.Tried to do it ONLINE, an issue.DIDNOT want to use the "mail in" option with all the dishonest postal employees, mail theft, lost mail & going to Post Office to buy a stamp. Been years since I have visited them or mailed anything.So it was the PHONE OPTION. Did good with this & ordered ALL 3.Well ONLY one has arrived. And way before the 15 days they say it would be received. NOT sure IF that was 15 biz days.Lol, the other TWO ARE STILL MIA. Will be a MONTH since ordering ALL THREE on the 25th of this month.Now I did REorder the "missing" two SEPARATELY after the 15 days. And spaced this out so as NOT to order on SAME DAY.➡️[*** Does anyone know what "options" we have IF we NEVER receive a report?I tried calling the Credit

So, let me tell you a little bit about myself.  I’m a 68 year old widow, who is having a rough time just covering the basic expenses.  I don’t look like the people in the AARP  ads, who are happily going on vacations, and spoiling their grandchildren with gifts.  But...I make JUST enough that don’t qualify for any assistance.  I live on Social Security, and a very tiny (less than $200) retirement check from my husband.  I know I can’t be the only one stuck in the “in between” group...not comfortably retired, but not “poor” enough for government assistance.I’ve gotten pretty good at saving money at the grocery store, but I’d love to hear what other people are doing.  Here are some things I do:*I forgot to mention that I am allergic to meat, so I can’t help with any meat ideas.​​​​​​​I bought a toaster oven, so that I don’t have to turn on the big oven for just one piece of fish, etc.  When frozen pizza is on sale, I cut it into fourths before I put it in the freezer.  The personal size

NO matter what age we are, handling our finances can be a challenge at times!!! [1] Do you have a budget? If yes, lol - do you stick to it? [2] What has/is helping you to keep your head above water each year? Hope to hear from you!!! Thanks,Nicole  🤑  (Budget & Savings Forum)

Really object to the ads appearing on AARP emails!!!The FL Senior Drivers ad is, in my opinion, SCAM! 

Dear AARP,Two years ago you published candidate interviews that greatly misled readers. Candidates will say what they think voters want to hear. I believe you are partially responsible for the election of the worst and most divisive president of all time.Now you are doing the same thing with the John James interview. Instead, why don't you publish voting records and facts, like...As a Congressman, James voted for HR1 that gave the largest benefits to the wealthy and will cut hundreds of thousands from the Medicaid Health Care and SNAP benefits they need to survive. How about...James repeatedly voted against reining in Trump's war with Iran and did not enforce the Constitution that says such wars must be decided by Congress. How about that? SOCIAL SECURITY — benefits weren't cut, but finances were affected.H.R. 1 did not reduce scheduled Social Security benefit payments.There is also a less-publicized consequence: the Social Security Administration's actuaries report that H.R. 1 reduces

Good Afternoon!  i just heard about the new Maryland FAMLI tax that will start on January 1, 2027 but the program doesn’t start until January 1, 2028.  How did this get approved?  we don’t need another tax that I will never use!  My company already has an FMLA program but I am about 4 - 5 years away from retirement.  So, like Social Security being threatened to be cut at the time i retire (after i have paid soo much into it!), now I am losing more of my precious paycheck for another program that i can’t use.  Can someone explain what this tax is really for and is there a way to stop it?  Thanks!

My husband and I have found ourselves just a few years from retirement and realizing our adult children are not yet financially independent and struggling in today's economy. Can any of you relate to this? The hardest part is having the conversations related to finances and the potential impact these could have on our relationships. We know we have to take responsibility for our own retirement future, but want to be able to support them in achieving their own financial success and happiness. Really want to connect with people who are sharing a similar life experience and navigating this challenging circumstance.

3 comments ➡️To reply, click on reply button at bottom of this post. Enter your text. Click reply button again. ⬅️ Read comments and/or comment. Do YOU agree or DISagree? 🤔 Feel free to ADD to this list! (1) Social Security. (2) Company or government pension. (3) Annuities. (4) 401(k) or IRA. (5) Roth accounts. (6) Stocks and mutual funds. (7) Bonds. (8) Savings accounts and CDs. (9) Part-time retirement job. (10) Paid-off house.

I started claiming my soc sec benefit at 62 in 2025.  My husband will start claiming his benefit in January 2027.  How do I now get the spousal benefit which will be higher than my current benefit?  Is there a form I need to send to the SSA?

I read in your monthly magazines regarding this Telikin Computer made specially for seniors and easy to use even if had no tech experience.  I called and he gentlemen told me it was better than any computer on the market that would cost you over $2,000.  He painted a picture of how easy it was to use and you had all the help you needed so you were able to do everything on this computer.  I bought this computer which coat me over $1000+ in Nov. 2021.  What happened when the computer got her I had to leave for Iowa to my daughter's and I did not get to set up this computer until May 2022.  This computer is the worse thing I have ever gotten.  There is no easy way of using it unless you are an expert tech.  To this date I have not been able to use the video chat because the salesman forgot to tell me the people have to have the Telikin Web site and it does not work on phones, people have to have a computer in order for this to work.  Mostly none of

We have five kids. Although we are not millionaires, I have determined that our finances at our current ages (86 and 80) are such that we can give the kids some money now, and not be left in financial straits. I would like the pleasure of doing that while we are still living. The problem is that three of our kids just scrape by, and the other two are quite well off. Have others faced this dilemma, and if so, did you give equal amounts to avoid any possible ill feelings, or did you give based on need? 

63, still working full-time, making $46,797/year.  SSA shows my payment would be $1574 (before they tax because of my work income). I'm just wanting to know what my *actual* payment would be after they tax the $1574 if anyone could explain it to me.  No other income is being touched until I retire.

Trying to find out if anyone thinks this retirement plan will work.My wife and I have a modest income of just under $50k a year. I am 59 and still working. She is 58 and on Disability. I plan on retiring early at 62. Our house is paid off and we have no major debt but owe some back taxes plus some consumer debt totaling around $25k.Our combined monthly income in retirement will be about $2,500 a month.I have a small 401k that nearly matches our total debt mentioned above and I plan on using it to pay that debt off at age 59 1/2.When my wife turns 62 we plan on doing a reverse mortgage on our $200k+ home. What do you think?

Taxes on sales of property  

This is just a PSA - When you or a loved one stops driving - DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR LAST DRIVERS LICENSE even after it has expired.  You can use it still to identify yourself with your insurance info at the docs office.  Showing a picture ID at your docs office is a way to stop someone else from using  your Medicare and/or Medicaid.  So it is becoming common place for the medical establishment to get your picture ID and retain a copy of it with your insurance info.    In some states, this old expired drivers license can last a very long time; maybe forever.  If you have thrown it away, in many states, maybe all, IDK,  you can get a senior picture IDs at the DMV.  In some states if you are incapacitated in going somewhere to get it, they have mobile units that can get to you for this purpose - you just need to have your verifiable info ready - your old expired drivers license is such a document - so it is just good to keep it.&

Raising the IRMA threshold  income limits are a very important issue for those of us on medicare and fixed incomes.    Is AARP putting resources towards support of this bill

We have been having problems with medical billing.  It must be some sort of 'corporation' that medical facilities or doctors can join to handle their payments.  The address is PO Box 14000, Belfast ME.  Primary Providers of Central Kentucky do their billing there, as well as a local Physicial Specialist.  We paid a bill in April through Truist Bank.  They wrote a check and it was mailed April 12th 2022.  The check was never processed and we started getting calls about the bill.  After calling the bank they said stop payment and pay with debit card.  Payment was processed again on May 3, 2022.  Have called two different 844 numbers and mailed proof of payment to two different e-mails.  In the meantime got another call about the bill, returned the call and they said it is cleared.  This involves sending bank statements.  Which I tried to black out the account number before I sent it.  But since then I have had to see a spec

I have an inheritance coming from a Non-qualified Annuity Contract. My portion is 29k.They say that 12k is reportable as a taxable distribution 0n form 1099-R. I haven’t had to file taxes for 3 years. I get 2385.00 SS a month and 833.00 pension. I’m 69 widowed and don’t own a home. Do I need to have taxes taken out or just pay later if due. 

We moved to consumer cellular in 2022. The service has degraded to the point of being unusable as of July 2026. Tech support is poor. The coverage in So. California is poor at best. Tech support makes excuses to the ATT partner services (towers) they rely on. Customer service support is a joke. We had a supervisor actually hang up during a call when we asked for his supervisor. They read from scripts, and have little knowledge when it comes to coverage issues. BEWARE OF CONSUMER CELLULAR!!!!

AARP Article 08/26/2026 - 10 Often-Underestimated Expenses in RetirementI am specifically going to point to the 1. Health care and wellness costs in this article. From the link:  [QUOTE]‘Of all the spending categories in retirement, this one, over time, will likely be the big tamale. A healthy 65-year-old man retiring in 2026 with original Medicare and a Medigap plan is projected to spend $297,000 on health care and medical treatment through the rest of his life, according to the 2026 Milliman Retiree health cost index. A healthy 65-year-old woman retiring in 2026 is projected to spend $340,000 for health care over the course of her life.If you’re in reasonably good health, these costs typically will be relatively low when you retire but can add up quickly as you age into your 80s and beyond . . . . Health care costs continue to rise — up 2.9 percent for the 12 months ending June 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).. . . . .  that trend is likely to continu

claiming Social Security early has a benefit that is rarely discussed. The combined annual benefit for my wife and I is about $45,000. Drawing this amount instead of withdrawing this from our IRA, allowing this amount to grow within the IRA. If invested in an S&P 500 ETF, this has earned roughly 15% each year for the past 3 years. In addition, the COLA has been 8.7% in 2023, 3.2% in 2024, and 2.5% in 2025. The ability to keep the equivalent amount of SS payments invested should be a consideration in everyone’s decision for when to claim early vs waiting to claim SS at full retirement age. My breakeven for claiming early is around 90 years of age, due to the investment returns… my recommendation is to claim early and stay invested!!!