MEDICARE & SS
The greatest challenge in financial planning is making the most of the benefits you earned by paying in to Social Security and Medicare. A mistake could not only be costly at application time; it could result in forfeiting benefits for the rest of your life. Learn here about Social Security, Medicare, Supplements and Drug Plans, and how to maximize your hard-earned benefits.
When should you start taking Social Security? It’s a decision potentially worth millions! Here are two online sources for advice:
T. Rowe Price Social Security Advice
Watch this short video, and use the resources here, to understand the huge impact of the decision about when to take Social Security, and how to coordinate benefits with your spouse to get the most out of Social Security. And use their retirement planning advice in their FuturePath tool to coordinate your overall retirement planning. Highly recommended.
Fidelity Social Security Calculator
https://communications.fidelity.com/pi/calculators/social-security/#sectionAge
Answer five quick questions, including age, gender, and current income — and get an overview of what starting too early will cost you!
Reaching age 65 and becoming eligible for Medicare creates significant decision points that will have an impact on your remaining years. Don’t make a big mistake. Use these resources:
Personalized Medicare Plan Advice from “Sixty-Five Incorporated”
https://www.65incorporated.com/
(262) 223-3433
Diane Omdahl and her team will guide you to making the best choices on when to sign up for Medicare, how to coordinate with employer benefits if you still have them, and whether to use Medicare Advantage. Don’t make costly mistakes that will impact your retirement. It’s worth paying their advice fees. They sell no products and are on your side. I have used Diane as a consultant on every article I write on this topic.
Medicare Part D Plan Finder Tool
http://www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan/questions/home.aspx
You need a drug plan, which is separate from your Medicare supplement if you are in traditional Medicare (as opposed to Medicare Advantage). You MUST review your Medicare Part D drug coverage every year, even if you take few drugs. The prices, plan inclusions, and pharmacies change every year. Use this simple tool at Medicare.gov to enter your prescriptions, dosages, and find the lowest overall cost. Remember, you must have Part D even if you currently take no prescription drugs.
Want help in your Part D Drug Plan search?
http://www.ehealthmedicareplans.com/?type=MD&allid=EHM39972
At no additional cost, these experts will guide you to the right plan for your needs, and handle the enrollment process for you. Just like the government website, the costs are built in so you don’t pay extra for this help.
