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Headaches ► Treatment Depends on Type
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Headaches ► Treatment Depends on Type Most of us get headaches from time to time. Some are mild. Others cause throbbing pain. They can last for minutes or days. There are many different types of headaches. How you treat yours depends on which kind you have. Headaches might arise because of another medical condition, such as swollen sinuses or head injury. In these cases, treating the underlying problem usually relieves headache pain as well. But most headaches—including tension headaches and migraines—aren’t caused by a separate illness. A headache may feel like a pain inside your brain, but it’s not. Most headaches begin in the many nerves of the muscles and blood vessels that surround your head, neck, and face. These pain-sensing nerves can be set off by stress, muscle tension, enlarged blood vessels, and other triggers. Once activated, the nerves send messages to the brain, and it can feel like the pain is coming from deep within your head. 
Be careful not to overuse headache medications. Overuse can cause “rebound” headaches, making headaches more frequent and painful. People with repeating headaches, such as migraines or tension headaches, are especially at risk. Experts advise not taking certain pain-relief medicines for headaches more than 3 times a week. In rare cases, a headache may warn of a serious illness. Get medical help right away if you have a headache after a blow to your head, or if you have a headache along with fever, confusion, loss of consciousness, or pain in the eye or ear. Know what kind of headache you have and, if you can’t manage it yourself, seek help. Remember there are preventive behavioral steps and medicines that can help manage headaches. But if the pain is severe or lasting, get medical care. Steps you can take to help prevent headaches are:
[Source: NIH News in Health Mar 2014 ++] ********************************* TFL Pharmacy Benefit Update 04 ► Retail Pharmacy Use Ending About 500,000 military beneficiaries age 65 and older with chronic health conditions are now being forced to start having their maintenance drug prescriptions filled by mail order rather than in local retail pharmacies. The Tricare For Life (TFL) Home Delivery pilot is a yearlong program required by law. Defense Department health official’s project it will save the government $120 million per year in retail drug costs and save beneficiaries $28 million a year in lower drug co-payments. By the time the pilot program ends, officials’ project that 95 percent of beneficiaries forced to use home delivery will be so satisfied with the convenience and savings they will stay with mail order voluntarily rather than return to neighborhood druggists for the kinds of medicines they will have to take for the rest of their lives. “We are making it easier to stay,” said Rear Adm. Thomas J. McGinnis, chief of pharmaceutical operations for the Defense Health Agency. “We have auto-refills of medications where beneficiaries can check a box and, every 80 days or so, get either a phone call or an email — whatever they signed up to receive — notifying them that their medication is going to ship next week. They only have to call a number if they don’t want that medication. So they automatically get it every 90 days. They don’t have to think about it so they don’t run out of medication.” Another feature of TFL Home Delivery is auto-renewal of prescriptions. “Prescriptions are only good for one year, in every state, and then beneficiaries have to go get a new prescription,” McGinnis said. With mail order, however, the contractor, Express Scripts Inc., will query a beneficiary’s physician to ask if this time they will renew the prescription automatically or if they want to see the patient first. “Eighty percent of the time they will renew the prescription without having the beneficiary come in…So that’s going to help, again, keep our beneficiaries out of retail. That’s why we say, ‘You only have to try this for one year and that’s it.’ You try it, you’ll like it,” McGinnis said. Many TFL beneficiaries have known about the pilot for months, from news reports on the mandate Congress enacted more than a year ago. So thousands of TLF beneficiaries who take medicine routinely to control high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol and other chronic conditions have been shifting their maintenance meds to mail order steadily over the past year. Last month, however, every TLF beneficiary identified as having used retail pharmacies in recent years for maintenance drug refills — a total of 350,000 households — received a letter from TRICARE explaining that those prescriptions must be switched to mail order by 15 MAR. Elderly beneficiaries who continue to use retail druggists for these types of medicines after that date will get a second letter warning them again that they must convert to mail order within 30 days. “There will also be outbound phone calls reminding them to just call this number and we will help them transfer medication to mail,” McGinnis said. If they continue to use local drug stores for these prescriptions, a third letter will be a final notice before TFL beneficiaries will be forced, after May, to pay 100 percent of the cost of maintenance drug dispensed at retail. That’s the hammer for TLF beneficiaries who refuse to shift. The hook is that their co-payments will fall, saving TFL beneficiaries as a group a total of $2.3 million monthly, McGinnis said. “It’s a no brainer, especially for the over-65 population. Those folks average four or five medications. Even if they have just one generic and one brand name medication [home delivered], that will save them $212 a year.” Beneficiaries on four to six maintenance medications could save more than $600 a year “for the same drugs and more convenience, and you don’t have to remember to pick it up every month at the retail pharmacy,” he said. Beneficiaries typically pay $60 a year in co-pays for a generic drug at retail. Generic drugs are free through home delivery. Another bit of good news is that the process to shift to mail order couldn’t be easier, McGinnis explained. All of the warning letters will contain the same phone number: 1 877-882-3335 “We tell them, ‘Just call this number. It’s a concierge service. They will walk you through the registration process if you have never used mail before,’ ” McGinnis said. Express Scripts staff will “get all the information from the beneficiary so it very easy to register and use mail order. They will even offer to call their doctor to transfer that prescription to the mail order pharmacy. So it’s truly a concierge-type service to help beneficiaries move.” Not impacted by the mail order mandate are elderly beneficiaries who have prescriptions filled in base pharmacies where the cost of drugs to the government also is far less than at retail pharmacies. TFL beneficiaries needing drugs for acute conditions or having maintenance drug prescriptions filled for the first time also can use retail outlets. Tricare will allow waivers from mandatory mail order in special circumstances, to include TFL beneficiaries in assisted-living facilities or nursing homes where mail order isn't practical. For several years, Tricare pharmacy officials have led an information campaign to encourage beneficiaries on maintenance drugs to use mail order because of the substantial savings. By 2011, about one million military prescriptions a year were being filled through mail order. By the start of 2014, that annual average was 1.77 million, an increase of 77 percent. Over the next year, because of the TFL Home Delivery pilot program, McGinnis said, mail order prescriptions should double to 3.3 million. That’s out of a total of 140 million military prescriptions filled annually across all three venues of base pharmacies, retail outlets and home delivery. Having led the Tricare pharmacy directorate as its first chief for the past eight-and-a-half years, and more than 36 years as a Public Health Service officer and pharmacist, McGinnis confirmed he will retire May 1. His successor hasn't been named. [Source: Military.com | Tom Philpott | 21 Mar 2014 ++ ] ********************************* PTSD Update 163 ► MDMA Clinical Trials Underway MDMA has been banned by the federal government since 1985 as a dangerous recreational drug with no medical value. But interest is rising in its potential to help people suffering from psychiatric or emotional problems. A loose-knit underground community of psychologists, counselors and healers has been administering the drug to patients — an act that could cost them their careers. It costs about $2,000 to buy an ounce of the illegal drug, therapist, who lives in Northern California — enough for roughly 150 doses. She pays her longtime dealer in cash; he gives her a Ziploc bag of white powder. Back home, she scoops the contents into clear capsules. She calls it "the medicine"; others know it as MDMA, the active ingredient in the party drug Ecstasy. "I do what is morally right," said the therapist who did not want to be identified. "If I have the tools to help, it is my responsibility to help." A series of clinical trials approved by federal drug authorities is now underway to see if the drug's ability to strip away defensiveness and increase trust can boost the effectiveness of psychotherapy. One of the key studies focuses on MDMA's effect on military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Farris Tuma, head of traumatic stress research at the National Institute of Mental Health, said he's skeptical because there is no plausible theory so far about how the drug's biochemical effects on the brain could improve therapy. "They're a long way between where they are now and this becoming a standard clinical practice," he said. A surge in Ecstasy-related deaths has reinforced the compound's destructive reputation. But some of those who have given MDMA to patients are optimistic. The therapist said she became a believer in the late 1980s after it helped her deal with her own trauma. She has since conducted roughly 1,500 sessions with patients, leading them on four-hour explorations of their feelings. She uses only the purest MDMA — in contrast to street Ecstasy, which is typically contaminated — and none of her patients has ever experienced an adverse event, she said. 
Ecstasy The therapist said she knows roughly 60 professionals in her region who use MDMA in their practices — and the number is growing. "We are responsible therapists doing respectable work," she said. MDMA — or 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methamphetamine — was first synthesized a century ago by chemists at Merck & Co. Inc., which patented it as a precursor to a blood-clotting medication. Toxicity experiments secretly conducted for the U.S. Army and later declassified have fueled speculation that the military was interested in MDMA in the 1950s as a chemical weapon or truth serum. Then in 1976, Alexander Shulgin, a former Dow Chemical Co. researcher who devoted his life to research and self-experimentation with psychedelic drugs, synthesized MDMA and tried it. "I have never felt so great, or believed this to be possible," he later wrote about the experience. "The cleanliness, clarity, and marvelous feeling of solid inner strength continued through the rest of the day, and evening, and into the next day." The following year he gave the drug to Oakland psychologist Leo Zeff, who was so impressed that he came out of retirement and began introducing it to therapists across the country. By some estimates, as many as 4,000 therapists were using MDMA in their practices before federal authorities banned the drug. "We lost a major tool that was really growing," said Dr. Phil Wolfson, a San Francisco psychiatrist who used the drug in his practice when it was legal. MDMA's chemical mechanism remains unexplained beyond the broad effect of raising levels of serotonin and oxytocin — brain chemicals related to well-being and social bonding — and triggering the amygdala, a region of the brain involved in processing memory and emotion. Therapists say MDMA can put patients in an emotional sweet spot that allows them to engage difficult feelings and memories.
The new research into MDMA's therapeutic potential largely stems from the efforts of Rick Doblin, a former hippie who earned a doctorate in public policy at Harvard University to help his quest for drug legalization. Doblin's nonprofit Multidisciplinary Assn. for Psychedelic Studies, which runs on donations, has sponsored all research into clinical uses of MDMA. Doblin hopes the drug follows the same path as marijuana, whose approval for medical purposes led to broad public acceptance. In 2004, South Carolina psychiatrist Michael Mithoefer launched a clinical trial involving 20 patients suffering from PTSD — mostly female victims of sexual violence who had unsuccessfully tried other therapies. Ten of the 12 who received MDMA during two sessions improved so much that they no longer qualified for a PTSD diagnosis. Patients who received a placebo fared worse. A follow-up study published in 2012 found that, for the most part, the patients who improved continued to do well. Mithoefer is now conducting a study looking at whether MDMA has a similar effect on veterans, firefighters and police officers afflicted with PTSD. One participant is a 57-year-old retired Army major who has struggled with memories of a young soldier killed in an ambush in Iraq. The major hadn't been able to talk much about it in earlier sessions without the drug. "The kid, he'd shown me pictures of his young kids and wife and all that," the soldier said in a videotaped therapy session. "To get to know someone and trust him, and now you know he's dead — it's tough." In subsequent testing, the severity of the major's PTSD declined, the researchers said. The study's full results on 24 subjects are expected late next year. Among other studies, a trial set to begin at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center will test MDMA's ability to combat social anxiety in high-functioning autistic adults. Bay Area researchers also are planning to conduct a study of whether MDMA can reduce anxiety in patients facing deadly illnesses. Experts not involved in trials said they haven't seen enough data to draw conclusions. They noted that in a Swiss study funded by Doblin's group, the drug did not significantly reduce symptoms of PTSD. With a budget of $2 million a year, Doblin's group doesn't have the money to pay for the wide-scale trials needed for scientific clarity and FDA approval. His hope is that the government will step in with funding. Doblin has met with officials at the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs, but so far the government has kept its distance. "Ecstasy is an illegal drug and [the] VA would not involve veterans in the use of such substances," a spokesman said in an email. [Source: Stars & Stripes | Los Angeles Times | Alan Zarembo | 16 Mar 2014 ++ ] ********************************* Earwax Removal Update 01 ► Overview Earwax protects the ear canal. It is also known by its medical term cerumen. It is produced in the cartilaginous portion of the ear canal. Excess build up of earwax occurs in about 6 percent of people. Your earwax type tends to be determined by race: Asians and Native Americans are more likely to have the dry type of cerumen (pale and flaky), while black and white people are more likely to have the wet type (honey-brown to dark-brown and moist). Over time, the ear self cleans, and the moist wax dries up and falls out of the ear naturally. However, sometimes the wax can get compacted, and may require a medical professional to remove it. No one knows why some people have earwax blockage. And there aren’t any known risk factors, but if you suspect that your ears are blocked, try loosening and softening the wax before seeking medical help. Movement of the jaw helps the ears’ natural cleaning processes. While the build-up of earwax can be itchy or annoying, earwax has an important health function. It prevents the entry of bacteria, microbes, dirt and other foreign bodies into the inner ear. Its waxy and oily properties shield water from entering the inner ear. Patients with earwax blockage may complain of difficulty hearing/ear noise (tinnitus), a feeling of fullness in their affected ear, or ear pain. While many people try to clean their ears with ear buds or Q-tips, this practice is more likely to cause harm than good. It can actually compact the wax, wedging it into the inner ear, irreparably damage the eardrum, or cause infection and hearing loss. Your body has its own self-cleaning mechanism to remove excess earwax. It is safer to leave your ears alone and let the body clean itself. 
There are several home remedies to aid the ears’ natural self-cleaning processes. Even if these home remedies don’t work, earwax blockage is almost always a common and easily treatable condition You can aid your body’s natural ear cleaning mechanisms by loosening and softening the wax. To soften the wax, try a few drops of warmed but not hot baby oil, mineral oil or olive oil inserted using an eyedropper twice a day for no more than four to five days. After a day or two and once the wax has softened, you can try and loosen it with warm water. Tilt your head to the side, and squirt warm water into your ear with a turkey baster or something similar. Pull your ears up and back in order to straighten the ear canal before pouring it out. If your symptoms persist after these steps have been taken, consult with your doctor. They will be able to flush out the wax or remove it with a suction cup or cerumen spoon. This is a relatively quick and painless procedure. [Source: Veria Living | Healing | Mar 2012 ++] *Finances* 
SSA Monetary Benefit Update 01 ► 10 Suggestions to Maximize Here are 10 suggestions for individuals to get the most of their future Social Security retirement benefits. 1. Do not start taking Social Security retirement benefits too early While a "fully insured" individual -- someone who has at least 40 credits of Social Security -- can elect to receive their Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, it is advantageous to delay the start of one's retirement check to at least their "full retirement age"(FRA). If economically possible, perhaps delaying the start of retirement benefits until age 70. By waiting to start receiving their benefits, the benefits keep increasing each year, as illustrated in the following example: For someone born between 1943 and 1954 and whose FRA is age 66, a $15,000 annual benefit at age 62 would be a $20,000 annual benefit at age 66. If the individual delays the start of benefits until age 70, the annual benefit would be $26,400. For federal annuitants, it would perhaps make more sense to draw down their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) or IRA balances in order to allow them to postpone collecting Social Security retirement benefits. 2. There is no "marriage penalty" when it comes to Social Security Contrary to a common misconception, there is no "marriage penalty" or "offset" when it comes to Social Security. When both spouses are entitled to Social Security benefits, each spouse can collect full benefits. However, there is an alternative if one spouse earned much more than the other spouse. Under the dual entitlement law, the spousal benefit is set at 50 percent of the higher earning spouse's benefit amount. For example, if a higher earning spouse is getting $30,000 a year in Social Security benefits and the lower earning spouse's benefits would be $10,000 a year, then the lower earning spouse is entitled to 50 percent of the higher earning spouse's benefits, or $15,000 a year. 3. Social Security has death benefits When a higher earning spouse dies, the surviving spouse receives a "widow/widower" benefit equal to 100 percent of the deceased spouse's Social Security benefit. If the deceased individual at the time of death had children younger than 18 years of age, then each child is entitled to a death benefit equal to 75 percent of the deceased parent's monthly Social Security benefit. The widow/widower benefit continues until the widow/widower dies. The children's benefit continues until the child becomes age 18 or age 19 if the child is still in high school.
In the case of a married couple in which there is a lower-earning spouse and a higher-earning spouse, the higher earning spouse can file for benefits at their FRA and then immediately request not to receive their monthly benefit. This allows their benefit amount to continue to increase at 8 percent per year until age 70. This individual can continue to work and earn a higher income, resulting in a larger Social Security retirement benefit once the benefit starts. The higher earning spouse "filed and suspended" the benefits, allowing the lower earning spouse to retire and start collecting the spousal benefit of the higher-earning spouse. The lower earning spouse will collect the spousal benefit, equal to one-half of the higher earning spouse's benefit amount. Once the lower-earning spouse reaches FRA, they can switch to their retirement benefit if it is larger than the spousal benefit. 5. Maximizing one's earnings before retirement can lead to larger Social Security benefits The Social Security Administration calculates an individual's benefit amount in retirement by averaging the top 35 years of earnings during the individual's working life, after adjusting earlier years for inflation. What this means is that each year over 35 years an individual earns a larger salary compared to a salary earlier in their working career, the previous lower earning year is deleted from the calculation, leading to a higher overall average. This is perhaps another good reason for federal employees to work longer and earn higher salaries. 6. A widow/widower can start collecting Social Security spousal benefits on the deceased spouse's account at age 60 The amount of a widow/widower benefit will be reduced by a small amount for each month before the widowed spouse's actual retirement age of 62. After age 62, the widow/widower may switch to his or her own account. The best time to switch can be complicated and the Social Security Administration advises such people to consult with a Social Security representative before making such a decision. 7. Social Security Income and the Law Social Security income is protected by law from most creditors, but not debts owed to the IRS, federal student loans, other federal government claimants, from alimony or child support payments. 8. Social Security income is taxed at less than other income Single individuals with adjusted gross incomes less than $25,000 or married couples whose adjusted gross incomes are less than $32,000 do not owe federal income tax on their Social Security benefits. Above these income thresholds, the portion of Social Security subject to federal income tax increases to 85 percent of the total benefits. However, since qualified distributions from a Roth IRA and Roth TSP are not included in income, it can be advantageous to start withdrawals from non-Roth retirement accounts before starting to receive Social Security benefits, holding off on Roth withdrawals until one starts collecting Social Security benefits. 9. Marriage and Social Security Individuals who divorce after 10 years of marriage and then remarry normally cannot receive the ex-spouse's Social Security retirement benefits at a later time. However, there is an exception - individuals who remarry after age 60. This means that a divorcee who is serious about marrying an individual who has less Social Security benefits than their ex-spouse's benefits should delay their nuptials until they are over 60 year old. In so doing, they can collect spousal benefits during retirement of 50 percent of their ex-spouse's benefits, 100 percent of the benefit if the ex-spouse is deceased. 10. Higher earning spouses should delay collecting for the sake of the lower earning spouse If the higher-earning spouse retires early, he or she locks in a lower retirement benefit amount. If they die, their spouse will receive this locked-in amount for life. On the other hand, if the higher earning spouse does not retire early but dies before reaching FRA and before filing for their Social Security retirement benefit, then the surviving spouse will nonetheless receive a widow/widower's benefit of whatever the deceased (higher earning) spouse's benefit would have been at full retirement age. [Source: My Federal Retirement | Edward A. Zurndorfer | 20 Mar 2014 ++] ******************************** Movie Theater Discounts ► Seniors There have been numerous movie blockbusters this year. But while movies become ever more thrilling to watch, they also become more expensive. It’s important to know what discounts are available to you (and your children or grandchildren, if you choose to take them along). Most every movie theater offers some type of discount for seniors. These discounts can be very substantial, ranging from 25% to 60% off the regular ticket price. While the savings can be great, you should know about possible restrictions. Although most major movie theaters offer a senior discount on all showings, some theaters may only have discounts available at certain times of the day (such as a matinee), or on a certain day of the week (typically a weekday). National and regional chains may provide a different discount amount at each of its theater branches, so it is always best to check with your local theater. Discounts may be difficult to locate on movie theater web sites. Also, many theater chains now use web sites to sell their tickets and the senior rates may only be posted on these sites where the tickets are purchased. If discounts aren't listed online, you can also find a theater's discount by calling its movie line directly on the phone. Know that you will need to provide proof of your age when picking up your senior tickets. Most senior discounts for movie theaters begin at around age 60 or 62, but there are many that have extended the discount to customers aged 50 or 55. For those who do not quite meet the age requirement, try locating an alternative theater or going to the movie earlier in the day as many theaters will provide discounts on their matinee shows. You could also wait until the movie is shown at a later date at one of the discounted theaters. Many movie theaters also have children's rates so you can take your grandchildren at a discount as well. These discounts are usually similar to those for seniors, but they may have even better child rates at earlier times in the day. Here is a sampling of national and regional movie theater chains and what you will typically find for savings and age requirements. Note: Participation, discount amount and age requirement can vary from one theater to the next, so it is best to locate the exact theater you would like to visit and check its senior discount policy.
[Source: www.seniordiscounts.com | David Smidt | Mar 2014 ++] ******************************** Saving Money ► Buy vs. Rent Decision If you think rent is too expensive where you live, you might want to look into homeownership. A new report by online real estate company Trulia (http://www.trulia.com/trends/2014/02/rent-vs-buy-winter-2014) , which analyzes data in 100 metro areas across the U.S., found that it’s 38% cheaper to buy a home than rent one. Despite increasing home prices, low mortgage rates have made homeownership the more affordable option in each of the top 100 metropolitan areas. In fact, mortgage rates would need to rise to 10.6 percent for renting to become cheaper than buying nationally — and rates haven’t been that high since 1989. Trulia’s chief economist Jed Kolko says, “Buying remains cheaper than renting across the country even after 2013′s big price rebound. Mortgage rates are still near historic lows, despite rising a point in the past year, and would be the envy of time travelers from the 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s. Even in markets like San Francisco where home prices are high relative to paychecks, buying costs less than renting for people who stay seven years and itemize their deductions.” The study found that overall, homebuyers who stay in their homes for seven years will save 38 percent over renting. Last year the number was 44 percent cheaper. The rent-versus-buy math differs across metros mostly because each local market has its own normal level of prices and rents, but also because property taxes and home price appreciation differ in individual markets as well. Taking all these factors into account, buying ranges from just 5 percent cheaper than renting in Honolulu to 66 percent cheaper than renting in Detroit. Generally, buying is a tougher call relative to renting in California and New York, while the gap is largest in the Midwest and South. Best bets for homeownership:
The advantages aren’t so obvious here:
Trulia said one of the biggest factors affecting the buy vs. rent decision is what will happen to home prices after you buy. To see what buying vs. renting looks like in your region check out Trulia’s interactive Rent vs. Buy Map and Rent vs. Buy Calculator, which allow you to input personalized information and assumptions and scenarios, so you can gauge whether renting or buying is cheaper. [Source: MoneyTalksNews | Jed Kolko | 10 Mar 2014 ++] ******************************** Malaysia Airlines MH370 Scam ► How It works Scammers are preying on your curiosity surrounding Malaysia Airlines MH370, the flight that mysteriously disappeared 8 MAR. Viral Facebook posts with fake videos of the “found” plane, many of which claim the flight’s passengers have been saved and are alive, are potentially infected with malware. Malware, short for malicious software, is software used to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems. It can appear in the form of code, scripts, active content, and other software. 'Malware' is a general term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software. Malware includes computer viruses, ransomware, worms, trojan horses, rootkits, keyloggers, dialers, spyware, adware, malicious BHOs, rogue security software, and other malicious programs; the majority of active malware threats are usually worms or trojans rather than viruses. The posts look like legitimate videos and use attention-grabbing phrases like “shocking video” to reel viewers in. The plane is still missing, and these scams are an example of the sad reality that many fraudsters live to capitalize on tragedy. The links lead to imitation news sites where visitors are asked to share the videos to Facebook before viewing them, and scam surveys appear if the visitors follow the links, according to Chris Boyd, a malware intelligence analyst for Malwarebytes. “Anything involving a potential disaster is big money for the scammers, as there’s a split between clickers with a penchant for salacious content and those who simply want to know if a relative is OK, or if there’s any more news on a breaking disaster,” Boyd said. Users who fill out the surveys share personal information that the scammers will sell to third-party marketers, so these tactics can be quite profitable. “There have also been cases of survey networks serving up malware files, so these scams are never quite as straightforward as they seem,” Boyd told the website. People crave new information in the wake of a disaster or global event, like this one, but the Internet is a bad place to let your guard down: If you’re not thinking about what you’re clicking on or sharing, you may be inviting malware onto your computer, which could compromise any sensitive information you store on it. That can lead to identity theft, which can be time-consuming and costly to recover from. If you’re worried about your identity becoming compromised through malware or another scam, you may want to monitor your credit. You can check your credit scores for free every month using one of the credit score services such as the online Credit Report Card. Any unexpected change in your scores could signal identity theft, and you should pull copies of your credit reports to confirm. [Source: MoneyTalksNews article 19 Mar 2014 ++] ********************************* Scams ~ IRS Update 04 ► Bogus IRS agent Calls Be wary if you answer your phone and the caller says he’s an IRS agent. It could be a scam – the largest the Internal Revenue Service has ever seen. The U.S. Treasury Department says more than 20,000 taxpayers have alerted the government about the scam, and victims have lost more than $1 million total. This is how it works:
A press release from Treasury also made note of these details about the scam, which is being perpetrated across the country:
Treasury Inspector General J. Russell George said in the release, “If someone unexpectedly calls claiming to be from the IRS and uses threatening language if you don’t pay immediately, that is a sign that it really isn’t the IRS calling.” If you have unpaid taxes, the IRS will probably use the mail to contact you. And the IRS doesn’t ask for payment via a prepaid card or wire transfer, nor would it request credit card information on the phone. “This is the largest scam of its kind that we have ever seen,” George said. “The increasing number of people receiving these unsolicited calls from individuals who fraudulently claim to represent the IRS is alarming.” You’re asked to report any suspicious IRS requests directly to the IRS. To view a video on other tax scams go to http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2014/03/21/biggest-tax-scam-ever-sweeps-the-us/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=email-2014-03-22&utm_medium=email. [Source: MoneyTalksNews article 21 Mar 2014 ++] ********************************* Cat Fishing Scam ► How It works A relationship scam starts simply. Two people meet online, usually through a dating site. They email, trade pictures, talk on the phone, and soon they’re making plans to meet… and maybe even to get married. But as the relationship get stronger, things start to change. Better Business Bureau is warning singles to know the red flags of “catfishing,” or romance scams. Be wary of anyone who:
To find out more about scams and to read up on the latest, check out BBB Scam Stopper. [Source: BBB | Kelsey Owen | 6 Feb 2014 ++] ******************************** Tax Burden for Indiana Retirees ► As of Mar 2014 Many people planning to retire use the presence or absence of a state income tax as a litmus test for a retirement destination. This is a serious miscalculation since higher sales and property taxes can more than offset the lack of a state income tax. The lack of a state income tax doesn’t necessarily ensure a low total tax burden. Following are the taxes you can expect to pay if you retire in Indiana: Sales Taxes State Sales Tax: 7% (food and prescription drugs exempt) Gasoline Tax: 56.6 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes) Diesel Fuel Tax: 74.6 cents/gallon (Includes all taxes) Cigarette Tax: 99.5 cents/pack of 20 Personal Income Taxes Tax Rate Range: Flat rate of 3.4% of federal adjusted gross income. See tax info www.in.gov/dor/4748.htm & http://www.in.gov/dor/4735.htm#military. Counties also have the authority for a local option income tax whose goal is to provide income for the counties instead of raising property taxes. Carroll, Clark, Clay, Madison and Wabash counties have adopted new county option income rates. For details go to http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/Local_Option_Income_Tax_Fact_Sheet.pdf & http://www.in.gov/dor/files/dn01.pdf. Personal Exemptions: Single – $1,000; Married – $2,000; Dependents – $1,500; $1,000 for taxpayer and/or spouse if age 65 or over; $1,000 for taxpayer and/or spouse if blind; $500 additional exemption for each individual age 65 or over if federal adjusted gross income is less than $40,000. Standard Deduction: None Medical/Dental Deduction: None Federal Income Tax Deduction: None Retirement Income Taxes: Social Security is exempt. Taxpayers 60 and older may exclude $2,000 from military pensions minus the amount of Social Security and Railroad Benefits received. Taxpayers age 62 and older may deduct from their adjusted gross income $2,000 from a federal civil service annuity. Out-of-state pensions are fully taxed. Homeowners can deduct up to $2,500 from their income taxes for property taxes on their residence. To view information for seniors go to http://www.in.gov/dor/4748.htm. Retired Military Pay: Military retirees who are age 60 are entitled to deduct up to $5,000 of military or survivor benefits. Active Duty or Reserve Military Pay: Military personnel (regardless of age) on active duty or in the reserves may deduct up to $5,000 of taxable military pay if it is not already excluded or deducted from their adjusted gross income. Military Disability Retired Pay: Retirees who entered the military before Sept. 24, 1975, and members receiving disability retirements based on combat injuries or who could receive disability payments from the VA are covered by laws giving disability broad exemption from federal income tax. Most military retired pay based on service-related disabilities also is free from federal income tax, but there is no guarantee of total protection. VA Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: VA benefits are not taxable because they generally are for disabilities and are not subject to federal or state taxes. Military SBP/SSBP/RCSBP/RSFPP: Generally subject to state taxes for those states with income tax. Check with state department of revenue office. Property Taxes Property taxes in Indiana are administered at the local level with oversight by the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (http://www.in.gov/dlgf/2516.htm).. They are imposed on both real and personal property. Property, which is assessed at 100% of its true value, is subject to taxation by a variety of taxing units (schools, counties, townships, cities and towns, libraries, etc.) making the total tax rate the sum of the tax rates imposed by all of the taxing units in which the property is located. Homeowners are eligible for a credit against the property taxes that they pay on their homestead. The amount of credit to which the individual is entitled equals 10% of the individual’s property tax liability, which is attributable to the homestead during the calendar year. A taxpayer entitled to receive a homestead credit is also entitled to a standard deduction from the assessed value of the homestead. The deduction is the lesser of one-half of the assessed value of the real property or $35,000. Homeowners 65 and older who earn $25,000 or less are eligible to receive a tax reduction on property with an assessed value of $182,430 or less and the individual received no other property tax deductions except for mortgage, standard, and fertilizer storage deductions. For details go to http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/2010pay2011_Deductions_and_Credits_Fact_Sheet.pdf. A surviving spouse is entitled to the deduction if they are at least 60 years old. The amount of the deduction is the lesser of one-half of the assessed value of the real property or $12,480. Call 317-232-3777 or go to http://www.in.gov/dlgf for details. A circuit breaker program is aimed at helping residents by ensuring they don’t pay more than 2% of their property value in taxes. The goal is to provide predictability in tax bills and equity among Hoosier taxpayers. For more information on property tax deductions go to http://www.in.gov/dlgf/2344.htm. Inheritance and Estate Taxes The inheritance tax (Class A) ranges from 1% to 10% based on fair market value of property transferred at death. The estate tax is the amount by which federal credit exceeds inheritance taxes paid to all states. For details go to http://www.in.gov/dor/3807.htm. For further information, visit the Indiana Department of Revenue site http://www.in.gov/dor. [Source: http://www.retirementliving.com/taxes-alabama-iowa#INDIANA Mar 2014 ++] ********************************* Thrift Savings Plan 2014 ► Share Prices + YTD Gain or Loss
[Source: http://tspcenter.com/tspReturns.php?view=year 31 Mar 2014 ++] *General Interest* 
Notes of Interest ► 15 thru 31 Mar 2014
********************************* Honor and Remember Flag ► Approval Status The Honor and Remember Flag was created to serve as a national symbol that specifically acknowledges the sacrifice of men and women in the United States Armed Forces who have given their lives for their country in over two centuries if America's history. The flag - with its gold star and images of an eternal flame and folded Stars and Stripes - has been adopted by 19 states and is being considered by more than a dozen others. However, it had not been officially adopted by the federal government. It flies in front of municipal buildings, cemeteries, and veterans memorials and posts across the country. Current progress on obtaining state approval for use is indicated in the map below. 
In the first session of the 112th Congress representative J. Randy Forbes (R-VA-04) introduced the Honor and Remember Flag Recognition Act (H.R.546) on 8 Feb 2011. The purpose of the bill was to amend title 36, United States Code, to designate the Honor and Remember Flag created by Honor and Remember, Inc., as an official symbol to recognize and honor members of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty, and for other purposes. It was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and obtained 155 cosponsors before it died with the end of the 112th Congress. No new legislation to replace it has been introduced. There is a petition soliciting Americans to request establishment of a National Remembrance Flag on the internet at http://www.honorandremember.org/sign-the-petition. 
[Source: Various Mar 2014 ++] ********************************* Senior’s Quiz ► Keep Your Aging Grey Cells Active Something for seniors (even non-seniors) to do to keep those "aging" grey cells active! 1. Johnny's mother had three children. The first child was named April. The second child was named May....What was the third child's name? 2. There is a clerk at the butcher shop, he is five feet ten inches tall and he wears size 13 sneakers....What does he weigh? 3. Before Mt. Everest was discovered,...what was the highest mountain in the world? 4. How much dirt is there in a hole...that measures two feet by three feet by four feet? 5. What word in the English Language...is always spelled incorrectly? 6. Billy was born on December 28th, yet his birthday is always in the summer.....How is this possible? 7. In California, you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. ...Why not? 8. What was the President’s Name...in 1975? 9. If you were running a race,...and you passed the person in 2nd place, what place would you be in now? 10. Which is correct to say,..."The yolk of the egg are white" or "The yolk of the egg is white"? 11. If a farmer has 5 haystacks in one field and 4 haystacks in the other field,....how many haystacks would he have if he combined them all in another field?
10. Answer: Neither, the yolk of the egg is yellow [Duh] 9. Answer: You would be in 2nd. Well, you passed the person in second place, not first. 8. Answer: Same as is it now - Barack Obama. 7. Answer: You can't take pictures with a wooden leg. You need a camera to take pictures. 6. Answer: Billy lives in the Southern Hemisphere. 5. Answer: Incorrectly 4. Answer: There is no dirt in a hole. 3. Answer: Mt. Everest ; it just wasn't discovered yet. [You're not very good at this are you?] 2 . Answer: Meat. 1. Answer: Johnny of course.
1) You can't count your hair. 2) You can't wash your eyes with soap. 3) You can't breathe through your nose when your tongue is out ……… Put your tongue back in your mouth, you silly person. Things the writer know about you. 1) You are reading this. 2) You are human. 3) You can't say the letter ''P'' without separating your lips. 4) You just attempted to do it. 6) You are laughing at yourself. 7) You have a smile on your face and you skipped No. 5. 8) You just checked to see if there is a No. 5. Directory: wp-content -> uploads -> 2014 2014 -> For want of a nail 2014 -> Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act of 2014 2014 -> Ihbb asian Championships 2014 middle school bowl Round 4 First Quarter 2014 -> Ihbb european Championships 2014 Bowl Round 4 First Quarter 2014 -> International History Bee and Bowl 2013-14 Asian Division Question Set Bowl Round Six 2014 -> United states patent and trademark office 2014 -> Coffs harbour eisteddfod vocal syllabus 2014 -> Listen News Programs Schedule pledge now 2014 -> Slow club announce third album complete surrender Download 0.52 Mb. Share with your friends:
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