| Document Type
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BL
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| Record Number
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1013970
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| Doc. No
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b768340
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| Main Entry
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Epstein, Lita.
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| Title & Author
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The complete idiot's guide to Social Security and Medicare /\ by Lita Epstein.
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| Edition Statement
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2nd ed.
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| Publication Statement
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Indianapolis, IN :: Alpha Books,, ©2006.
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| Page. NO
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xxi, 324 pages :: illustrations ;; 23 cm
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| ISBN
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1592575196
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: 9781592575190
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| Notes
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Includes index.
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| Contents
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pt. 1. Hatching the nest egg -- 1. Letting the chicks out -- Roosevelt to the rescue -- A declaration of security -- A civil idea -- Designing the safety hatch -- Passing the rules : 1935 Social Security Act -- Spreading the word -- 2. Social security grows up -- Implementing the plan : the Social Security Board -- Finding the folks : U.S. Postal Service to the rescue -- Crafting accounts -- Paying the bucks -- The 1939 Amendments -- A growing family -- Getting an early start -- More benefits = more costs -- The 1950 windfall -- Help for the disabled -- Medicare to the rescue -- Facing a money crunch -- 3. Today's security -- Looking at Social Security's bottom line -- Paying the bill -- Workers' and employers' bills -- Entrepreneurs' payouts -- Who doesn't pay -- Feeding the trusts -- Trust money rules -- Trust funds and the budget -- Weathering the baby boom storm.
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pt. 2. Getting your share -- 4. It's all about me -- Something to live on -- Money for your spouse -- Support for your kids -- Protecting yourself if you can't work -- 5. Following the rules -- Your out-of-pocket costs -- How it works if you're employed by someone else -- How it works if you're self-employed -- Your time commitment -- Retirement requirements -- Disability dues -- Survivors and benefits -- Meeting Medicare requirements -- Credit poor -- Admitting your age : when older is better -- Starting the paper trail -- Correcting errors -- Getting your statement -- Didn't get a statement? -- 6. Counting your cash -- Cracking the payout rules -- Why you might get less -- Planning your strategies -- Collecting your stash -- Making contact -- Gathering the right documents -- 7. Timing your exit -- Your date to escape -- Your lifespan determines your income -- Early arrival -- Late to the party -- What timing is best for you?
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pt. 3. Cracking open your nest egg -- 8. Picking up the pieces -- Dealing with a loss of a spouse, divorce, or disability -- Protecting your assets -- Making the right moves -- Protecting yourself from scams and fraud -- Suspicions of theft -- Fixing the mess -- Changing numbers -- 9. Partings not so sweet -- Social Security and divorce -- Timing is everything -- Spousal benefits -- Survivors' benefits -- No peeking -- Multiple marriages -- The remarriage trap : why so many seniors just live together -- Changing numbers -- Changing names -- 10. Hard choices after the death of a spouse -- Timing your actions -- Your benefit options -- Married with children -- Remarriage hurts -- Benefit options -- Government pension offset -- Making changes -- Women's differences -- Women's bigger benefit -- Women's future benefits -- 11. Children's share -- Dough for kids -- Getting kids' money -- Benefits for a disabled child over age 18 -- Supplemental income for disabled kids -- Meeting the criteria -- Continuing reviews -- New rules at 18 -- Applying for SSI benefits -- Medical care -- 12. Dependent parents' slice -- Learning the rules -- Caregiving resources -- Taking leave from work -- Finances and your dependent parents -- 13. Collecting disability -- Passing the test -- Establishing a work history -- Applying for benefits -- Determining disability -- Special rules if you are blind -- Collecting your money -- What if you are rejected? -- Avoiding benefit loss -- Staying in touch -- Going back to work -- How going back to work affects benefits -- Trial work period -- Extended period of eligibility -- Expedited reinstatement of benefits -- Continuation of Medicare -- Impairment-related work expenses -- Recovery during vocational rehabilitation -- 14. Supplementing income -- SSI : assisting the poor and disabled -- Rules for supplementing income -- Applying for help -- Collecting benefits -- Appealing the decision -- Reporting changes -- Reviewing your case -- Going back to work -- Getting a PASS -- Other help you can get.
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pt. 4. Living right -- 15. Making ends meet -- Keeping your head above water -- Getting COLAs -- Stretching your bucks -- Track and rate your expenses -- Learn to live frugally ... before you need to -- Seeking community support -- Sharing your living space -- 16. Working again -- I don't want to quit -- Scouting the rules -- Using the formulas -- What counts as income? -- Special rules for the self-employed -- Special rules for the year you retire -- Reporting earnings -- Benefits of going back to work -- 17. Using your assets -- Identifying assets -- Integrating assets -- Using your investments -- Tapping you home equity -- Selling your house and moving -- Home equity line of credit or a new mortgage -- The reverse mortgage option -- 18. Minimizing the tax bite -- Tax rules in retirement -- Putting worksheets to work -- Overearning -- Adding children's benefits to the mix -- Withholding taxes from your benefits -- What is taxed? -- Retirement plan distributions -- Tax on early distributions -- Purchased annuities -- Railroad retirement benefits -- Military retirement pay -- What isn't taxed.
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pt. 5. Staying healthy -- 19. Getting Medicare coverage -- Medicare : starting coverage -- If you're 65 and already collecting Social security -- If you're 65 and not collecting Social Security -- Buying into Medicare -- Should you apply if you are still working? -- What's in Part A -- It's not free! -- Benefit periods -- Your costs -- What's in Part B -- Preventive care coverage -- Don't forget those ugly exclusions -- Privatizing Medicare : Medicare advantage plans -- Sorting out the plans -- Determining what's best for you -- Why all the Medicare changes? -- Medicare rights -- Detecting and preventing fraud and abuse -- The future of Medicare -- 20. Paying for your drugs -- What the Medicare prescription drug plan covers -- Who is eligible? -- You're eligible, but take action carefully! -- Don't fall prey to slick marketers -- Are your drugs covered? -- Figuring out formularies -- Testing out the tiers -- Limiting your drug use -- Getting an exception -- Drugs excluded by law -- Finding a plan that covers your drugs -- Picking a pharmacy -- Understanding the costs -- Buying from Canada cheaper? : not anymore -- Generics will save you money -- Does the plan make financial sense if you don't use many drugs? -- How to enroll in Medicare Part D -- How to pay -- Getting help if you can't afford to pay -- Making a change -- Conducting a yearly review of your options -- 21. What's missing from Medicare -- Long-term care drain -- Home care services -- Affordable health care for the poor -- 22. Closing the gaps -- Closing the gap with Medigap -- Long-term care options -- Buy early and save -- Choosing coverage -- Your coverage options -- Continuous-care communities : are they for you?
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pt. 6. What's next for the nest egg -- 23. Running out of money -- The multitrillion dollar question -- Future speculation -- What are the trusts? -- Who are the trustees? -- Draining the trust funds -- Medicare's troubles -- Social Security shortfall -- Long-range outlook for the funds -- After the trusts -- 24. Modernizing Medicare -- Dealing with the shortfall -- The battle of add prescription drug coverage -- New bill causes increases in Medicare premiums -- Improving information management -- Working with an outdated system -- Disease management programs -- Demonstrations for modernization -- 25. Rescuing Social Security -- Setting the stage -- The crisis isn't immediate -- The trust funds are real -- Key players -- The proprivatization side of the fence -- The fence straddler -- The antiprivatization side of the fence -- Private parts -- The cost of privatization -- The Kolbe-Stenholm bill -- Administering the accounts -- International players -- Looking at the UK -- Next steps -- 26. Following the changes -- Monitoring the government -- The administration -- Congress -- Tracking private advocacy groups -- Key research studies and Websites you shouldn't miss -- YOur role in Social Security and Medicare's future -- Appendixes -- A. Glossary -- B. Resources -- C. Special rules for state and local government workers.
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| Abstract
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Presents a history of Society Security in the United States and covers the basics of collecting retirement benefits, disability benefits, Medicare, medigap, and privatization of Social Security.
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| Subject
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Medicare, Handbooks, manuals, etc.
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Medigap, Handbooks, manuals, etc.
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Social security-- United States, Handbooks, manuals, etc.
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Medicare.
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Medigap.
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Social security.
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| Subject
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United States.
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| Dewey Classification
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368.4300973
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| LC Classification
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HD7125.E652 2006
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| Parallel Title
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Social security and Medicare
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