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Beware of Medicare Scammers! Don’t Fall for False Ads as Open Enrollment Nears
We only have one month before Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period opens on Oct. 15, 2023! But as this date quickly approaches, more and more scammers, false TV and internet ads, emails, and calls will flood your inbox, hoping you will fall for their schemes. We’ve heard many stories about these false advertisements and how they’ve negatively impacted others and their coverage. We know that Medicare can be confusing, and all the moving parts can be challenging to keep up with. Because of this, Medicare fraud is a booming business for criminals. In fact, Medicare estimated that they lose around $60 billion annually due to fraud, errors, and abuse! Because of the confusion and schemes surrounding Medicare, we are dedicated to sharing authentic and valuable information that will help you navigate through these difficult times. So if you see any TV commercials touting different Medicare plans that offer low premium costs (some as
low as $0), prescription drug coverage included in the plan, and even free dental, vision, and hearing benefits, please call us first! Don’t contact any numbers displayed on your TV or in your emails. If someone attempts to call you regarding your coverage, don’t let them entice you with their too- good-to-be-true benefits!
We do our best to stay ahead of it all, and this year we are reaching out early.
We don’t have all the new plans and costs yet — these will become available starting Oct. 1, and we can begin to make changes to next year’s plans from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. You can get a head start by calling or emailing us a list of your prescriptions and questions. We will review them and let you know if we recommend any changes. You may also schedule your own appointment by using our direct calendar link. Call us at 844-633-5239 Email us at Lenore@LenoreMizenko.com Set up your own appointment at Calendly.com/lenorekhoube Keep in mind if you have a Medicare Supplement plan, this remains the same. There will be no changes to this plan except a possible monthly premium increase — which increases every year by 3-5%. Also, if you are happy with your existing plan, it will automatically roll over into the new year on Jan. 1, 2024. The insurance company will send you information outlining coverage changes for next year so you can review to see if you want to make changes. Remember, you can make changes to your Medicare Part D Drug plan or your Medicare Advantage plan from Oct. 15, 2023, through Dec. 7, 2023. We appreciate your continued business and are looking forward to a fabulous 2024! –Lenore and Scott Mizenko
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A GRANDPARENT’S GIFT 3 Valuable Lessons They Can Teach Others
Things are about to get very busy with Medicare open enrollment and annual enrollment right around the corner! And as we reviewed our calendars and blocked off time for appointments, we came across a holiday this month that we had to share with you — National Grandparents Day. Grandparents add so much to our lives. Throughout the years, we’ve heard stories from clients about the impact their grandparents had on their lives and how they want to do the same for their grandchildren. Some have said that their grandmas and grandpas helped them find their passion in life. Others have stated that they helped them financially or supported them no matter what life path they chose to take.
In the years leading up to your golden years, you’ll receive plenty of financial advice on preparing for retirement. You want to ensure you have enough money to last the duration of your retirement and maybe still have something left in your estate. This is incredibly important, but there’s more to retirement than simply saving your money and waiting. Author and speaker Dr. Riley Moynes has contemplated the psychological challenges that retirees face and determined that there are four distinct phases of retirement. Understanding these phases and preparing for their challenges will help you maximize your retirement. VACATION This phase is exactly what it sounds like. You’ll feel like you’re on vacation 24/7. You wake up when you want, sleep when you want, and do whatever your heart desires throughout each day. We’re free from responsibilities and can enjoy each moment as it comes, but many people grow bored of this stage after the first year of retirement. We begin to miss our routine and question if there’s anything more to retirement. LOSS This second stage begins when we start to feel like we’ve lost who we are. We lose our routine, our identity, many of the relationships we’ve built, a sense of purpose, and for some, a feeling of power. This is also the stage where retirees can face divorce, depression, and physical and mental decline. It can be traumatic when you don’t see these losses coming, but this phase doesn’t last forever. TRIAL AND ERROR This phase is all about trying to make your life more meaningful. Often, the best path forward is to invest more time into your favorite activities. Be warned that many of these activities will have lost their luster, causing you to experience some trial and error. Don’t give up! Something will click to give you purpose, propelling you into phase four. REINVENT Not everyone will make it to this stage. To get here, you must ask yourself, “What’s my mission in retirement?” Maybe you want to serve others by volunteering with a charity, or perhaps you simply want to improve your golf game. Finding that purpose and reinventing yourself around it will bring you more happiness during your golden years. MAXIMIZE YOUR GOLDEN YEARS: Understand the 4 Phases of Retirement
Our relatives can teach us a lot about ourselves and the world around us. Here are only a few of the many lessons grandparents can share with others. Perhaps your relatives shared these teachings with you. Or maybe you’re teaching your grandchildren these skills as they grow up. 1. THEY CAN GIVE YOU A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE! Life, culture, and values have evolved throughout the years. Our ancestors lived through the Great Depression, multiple wars, the Great Recession, and more. They’ve endured a lot over the years and can teach their loved ones the importance of perseverance, mental and physical toughness, and how to enjoy life, all while facing obstacles. 2. FAMILY IS IMPORTANT. When parents get caught up in daily activities and need someone to look after their children or pick them up from school and extracurricular activities, they will first call the grandparents! No matter what happens, grandparents will always be there for the ones they love. This teaches us that the family should always come first and that we should help one another whenever possible. 3. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND YOUR ABILITIES. You’ve experienced tons of various obstacles and roadblocks. But even amid uncertainty, you got through it and saw the other side. When the stress of life seems like it’s too much to bear, grandparents teach us never to give up or doubt our instincts. We’re much stronger than we give ourselves credit for! To all our grandparents out there, thank you for everything you do for your family! Your hard work and love will never go unnoticed.
Happy Grandparents Day!
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DON’T LET A POTENTIAL RECESSION TARNISH YOUR RETIREMENT!
How Can You Safeguard Your Savings?
For the past several months, there has been lots of chatter about a possible recession. Although we cannot predict the future, we can take preventive measures to ensure we’re prepared for anything that comes our way. One of the areas you should begin preparing concerns your retirement accounts. Several people have come to us and mentioned how thousands of dollars are being removed from their 401(k)s. Seeing your hard-earned money be ripped away is heartbreaking and can lead to serious financial troubles and other challenges. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to preserve your wealth and ensure your retirement funds remain intact. HOW CAN YOU RECESSION-PROOF YOUR RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS? First and foremost, you must have a financial strategy to help support your retirement goals. You can add stocks, bonds, real estate, annuities, cash, or other assets to these accounts to have multiple income streams and help with the uncertainty of the economic market. However, it’s important to note that investing will always have risks. Luckily, your retirement advisor can help you find investments that fit your needs and have a lesser chance of causing roadblocks.
Regardless of what you choose, it’s essential to diversify them to reduce market risks. For example, if you want to store your money in stocks, ensure your portfolio has large and small companies. For bonds, get a variety of government and corporate bonds worldwide rather than just from one country or sector. Other storage options can include annuities, certificates of deposit, or Treasury inflation-protected securities. DON’T FORGET ABOUT TAX IMPLICATIONS! If you’re not taking taxes into consideration, it’s time you do! Taxes can alter your retirement funds dramatically. Furthermore, tax laws are ever-changing, which means that something that didn’t affect you in the past could affect your future if you aren’t up to date on tax laws that impact your accounts. Remember, if you don’t have a strategy that goes along with taxation on your retirement funds, you could be paying a hefty tax bill all at once! If you or someone you know needs assistance in recession-proofing their retirement accounts, please consider working with the Retirement Authority! To book an appointment with Scott Mizenko, please go to BookLTCCall.com . You can also email him at Scott@ScottMizenko.com or call 800-570-1396 .
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
TAKE A BREAK
With summer over and fall here, pecan and honey reign supreme in this sweet chicken recipe. The honey provides a perfect caramelization while pecans pack on the crunch factor! HONEY-PECAN CHICKEN BREASTS
INGREDIENTS
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2 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
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1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
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1/4 tsp salt
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1 tbsp butter
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1/4 tsp garlic powder
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3 tbsp honey
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1/8 tsp black pepper
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2 tbsp finely chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS
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1. Pound chicken with a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. 2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat; brown chicken on both sides. Cook covered until chicken is no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes, turning once. 3. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pecans. Cook covered until chicken is glazed, about 2–3 minutes.
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Don’t Get Trapped by Too-Good-to-Be- True Medicare Offers!
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Happy Grandparents Day!
Maximize Your Golden Years
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Avoid Turbulence by Recession-Proofing Your Retirement Accounts
Honey-Pecan Chicken Breasts
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Money-Saving Hacks for Your Fall Garden
GROW A THRIVING
Be Sure to Follow These Steps!
GARDEN WHILE SAVING MONEY
While it may be the fall season now, the temperature is still warm enough to encourage root growth for a garden! During the fall, you can plant blueberries, broccoli, garlic, radishes, spinach, lettuce, and several flowers such as asters, calendulas, and cosmos. However, planting can become expensive, especially if you have large metal raised beds for your garden. It may take several bags of soil to fill your garden bed, which can quickly put a dent in your wallet. Is there anything you can do to save money? Yes! Follow these four steps and watch your garden — and greenbacks — flourish. STEP 1: LAY DOWN CARDBOARD. After setting up your raised garden bed, add a layer of cardboard (any type of cardboard will do) to the bottom of it. This layer will prevent weeds lurking in the dirt underneath the cardboard from sprouting and growing in the soil you will add later. STEP 2: ADD STICKS AND SMALL LOGS. Similar to cardboard, adding sticks and logs will prevent weeds and other invasive plants from
growing in your garden. And these limbs and twigs will provide much-needed bulk, minimizing the amount of soil needed to fill your containers. STEP 3: SPRINKLE GRASS CLIPPINGS AND SHREDDED LEAVES. Nitrogen and carbon are essential to any garden because plants need nutrients to grow. While you can purchase nitrogen fertilizer at the store, recycling grass clippings and shredded leaves is a cheaper and environmentally friendly alternative. You can also toss food scraps on this layer for additional nutrients! STEP 4: TOP WITH SOIL AND COMPOST. Finally, you can begin adding your soil. Because the bed is filled with other materials, you won’t need as much! After applying a good amount of soil, you can add compost to the mix if desired. Once everything is to your liking and your beds are full of soil and nutrients, you’re ready to plant. Happy harvesting, everyone!
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