WHOSE PICKS WILL GO ALL THE WAY? March Madness Fun for the Whole Family
REWARD THE WINNERS WITH PRIZES.
One of the greatest things about March Madness is that you don’t have to be a huge college basketball fan to get in on the fun. Kids of all ages can fill out brackets — or have a parent fill one out for them — and watch their picks duke it out on the court. While healthy competition among family members can be fun all on its own, check out the following tips if you’re looking to go the extra mile and reap as much fun from March Madness as you can. Not every kid may like watching basketball, but if they fill out a bracket, then they might gain at least a passing interest in who will win each game. To elevate their interest, turn each March Madness matchup into a little party. It doesn’t have to be fancy; make fun snacks to eat while you watch or bet pieces of candy on who will have the most points to create great family bonding opportunities. TURN EACH GAME INTO AN EVENT.
Offer prizes to each round winner as well as the overall bracket winner to get the whole family involved. Small prize ideas for each round can include a homemade dinner of the winner’s choice, a week’s supply of their favorite snack, or a coupon for getting out of a chore. Whoever wins the whole tournament (or makes it the furthest with their bracket) deserves a bigger reward. Offer them the chance to see a movie of their choice in theaters or to eat a meal at their favorite restaurant. Learning math or geography might not sound like your child’s idea of fun, but it can be when they learn it through the lens of March Madness. See if your kids would be interested in understanding the inner workings of the ranking system or studying where some of the qualifying colleges are located on a map of the United States. They may find it so interesting that they don’t even realize they’re learning valuable skills. CREATE A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY.
SOCIAL SECURITY SCAMS IN 2020 The Inspector General’s Advice to Stay Safe
THREATEN TO ARREST YOU OR TAKE OTHER LEGAL ACTION UNLESS YOU IMMEDIATELY PAY A FINE Scammers will often require payment by a retail gift card, cash, wire transfer, internet currency, or prepaid debit card. But if there’s currently a legitimate pending fee or payment, the agency will send a letter with instructions and your payment options — you should never pay through any of these other options. Scammers ask for things like cash or a retail gift card because they are difficult to trace and recover. PROMISE A BENEFIT INCREASE OR OTHER ASSISTANCE IN EXCHANGE FOR PAYMENT You’d be notified by mail for any offered assistance or new programs by the Social Security Administration.
SEND OFFICIAL LETTERS OR REPORTS CONTAINING PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION VIA EMAIL
Phone call scammers have been rampant in the U.S. for a long time, but every year, they seem to think of new ways to come across as trustworthy; some even appear as legitimate staffers of the Social Security Administration. That’s why the Inspector General Gail S. Ennis has come forward with some new advice for the new decade. According to him and recent reports to the SSA, the latest variation of Social Security phone scams includes fake emails. Usually, robocallers or live callers will pretend to be government employees telling you your identity has been stolen, or there have been problems with your Social Security number, account, or benefits. Ennis urges citizens to give nothing to these callers, no matter what threat or offer they make. The Social Security Administration will NEVER do any of the following:
Again, in most cases, you receive official documents containing your personally identifiable information through the mail, not email. Fraudulent documents will often use official letterheads and political jargon to confuse readers. They also may contain grammatical errors. If you think you’ve received a suspicious call or email, hang up or do not respond. But if you ever get concerned about your Social Security and how to claim it after exiting the workforce, call our team of experts at DiBartolomeo Law Office at 503-325-8600.
The Di Bartolomeo Law Office, P.C. 1139 Exchange Street | Astoria, Oregon | 503-325-8600 | www.JoeDiBartolomeo.com
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