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LYN’S LEDGER
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
Jan 2018
We Help You With Medicare.
The Incredible People of Ojai
COMING TOGETHER AFTER THE THOMAS FIRE
W hen my family and I moved to Ojai in 1992, people were still talking about the great Wheeler Fire that burned through the Valley in 1985. Living as we do in Southern California, it’s a not a matter of if but when wildfires invade our lives. While memories of other fires named “Day,” “Ranch,” “Spring,” and “School” linger, we’ll be talking for years to come about the Thomas Fire of 2017. The Thomas Fire invaded everyone’s lives, and everyone has a story to tell. In the Ojai Valley, as the flames crested Sulphur Mountain in the south on Dec. 5 and then on Dec. 6 burned across Nordhoff Ridge on the entire north side of the valley, we were in wonder at the miraculous lack of wind. While homes were lost on the edges of the Ojai Valley, had the winds been blowing as they were a day earlier, Ojai would have become known as the town that burned down. Gratefully, if you look at a burn map of the Thomas Fire, you will see that the Ojai Valley appears as a donut hole in the burn area. Disasters by their very nature cause tremendous chaos and confusion. Do I evacuate or stay? What do I take if I leave? Bam! I wasn’t as prepared as I thought I was! What is accurate information or just in-the-moment panic? The Thomas Fire revealed social media at its best and at its unfiltered worst. Watching the flames via media, family and friends called from afar and pleaded, “Run!” The Ventura County Fire Department has taken a lot of feedback for the 3 a.m. Carpinteria evacuation texts to everyone in Ventura and Ojai. Chaos, yes! Oh, and the worst days of the fire for Ojai were the final days of the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. That made for some very exciting days for me! For those not dealing with direct loss, daily life has pretty much returned to normal, with cleanup being the task. However, for those directly affected, the aftermath of the
fires keeps rolling along like a bad cloud. Our hearts and prayers go out to those who have lost homes as they seek to rebuild not only their homes but their lives. Merchants in Ojai are suffering. Workers are being laid off. Area orchards have lost the majority of their crops. Nobody wants to experience a disaster, but there are some positive, moving takeaways from an event like this. Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties are great places to live! Our local first responders — and mutual aid fire support from across the country — performed courageously and tirelessly. It has been gratifying to see and hear the way our communities have come together. Ventura County is exhibiting government at its best with recovery centers bringing resources to the residents hardest hit. One thing we like about Ojai is that it has kept its small- town feel, and in the wake of Thomas, we came together in true neighborly fashion. Everyone I saw was willing to do whatever it took to help their neighbors make it through. It was a blessing to watch. It might be a cliché, but tragedy truly does bring out the best in people. The petty complaints we have about day-to-day life are put in perspective when the fire roars through and people are evacuating. Instead of living in our own worlds, we come together. I hope that lesson sticks with us long after the last ember is out. Like all of you, I’ve inhaled enough smoke for a while, and it will be a long time until we completely recover from the Thomas Fire. Soon enough, another fire will come — if not mudslides before. But if that’s the price we pay to be a member of this great community, then I’m more than happy to pay it.
– Lyn Thomas
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www.LT-ins.com
Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com
L yndon Thomas Insurance
IS YOUR LIFESTYLE RETIREMENT READY?
Why Rightsizing Makes for Better Life After Work
As you approach retirement, it’s important to make sure your lifestyle is tailored to fit the end of your working life. This concept, known as “rightsizing,” can make your savings last longer, which provides you with the freedom to enjoy your later years. Kathy Gottberg, author of “Rightsizing: A Smart Living 365 Guide to Reinventing Retirement,” defines the concept as “conscious choices for a better lifestyle that more closely fits your new needs in retirement.” The earlier you can begin rightsizing, the more prepared you’ll be for the days when you no longer have an income from work. For most of us, what really matters when we retire is spending time with loved ones and having memorable experiences. Nobody’s greatest regret is not having enough stuff. With that in mind, here are a few tips that will prepare you for a fruitful and fulfilling retirement. Clear Out Unneeded Goods If you’ve been in the same home for years or decades, you probably have more stuff than you need. Start by discarding anything that’s broken, damaged, or simply not getting any use. You should also make sure you’re not acting as a storage unit for friends or family members. If they don’t have the space for something, it shouldn’t be your job to hang on to it. Eliminating clutter will free up your space and allow you to treasure what you have. Move Into a House You Can Fill Once all of your children have left the nest, you’ll often find that you don’t need as many rooms. Selling your home and moving into one that isn’t half-empty will generate some extra cash and help you to live more efficiently. As an added bonus, you’ll often find that a cozier home increases happiness. The less time you have to spend on home maintenance, the more you can devote to the activities you love. Change Your Mindset Too often, we suffer from the urge to “keep up with the Joneses.” If our neighbor buys something, we want it too. But to really rightsize, you should resist the urge to meet other people’s standards. Retirement should help you make the most of your life, not anyone else’s. Before you make a purchase, especially a large one, ask yourself what’s motivating your decision. If it’s not going to make your life better, leave it on the shelf.
Newsletter Feedback Send us your Medicare questions. If you have a Medicare or Medicare coverage question you would like Lyn to answer, let us know! Email or text us your questions and we’ll answer them in an upcoming edition.
Lyn’s Ledger is also available through email in HTML format. If you would prefer to receive Lyn’s Ledger in this way, text “Electronic” to 805-798-3245 or email Lyn@LT-ins.com along with your name and “Electronic” in the subject line.
Anthem ID Cards New members of the Anthem MediBlue Plus Medicare Advantage plan may have experienced a delay receiving their member ID cards. The last batch of Anthem ID cards were mailed by their vendor on Dec. 26. If you have not received your card, call Lyndon Thomas Insurance and we will get you your card.
2 216-B E. Matilija St, Ojai, CA 93023 www.LT-ins.com CA# 0D96309
We Help You With Medicare.
Special Enrollment Period—Weather-Related Disaster
In mid-December, Medicare granted a Special Enrollment Period through Dec. 31 for individuals affected by the recent hurricanes in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the wildfires in California. Then, later in December, Medicare extended this SEP to allow individuals impacted in those areas to enroll for coverage or make a plan change through March 31, 2018. This is a one-time only enrollment opportunity. This SEP applies to enrollments in Medicare Advantage plans and Part D Prescription Drug programs only, not to Medicare Supplement plans, which have different enrollment guidelines. What does this mean for you? If you are pleased with your current coverage or new Jan. 1 Medicare health plan coverage, you don’t need to do anything. However, if you have questions about a plan change during this time, please contact Lyndon Thomas Insurance as we represent many of the MAPD and PDP plans available.
Also, this SEP does not affect anyone who is entering Medicare at 65 or retiring and leaving an employer-provided health plan during this time.
‘Tis the Season — Don’t Get Scammed!
The holidays have passed and scammers are on the prowl. Scammers have called me three times in the last month alone. Some of the scams would be funny if it weren’t for the devastation caused to those trusting souls taken in. No matter how convincing the person on the other end of the line, REMEMBER — Medicare and the Internal Revenue Service notify people only by mail, never by telephone or email. There are no sudden “fines or legal cases against you” that need immediate, over-the-phone payment! If you have not received written communication from a government agency through the mail, it is a scam!
SUDOKU
SLOW COOKER RASPBERRY WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE
There’s nothing like curling up under a blanket with a warm mug and a novel that finally came out in paperback. Break out the slow cooker and let the sweet aroma waft through your living room as your start Chapter 1.
Ingredients
• • • •
1 cup white chocolate chips
• • •
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 2 cups heavy cream, divided 3 cups milk (any variety will do)
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons raspberry liqueur or syrup
Instructions
1. In a slow cooker, combine white
3. Using a hand or stand mixer, whip until stiff peaks form. 4. Serve mugs of hot chocolate with about 1 tablespoon of raspberry liqueur or syrup to taste and a dollop of whipped cream.
chocolate chips, condensed milk, 1 cup cream, and milk. Cover and heat on low about 2 hours. 2. In a large bowl, mix remaining 1 cup cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
Solution
Recipe inspired by SlowCookerGourmet.net.
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CA# 0D96309
805-646-6409
Lyndon Thomas Insurance
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
PO Box 207 Ojai, CA 93024
INSIDE
CA# 0D96309 | www.LT-ins.com | 805-646-6409
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Ojai Comes Together
Are You Financially Prepared for Retirement? Newsletter Feedback Weather-Related Disaster Warm UpWith Some Hot Cocoa
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216-B E. Matilija St, Ojai, CA 93023
Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com
Published by The NewsletterPro •www.NewsletterPro.com
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