Even with Medicare, medical expenses can be costly. Many retirees worry that rising medical costs will eat away at their retirement savings. Even when offset by insurance, health care costs are above what the majority of people (working or retired) can pay, regardless of whether they have Medicare, employer-subsidized health insurance, or insurance through the Affordable Care Act. SAVE FOR RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS NOW
DER SWEETENER
MARY’S OATMEAL COOKIE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
Fidelity estimated that couples who retired in 2017 at age 65 faced a cost of $275,000 for health care throughout their retirement, a 6 percent hike from 2016’s estimate of $260,000 and more than a 70 percent increase since Fidelity came out with its initial estimates of retiree health costs in 2002. These totals include Medicare premiums, copays and deductibles, and prescription drug costs but not nursing homes or long-term care. Obviously, health care costs continue to rise every year. Over time, employers have offered ways to help workers offset costs through health savings accounts, which provide tax breaks on medical expenses. However, many retirees are not prepared for the high cost of medical care when they are no longer part of a company plan. Medicare only covers a percentage of your medical bills, which means retirees have to dip into savings to pay for medical costs. While this certainly isn’t good news, there is a silver lining. If you take steps to increase your retirement plan contributions, you can compensate for those daunting health care costs. This could mean cutting your spending or canceling trips now, but by ramping up your savings, you’ll be able to enjoy more of these things later in retirement. Given the rate at which health care costs are rising, you really have no choice but to face the problem head-on. Social Security won’t be able to provide enough income to cover medical expenses. The sooner you add to your portfolio, the better positioned you’ll be to save without worrying about dipping into your assets.
[inspired by Bon Appetit]
Ingredients
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed • 1 large egg yolk • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 4 pints ice cream (any flavor)
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter • 1 1/2 ounces store-bought waffle cones, lightly crushed • 1 1/2 cups oats • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 F.While oven is heating, cook butter in saucepan over mediumheat until browned, 5–8minutes. Scrape browned butter into a heatproof measuring glass. 2. Pulse waffle cones, oats, flour, and salt in a food processor or blender. Once cones are finely ground, add brown sugar and pulse again. 3. Whisk egg yolk, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. 4. Add eggmixture to food processor while spinning on low. Once integrated, slowly add browned butter; blend until dough forms a solid mass around blades. 5. Formdough into 26 balls and place 2 inches apart on a parchment- lined baking sheet. Flatten balls and bake 12–15minutes or until edges begin to brown. 6. Let cool, then spread ice creambetween cookies tomake sandwiches. 7. Freeze for up to 5 days—or enjoy today!
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.thenewsletterpro.com
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