21 November 2009, 5:14 pm
By Carl Bloice
Article first published by The Black Commentator and then by L.A. Progressive
He caught me by the elevator. “Do you know how much peanut butter costs at Safeway now as compared to two months ago?” John asked. I didn’t but I had been aware of the recent cost of berries, which were rising out of sight.
Joe wanted to know if I had, as requested, written to one of our U.S. senators about the problem. He told me that across the bay in Oakland, a senior meals program had been eliminated entirely as of this month. What brought this exchange on was a July 1 Associated Press article on the effects of rising food and fuel prices and budgetary cutbacks on older people. John and I belong to the same local senior activist group and I had emailed the story to members of the board. That’s the story quoting a woman on Social Security and her difficulty meeting the rising cost of food and utilities who said, “A lot of times I can’t even get into the kitchen.”
“Those same costs are squeezing the estimated 20,000 senior nutrition programs across the country that serve Jones and millions of elderly and frail Americans” the AP story read. “While most needs are still being met, advocates from California to New York worry that seniors will go hungry. They blame a nearly 20 percent increase in fuel and food prices over the past year, flat or reduced government funding, and an ailing economy that yields fewer donations.”
Meanwhile, USA Today has run an extensive series on the problem of seniors struggling to remain alive and healthy under the crushing weight of the cost of the things we need and for which the elderly must pay a disproportionate share of our incomes on. One of them described a busy food bank in Southern California. “The free food amounts to a lifeline for these seniors, who have seen inflation wring much of the value out of their fixed incomes,” it read. “For these retirees, the prices of essentials – notably, gas and food – have galloped beyond reach. Perhaps most of all, they’re straining under the weight of crushing medical costs.
To read the full article please follow this link.
21 November 2009, 9:24 am
Retiring in a foreign country has increased in popularity over the last decade, especially with costs rising in the Unites States. Most people, who have worked all their lives, and are currently or will soon be relying on their savings and pensions, are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain the lifestyle they had anticipated on. This section will be the first of many installments regarding retiring in Mexico. They will include important information about owning property, starting a small business, finding health care, and ensuring that your U.S. assets are looked after, especially if they continue to bring you revenue.
Owning property in Mexico allows for people to travel back and forth across the border without the hassle of vacation planning. Mexico is quickly becoming an important world economy and with such proximity to the States and Canada, moving here permanently is as easy as driving your car down.
Buying a house or condo now will prepare you and your family for longer stays into the future as well as secure valuable foreign investments. The Mexican real estate market is the steadiest economy in the region and luxury homes in beautiful mountain towns or beach front property along the expansive coastline is truly affordable. If you have ever thought about buying a second home, for either winter escapes or permanent residence, the time to do it is now.
Owning property as a foreigner is possible! Here is some simple information to get you started:
How does the Trust Deed Ownership work?
The Trust Deed or Fideicomiso is established through a Mexican bank (Trustee) assuring foreign buyers of all privileges of ownership within the restricted area of Mexico (within 100 kilometers of the border and 50km of the coastline). As of 1994, the Foreign Investment Law allows these deeds to be established for a term of 50 years and to be renewable upon termination for 30-year periods. This process protects the rights of foreigners (Trust Beneficiaries) and makes sure that the transaction is legal and unencumbered. For more than 30 years, many thousands of American and Canadian citizens have used the Trust Deed Ownership system in Puerto Vallarta and throughout Mexico’s resort destinations.
Information courtesy of Catherine Ocaña and Taheima.
13 November 2009, 1:46 pm
The Social Security Administration has announced that there will be no cost-of-living increase in 2010. The Title II-Disability Insurance benefit amount; the Title XVI-Supplemental Security Income benefit amount; and the dollar fee limit for a representative payee’s services will all remain at the 2009 levels.
9 November 2009, 10:37 am
FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) insurance has been temporarily increased from $100,000 to $250,000 per depositor through December 31, 2013. IRAs and other qualified retirement accounts for which the deposit insurance limit already was $250,000 will continue to be insured up to $250,000. After December 31, 2013, account ownership categories for which the deposit insurance was $100,000 will revert to the $100,000 limit.
9 November 2009, 10:16 am
From time to time, we post information about reliable resources in Sonoma County for elder services. The folks at Creative Counseling for Elders and Families are a wonderful team who can make significant changes in the lives of seniors in the community and our loved ones.
Creative Counseling for Elders and Families believes that staying active physically as well as mentally are key to maintaining levels of functioning. To this end we offer Mobility Assistance by a licensed personal trainer with extensive experience working with the elderly population. We design specific individual programs that best support our client’s continued health and mobility.
Continue reading ‘Creative Counseling for Elders and Families’ »
An exerpt from: “It Makes You Want to Cry: Economy Hits Seniors Hard”
By Carl Bloice
Article first published by The Black Commentator and then by L.A. Progressive
He caught me by the elevator. “Do you know how much peanut butter costs at Safeway now as compared to two months ago?” John asked. I didn’t but I had been aware of the recent cost of berries, which were rising out of sight.
Joe wanted to know if I had, as requested, written to one of our U.S. senators about the problem. He told me that across the bay in Oakland, a senior meals program had been eliminated entirely as of this month. What brought this exchange on was a July 1 Associated Press article on the effects of rising food and fuel prices and budgetary cutbacks on older people. John and I belong to the same local senior activist group and I had emailed the story to members of the board. That’s the story quoting a woman on Social Security and her difficulty meeting the rising cost of food and utilities who said, “A lot of times I can’t even get into the kitchen.”
“Those same costs are squeezing the estimated 20,000 senior nutrition programs across the country that serve Jones and millions of elderly and frail Americans” the AP story read. “While most needs are still being met, advocates from California to New York worry that seniors will go hungry. They blame a nearly 20 percent increase in fuel and food prices over the past year, flat or reduced government funding, and an ailing economy that yields fewer donations.”
Meanwhile, USA Today has run an extensive series on the problem of seniors struggling to remain alive and healthy under the crushing weight of the cost of the things we need and for which the elderly must pay a disproportionate share of our incomes on. One of them described a busy food bank in Southern California. “The free food amounts to a lifeline for these seniors, who have seen inflation wring much of the value out of their fixed incomes,” it read. “For these retirees, the prices of essentials – notably, gas and food – have galloped beyond reach. Perhaps most of all, they’re straining under the weight of crushing medical costs.
To read the full article please follow this link.