Look who's turning 65 this year.

It may be hard to believe, but these celebrities will be turning 65 this year:

• Steven Tyler – Lead singer of Aerosmith and American Idol judge
• Al Gore – former V.P. of the U.S.
• Mikhail Baryshnikov – Maybe the most famous ballet dancer of all time
• Kathy Bates – Academy Award winning actress
• Lewis Black – Comedian
• John Carpenter – Terrified people with his movie Halloween
• Peggy Flemming – Ice skater
• Jeremy Irons – Actor
• Donna Karan – Designer
• John Oates – The “other guy” from Hall & Oates
• Ozzy Osbourne – Legendary rocker
• Robert Plant – Legendary Zeppelin rocker
• Prince Charles – Future King of England (maybe)
• James Taylor – Singer, songwriter
• Andrew Lloyd Weber – Musical theater legend (Cats, Phantom, etc.)
• Dianne Weist – Academy Award winning actress
• Glenn Frey – Founding member of the Eagles

I wonder if any of them will be attending my Getting Started with Medicare workshops?

Happy birthday to all of you!

New Rule for 2013 on FSAs

Employee contributions for FSAs for medical expenses are capped this year at $2500 annually. The cap will be adjusted annually to the Consumer Price Index.  IRS guidance issued in June 2012 clarified that the cap applies on a plan year beginning after December 31, 2012.

 

Who is your life insurance beneficiary?

Every so often, it's a good idea to take a look at your life insurance policies and review who you have listed as your beneficiary. You may also want to check the beneficiaries listed on your retirement and investment programs provided by your employers.

Families change. People divorce. Grandchildren come along. All these things may affect who you want listed as your insurance beneficiary.

And, if you're a former smoker, it’s a good idea to see if your old life insurance policies still lists you as a smoker. You may save some money on your insurance premiums by letting your insurance company know you no longer smoke.

 

Preparing for Health Care Reform

 
Earlier this month, I completed a course of study to become certified as a Healthcare Reform Specialist through the Healthcare Reform Center and Policy Institute.This designation gives me access to the most up-to-date information available today on the Heathcare Reform Program.

You are bound to have questions as the government rolls out Healthcare Reform this fall. Please check here often for updates on this far-reaching Program. Later this year, I plan to offer workshops for individuals and businesses covering Healthcare Reform in detail. My goal is to be a reliable resource for you to turn to for answers.
 

If you are interested in learning more about Healthcare Reform, scheduling a class for your group or discussing how this program will affect you, your business or your employees, please let me know. You can do so by calling 440-255-5700.

You may be eligible for help with prescriptions, energy bills, taxes and more.

Did you know there are over 2,000 federal, state and private benefits programs available to help you pay for prescription drugs, health care, utilities and other basic needs?

BenefitsCheckUp is a program established by the National Council on Aging that
offers free access to a completely private and confidential way to find the benefits you may be eligible for. Just answer the questions and BenefitsCheckUp will create a report just for you showing the programs that can help you. And you can apply for many of them online or print a form from BenefitsCheckUp.

Let me stress - - - this is completely private and confidential. No names, no addresses, no id is asked for in this screen process.  Go to www.benefitscheckup.org to get started.

Here are the types of expenses BenefitsCheckUp may help you get assistance with:

• Medications

• Food
• Utilities
• Legal
• Health care
• Housing
• Taxes
• Transportation
• Employment Training

If you don’t have a computer at home, visit a local library or a senior center that has computers or ask a trusted friend, relative or family member to help.

 

Getting Started with Medicare Classes for Feb & March

I will be presenting "Getting Started with Medicare," a class designed to answer your questions and prepare you for your transition to Medicare, at the following locations in the coming weeks. I look forward to seeing you.

For the dates and times of additional classes, please visit my website at http://www.mutskoinsurance.com/seminars

Pre-registration is required for all classes.  Please call the specific location to register and for any additional details.

 

Tuesday February 12, 2013
Chagrin Falls Community Education

Class Location:  Chagrin Falls Middle School Library

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
342 E. Washington
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
440-247-5375

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Eastlake Library
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
36706 Lakeshore Blvd.
Eastlake, OH 44095
440-942-7880 x3

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Lakeland Community College
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
7700 Clock Tower Drive
Kirtland, OH 44094
440-525-7116

Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Lorain County Community College
Brunswick Campus
6:00 pm to 8:30pm
50 Pearl Road
Brunswick, OH 44212
440-366-4148

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Andover Library
2:00pm – 4:00 pm
142 W. Main St.
Andover, OH 44003
440-293-6792

Tuesday, March 14, 2013
Lorain County Community College
Elyria Campus
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
1005 N. Abbe Road
Elyria, OH 44035
440-366-4148

Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Concord Community Education
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
7671 Auburn Road
Concord, OH 44077
440-639-4650