From The Arc, Scranton PA On February 9, Governor Wolf proposed a $33.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2016-2017. This is a 10.89% increase compared to the $30.03 final 2015-2016 budget. The General Assembly is currently creating their own budget proposal for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. After it is formally…
PA Governor’s Budget for Pennsylvanians with Disabilities
Q & A: Medicare for Workers over Age 65
From AARP.com, Written by Patricia Barry Medicare’s 50th anniversary on July 30 celebrates the enduring popularity of a program that has transformed health security for older and disabled Americans. Medicare has protected many millions from poor health, premature death and medical bankruptcy, as was the hope when President Lyndon Johnson signed the program into…
What is the "Federal Funds Rate"?
Written by: Jamie Kresge, Abington Financial Group In December 2015, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) raised the federal funds target rate to a range of 0.25% to 0.50%, the first shift from the rock-bottom 0% to 0.25% level where it had remained since December 2008. The federal funds rate is…
2015 Year-End Tax Planning Basics
From Jamie Kresge of the Abington Financial Group As the end of the 2015 tax year approaches, set aside some time to evaluate your situation and consider potential opportunities. Effective year-end planning depends on a good understanding of both your current circumstances and how those circumstances might change next year. Basic…
Hospital Patients to Receive Notice of Observation Status
From Marshall, Parker, & Weber, LLC Elder Attorney A new federal law will require hospitals to notify patients of their status as outpatients. H.R. 876 Notice of Observation Treatment and Implication for Care Eligibility (NOTICE) Act was signed into law by President Obama on August 6, 2015. Outpatient status limits…
Strengthening Medicare
From AARP.com, written by Patricia Barry, John Burgess, AARP Bulletin, July/August 2015 Medicare has made an enormous difference in the health and lives of older Americans, but, as with every big program, there’s room for improvement. We asked experts for specifics. The suggestions listed below vary in cost and savings and are not universally…
5 Bad Money Moves
These are some of the worst investments and financial products you can sink your money into, by Allan Roth, AARP The Magazine, April/May 2014 When we watch Leonardo DiCaprio as real-life broker Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street, it’s easy to think that we’d never fall for the cold-call pitches that Leo…
The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program
Source from the Pennsylvania Department of Aging The forms to apply for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program for money paid for property taxes or rent during 2013 are now available from the Department of Revenue. Pennsylvania residents who are 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and…
PA Free File – New Fast, Free, Personal Income Tax Filing
Source from the Pennsylvania Department of Aging The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue announced that PA Free File, which offers free, safe and convenient Internet-based, electronic filing options, will be available this year for qualifying taxpayers to file state and federal personal income tax returns simultaneously. To help taxpayers navigate the new e-filing options,…
Q and A: Is a reverse mortgage a good idea for my Mom?
Question: Is a reverse mortgage a good idea for my Mom? Answer: A reverse mortgage is essentially a loan against your Mom’s home that she doesn’t have to pay back for as long as she lives in it. Thus, she can turn the value of her home into cash, giving…
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