THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, May 20, 2022 Page 17 ALERT | FROM PAGE 11 aggressive, continued to speak over me, and threatening. I have never heard from this company by email or mail since I initially responded more than a year ago - no additional product has been received either.” Tips for avoiding this scam: • Research the company online. See what other people are saying about the company’s free trials. Complaints from other customers can tip you off to “catches” that might come with the trial. Check the business's BBB Rating and see if there are any alerts. • Understand what happens after the free trial ends. Always read the terms of the off er before signing up. Numerous victims of the CBD free trial con reported not ever seeing the terms and conditions. This is a huge red fl ag. If you can’t fi nd them or can’t understand what you’re agreeing to, don’t sign up. • Be skeptical of celebrity endorsements. Resist being swayed by the use of a wellknown name. Scammers often fake celebrity endorsements. • Report losses to credit card companies. If you pay with a credit card, you can dispute fraudulent charges. Keep an eye on your monthly statements and notify your credit card company of any suspicious charges. For more information: Read BBB’s special report on free trial off er scams. Learn more about scams on social media advertising. Stay one step ahead of scammers by subscribing to BBB's weekly Scam Alert emails. If you’ve been a victim of free trial off er scam, please report your experience at BBB.org/ ScamTracker. By doing so you can help others to avoid falling prey to scammers. a y avvy S iorenniiooro a Dear Frugal, Water and Sewer Rates FY23 Legal Notice City of Malden Public Hearing Public Works Commission There will be a Public Hearing conducted by the Public Works Commission on Tuesday, May 24th, at 5:30 pm at Malden City Hall, 215 Pleasant Street, Conference Room #108 Malden, MA., regarding FY 23 Water and Sewer Rates. Karen M. Bourque, Clerk Public Works Commission May 13, 20, 2022 There are literally hundreds of diff erent travel-related discounts available to older travelers that can add up to save you hundreds of dollars on your next trip. To qualify, you’ll need to meet the age requirement, which varies by business. Some discounts may be available as soon as you turn 50, but most don’t kick in until you turn 55, 60, 62 or 65. Here’s a rundown of top travel discounts, along with some extra tips to help you save. Ways to Save The fi rst thing to know is that most businesses don’t advertise them, but many give senior discounts just for the asking, so don’t be shy. You also need to be aware that when it comes to senior travel bargains, the “senior discount,” if available, may not always be the best deal. Hotels, resorts, airlines and cruise lines, for example, off er advanced bookings along with special deals and promotions from time to time that may be a lower rate than what the senior discount is. Before you book, always ask about the lowest possible rate and the best deal available. Another way you can save is to be fl exible when you travel. Last minute travel deals can off er huge savings, as does traveling during off -season or off -peak times, and avoiding holidays. Club memberships can also garner you a wide variety of travel MEDICARE PART B AND D INCOME-RELATED ADJUSTMENTS 2021 tax return. The number M ost Medicare beneficiaries pay the standard Part B premium. Medicare benefi - ciaries may also pay a premium for Medicare Part D, which covers prescription drugs. The standard premium for Medicare Part B for 2022 is $170.10 per month. The average premium for a standalone Part D prescription drug plan for 2022 is $47.59 per month. Medicare recipients will pay higher Part B and Part D premiums if their income exceeds a certain amount. This is known as the Income-Related Monthly Adjusted Amount (IRMAA). In order to determine your 2022 Medicare Part A and B premiums, the Social Security Administration reviews the income on your 2020 tax return, not your 2021 return. Your 2023 Medicare premiums will be based upon your they review is called your modified adjusted gross income. The 2022 Medicare Part A standard premium of $170.10 would increase to $238.10 if your 2020 modifi ed adjusted gross income was between $182,000 and $228,000 for a married fi ling joint income tax return. For a single person, the $238.10 premium kicks in for income between $91,000 and $114,000. Starting in 2020, the IRMAA is indexed to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (CPI-U). The IRMAA income brackets were not previously indexed in this fashion. Over the last several years with sales of appreciated real estate investment property and stocks, many Medicare recipients have been assessed these higher Part A and Part B premiums. It pays to at least consider the impact that a signifi cant capital gain will have on your Medicare premiums. It might make sense to split the sale of appreciated stock over a consecutive two-year period. For example, in December of one year and in January of the next year. Of course, economics and good fi nancial strategies should always be kept in mind when determining when to sell any investment. Many of the capital gains realized on the sale of investment property have been so large in recent years, it is impossible to avoid the Medicare premium adjustment. The good news is that the Medicare premiums will drop in a following year based upon the tax return actually fi led two years earlier. For many, the increase in Medicare premiums is a one-year deal. For those retirees with substantial income year after year, the increased premiums they will just have to live with. I suppose if a married couple has a modifi ed adjusted gross income of $182,000, an additional $68 per month in premiums is not too heavy of a price to pay. I find that many Medicare recipients are surprised when they get the notice from Social Security informing them of the increase in premiums. It’s a good thing to keep in mind that higher income levels, regardless of the source, will result in greater Medicare premiums. Joseph D. Cataldo is an Estate Planning/Elder Law Attorney, Certifi ed Public Accountant, Certifi ed Financial Planner, AICPA Personal Financial Specialist and holds a Master’s Degree in Taxation. bargains. AARP, for example has dozens of travel discounts available on hotels, rental cars, cruises, vacation packages and more – see AARP.org/benefi ts-discounts. The American Automobile Association (AAA.com) is another membership club that provides some great travel discounts to members at any age. Types of Discounts Here are of some of the best senior travel discounts available in 2022. Airline: British Airways off ers AARP members $65 off economy travel and $200 off business club travel. American, Delta and United also off er senior fares to passengers 65 and older in certain markets but are extremely limited. And JetBlue off ers 5 percent discounts for retired military and veterans that are enrolled in Veterans Advantage. Train: Amtrak provides a 10 percent discount to travelers 65plus, and a 10 percent discount to passengers over age 60 on cross-border services operated jointly by Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada. Rental Car: Avis and Budget provide AARP members up to 30 percent off at participating locations. Hertz off ers up to 20 off to 50-plus travelers. And Thrifty and Sixt provides 5 percent off to those 50 and older. Hotels: Certain hotel chains off er discounted rates for seniors usually ranging between 10 and 15 percent off but may vary by location. Some popular hotels that off er these discounts include Best Western, Choice Hotels, Hyatt, IHG Hotels, Marriott, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Red Roof and Wyndham Hotels. Restaurants: Many restaurant chains off er senior discounts ranging from free drinks, to senior menus, to discounts off your total order, but they may only be available on certain days of the week or at certain locations. Some popular options include Applebee’s, Denny’s, IHOP, Chili’s, Perkins Restaurant & Bakery and McDonalds. Cruises: Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise lines off er discount rates to cruisers 55 and over on select cruises. And Grand European Travel off ers AARP members up to $100 savings per person on river cruises. Call before booking to inquire. Entertainment and Attractions: Most museums, zoos, aquariums, movie theaters, public golf courses and even ski slopes provide reduced admission to seniors over 60 or 65. And for those 62 or older, one of the best deals available is the America the Beautiful Senior Pass ($20 for an annual senior pass, or $80 for a lifetime pass) which provides admittance to more than 2,000 national parks and recreation sites. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. avvyavvy iori Frugal Travelers n r by Jim Miller Best Senior Travel Discounts in 2022 Dear Savvy Senior, What are some of the best travel discounts available to seniors? My husband and are about to retire and are interested in traveling more but live on a tight budget.
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