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1. “Little Orphan Annie” 2. Capris 3. Three 4. “Cyclone” (Due to his “destructive” fastball, “One of the fellows called me ‘Cyclone,’ but fi nally shortened it to ‘Cy’…”) 5. No, it is a one-seeded fruit. 6. Brazil 7. Eleanor Roosevelt 8. Barry Bonds – in 2007 he hit his 756th career home run. 9. Limestone 10. Shakespeare 11. The Old State House 12. Cheetah 13. Australia 14. A lover of books or book collector 15. Harry Potter (quidditch) 16. Track & fi eld 17. Northampton 18. Waltz 19. Wood 20. Alcatraz Page 20 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2022 Savvy Senior BY JIM MILLER Cheap Basic Cell Phone Plans for Penny Pinching Seniors Dear Savvy Senior, A few months ago, I read a column you wrote on extremely cheap smartphone plans for budget-conscious seniors. Can you do a similar column for those of us who still use basic fl ip phones? My old 3G fl ip phone is about to become obsolete, so I’m looking for the cheapest possible replacement. I only need a simple cell phone (no data) for emergency calls when I’m away from home. Penny Pincher Dear Penny, For many seniors, like yourself, who only want a simple basic cell phone for emergency purposes and occasional calls, there are a number of super cheap plans available from small wireless providers you may have never heard of. Here are some of the best deals available right now. Cheapest Basic Plans For extremely light cell phone users, the cheapest wireless plan available is through US Mobile (USMobile.com), which has a “build your own plan” that starts at only $2 per month for 75 minutes of talk time. If you want text messaging capabilities, an extra $1.50/ month will buy you 50 texts per month. US Mobile runs on Verizon’s and T-Mobile’s networks and gives you the option to bring your existing phone (if compatible or unlocked) or purchase a new device, while keeping your same phone number if you wish. If your fl ip phone is becoming obsolete, as you mentioned in your question, you’ll need to buy a new device, which you can do through US Mobile if you choose their plan. They off er the “NUU F4L” fl ip phone for $39 for new customers. Or you can purchase an unlocked phone through retail stores like Walmart or Best Buy, or online. One of the best value fl ip phones right now is the (unlocked) “Alcatel GO FLIP 4044 4G LTE,” available at Amazon.com for $80. Some other super cheap wireless plans worth a look are Ultra Mobile’s “PayGo” plan (UltraMobile.com/PayGo), which provides 100 talk minutes, 100 texts for only $3 per month. And Tello’s (Tello.com) “build your own plan” that starts at $5 per month for 100 talk minutes and unlimited texting. Both Ultra Mobile PayGo and Tello also run on T-Mobile’s network and will let you use your existing phone (if compatible or unlocked) or buy a new one. Senior Targeted Providers In addition to these super cheap plans, there are several other wireless companies that cater to older customers and off er lowcost basic plans and simple fl ip phones. One of the least expensive is through TracFone (Tracfone.com), which off ers a 60-minute talk, text and web plan for $20 that lasts for 90 days. That averages out to $6.66 per month. Three other providers that are popular among seniors are Snapfon (Snapfon.com), which off ers a 100 minutes and unlimited texting plan for $10. Consumer Cellular (ConsumerCellular.com), which provides an unlimited talk plan or $15 per month. They also give 5 percent discounts to AARP members. And Lively (Lively.com), maker of the popular Jitterbug Flip2 senior-friendly fl ip phone. Their cheapest monthly plan is 300 minutes of talk and text for $15. Subsidized Plans You also need to know that if you’re on a government program such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income or food stamps/SNAP. Or, if your annual household income is at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines — $18,347 for one person, or $24,719 for two — you might also qualify for free or subsidized wireless plans from various carriers via the federal Lifeline program. To fi nd out if you’re eligibility or apply, visit LifelineSupport.org. 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 C author of “The Savvy Senior”book. show and MASSHEALTH AND YOUR HOME R egardless of the value of your home, so long as your spouse is living in your home, it will not be considered a countable asset even if you were to go into a nursing home and qualify for MassHealth benefi ts. Furthermore, so long as your spouse is living in your home, MassHealth Estate Recovery will not be able to fi le a lien against it. If your home is held jointly, title should be transferred as quickly as possible to the healthy spouse who is still living home. If not, if the healthy spouse were to suddenly die fi rst, title would vest 100% in the spouse who is living in the nursing home on MassHealth. The Estate Recovery Unit would then be able to recover against the equity in the home as the home would be part of the nursing home spouse’s probate estate. The transfer can be made either prior to or after admission into a nursing home. Transfers between spouses are never considered disqualifying transfers subject to the fi ve-year look-back period. Once the transfer of the home takes place and the nursing home spouse is approved for MassHealth benefi ts, the spouse still living at home should consider, as one option, transferring the home to an irrevocable Trust in order to protect the equity in the home for the benefi t of children. The fi ve-year look-back period will commence once title has been transferred to the Trust. Although each family’s circumstances are diff erent, and what might be good for one family might not be good for another, married couples and single individuals need to consider transthe Lord Chamberlain’s Men? 1. On Aug. 5, 1924, what comic strip about a girl debuted? 2. What pants are named for an island? 3. Brown bears live with their mother for how many years: one, three or six? 4. On Aug. 6, 1890, “Cy” Young pitched his first game as a pro; what did his nickname mean? 5. Is a coconut a nut? 6. What country has won the World Cup in soccer fi ve times? 7. What First Lady wrote a newspaper column called “My Day”? 8. On Aug. 7, 2007, who beat Hank Aaron’s career home run record? 9. Most caves are formed in what kind of rock: granite, limestone or gneiss? 10. What playwright was associated with the Globe Theatre and the group of actors called 11. On Aug. 8, 1984, the Massachusetts Bay Colony charter was stolen from what building in Boston that is now a National Historic Park? 12. This August, for the first time in decades, what cat is being returned to India’s wild forests? 13. In what country would you find a traditional music instrument called a didgeridoo? 14. August 9 is National Book Lovers Day; what is a bibliophile? 15. What children’s book series inspired a sport? ferring the home to such an irrevocable Trust long before the need for a nursing home arises. One big advantage is the avoidance of probate. The home will pass to your intended beneficiaries pursuant to the terms of the Trust. The home can be sold at any time even after you place it into an irrevocable Trust. Since the Trust is structured as a grantor-type trust, the IRS Section 121 capital gain exclusion will still be retained. For a married couple, the capital gain exclusion on the sale of the home is $500,000. For a single person, the exclusion is $250,000. If rental property is placed into the Trust, the net rental income or loss is passed through onto the married couple’s or single person’s Form 1040. Consequently, the much higher ordinary income tax rates and capital gains tax rates associated with Trusts are avoided. Joseph D. Cataldo is an estate planning/elder law attorney, Certified Public Accountant, Certified Financial Planner, AICPA Personal Financial Specialist and holds a master’s degree in taxation. 16. During the 1936 Sumer Olympics in Berlin, in what sport did Jessie Owens win four gold medals? 17. August 10 is National S’mores Day; Rev. Sylvester Graham, who inspired graham flour products, died in what Massachusetts city with the Calvin Coolidge House? 18. What Austrian dance was once called the forbidden dance due to its body contact? 19. What did golf balls used to be made of? 20. On Aug. 11, 1934, what prison known as “The Rock” opened? ANSWERS

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