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Page 18 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 24, 2025 BEACON | FROM PAGE 17 ees perform critical repairs and maintenance to ensure safe, reliable energy service across Massachusetts every day when customers need it most,” said Shaun Vacher, Vice-President of Electric Operations for National Grid. “We thank the Senate for passing this important legislation to provide essential protections for roadside utility crews, helping ensure they can do this vital work safely and without unnecessary risk.” “The Massachusetts State Police shares the HealeyDriscoll Administration’s support for this bill, which provides important additions to the commonwealth’s existing Move Over Law,” said Col. Geoff rey Noble, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police. “While these expanded provisions support our ability to address dangerous behavior through enforcement, above all else, we want drivers to slow down and change lanes away from stationary vehicles when it’s safe to do so. Taking these common-sense steps will prevent the serious injuries and fatal outcomes that change lives forever.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Brendan Crighton Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL THE HOUSE GAVE INITIAL APPROVAL TO SEVERAL BILLS INCLUDING: FIRE CHIEF MUST BE A FORMER FIREFIGHTER (H 2646) – Would require that any candidates for appointment to the position of Fire Chief, Fire Commissioner or head of a fi re department in any city or town, must have been a uniformed member of the Massachusetts fi refi ghting force of a Massachusetts Fire Department for a minimum of fi ve years. Supporters said this would ensure that anyone appointed to one of these high positions has some fi rsthand experience as a fi refi ghter and has come up through the ranks. Rep. Dan Hunt (D-Boston), the sponsor of the measure, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call to comment on his bill and its passage. REQUIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS (H 2644) – Would allow cities and towns to require the installation of an automatic sprinkler system in any building with more than four units, which “undergoes a major alteration or modifi cation and is occupied in whole or in part for residential purposes” including lodging houses, boarding houses, fraternity houses, dormitories, apartments, townhouses, condominiums, hotels, motels and group residences. This requirement would replace a current law that allows cities and towns to require the installation of an automatic sprinkler system in any building with more than four units, which is “substantially rehabilitated so as to constitute the equivalent of new construction.” Both the current law and the bill allow cities and towns to require the installation of an automatic sprinkler system in newly constructed buildings. Supporters of the bill said that the “major alteration” standard is more inclusive and will apply to more buildings than the “substantially rehabilitated so as to constitute the equivalent of new construction” standard. They argued that changing the standard will save more lives. They noted that automatic sprinklers work fast and give people more time to escape. They said that according to the Massachusetts Fire Sprinkler Coalition, having both sprinklers and smoke alarms reduces the risk of dying in a home fi re by 80 percent. They also pointed out that automatic sprinklers put out 90 percent of home fi res before the fire department arrives, which reduces firefighters’ exposure to the toxic products of combustion that cause cancer. Once again, Rep. Dan Hunt (D-Boston), the sponsor of the proposal, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking him to comment on his bill and its approval. ABSENTEE BALLOTS (H 830) – Would require that early voting and absentee ballots be identical to a regular ballot that voters use on Election Day. Supporters said that current law only requires the ballots to be “similar.” They argued that it makes no sense for any of these three ballots to be different from each other. Rep. Richard Haggerty (D-Woburn), the sponsor of the measure, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call to comment on his bill and its passage. GOVERNOR’S COUNCILOR (H 805) – Would require that when candidates for Governor’s Council are listed on a voter ballot, the office they are seeking be listed as Governor’s Council. Under current law, the listing says simply “Council.” Supporters said that using the word “Council” is too vague and many voters have no idea about the office for which they are voting. They note that the Governor’s Council is a very important and powerful 8-member board which according to its website “meets weekly to record advice and consent on warrants for the state treasury, pardons and commutations, and recording advice and consent to gubernatorial appointments such as judges, clerk-magistrates, public administrators, members of the Parole Board, Appellate Tax Board, Industrial Accident Board and Industrial Accident Reviewing Board, notaries and justices of the peace.” Reps. Simon Cataldo (D-Concord) and Carmine Gentile (D-Sudbury), the co-sponsors of the proposal, did not respond to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them to comment on their bill and its approval. MUST PROVIDE CUSTOMERS INSURANCE FOR HEATING OIL SPILLS (H 1302) – Would require insurance companies that provide homeowners insurance to include insurance for heating oil releases to their customers. The measure also raises the required minimum coverage provided. Supporters said that some 100 homeowners experience BEACON | SEE PAGE 19 Savvy S Dear Savvy Senior, I’ve read that the Social Security Administration offers a lumpsum payment to new retirees who need some extra cash. I haven’t yet fi led for my retirement benefi ts and would like to fi nd out if this is true. What can you tell me? Born In 1958 Dear 1958, There is indeed a little-known Social Security claiming strategy that’s been around for many years that can provide retirees a lump-sum benefi t, but you need to be past your full retirement age to be eligible, and there are fi nancial drawbacks you need to be aware of too. First, let’s review the basics. Remember that while workers can begin drawing their Social Security retirement benefi ts anytime between ages 62 and 70, full retirement age is 66 and 8 months for those born in 1958, but it rises in two-month increments every birth year to age 67 for those born in 1960 and later. At full retirement age, you are entitled to 100 percent of your benefits. But if you claim earlier, your benefi ts will be reduced by 5 to 6.66 percent every year you start before your full retirement age. While if you delay taking your benefi ts beyond your full retirement age, you’ll get 8 percent more each year until age 70. Lump Sum Option If you are past full retirement age, and have not yet filed for your benefi ts, the Social Security Administration off ers a retroactive lump-sum payment that’s worth six months of benefi ts. Here’s how it works. Let’s say for example that you were planning to delay taking your Social Security benefi ts past your full retirement age of 66 and 8 months, but you changed your mind at 67 and two months. You could then claim a lump-sum payment equal to those six months of benefi ts. So, for instance, if your full retirement age benefi t was $2,500 per month, you would be entitled to a $15,000 lump sum payment. If you decided at age 67 that S Se Savvy SSavvy Se by Jim Miller Can You Get a Lump Sum Social Security Payment? you wanted to fi le retroactively, you’d get only four months’ worth of benefi ts in your lump sum, because SSA rules prohibit you from claiming benefi ts that pre-date your full retirement age. Drawbacks The downside to this strategy is that once you accept a lumpsum payment, you’ll lose the delayed retirement credits you’ve accrued, and your future monthly retirement benefi t will be reduced to refl ect the amount you already received. It will also affect your future survivor benefi t to your spouse or other eligible family members after you die. You may also need to consider Uncle Sam. Depending on your income, Social Security benefi ts may be taxable, and a lump-sum payment could boost the amount of benefi ts that are taxed. The federal government taxes up to 50 percent of Social Security benefits at ordinary income tax rates if your combined income – defi ned as adjusted gross income plus nontaxable interest income plus half of your Social Security benefi ts – exceeds $25,000, and up to 85 percent of benefits are taxable if combined income exceeds $34,000. For married couples, the comparable income thresholds for taxing benefits are $32,000 and $44,000. To help you calculate this, see IRS Publication 915 “Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits” at IRS.gov/ pub/irs-pdf/p915.pdf, or call 800-829-3676 and ask them to mail you a copy. In addition, if the lump-sum payment of retroactive Social Security benefits boosts your yearly income over $106,000 (or $212,000 for married couples fi ling jointly), it will increase your future Medicare premiums too. See Medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11579-medicare-costs.pdf for details. Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070. y S

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