ArcaMax

Seniors in some parts of the country say they are being denied COVID-19 vaccinations amid an ongoing spike in cases, leading to rising frustration over new Trump administration policies that are making it harder to get the shots.

Matthew D’Amico, 67, of New York City, said a Walgreens declined to administer COVID-19 vaccines to him and his 75...Read more

Toni,

I’m enrolled in Medicare but have not received my Medicare & You Handbook. I need to make some changes, and I’m concerned about what I should do during the fall Medicare season. I need to know which options are right for me. I have some health problems, and I’m concerned that I might make the wrong change to my Medicare and Part D ...Read more

It started with a high school typing course.

Wanda Woods enrolled because her father advised that typing proficiency would lead to jobs. Sure enough, the federal Environmental Protection Agency hired her as an after-school worker while she was still a junior.

Her supervisor “sat me down and put me on a machine called a word processor,” ...Read more

It started with a high school typing course.

Wanda Woods enrolled because her father advised that typing proficiency would lead to jobs. Sure enough, the federal Environmental Protection Agency hired her as an after-school worker while she was still a junior.

Her supervisor “sat me down and put me on a machine called a word processor,” ...Read more

This week’s Medicare column consists of “What if” Medicare questions from Toni Says readers around the United States.

1. What if I did not enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when I should have, because I do not want to pay that extra Part B premium each month? I do not go to the doctor or take any prescriptions. Can I enroll later?

Toni ...Read more

Imagine having an entire gallery of Picasso paintings to enjoy, practically all to yourself. Wandering from one gallery to another, losing yourself along the timeline of an artist’s emerging genius through 5,000 of his works. This is a reward of traveling during the offseason in January to Barcelona, Spain, and the Winter Riviera.

The Winter ...Read more

Hi Toni,

I need your guidance. In September I turn 65, and I am unemployed. I’m on COBRA since retiring in May after I had a heart attack, and I don’t know what to do about enrolling in Medicare. The cardiologist informed me last week that the only thing that will improve my health is having heart surgery.

What health network does Medicare...Read more

Estate planning often sits at the bottom of people’s to-do lists, but it plays a crucial role in securing your family’s financial future. It ensures your loved ones are provided for after you pass away, and outlines how your belongings are distributed.

“Estate planning is for everyone, not just wealthy people,” says Stephen Kates, a ...Read more

For those nearing retirement, there is no shortage of advice about whether to save more, spend less or somewhere in between.

And while those general principles certainly help increase the probability that you will enjoy a more comfortable retirement, there are three specific choices that a person will make as they approach their golden years ...Read more

Morning, Toni:

I am retiring in January, when I turn 70 and my wife, Sharon, will be 66. I have heart issues, with atrial fibrillation (AFib), and Sharon is a diabetic. Last month, we each applied for a long-term care policy and were both denied due to our health. The agent who helped us search for long-term care insurance plans said that ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota is on a top 10 list no one wants to be a part of, with the second-highest rate of deadly falls for people age 65 and older, after Wisconsin.

The deadly falls are twice the national average and rising.

Nearly 142 Minnesota seniors per 100,000 died from injuries sustained in a fall in 2021, according to recently released...Read more

Dear Readers: Recently, I received a text message from a Toni Says Medicare client that I would like to share with you. The text reads Toni: I need to put together a 24/7 home care recovery plan after a liver transplant. The surgery is over a year out, but I would appreciate your advice on how to plan for this medical event. Thanks in ...Read more

CHICAGO -- Forty-two stories above ground, Jon Gottlieb traced his bicycle route. From his vantage point by the pool, on his building’s roof, he could see the stop sign where he turns right, the road he hates crossing, the park he rides through and the tunnel that leads to the Lakefront Trail bike path.

Gottlieb, 75, rode this route at least ...Read more

CHICAGO -- Forty-two stories above ground, Jon Gottlieb traced his bicycle route. From his vantage point by the pool, on his building’s roof, he could see the stop sign where he turns right, the road he hates crossing, the park he rides through and the tunnel that leads to the Lakefront Trail bike path.

Gottlieb, 75, rode this route at least ...Read more

NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- Earl Weinmann makes a decent dog using locally sourced beef, sauerkraut, onions and a homemade secret sauce for the more adventurous. At $5 each, it’s the best fast-food deal this side of Taco Tuesdays.

But the main draw to his Weinmann’s Weenies, the hot dog-shaped cart at Northfield’s Riverwalk Market Fair, is the ...Read more