Senior Citizen Passport

Question: Passport for senior citizen? How do I get a passport for a senior citizen who is 70 years old and does not have a birth certificate nor ration card nor voters card or any form of ID which depicts. Senior citizen is not literally qualified to show the same in mark list or school certificate. Answer: If you do NOT have a previous U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate, you will need: Letter of No Record Issued by the State with your name, date of birth, which years were searched for a birth record and that there is no birth certificate on file for you. AND as many of the following as possible: Baptismal certificate Hospital birth certificate Census record Early school record Family bible record Doctor's record of post-natal care NOTES: These documents must be early public records showing the date and place of birth, preferably created within the first five years of your life. You may also submit an Affidavit of Birth, form DS-10, from an older blood relative, i.e., a parent, aunt, uncle, sibling, who has personal knowledge of your birth. It must be notarized or have the seal and signature of the acceptance agent. Please remember that the passport office is extremely backed up. Consider an extra 4-8 weeks for processing!

Being senior citizen is not easy to accept

by Ann Lowry Herald Democrat I had a new adventure. This week I went to a senior citizen’s social. A new group is being formed in my community. I had turned down several invitations to join, but finally gave in out of curiousity. I try not to think of myself as a senior citizen, unless I am getting a discount at the movies or a restaurant. Then I am glad to be one. So I made a big move and went. I really didn’t know what to expect, and was really surprised to find a lot of older people there. Right away, I decided that they were all too old for me. After all, what could I possibly have in common with these people? They were all really nice. I found myself enjoying everything, and the refreshments were really good. We discussed a name for the group, but couldn’t decide on any of them because it made us sound too old — Knollwood Over the Hill Bunch, Knollwood Roundtable, Knollwood Nifties, ect. We decided to think about it for a week before we made a decision. Being seniors, we were in no hurry to make a big decision like that. We then made Valentines to give to the people in the nursing home and played games. I once had a friend that always said that even though her body was old, her mind was young. I was too young then to understand, but I now think I know what she meant. When I got home, I passed the mirror. What do you think I saw? A senior citizen was looking back at me.

Officials caution seniors on Medicare Advantage plan

Wayne County Medicare beneficiaries, especially senior citizens, should exercise caution if they receive a call asking them to purchase a Medicare Advantage plan, local officials say. Wayne County Services on Aging Director Yvonne McLamb said she received several calls recently from local residents receiving high-pressured sales calls concerning the purchase of Medicare Advantage, which includes health care plans, savings accounts and other medical services. The sales calls are coming from about a dozen insurance companies that have announced their intention to sell these type of plans. The companies use aggressive marketing tactics that could mislead consumers, Mrs. McLamb said. North Carolina Department of Insurance Commissioner Jim Long has issued warnings across the state through the Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program that many Medicare beneficiaries are receiving bad financial advice from these salespeople, which causes some senior citizens to make a decision that is not in their best interest. Mrs. McLamb said local residents have told her that a salesperson will make the offer sound so good that they will buy the plan. Once that person receives the Medicare Advantage plan paperwork, he or she might want to cancel, but the providers don't make that a simple option. Some individuals have also complained that they have been disenrolled from their Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B or employer retiree plans when they purchased a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare Advantage plans include Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Participating Provider Option (PPO), Medicare Medical Savings Accounts and Private-Fee-for-Service products, but consumers should be warned that doctors and hospitals do not accept all Medicare Advantage plans. Also, Medigap or Medicare supplement policies do not coordinate with any Medicare Advantage plan, according to state Seniors' Health Insurance Information Pro-gram officials. If a salesperson calls concerning the purchase of a Medicare Advantage plan, state officials and Mrs. McLamb said a senior citizen of any other Medicare beneficiary should not agree to an appointment without getting the salesperson's name, the name of his or her company, a phone number at which the person can be reached and the exact name of the plan the salesperson is trying to sell. With that information, Mrs. McLamb said a person can call the local Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program office at 731-1591 and ask for either Mrs. McLamb or Anne Burnette to verify if that salesperson is a licensed agent. If a senior citizen does choose to set up an appointment with a Medicare Advantage plan salesperson, Mrs. McLamb said she suggests taking a trusted friend or family member to help ask questions and take notes. Source: Goldsboro News

Senior Financial Tips

Many people look forward to the “golden years” when they will be able to slow down, relax and enjoy what they have worked hard and long for. Unfortunately there is a problem that is growing in direct proportion to the growth of America's population of seniors. The problem is financial exploitation of senior citizens. Financial exploitation occurs when someone advises a senior citizen to make a financial decision based on threatsŠ pressureŠ or incomplete or misleading information. This results in decisions with their assets that are NOT in their best interest. Seniors can be exploited by lots of people for lots of reasonsŠ not only in a criminal way, but by family and friends, too. Senior exploitation occurs due to a lack of information, because of isolation, because of their generosity, and because they want to remain independent. The AARP reports that seniors are the target of 40% of all financial scams. It is important to note that most financial abuse goes unreported. Why are senior citizens the targets for financial scams? A few of the reasons are: Unscrupulous people know that persons over the age of 50 control over 70 percent of the nation's wealth. Many seniors live alone. They have limited contact with family, friends and members of social or religious organizations and that makes them particularly vulnerable to scams. Isolation increases the potential for seniors to be exploited and lessens the possibility that no one will detect or report it. Most seniors have not taken the time or expended the energy to do a good job of financial planning. A concern for many seniors also, is whether they will outlive their financial resources and that can make them susceptible to those who promise easy solutions and big returns. Some tips seniors can use to protect themselves are: Take your time - Don't be pressured into making a decision quickly. I recommend taking 24 to 48 hours to review your consideration before acting. Be suspicious of anyone who promises you inflated returns on an investment. Be sure to ask your advisor to be specific about any inherent risks in an investment. Involve others (spouse, family, friend) - have the advisor explain to others what has been discussed with you. Check out financial professionals to verify they have the licenses and designations they are listing and confirm that they are a member in good standing with those organizations. Understand the nature of the investment - Ask questions, a lot of questions until you are comfortable with the investment and the advisor. Monitor your account statements closely - if you do not understand your statement ask your advisor to go over it with you. The most important tip is to have a plan. It is never too late to put together a financial plan. Proper Planning Produces Peaceful Prosperity. Source: Valley Free Press