Bill T. Jones, Part 1

At the close of Lincoln's bicentennial year, Bill Moyers Journal takes a unique look at the 16th President. Moyers speaks with critically acclaimed choreographer Bill T. Jones about his creative process, his insights into Lincoln, and how dance can give us fresh perspective on America's most-studied president.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/x4FdOCNptIY/profile.html

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I'm 65, Now What?

As we drift through this adventure that we call life, there are a number of birthdays that stick out.  There's the honor of being able to drive when you turn 16.  The respect of becoming an adult at 18.  The ability to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner when you reach 21.  Retirement Planning at age 65

As you grow older, the excitement seems to wane a bit, but there is still something to celebrate when a person has reached 65 years old.  While some things have changed, one thing that has remained constant is that age-old question ... what now?  To help you figure it out, let's look at some things you'll be able to enjoy.

Hello, Special Treats

Everyone loves to save money, and for seniors, the discounts have always been plentiful.  You can buy movie tickets for less.  Enjoy an Early Bird special at the diner down the street.  And take advantage of tax benefits, which we'll discuss below.  Now that you've reached 65, a whole slew of similar discounts and specials will be available.  Keep in mind, however, that many discounts are now available even earlier, so you don't have to wait for all of them.

Hello, Medicare

Millions of Americans are taking advantage of the Medicare program.  Designed to assist seniors and disabled persons with their medical bills and needs, Medicare can be a great asset.  For this, you don't have to wait until you're 65.  Instead, you can apply for benefits three months prior, and once they're activated, you can enjoy the full benefits on the first day of the month in which you were born.  If you forget to enroll right away, you will have three months following your 65th birthday to enroll without any penalties.  And if you have health benefits through an employer, you can stay with that insurance until such time that you need to switch.  In fact, you are given eight months to apply once you've lost other medical coverage.

Hello, Bonus Payments

This little bonus will only count if you haven't applied for Social Security yet.  Although you can legally apply when you hit 62, you'll probably be better off if you wait.  That's because retiring before your full retirement age (which, for a Baby Boomer like yourself will be either 66 or 67 years old) will cause a decrease in your benefit amounts.  On the flip side, if you delay your application, your will receive bonus payments.  All the way up until the age of 70.  Which means that putting off your retirement can be quite beneficial.

Hello, Tax Deductions

Once you've hit the age of 65, you will be able to enjoy additional tax deductions, depending on how you file and your current marital status.  For example, if you are unmarried and do not itemize, you will see your standard deduction raise from $5700 to $7100.  If you are married and only one of you are over 65, the normal $11,400 deduction will now be $12,500.  If you are married and you're both at least 65, you can expect your standard deduction to raise all the way up to $13,600.

But that's not all.  Depending on the state in which you reside, you may be eligible for a property tax break.  A total of 45 states, in addition to the District of Columbia, are currently offering a break of some kind.  This break may vary from state to state, but your tax assessor's office can provide you with all the details.

Source: http://firstsecurityfinancialshow.com/blog/bid/160897/I-m-65-Now-What

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Is Surface Microsoft's last-gasp pitch to keep IT shops Windows-only?

Forget consumers. Forget partners. Forget ISVs and the channel. When Microsoft top-dog Steve Ballmer walked on stage last week to introduce the company's Surface "tablets," he really spoke to one audience only: Windows-centric enterprise IT.

Source: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/apple/is-surface-microsofts-last-gasp-pitch-to-keep-it-shops-windows-only/13192

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An Overview of Commission-Free ETFs

Three discount brokerages in Canada now offer a menu of commission-free ETFs. Scotia iTrade pioneered this feature in Canada last September, then Qtrade Investor announced a similar offering about a month later, followed soon after by Virtual Brokers. While index investors welcomed this development, the lineup of ETFs eligible for commission-free trades at all three [...]

Source: http://canadiancouchpotato.com/2012/06/28/an-overview-of-commission-free-etfs/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=an-overview-of-commission-free-etfs

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LBJ's Path to War, Part II

As President Obama prepares to announce how many more troops he will send to Afghanistan, Bill Moyers remembers the presidency of Lyndon Johnson and the agonizing decisions that escalated America's involvement in Vietnam. Through Johnson's secret tapes of phone calls and conversations, and his own reminiscences, Moyers recalls the events that plunged us ever deeper into war.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bmjvodcast/~3/vODKSRdlp0M/profile2.html

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The Family Banker

You've done everything right as you plan for your retirement.  You've contributed a healthy amount of money to your 401k or other retirement account.  You've paid off your mortgage or plan to in the near future.  You've controlled your spending on stuff you don't really need.  And you've already made plans for your medical care once you retire.

That's right.  You've done everything by the numbers.  Problem is, when youiStock 000005352406XSmall look over your financial portfolio, it doesn't seem nearly as big as you had envisioned.  How could this possibly be?  Well, if you're one of millions of Americans represented by Ameriprise's recent Money Across Generations II survey, the answer may lie in your children.  And we're not talking about toddlers or diapers here.

Adult Children ... They're Baaaaaack!

We all try to teach our children right and wrong.  We also want them to understand the value of a hard day's work.  We hope they will grow up to be valued and respected members of the community who will make a good life for themselves.  Of course, they can't be perfect, but if they're self-sufficient, you probably feel as if you've succeeded as a parent.

But what if something goes wrong?

Truth is, you never know what might happen.  No matter how much your adult children are prepared, no matter how hard they work, a financial downturn can occur, which has the potential to strip them of the livelihood they've worked so tirelessly to achieve.  And who are they most likely to turn to when they need help?  Good ol' Mom and Dad, that's who!

Obviously, family is a very important part of our lives.  So, if your adult children find themselves in a financial jam, it's commendable to help them out.  The big problem develops when parents go overboard.  According to the Ameriprise survey, more than half of those questioned admitted to allowing their adult children to move back in with them and not pay rent.  This would be acceptable if it stopped there.  But more often than not, those same parents are also footing the bill for nearly everything else.  Car payments, medical bills, even food ... it's all fair game.

Commendable ... But Dangerous

For many people, family is one of the most important aspects of their lives.  And that is exactly how it should be.  That being said, it's one thing to assist your children, even your adult children, when they need it most.  But it's a much different animal to find yourself paying off your children's student loans and car payments when you simply can't afford to do so.

Many parents take a stance where they basically say, "Well, we have plenty of money in savings ... we can afford it."  While this may be true, your savings can be eaten up pretty darn quickly if you aren't careful.  And since this is your children we're talking about, it's difficult for many parents to stop spending their money to take care of them.  Which, as you can imagine, can be devastating to their retirement plans if they aren't careful.

Despite the fact that many baby boomers are beginning to fall behind, most don't regret their decisions.  In fact, almost 90% stated that they would repeat their actions if they were to go back and start again.  Although they admit that their children have neglected to learn financial responsibility, it seems they are more intent on bailing their children out than teaching them how to take care of themselves.

Source: http://firstsecurityfinancialshow.com/blog/bid/163878/The-Family-Banker

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The Issue of 2012

Jeffrey Anderson, The Weekly Standard
Conservatives are engaged in an interesting intramural debate over National Federation of Independent Business, et al. v. Sebelius"”the Obama-care case. But whether they think Chief Justice Roberts deserves hearty praise or contemptuous blame or any of the countless permutations in between, whether they love the Obama-care ruling or hate it, here's the key short-term fact: Conservatives are now set up for a political triumph far sweeter than any contentious win in the courts. The path forward is clear, and conservatives can surely unite behind the indispensable next...

Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2012/07/08/the_issue_of_2012_284173.html

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Don't Worry, Be Happy

I wanted to share some thoughts with you that I find very inspiring.

Simplify – De-Clutter

Drop the need to be right

Don’t be too hard on yourself

Stop the negative talk – inner and outer

Quiet Mind

Reduces problems

Answers appear

Silence heals

Stop Chasing Happiness

It is inside you

Stop seeking

Happiness is natural

It is not possessions or attachments

Stop Worrying

Focus on today

Things happen when ready

Focus on what’s right

Not what’s wrong

Guilt is past

Worry is future

Live In The Now

Surrender to “what is”

Tomorrow is not guaranteed

Drop the past

Release the future

Drop “if only”

Be content as is

Be happy “now”

Drop “I’ll be happy when”

Surrender

Release the outcome

Trust the journey.

 

Source: http://tacklingourdebt.com/2012/06/13/dont-worry-be-happy/

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