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Savvy Senior: Is Your Aging Parent Safe at Home?
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
After watching the coverage of the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case, I’m worried about my own elderly mother who lives alone in another state. I want to make sure she’s safe without being intrusive. Are there simple, affordable ways to check in on her from afar?
–Concerned Son
Dear Concerned,
You’re not alone. High-profile cases like this often heighten fears, especially for adult children whose parents live alone and may be vulnerable. The good news is there are several free or low-cost ways to stay connected and gain peace of mind without infringing on your mother’s independence. Here are some nice options to consider.
Check-In App
If your mother uses a smartphone, a simple solution is Snug (snugsafe.com), a free app that checks in daily to confirm she’s OK. It’s used by tens of thousands of older adults who live alone and want their loved ones alerted quickly if something goes wrong.
Here’s how it works: After downloading the app, your mother selects a daily check-in time. Snug sends several reminders leading up to that time, prompting her to confirm she’s OK by tapping a large green button on her screen. If she doesn’t check in within 10 minutes after her scheduled time, the app automatically notifies her emergency contacts and shares her last known location so help can be sent promptly.
For added peace of mind, Snug also offers a Dispatch Plan ($20 per month or $200 per year) that includes multiple daily check-ins. If she misses one, Snug will call her directly to see if she’s OK. If there’s still no response, they can request an in-person wellness check by local authorities, who will visit her home to make sure she’s safe. The app works with both iPhone and Android devices.
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Savvy Senior: How To Navigate Inheriting an IRA From a Parent
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
What are the rules regarding inherited IRAs? My brother and I recently inherited our father’s IRA when he passed away late last year and would like to know what we need to do to handle it properly.
Oldest Sibling
Dear Oldest,
I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your father, but you’re smart to be planning ahead. Inheriting an IRA from a parent comes with a unique set of rules. Understanding them can help you make the most of the money you inherit and avoid an unpleasant surprise at tax time. Here are some basics you should know.
Setting It Up
Many people assume they can roll an inherited IRA into their own IRA, but that’s not allowed for most beneficiaries. If you inherit an IRA from a parent, sibling, or anyone other than a spouse, you cannot treat the account as your own. Instead, your share must be transferred into a newly established inherited IRA, properly titled in the deceased owner’s name—for example, John Smith, deceased, for the benefit of Jane Smith.
If your father named multiple beneficiaries, the IRA can be split into separate inherited accounts. This allows each beneficiary to manage withdrawals independently, as if they were the sole beneficiary.
You can open an inherited IRA at most banks or brokerage firms, although the simplest option is often to set it up with the firm that already holds your father’s account.
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Savvy Senior: Tools to Help You Find the Perfect Place to Retire
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
What resources can you recommend for researching good places to retire in the U.S.? My husband and I are interested in relocating to a warmer climate when we retire next year.
Looking to Relocate
Dear Looking,
It’s exciting to think about relocating in retirement! Whether you’re considering seasonal escapes or a permanent change, there are a wide variety of digital resources that can help you find and research new locations. Here are some tips and tools to help you get started.
Where to Retire?
Deciding where to relocate when you retire is a big decision. There are many factors to think about to ensure the move supports your lifestyle, financial goals, and overall well-being. To help you identify some good retirement locations you need to consider things like cost of living, climate, taxes, health care, housing, crime, access to social and recreational activities, access to transportation and proximity to family and friends.
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Savvy Senior: Do I Need to File a Tax Return This Year?
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
What are the IRS income tax filing requirements for retirees this tax season? I didn’t file a tax return last year because my income was below the filing threshold, but I got a part-time job in 2025, so I’m wondering if I need to file this year.
Semi-retired Joe
Dear Joe,
Whether you need to file a federal income tax return this year depends on several factors: how much you earned in 2025, the source of your income, your age, and your filing status.
Here’s a quick guide to this year’s IRS filing thresholds. For most people, it’s straightforward: if your gross income (all taxable income, excluding Social Security benefits unless you’re married and filing separately) is below the threshold for your filing status and age, you generally do not need to file. But if it’s over, you will.
2025 IRS Federal Filing Thresholds:
- Single: $15,750 ($17,750 if you’re 65 or older by Jan. 1, 2026).
- Married filing jointly: $31,500 ($33,100 if one spouse is 65 or older; or $34,700 if you’re both over 65).
- Married filing separately: $5 at any age.
- Head of household: $23,625 ($25,625 if 65 or older).
- Qualifying surviving spouse: $31,500 ($33,100 if 65 or older).
For a detailed breakdown, including taxable vs. nontaxable income, you can request a free copy of the IRS “1040 and 1040-SR Instructions for Tax Year 2025” by calling 800-829-3676, or view it online at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi.pdf.
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Savvy Senior: How To Turn Down the Volume on Tinnitus
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
What treatments are recommended to help with tinnitus? I started noticing a subtle ringing in my ears about 10 years ago, but it’s gotten much more bothersome since I turned 60.
Ringing Ronnie
Dear Ronnie,
Tinnitus is actually one of the most common health conditions in the country. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders around 10 percent of the U.S. adult population – over 25 million Americans – experience some form of tinnitus.
For most people tinnitus is merely annoying, but roughly 5 million people struggle with chronic tinnitus and 2 million find it debilitating.
While there’s no cure, there are a range of different strategies you can employ to reduce the symptoms to make it less bothersome. Here’s what you should know.
What is Tinnitus?
Tinnitus (pronounced TIN-a-tus or tin-NIGHT-us) is the sensation of hearing a ringing, buzzing, roaring, hissing or whistling sound in one or both ears when no external sound is present.
The sounds, which can vary in pitch and loudness, are usually worse when background noise is low, so you may be more aware of it at night when you’re trying to fall asleep in a quiet room.
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Savvy Senior: What You Should Know About Prepaid Funeral Plans
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I have been thinking about planning my funeral in advance so my kids won’t have to later but would like to inquire about prepaying. Is it a good idea to prepay for a funeral that you might not need for a while?
Aging Annie
Dear Annie,
Planning your funeral in advance is definitely a smart move. Not only does it give you time to make a thoughtful decision on the type of service you want, it also allows you to shop around to find a good funeral provider, and it will spare your adult children the burden of making these decisions at an emotional time.
But preplanning a funeral doesn’t mean you have to prepay too. In fact, the Funeral Consumer Alliance, a national nonprofit funeral consumer protection organization, doesn’t recommend it unless you need to spend down your financial resources so you can qualify for Medicaid. Here’s what you should know.
Preneed Arrangements
Most funeral homes today offer what is known as “preneed plans” which allow you to prearrange for the type of funeral services you want and prepay with a lump sum or through installments. The funeral home either puts your money in a trust fund with the payout triggered by your death or buys an insurance policy naming itself as the beneficiary.
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Savvy Senior: When Do Most Americans Take Social Security?
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
What are the most popular ages that people start taking their Social Security retirement benefits? I’m turning 62 later this year and trying to decide when to start taking my benefits.
Born in 64
Dear 64,
You can sign up to begin your Social Security retirement benefits any time after age 62. However, your monthly payments will be larger for each month you delay claiming them up until age 70. This adds up to around 6 to 8 percent higher payments every year you delay.
To get a breakdown on exactly how much your claiming age affects your benefits, visit Social Security’s Retirement Age Calculator at SSA.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/ageincrease.html. This tool provides your full retirement age (FRA) – which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later – and shows how much your benefits will be reduced by taking early payments or increased by delaying them.
In the meantime, here’s a rundown of when people start receiving retirement benefits (according to the most recent SSA statistical data), and how signing up at each age impacts your payout.
Age 62: This is the earliest possible age you can sign up for Social Security. According to the SSA, in 2024, 23.3 percent of women and 22 percent of men signed up for Social Security at 62. But if you sign up at this age, you’ll get a 30 percent smaller Social Security payment if your FRA is 67.
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Savvy Senior: How To Find a Quality Nursing Home for Your Loved One
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you give me some tips on picking a good nursing home for my father? Since his stroke, I’ve been taking care of him at home, but he’s gotten to the point where it’s too much for me to handle.
Exhausted Daughter
Dear Exhausted,
Choosing a nursing home for a loved one that provides quality is a very important decision that requires careful evaluation and some homework. Here are some steps you can take that can help you find a good facility and avoid a bad one.
Make a list: There are several sources you can turn to for referrals to top nursing homes in your area including the Area Agency on Aging (call 800-677-1116 or visit Eldercare.acl.gov for contact information); your dad’s doctor or nearby hospital discharge planner; friends or neighbors who may have had a loved one in a nursing home; and online at Medicare’s nursing home compare tool at Medicare.gov/care-com
Also, keep in mind that it’s always best to choose a nursing home that’s close to family members and friends who can visit often, because residents with frequent visitors usually get better care.
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Savvy Senior: How to Appeal a Medicare Coverage Denial
By Jim Miller
How to Appeal a Medicare Coverage Denial
Dear Savvy Senior,
What steps do I need to take to appeal a denied Medicare claim?
Frustrated Retiree
Dear Frustrated,
If you disagree with a coverage or payment decision made by Medicare, you can appeal, and you’ll be happy to know that many appeals are successful, so it’s definitely worth your time.
But before going that route, talk with the doctor, hospital and Medicare to see if you can spot the problem and resubmit the claim. Many denials are caused by simple billing code errors by the doctor’s office or hospital. If, however, that doesn’t fix the problem, here’s how you appeal.
Original Medicare Appeals
If you have original Medicare, start with your quarterly Medicare Summary Notice (MSN). This statement will list all the services, supplies and equipment billed to Medicare for your medical treatment and will tell you why a claim was denied. You can also check your Medicare claims early online at MyMedicare.gov, or by calling Medicare at 800-633-4227.
There are five levels of appeals for original Medicare, although you can initiate a “fast appeal” if you’re getting services from a hospital, skilled nursing facility, home health agency, outpatient rehabilitation facility or hospice, and the service is ending.
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Savvy Senior: Tips and Tools for Adapting to Vision Loss
Narration provided by Wondervox
By Jim Miller
Tips and Tools for Adapting to Vision Loss
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you recommend some good resources or products that can help seniors with severe vision loss? My wife has diabetic retinopathy, and it’s gotten worse over the past year.
Need Help
Dear Need,
I’m very sorry about your wife’s vision loss, but you’ll be pleased to know that there are many resources and a wide variety of low vision products and technologies that can help with many different needs.
According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), it’s estimated that 12 million Americans ages 40 and older are living with uncorrectable vision loss, which is often caused by age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy. These conditions become more common with age and can make daily tasks like cooking, reading or watching television much harder.
But optometrists who specialize in low vision – reduced vision that can’t be rectified with glasses – have many aids and technologies that can help. Here are a few different low vision products as recommended by Consumer Reports, along with some suggestions for finding a specialist who can help your wife adapt to her vision loss.
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Savvy Senior: How To Prepare Your Online Accounts Before You Die
Savvy Senior
by Jim Miller
How to Prepare Your Online Accounts Before You Die
Dear Savvy Senior,
I recently had an estate plan drafted, including a will, power of attorney and advance directive, but I’m not sure what to do about all my online accounts – email, banking, and social media. What can I do to make sure my family can access what they need and protect my digital information after I’m gone.
Almost 80
Dear Almost,
In addition to creating an estate plan, you should also make a “digital will” that lists all your online accounts and login information. This will help your loved ones access your electronic devices and online accounts more easily so they can manage your electronic affairs, according to your wishes, after you’re gone.
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Savvy Senior: How to Locate an Age-Friendly Doctor
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
My husband and I are relocating to a nearby state to be closer to our daughter and will need to find a new primary care physician when we arrive. We are both in our late 70s and are interested in getting a geriatrician to oversee our health care going forward. Any suggestions for finding someone?
Searching for Care
Dear Searching,
Choosing a geriatrician as your primary care doctor in your 70s is a good idea, especially if you’re dealing with various age-related health problems. But if you’re in relatively good health you may not need a geriatrician. A good primary care doctor with an age-friendly philosophy may be all you need. Here’s what you should know.
Who Needs a Geriatrician?
Geriatricians are primary care doctors that have additional specialized training in treating older patients. Those who can benefit the most from seeing a geriatrician are seniors age 75 and older with multiple health and age-related problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, incontinence, osteoporosis, cognitive decline, frailty, depression, or trouble with balance and falls.