By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

My husband and I are looking for the simplest and least expensive way to dispose of our bodies when we die. We hate the idea of wasting a lot of money on high-priced funerals and would like some advice on some simple and cheap send-offs.

Simple Seniors

Dear Simple,

With the average cost of a full-service funeral running around $11,000 today, many people are seeking simple ways to make their final farewell more affordable. Depending on how you want to go, here are several low-cost options to consider.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

What are the rules regarding inherited IRAs? When my mom died this year, I inherited her traditional IRA and would like to know what I need to do to execute it properly.

Confused Daughter

Dear Confused,

I’m very sorry about the loss of you mother. Inheriting an IRA from a parent has a unique set of rules you need to know, which will help you make the most of the money you inherit and avoid a tax-time surprise. Here are some basics you should know.

Set-Up Inherited Account

Many people think they can roll an inherited IRA into their own IRA. But if you inherit an IRA from a parent, aunt, uncle, sibling or friend you cannot roll the account into your own IRA or treat the IRA as your own. Instead, you’ll have to transfer your portion of the assets into a new IRA set up and formally named as an inherited IRA – for example, (name of deceased owner) for the benefit of (your name).

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

I have struggled with shortness of breath for several years now. I just thought I was getting old and fat, but a friend recently told me about COPD. So, my question is could I have COPD and not know it?

Huffing and Puffing

Dear Huffing,

Yes. COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a progressive lung disease that affects an estimated 30 million Americans, but about half of them don’t know they have it.

Many people mistake shortness of breath as a normal part of aging, or a result of being out of shape, but that’s not necessarily the case. COPD – a term used to describe a variety of lung diseases including emphysema and chronic bronchitis – develops slowly, so symptoms may not be obvious until damage has occurred.

Listen to my interview with Savvy Senior’s Jim Miller here.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

Does Social Security offer any special help to beneficiaries who struggle managing their benefits? My aunt, who has no children, has dementia and struggles keeping up with her bills and other financial duties.

Inquiring Niece

Dear Inquiring,

Yes, Social Security actually has a little-known program known as the “representative payee program” that helps beneficiaries who need help managing their Social Security benefit payments. Here’s what you should know.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

My husband and I are moving to a different area of the country to be near our daughter. Will this affect our Medicare benefits? Will we need to adjust our coverage or re-enroll in a new plan?

Moving Away                                                                                  

Dear Moving,

Moving can indeed affect your Medicare benefits depending on the type of coverage you have and where you move to.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you tell me what I need to do to replace a variety of important documents? Our house burned down a few months ago, and we lost everything including our home property deed, car titles, old tax returns, Social Security, Medicare and Covid vaccine cards, birth certificates, marriage license and passports.

Stressed Seniors

Dear Stressed,

I’m very sorry for your loss, but you’ll be relieved to know that replacing important documents that are destroyed, lost or stolen is pretty easy once you know where to turn. Here are the replacement resources for each document you mentioned.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

I’m 58 years old and working on a plan for my retirement. I’ve read that I need to check my Social Security statement every year to validate its accuracy. How do I go about doing this?

Planning Ahead

Dear Planning,

Checking your official Social Security statement every year is smart move to make sure your posted earnings are correct, which will ensure you get the benefits you’re entitled to. But most Americans don’t do it. In fact, most U.S workers have never even created a digital “my Social Security account” so they can access their statement information. Here’s what you should know.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

My husband and I will both be retiring in a few years and are interested in relocating to a warmer climate but could use some help. What resources can you recommend for locating and researching good places to retire in the U.S.?

Retiring at 65                                                                              

Dear Retiring,

If you’re interested in relocating when you retire, like millions of other baby boomers, there are a wide variety of books and online resources that can help you find and research a new location that meet your wants, needs and budget. Here are several to help you get started.

You can listen to my podcast interview with Savvy Senior’s Jim Miller HERE.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

I’ve had mild tinnitus – ringing in my ears – for years, but when I got COVID in January it got worse. Are there any treatments you know of or can recommend that can help?

Almost 60

Dear Almost,

Unfortunately, new research indicates that tinnitus, a common hearing problem that affects around 50 million Americans, may be worsened by COVID-19 or possibly even triggered by it. Here’s what you should know along with some tips and treatments that may help.

You can listen to my podcast interview with Savvy Senior’s Jim Miller HERE.

By Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior,

Do you know of any golfing equipment that can help older golfers? My dad, who’s 76, loves to play golf, but arthritis in his hands has made griping the club challenging, and his fragile lower back makes stooping over to tee-up or retrieve the ball a problem too. Is there anything out there that can help?

Golfing Buddy

Dear Buddy,

There are actually a wide variety of adaptive golf equipment that can help older golfers who struggle with injuries, arthritis or loss of mobility. Here are several golfing products that may help with different needs.