Every family with elderly members has its horror story—or perhaps more than one—about health insurance fraud perpetrated against the seniors.  Most schemes are couched in ‘helping the elderly’ clothing.  Others are just blatant attempts to extort money from unsuspecting victims.  So, as senior citizens, we need to educate ourselves about the schemes out there so [...]

Fraud perpetrated against senior citizens grows daily.  From selling a senior an un-needed riding scooter to bilking thousands of dollars, fraud just doesn’t stop.  The perps have no sense of decency or concern for seniors whatsoever.  Thus we need to find ways to protect ourselves.  This SCJ article begins a series on Fraud Against Senior Citizens.
SCJ [...]

Many of us senior citizens have a number of household items we would like to sell, but feel overwhelmed when we try to get our minds around how to sell them. 
Classified ads in the local newspaper are always an option, but the audience is limited. 
Garage sales and estate sales may be considered, but they are [...]

Changes in federal law will have a dramatic effect on credit card holders beginning February 22, 2010.  Some of the changes have already taken effect.  Since May 22, 2009 when President Obama signed the Credit Card Act of 2009, many of us received notice of changes from the banks that manage our accounts. 
The legislative intent [...]

2010 brings two serious decision-making issues to the forefront for senior citizens… changes in the Roth IRA program and estate tax changes.
Seniors may want to consider converting their taxable retirement account to a tax-free Roth IRA.  Beginning this year, there is no longer an income limit for Roth IRA’s (people can contribute post-tax dollars in [...]

Many national leaders are suggesting that moving your money from big banks (e.g., Citibank, Chase, Bank of America) to small local banks is a very big way to express disapproval of the big bank bailout that most of us seniors are angry about. 
True, most of the big banks have enough corporate accounts to keep them going for a [...]

SCJ editors have been reviewing articles about the disappearance of America’s Middle Class.  Many are concerned and the number of such articles increases daily.  We just reviewed one that seems to summarize the dilemma, and provides supportive information that makes sense. 
Elizabeth Warren, Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee bank bailout, writes a [...]

An elderly relative was recently scammed by an insurance company with a national reputation.  She has mild to moderate cognitive impairment, common elderly fear of financial loss, and a credit card.  She is also guilty of reading the monthly AARP Bulletin religiously.  As she was reading about identity theft in an ad with a return [...]

A financial issue for senior citizens that hasn’t received much attention relates to medical crises, a phenomenon that many of us are exposed to as we age. Medical problems increase following retirement; emotional and financial decisions must be faced as those problems arise. There is very little one can do to be prepared emotionally for [...]