Get A Dog And Live Longer!

Even though I have dog I’m not making a prejudice statement. It seems that dog owners 50 and older see their doctors less often, have fewer illnesses and recover more quickly when they are sick verses those who don’t have a dog.

Researchers have even found that simply petting an animal lowers blood pressure by producing an instant relaxation response in the body.

Alan Beck, Sc.D., from the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine reported that animal owners had a higher one-year survival rate following a heart attack than a non-pet group, even when both groups were doing the same level of exercise.

Perhaps retirement communities should reconsider their no pet policies and hospitals and nursing homes could allow the family pet to come to visit the patient.

(As reported in AARP Magazine)

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Forging Deeds And Stealing Homes

A new scam has popped up that can make it easy for someone to steal your house! A scammer goes to your local city hall where they look up your property records. The scammer then purchases a property transfer form for $10, forges your signature and files the paperwork with the city or county recorder’s office.

In many states, the recorder’s office is not required to authenticate the identities of buyers or sellers. In states where they require IDs, the crooks are creating fake IDs.

The “new owner” of your home can sell it at a discount to a cash-paying buyer (who is also scammed) or they can use the collateral in your house to get a new loan while taking a lot of the cash value out of the house.

The scammers are targeting homes that are paid for because it’s easier to get a loan from a lender when there is no existing mortgage.

A reporter for the NY Daily News was actually able to buy the Empire State Building with doctored documents. (He immediately transferred it back, as he was just investigating the possibility of doing this.)

So…what can you do to protect yourself?

1. Occasionally check your records with your registrar’s office.

2. If you receive a new mortgage payment book, contact the company that sent it immediately.

3. Demand that your deed-recording office uses software that alerts homeowners whenever a transfer is made on their property.

4. If you discover your home was stolen, contact your local and state law enforcement officers.

(Reported AARP Bulletin)

Getting Through The Medicare Doughnut Hole

As you may know, people on Medicare and taking needed prescription drugs, can fall into the “doughnut hole,” which means that they have to pay 100% of the cost of their medications out of their own pocket.

Once their medical out-of-pocket expenses have reached the catastrophic level, the government will pay for their meds.

Now you have an online tool, the AARP Doughnut Hole Calculator, that will give you some options to either avoid or postpone the “doughnut hole” altogether.

The tool, which will tell you when you might hit the hole and gives tips on how to stay out of the hole, is located at http://linkbee.com/DoughnutTool.

The site automatically lists less expensive medication alternatives.

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