SOCIALL SECURITY CHECKS

Paper checks retired. Retirees who apply for Social Security benefits on or after May 1, 2011, will no longer have the option of receiving a paper check in the mail. Seniors can have their entitlement payments directly deposited into a bank or credit union account or loaded onto a prepaid Direct Express Debit MasterCard. "This important change will provide significant savings to American taxpayers who will no longer incur the annual $120 million price tag associated with paper checks and will save Social Security $1 billion over the next 10 years," says Richard Gregg, Treasury Fiscal Assistant Secretary. Retirees already receiving paper checks will need to switch to direct deposit or the prepaid debit card by March 1, 2013.

MUNICIPAL HEALTH COSTS

A group of Massachusetts mayors, fed up with what they say is legislative inaction on skyrocketing municipal health care costs, has launched a ballot initiative for 2012 aimed at giving cities and towns more flexibility in reducing expensive benefits for employees, retirees and elected officials. Health costs in Massachusetts have added more than $1 billion to municipal budgets from 2001 to 2008, and some cities now devote close to 20 percent of their budgets to health care.

REAL ESTATE TAXES

6 Discounts You Can Get For Paying Cash
by Bobbi Dempsey
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
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With retailers feeling the effects of customers who can't get credit, shoppers with cash in their wallets have the ultimate bargaining chip when it comes to getting good deals. Cash discounts may not be as plentiful as in the past, but there are still some places where cash is king. Here are some things you can often get cheaper with cash.


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1. Gas
While many gas stations -- especially those in the large national chains -- offer one price no matter how you pay, some stations are still offering a deal for cash customers. Gate Petroleum, based in Florida, unveiled a program earlier this year that offers a discount of three cents per gallon to customers who pay with cash purchased fuel discount cards. In a recent survey by gas comparison site GasBuddy.com, 3% of the more than 15,000 respondents said more than half the stations in their area charged a lower price for cash, and the same percentage said nearly all of their local stations offered cash discounts.

[Click here to check savings products and rates in your area.]

2. Property Taxes
Many municipalities offer a discount (sometimes called a rebate price) to homeowners who pay their taxes by a certain date. In Florida's Miami-Dade County, for example, paying your taxes in November (within a few weeks after receiving the bill) will get you a discount of 4%. The discount decreased by 1% each month until March.

Need for part time legislature in Massachusetts?

Some critics argue that now is the time to move toward a part-time Legislature to save money. The state spent $51 million on the Legislature last year. Massachusetts legislators are the sixth-highest paid in the country, with starting salaries at $61,439, according to the Pew Center on the States

Foreion aid.in the Budget

Americans were asked what spending they’d cut. Hands down, they answered foreign aid.

We spend about $25 billion on foreign aid out of a $3.7 trillion budget. Defense accounts for 19 percent of the budget, but most Republicans do not want major cuts in defense spending. Nor do Americans want cuts in costly entitlement programs

ADULT FAMILY CARE PROGRAM

CARING FOR A SICK OR DISABLED RELATIVE ON FRIEND?
The Adult Fan=mily Care Porgram pays family members and friends to provide are at home.
Receive up to $18,000 per year to provide care that prevents or delays Instituional care.
Sick or disabled individual must be 18 years or older and eliglbe for MaasHealth
CARING CHOICES
www.eldercare.org

CALL THE AGING INFORMATION CENTER AND ASK ABOUT ADULT FAMILY CARE
617-628-2601 EXT 3151

ADULT FAMILY CARE PROGRAM

CARING FOR A SICK OR DISABLED RELATIVE ON FRIEND?
The Adult Fan=mily Care Porgram pays family members and friends to provide are at home.
Receive up to $18,000 per year to provide care that prevents or delays Instituional care.
Sick or disabled individual must be 18 years or older and eliglbe for MaasHealth
CARING CHOICES
www.eldercare.org

CALL THE AGING INFORMATION CENTER AND ASK ABOUT ADULT FAMILY CARE
617-628-2601 EXT 3151