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24<br />
Credit Card Counseling Scams<br />
By: Dan Roberts / Publisher<br />
It’s a problem that is sadly increasing in our senior world. With<br />
the price of gas and medicines escalating every month, it’s not<br />
uncommon to make those payments via credit card.<br />
And as many readers know, those credit card bills keep on piling up<br />
higher and higher and if you’re struggling to make those payments<br />
(which is already difficult with high interest rates) and you hear<br />
about a company that promises to reduce or eliminate your credit<br />
card debt for a fee, can it be too good to be true?<br />
Sounds great, right? But how can you tell if that offer is legitimate<br />
or a scam?<br />
Follow these steps<br />
to avoid credit card<br />
debt relief scams.<br />
1. Don’t pay<br />
upfront. It’s<br />
illegal for a debt<br />
relief company<br />
to charge you a<br />
fee before they do<br />
anything to relieve<br />
your debt.<br />
2. Talk with<br />
your credit card<br />
company. It’s<br />
amazing how they<br />
will work with you<br />
when you tell them<br />
you can’t pay them.<br />
Call the customer<br />
service number on<br />
the back of your credit card. Explain the circumstances and ask for a<br />
payment plan that you’ll be able to afford.<br />
3. Consider a reputable credit counselor. Yeah, I know<br />
that’s easier said than done. How do you know if they are legit? A<br />
couple of things to consider:<br />
a. They help you develop a payment plan that works for you.<br />
b. They do not charge you in advance for help that it hasn’t given<br />
yet<br />
c. They have credit counselors that are accredited or certified by<br />
an outside organization that offers a range of services, including<br />
budget counseling, debt management classes, and free educational<br />
materials.<br />
d. They will give you a specific quote in writing for any one-time<br />
or monthly fees.<br />
e. They will help you even if you can’t afford the fees or contributions.<br />
Like everything else in life, be sure to get every detail and promise<br />
in writing and read any contracts carefully before you sign them.<br />
Still not sure? Give us a call at The Vegas Voice 702/251-4441 or<br />
email me (dan@thevegasvoice.net) and we will look into for you.<br />
<strong>July</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
How Dare You Live Longer!<br />
By: Pat Landaker / Positive Aging<br />
We may have to rephrase the famous greeting,<br />
“Live long and prosper” to “Prosper if<br />
you want to live long,” because eventually your<br />
longevity may come with an actual price.<br />
Now that you’ve figured out how to live longer, you may not be able<br />
to afford it. All that saving! All that investing! And for what?<br />
You’ve done all of that and yet you can run out of money. Not because<br />
of irresponsibility, but because you’re living too long.<br />
As we age, our greatest fear has been dying, but today, living too long<br />
is running a close second. Didn’t see that coming, did ya? Outliving<br />
your resources is a real thing! You may not get to use your money, or<br />
you may have none to use.<br />
My mom worried about outliving her money up and until she died<br />
at 90. Like my mom and others, saving and investing have always been<br />
key for a well-planned retirement life.<br />
Just add smart decision-making, healthy living, and a positive<br />
mindset and you were good to go. That may not be the case anymore.<br />
So now, many retirees are going back to work, reducing their spending<br />
and rethinking their budgets. In addition, while personal sustainability<br />
is very important, seniors are sharing their budgets to help other family<br />
members, leaving no money for their own unexpected living needs or<br />
their desire to leave generational wealth!<br />
It’s tough to navigate all the challenges living longer may bring and<br />
that may affect income, lifestyle, and personal safety. You may want to<br />
consult with an Actuary. Actuaries are individuals, usually insurance<br />
people, who look at a variety of factors and based on those factors<br />
attempt to evaluate how long you may live.<br />
“About Schmidt,” a movie starring Jack Nicholson who plays a<br />
retiring actuary, gives viewers a peek into this unique job that can<br />
become a silent nightmare for those who perform it. Actuary jobs are<br />
becoming increasingly important in this age of invasive technology,<br />
data breaches, and increased levels of financial risks.<br />
Visit this site to learn more about longevity: https://apps.bluezones.<br />
com/en/vitality.<br />
Pat Landaker is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and owner of<br />
Living La Vida Senior, Ageless Aging, and CSA Senior Solutions.<br />
She teaches Positive Aging at UNLV/OLLI. www.patlandakerAGEncy.<br />
com or contact@livinglavidasenior.com
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