All Posts in "Everything Else"

After a successful debut, Tacoma Goodwill expands to operate five Christmas Shoppes, locations next to neighborhood Goodwill stores, dedicated exclusively for the sale of holiday treasures.

Christmas Shoppes are located in Kent, Spanaway, North Tacoma, South Lacey and Puyallup and stocked daily with new merchandise. “We started with two million pounds of high quality holiday inventory,” said John Nadeau, Tacoma Goodwill’s Director of Retail Sales. “There are trees, lights, dolls, ornaments, books, toys and all the trimmings to make decorating this holiday season easy on a shopper’s budget.”

The 2010 launch of Goodwill’s first-ever Christmas Shoppes (Spanaway & North Tacoma) led to the expansion of five stores this year. “We are very excited to expand our Christmas shopping experience this holiday season,” said Terry Hayes, CEO of Tacoma Goodwill. “It’s a one-stop-shop for your needs, all while knowing every dollar spent is put back into your community through job placement, training and services.”

In addition, shop Goodwill and Goodwill’s Christmas Shoppes biggest sale of the year, 50 percent off, for two days only – Nov. 25 and 26. All stores open early (7 a.m.) on Friday. Regular Christmas Shoppe hours are 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sundays 11a.m. – 6 p.m.

Press Release by — November 22, 2011 in Everything Else
AAA Federal Way and Tacoma Collecting Toiletry Donations

Keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and hot water is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of illness and infection. But what would you do if you couldn’t afford soap or other basic toiletry items? It’s a problem that many with limited incomes face on any given day.

AAA’s 4th Annual Soap for Hope campaign collects your unused and unopened toiletry items and distributes them to persons in need via local shelters, food banks and other charitable organizations. Donations may be dropped off at the Donations may be dropped off at the AAA Tacoma office located at 1801 S. Union Ave. and the AAA Federal Way office located at 2122 S. 314th St., starting on November 1 and through the end of the year. Donations made at these offices will stay in the community to benefit Federal Way Community Caregiving Network and Nativity House.

New, full- and sample-size toiletry items, such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothpaste and deodorant will be accepted at all AAA locations, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

“I’m really proud to be a part of such an incredible community,” said Molly Gruse, manager of AAA’s office in Tacoma. “Our members and other customers really pitched in with our Soap for Hope drive, and with their help, we were able to provide thousands of toiletry items locally to those that need them the most.”

It’s easy to help. Look in your cabinets for toiletry items you never used. Maybe you have hotel shampoos, conditioners, lotions or soaps from your last trip. Or if you buy in bulk you many have extra disposable razors, bar soap, toothbrushes or toothpaste.

For more information including a complete list of AAA locations and charities, please visit (http://www.aaawa.com/about/newsroom/relations/soapforhope/index.asp).

Press Release by — November 15, 2011 in Everything Else
Hunting for a prescription drug plan is no game

By Kirk Larson
Social Security Western Washington Public Affairs Specialist

It’s that time of year again.

“Open season” is right around the corner for the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. Hunting down the best plan for you is no game. Newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries, and current beneficiaries who are considering changes to their Medicare Part D plan, should mark their calendars for October 15. The “open season” will run from October 15 to December 7.

The Medicare Part D prescription drug program is available to all Medicare beneficiaries to help with the costs of medications. Joining a Medicare prescription drug plan is voluntary, and participants pay an additional monthly premium for the coverage.

While all Medicare beneficiaries can participate in the prescription drug program, some people with limited income and resources also are eligible for “Extra Help” to pay for monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments. The Extra Help is worth about $4,000 a year.

To figure out whether you are eligible for the Extra Help, Social Security needs to know your income and the value of any savings, investments, and real estate (other than the home you live in). To qualify, you must be receiving Medicare and have:

  • Income not over $16,335 for an individual or $22,065 for a married couple living together. Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help with monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments. Some examples where your income may be higher include if you or your spouse:

—Support other family members who live with you;

—Have earnings from work; or

—Live in Alaska or Hawaii; and

  •  Resources not over $12,640 for an individual or $25,260 for a married couple living together. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks, and bonds. We do not count your house or car as resources.

 You can complete an easy-to-use online application for Extra Help at www.socialsecurity.gov. Go to the Medicare tab on the top of the page. Then go to “Apply For Extra Help With Medicare Prescription Plan Costs.” To apply for the Extra Help by phone or have an application mailed to you, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask for the Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020).

And if you would like more information about the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program itself, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048).

So this open season (October 15 to December 7), after you track down the perfect prescription drug plan for you, hunt for something that could put about $4,000 in your pocket — bag the best Medicare prescription drug plan for you and see if you qualify for the Extra Help through Social Security.

 

Press Release by — November 15, 2011 in Everything Else

Colby Parks

Tragically, the most senior and respected members of our community, our parents and grandparents, occasionally even great-grandparents, are the victims of exploitation by the most unseemly of suspects: their children.

Amazingly, family members often sue senior relatives out of greed or fear of losing “their inheritance,” and seek a court’s order to take away their relative’s most important civil rights: their right to vote, control their own affairs, make their own decisions, associate with people of their own choosing, even the right to make their own Last Will and Testament.  In elder law, we refer to these matters as “guardianship cases”.  A guardianship case is nothing less than a lawsuit seeking to deny a person their rights.  Regardless of age, we all should take appropriate measures, through effective estate planning, to avoid a guardianship case if at all possible.

There are many sad occasions when a guardianship is necessary.  For example, if a person suffers  a stroke and becomes unable to manage their affairs (in the absence of prior estate planning), a guardianship may be necessary.  Should an adult develop Alzheimer’s (again, in the absence of prior estate planning) then a guardianship may be necessary, so that appropriate decisions, and accountability for those decisions, may be acted upon.  Still, as noted, with prior and effective estate planning, a guardianship case and its inherent costs –which can easily exceed $5,000–and the corresponding loss of independence, can be avoided.

One of the most effective, non-legal planning tools, is frequent and open family communication.  Adult children and their parents and/or grandparents, etc., have to discuss family matters as we grow old together.  Many of us who practice in this area have had to deal with children who call a lawyer before they talk to their mother or grandfather.  Such action is tantamount to starting a railroad engine moving down the track with virtually no mechanism to stop the train.
In addition to open and honest channels of family dialogue, we should utilize durable powers of attorney, trusts, and health care directives to establish the who, what, and when of determining how we control our own lives.

A. Colby Parks is an attorney specializing in elder law in Tacoma, Washington. Please consult a qualified estate planner before creating a will.

Contributing Author by — November 15, 2011 in Everything Else