by Joyce Bucciantini

On August 14,1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law stating, “…we have tried to frame a law which will give some measure of protection to the average citizen and to his family against the loss of a job and against poverty-ridden old age.”  Social Security created a system of earned retirement income for American workers to avoid the dire poverty experienced during the Great Depression.

I remember getting my first real paycheck and seeing the Social Security deduction. My father explained that paying into Social Security now creates an income benefit paid to us later. Being 17, later seemed a long way away. Like me, Social Security has seen a few changes over the years. Social Security has changed from just supporting retired employees to also providing benefits to eligible spouses, children, people with disabilities and their families.

According to AARP, over 69 million Americans are receiving some type of Social Security. In Maine, 95 percent of people over age 65 receive Social Security benefits and rely on them to pay their everyday bills. Social Security benefits are not gifts; they are our own hard-earned money being paid back to us.

Full retirement age for Social Security depends on your age. For people born before 1958 the age is 65. For those youngsters born between 1958 and 1960, full retirement age is between 66 and 67. AARP and Social Security websites have information about Social Security eligibility. Anyone can create an account at mysocialsecurity.gov to monitor their Social Security benefits.

Part of our Social Security benefit is taxed based on our overall income. However, the newest federal budget bill allows eligible seniors over 65 who earn less than $75,000 ($150,000 for joint filers) to deduct $6,000 per individual ($12,000/couple) from their overall taxable income. This tax deduction could reduce overall taxes for many older Americans. A qualified tax preparer can explain how this deduction impacts individual taxpayers.

Social Security is a promise between workers and our government; employees pay into Social Security during their working years and receive an income based upon their earnings after retirement. For 90 years, Social Security has kept that promise providing a crucial income source for retirees. AARP is committed to making sure our government keeps that promise whatever changes the next decades may bring. Happy Birthday to Social Security!

As always, check out the AARP Maine website for an AARP event near you. I hope to see you there!

Joyce Bucciantini is a retired middle school educator. She currently coordinates Delta Kappa Gamma’s Read to Me program, is a tutor with Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin, and is an active AARP Maine volunteer. She enjoys her gardens, being outdoors and traveling.

by Joyce Bucciantini

Just as April showers bring May flowers, the summer season brings a bumper crop of garage sale signs. Summer Saturday mornings are filled with savvy shoppers hunting for the best treasures. A win-win for the shoppers and the sellers.

Yet, for some of us, garage sales are a reminder that other people have steadfastly cleaned their garages and decluttered their homes, while I, to my shame, have not.

Whether people are downsizing their homes or looking to declutter, it turns out that getting rid of stuff is really hard to do. According to move.org, Americans spend an average of $200 a month renting storage spaces, adding up to over $2,000 a year to store our seldom-used belongings. Even though decluttering or downsizing might be daunting, that work could pay off with real savings to our monthly budgets. Additionally, getting rid of unused items frees up room for things that we do use and can create a feeling of mental ease in our newly cleaned spaces.

The internet is awash with suggestions for letting go of our treasured items; you have only to enter “decluttering” in any search engine to get a sense of the volume! Many of the suggested approaches are useful, but the process of clearing out our things can still be overwhelming.

However, the AARP webpage, Downsizing and Decluttering Resources, has some very practical recommendations. Start small by selecting one space to declutter. Next, organize the items into a few categories: things to keep, sell, donate, or toss. Starting small keeps the project manageable and allows the categories guide our decisions about what to keep. Technology can be a space saver for scanning and digitizing old documents and photos eliminating some paper storage. Lastly, enlisting the help of family members can be useful when it comes to deciding what to do with sentimental items. Maybe someone really does actually want Grandma’s old china.

Decluttering or downsizing doesn’t have to be such a traumatic experience after all. Breaking decluttering down into small steps makes the process more manageable. Benefits include increased living space, budget savings, mental ease, and satisfaction from knowing old items will be put to new use. I am not saying that I would ever have a garage sale, but I could feel less guilty when I drive by one. Maybe I’ll start with a closet.

Joyce Bucciantini is a retired middle school educator. She currently coordinates Delta Kappa Gamma’s Read to Me program, is a tutor with Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin, and is an active AARP Maine volunteer. She enjoys her gardens, being outdoors and traveling.

by Joyce Bucciantini

February is one of the most beautiful times in Maine. Gone are the super short days of early winter, leaving us with more daylight to enjoy the great outdoors in Maine. Many cities and towns have winter-themed celebrations which might include snow sports, ice fishing, or maybe an opportunity for hot cocoa. These are great ways to fight off cabin fever and reconnect with our neighbors and friends. For those who enjoy warmer activities, there is always excitement to be found at the state high school basketball tournaments during the February school vacation week.

In between enjoying the bright winter weather and fresh air, we must also keep in mind a yearly task that we all must do, but few enjoy: get our taxes done! Yes, as surely as the new year moves forward, it is important to start making a plan for gathering our financial information and completing our tax forms. However, there is good news! The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program offers free tax preparation services in 47 locations in Maine. Last year, 240 Tax-Aide volunteers filed 13,671 Federal returns helping Maine taxpayers receive $10.4 million in Federal refunds. They also filed thousands of state tax returns, all at no cost!

This remarkable program offers free tax preparation services, focusing on taxpayers who are over 50 years old and have low to moderate incomes. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is offered by AARP Foundation in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service. All Tax-Aide volunteer counselors are IRS-trained and certified to prepare and file most types of federal and state tax returns for Maine taxpayers.

The online Tax-Aide Site Locator tool will help you find the Tax-Aide location nearest to you. This website provides the locations, the operating schedules and who to contact for making tax preparation appointments. Visit
https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/locations/ or call 1-888-227-7669 for more information.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide appointments fill up fast. It is a good idea to make your appointment early in the tax season. Then you can rest easy and enjoy all that the great Maine outdoors has to offer, or for indoors fun, check out an AARP Maine coffee social near you. Perhaps I’ll see you there!

Joyce Bucciantini is a retired middle school educator. She currently coordinates Delta Kappa Gamma’s Read to Me program, is a tutor with Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin, and is an active AARP Maine volunteer. In her spare time, she enjoys her gardens, being outdoors and traveling.

by Joyce Bucciantini

The colorful fall leaves are long gone, and the shorter days of December have arrived with the promise of starry nights and maybe a hint of snow. There is a feeling of expectation in the air as we hurry along thinking of the upcoming holidays. Perhaps it is my northern Scottish heritage, but I just love the contrast between the chill outside and the warmth and coziness we find inside. The Danish call it: hygge, the quality of coziness and well-being when we spend time with our friends and families.

While many of us will experience the warmth and comfort of time spent with loved ones, others may be feeling alone in the midst of all these celebrations. Social isolation and loneliness are significant concerns at any time of the year, but they can be especially difficult during the winter. According to AARP Maine, over 135,000 Mainers 50 and older live alone and are at higher risk of loneliness. The National Institute on Aging reports that social isolation can negativity affect the health and well-being of individuals as they age. Since Maine has one of the highest numbers of residents over 65 in America, this is certainly a concern for all of us.

What can we do? AARP’s publication, Resources to Fight Social Isolation and Caregiver Guide, has many helpful suggestions for how we can help each other and ourselves. One of the first suggestions in this resource is to join a group or to volunteer. Easy to say, maybe harder to do. As my husband and I both know, volunteering is a great way to meet new people and to help local organizations. You might start with places you know and where you feel comfortable such as your local church or synagogue, community organization or your local Area Agency on Aging or AAA as they are often called.

AARP’s resource guide reminds us that our local AAAs offer individuals and caregivers a wealth of information about available services to meet their needs. Programs such as Meals on Wheels are managed and staffed by the AAAs and volunteers. Classes and activities are offered at each of the five Area Agencies on Aging in Maine. There is always a lot going on! The AAA closest to your community can be found at: www.maine4a.org/ or by calling 877-353-3771. Creating connections with others is one of the best ways to combat loneliness and isolation.

As we move through the bright short days of December and into the candlelit season of the holidays, I wish all of you the opportunity to spend time with those who you hold near and to reach out to those who may need extra comfort and connection creating our own hygge to enjoy the long Maine winter. As it turns out, being with others is good for our spirits and our health.

To find AARP events near you please visit: https://states.aarp.org/maine or use the scan code below.

To read AARP’s Resources to Fight Social Isolation and caregiving visit: https://states.aarp.org/maine/isolation.

Please use the web address to find more information about AARP Maine and events near you.

Joyce Bucciantini AARP Maine Community Outreach Volunteer can be reached at aarp.org/me · me@aarp.org · @aarpmaine · 866-554-5380.