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Dear Jonathan: Several years ago I purchased a 20-year term life insurance policy on my life with a death benefit of $3 million. The premiums were reasonable and since my wife and I had saved very little for retirement, I wanted to make sure that she was taken care of if I died first. Unfortunately, my wife passed away last year. Rather than let the policy lapse, I thought I would keep it in place for my children. I recently read an article, however, that said life insurance is taxable when the insured on the policy dies. What does this mean?...
Q. How can I upload a video from my iPhone or iPad to YouTube? Do I have to save it to my computer first and if so, in what format? A. If you create a video using your iPhone or iPad, you do not need to save it to a computer in order to place it on YouTube. Simply tap the Send button (the square with a little arrow), then tap the YouTube option. Q. Sometimes I long for the days of the floppy disc because they had labels on which I could write the disk’s contents. These days I use several USB flash drives which are too small to write anything o...
We seniors are natural scam targets and very susceptible to fraud. As we get older we are less likely to consider the downside of the financial risks – we are more apt to look at the upside. We are less critical in our decision making, which makes us vulnerable. The scammers are perceived as trustworthy helpers. They may be a family member, financial advisor or another senior. The National Council on Aging, AARP and OPAG suggest you watch out for the following scams: Prescription drug scams. Seniors often take a myriad of prescription medicatio...
Another fall arrives and with it comes proposed regulations from the State of Alaska that will again put at risk our seniors and residents with disabilities across Alaska. We could spend our time getting upset and angry over this same old situation again, but we will instead mount up and fight for those that are not able to fight for themselves. They have spent their energy building and maintaining this wonderful state over the years, and are therefore tired and in need of care themselves. If the purpose of the new regulations is to get people...
I bring you some details about the Medicare Part D drug program for 2014. Enrollment started October 15th and will continue until Dec. 7, 2014. The lowest premium is $12.50 per month but there is a deductible of $310 with that plan, which you must pay before the insurance kicks in. There are 25 different plans with the prices for the monthly premium running from the aforementioned $12.50 up to $136. You can see a chart of the Alaska Medicare Part D plans for 2014 on page 10 of the November...
Mount Saint Elias, the first point sighted by white man on the mainland of Alaska in 1741, has proved a mighty challenge to mountaineers. The second highest peak in the United States, behind Mount McKinley, and the fourth highest peak in North America, it is 18,008 feet high. Situated on the Yukon and Alaska border, only a handful of climbers have conquered it in the 261 years since Vitus Bering discovered and named it. The mountain's name in Tlingit is Yaas'éit'aa Shaa, which means "mountain...
Half a century ago, the country was embroiled in civil rights conflicts, a war in Asia and mourning the loss of a president. When released in the midst of this social turmoil in 1963, Stanley Kubrick's "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," must have seemed appropriately titled. In reality, the film was an epic comedy featuring one of the greatest casts of comedians ever assembled on film. "There was a pall on the whole country and not a lot to laugh about," recalled Marvin Kaplan, who appeared in...
Dear Jonathan: My parents are coming out to visit me next month. One of the reasons for the visit is to prepare durable power of attorneys for financial and health care matters because they want me to act on their behalf in the event they are unable to act for each other. I have no problem being named as their agent, but shouldn’t those documents be drafted by a lawyer in the state where they live? Jonathan Says: Yes, you are absolutely correct. Every state has its own laws regarding durable power of attorneys for financial and health care m...
Q. I have approximately 100 pictures from a recent vacation that I’d like to send to others. Any suggestions for a program I should use for this? A. “Sending” photos to me means transmitting them, in which case it would be via email. One word of caution, if I may: Unless you know your intended recipients very well, that’s a lot of photos to inflict upon anybody. In photographic circles, 100 vacation photos equal 400 non-vacation photos to anybody who did not accompany you on the trip. It’s been my experience that the level of viewer interest...
“Mom? Hey, Mom? Watch me!” We three little girls implored her to pay attention. She distractedly glanced at us, as we pumped high on the backyard swing or pedaled madly on our trikes. “Mom? Hey, Mom?” as Mom multi-tasked frying bacon and vacuuming and talking on the phone with a friend (and did none of it well). Joanie at 35 had a full-blown case of ADHD, and had probably been suffering since her teens. She was the high schooler who got sun poisoning because she never kept track of the hours s...
John Clum, the colorful editor of the widely known “Tombstone Epitaph,” made his mark on Alaska in the late 1890s. He was appointed post office inspector for the territory in March 1898. He and his son, Woodworth, traveled 8,000 miles around Alaska and the Yukon setting up new post offices and equipping others. It was no job for a weakling – one of his inspection trips was made on “foot and in a snowstorm” to Chilkat, and a second trip, according to his diary, was via reindeer and “lap” sle...
If ever an actor was recognized by one career role, it was Donna Douglas with her portrayal of ‘Elly May’ in the highly popular CBS 60s comedy, “The Beverly Hillbillies.” In the four decades since the series ended its nine season run in 1971, the drop-dead gorgeous blonde native of Pride, La., is still strongly identified with the show wherever she goes. Rather than distancing herself from the connection to Jed, Granny, Jethro and the Clampett clan, Donna has embraced her sitcom heritag...
Dear Jonathan: I am a widowed mother of four adult children and I am in the process of making out a new will, and I have a question. I want to treat my children equally, but I have financially supported two of my children to the tune of $200,000 or more over the past several years. Consequently, unless they pay that money back to me, which I really don’t see happening, I don’t think it is fair to my other two children if I were to divide my estate equally among them. Any suggestions as to how I might approach this? Jonathan says: This is a com...
Q. My grandson offered to “fine-tune” my Windows 7 computer to make it run better, though it wasn’t really having any problems. He installed several programs and now I’m having problems where none existed before. Could the programs he installed be causing this? A. I would like to cite a world-renowned, authoritative treatise in responding to your question, that being Mr. Modem’s Computing Rule 47-A: “With very few exceptions, never let a spouse, friend, neighbor or computing-genius child fine-tune your computer. The outcome will rarely be s...
Oler Persons Action Group encourages seniors to engage in activities that maintain a healthy lifestyle. Basic factors contributing to healthy living are: good nutrition combined with physical, social and mental activity. Nutrition. People eating meals at a senior center will receive balanced and nutritious meals. However, those living on their own are encouraged to remember to include vegetables, fruits and fish in at least one meal a day. Avoiding fatty foods and excessive use of alcohol are also important factors in maintaining a healthy and...
Editor’s note: This press statement from Sen. Mark Begich’s office was received July 25. To encourage access and consumption of healthy traditional foods, U.S. Senator Mark Begich has introduced The Traditional Foods Nourishment Act of 2013. “Many Alaska Native traditional foods are proven to increase physical, emotional and spiritual wellness,” said Sen. Begich. “Traditional foods such as wild salmon, migratory birds, moose and berries are fresher, less processed and retain more nutrients. All of which benefit Alaska Natives who may struggle...
Cordova made national headlines when its citizens took a leaf from the annals of Boston. But instead of a tea party, they staged a coal party. They proved to a far away and indifferent government that the spirit of ’76 was still alive on May 11, 1911. Five years before, a campaign for the conservation of natural resources swept America, and the government decided to withdraw the coal, oil and timber lands of Alaska from private ownership. The Copper River Railroad stopped building its branch line to the Bering River coal fields. Katalla, w...
You won’t see Stuart Whitman’s name listed in the closing credits for the 1951 sci-fi classic, “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” But he’s there, if only for a few seconds, in an uncredited role as one of the sentries guarding the alien spaceship. Such was the humble beginning of many young actors in the 50s, appearing anonymously in bit parts hoping ultimately to be “discovered.” It took about a decade, but critics and audiences eventually noticed the handsome, dark-haired Whitman. While waiting...
Dear Jonathan: I went to see a lawyer because I wanted a simple will drawn up. By the time I was done, not only did I have a will, which was not the least bit simple, but I had a financial durable power of attorney, a health care power of attorney and living will, a trust, and a rather large bill from the lawyer. I was shellshocked. Do I really need all of these documents or was I scammed by the lawyer? Jonathan says: Without knowing anything about your personal circumstances, or what your objectives were when you went to see the lawyer, it is...
Summertime is over and it’s time to face the fall. Hopefully, your family has enjoyed a nice vacation and you’ve had your share of fun in the sun. You may even reminisce about the popular song, “See You in September,” which was written by Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards and made memorable by The Happenings in 1966. As children, teenagers and young adults return to school, now is a good time for you to take a look at the books, too — whether that means starting your retirement planning, making sure your retirement plans are on track, or taking th...
Q. Why do online companies offer rebates instead of just selling a product at a lower price? It seems like there are always strings attached such as receiving a rebate check that can only be used to purchase other company products. A. Companies have various reasons for offering rebates, but in general, there are three primary reasons: First, the time between the purchase and the rebate can be several months, a period in which your money is in the company’s possession, undoubtedly earning interest or working in other ways to its advantage. This...
Seniors are living longer and do not meet the stereotype of sedentary old people to be warehoused until they die. Today’s seniors watch what they eat and stay mentally and physically active. This positive approach to senior lifestyle is embraced by Older Persons Action Group and its publication, Senior Voice. You can connect with OPAG through the hard copy of the Senior Voice or through the website. OPAG also has a Senior Voice account on Facebook and a Twitter account (@seniorvoiceak). OPAG Media Manager David Washburn is diligently working t...
Too often in today’s fractured and partisan political climate it takes a highly publicized tragedy before our elected officials will work together to solve a problem. Alaska is best served by leaders who will plan for the future, rather than scramble to close barn doors after the fact. That’s why Representative Max Gruenberg (D-Anchorage) and I introduced parallel bills during this past legislative session to enact a Silver Alert system in Alaska. This program uses statewide media outlets to engage the public when a vulnerable adult goes mis...
This column will be an introduction to the new Health Insurance Market Place, also known as the health insurance exchange. I will be writing about Alaska and its income limits, however if you live in another state, you can get your financial information by going to www.medicare.gov on the Internet and looking up your state. The Health Insurance Marketplace is a new way to find health coverage that fits your budget and meets your needs. With one application, you can see all your options and also...
When rescuers arrived on the scene of an airplane crash near Point Barrow on Aug. 15, 1935, they found humorist Will Rogers dead. A typewriter recovered in the wreckage had Rogers’ unfinished last “piece for the papers,” and the final word he’d typed was “death.” But Rogers didn’t seem to have had a premonition that his trip to Alaska would end in disaster. In an interview in Portland, Ore., a short time before the tragedy, he was asked, “When are you going to write a book on your life?” “I...
