All posts by Barbara Nevins Taylor

Consumer News, Featured Stories, News, Scam News

Danger of Pension Advance Plans (2)

November 13th, 2014

He was drawn to ads for a company called Pensions, Annuities & Settlements, LLC (PAS). They seemed to indicate that he could get a pension advance, borrow and get a lump sum of cash.

Darren filled out initial information on the website for the pension advance and a PAS representative called. “The way he explained it to me, it was a loan. They were going to hold a part of my pension as collateral and then they would give me X amount of dollars and then I pay the money back,” Darren said.

He completed the online application with his financial information and was asked to use an online signature system. But he was so eager to get the money that he overlooked details of the pension advance contract and details that he didn’t understand. “It was like a whole bunch of mumbo jumbo. It wasn’t clear what I was signing,” he said.

He even ignored a red flag when a notary in his hometown of Turlock questioned the paperwork. He said that she called PAS for clarification because there apparently was an error in the order of the pages. Darren recalls her saying, “This doesn’t look right.”

Nevertheless, Darren agreed to the deal and soon discovered that a $600 fee was deducted from the $5,000. He began making payments of $415 a month and six months later he heard from the IRS. It considered the money an early pension withdrawal and asked him to pay tax on the money.

He said, “If I knew that what they were doing, that this was an early withdrawal from my retirement, I would never have gotten it.” He was so upset that he decided to find out if he could pay off the loan immediately.

CONTINUE →

or go to page 1 2 3 4 5

Healthcare, Insurance News, Latest News, Money News, Videos

Video Explains Obamacare

November 12th, 2014

You need the health insurance, but you find the drama and expense that goes with it exhausting and draining. It’s probably little comfort, but consider yourself a member of a big club.

If you signed up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, you must re-enroll. You can re-up with your current insurer or change companies.

If you didn’t sign up, you get the chance to do it now.

Open enrollment starts November 15 and the Healthcare.gov website provides clearer information than it did this time last year.

IMPORTANT DATES

November 15, 2014 — The first day to apply for 2015 coverage.

December 15, 2014 — The last date to enroll for coverage that starts January 1, 2015.

December 31, 2014 — All 2014 Marketplace coverage ends, no matter when you enrolled.

January 1, 2015 — 2015 coverage can start if you apply by December 15, 2014, or if you accept automatic enrollment in your 2014 plan or a similar plan.

February 15, 2015 — The last day to enroll in 2015 coverage. If you miss this deadline, you can’t sign up for a health plan inside or outside the Marketplace for the rest of 2015. The only exception is if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

If you find yourself confused by the rules, the Kaiser Family Foundation makes things clearer in the video above that explains Obamacare and the ins and outs of the health insurance program.

We want to report about your experience with insurers. Please comment and let us know what’s happening.

All 55 Plus, Featured Stories, First Person

A Caregiver’s Most Important Job

November 12th, 2014

by Lynda Cohen Cassanos

At 6:15 p.m., almost every other Sunday evening, I board a bus in midtown Manhattan that takes me to a suburban shopping center in Baltimore by 9:30 that night.

The bus, run by a private tour company, brings energetic day-trippers to the city every morning to shop, visit museums, go to the theatre, and see the sights. They leave Baltimore at 6:15 a.m. and the returning travelers are beat, ready to sleep the entire ride home.

I travel one way – the return trip. I’ve lived in New York City for thirty-two years, but my 96-year-old mother, who suffers from advanced dementia, still lives in our family home on the northwest edge of Baltimore city.

This has been my routine for over six years. As an only child, I am the one responsible for my mother’s well being and care. The opportunity to move her to a facility in New York never materialized.

After my 93-year-old father’s death in 2009 from congestive heart failure, which followed a rough nine-month recovery from aortic valve surgery, back and forth trips to the ER, and extended stays in rehab and nursing homes, I had had it with institutional care.

I know that worthwhile facilities exist and that they are often the best choice for the patient and caregiver, but at the time the extreme stress of my father’s last months in what is considered a top nursing home negated this option for me. And the fact that my frail mother was receiving attentive and loving care from two round-the-clock nurses in her own house clinched the decision to stay put.

The bus ride south along the turnpike at night is a welcome pause between the jarring transition of leaving my family and routine in New York to enter the upside-down world of my formerly articulate, creative, and independent mother.

A dear cousin picks me up at the bus stop and usually comes in for a visit. After he leaves, I start my routine: organizing the piles of bills and mail on the office desk, checking the grocery list the day nurse left on the kitchen table, and looking around to see if I have to make any urgent repairs to the sixty-year-old house.

Meanwhile, my mother sleeps, or doesn’t sleep – just mumbles and fidgets, with her attendant nearby, in her makeshift bedroom in the large den on the first floor.

It is well-known that Alzheimer’s caregiving and caregiver’s burn-out is a widespread problem and can be stressful for all involved. People cope in different ways.

Just among the people I know I’ve seen many scenarios.

One friend renovated the first floor of her house to accommodate the live-in needs of both parents who were suffering from the disease and their rotating cast of ten caregivers.

Another traveled from New York to Wisconsin every four weeks to visit her mother in a nursing home.

One friend moved her mother to a comfortable small group home with six or seven residents and a dedicated staff of caregivers. The house has a warm, communal atmosphere and the staff provides personal, one-on-one care. Residents have their own cheerful bedrooms and homemade meals are prepared in the kitchen.

I think a nurturing group home is perhaps the ideal situation, but this type of care is not widely available and most people must choose from a more limited number of options.

My decision to keep my mother at home was based on emotional and circumstantial issues, and the desire to provide consistent, quality care.

No matter what the choice is, I have discovered that there is one important job: that of showing up and making sure the healthcare providers know you care about your loved one – whether that loved one is in their own home, a residential house, or a facility.

Showing up is not always easy. It’s difficult to be pulled away from your life and routine for several days a week, or even for an afternoon, no matter how much you love the person for whom you are responsible.

In some ways, it can become harder as the disease progresses. In the beginning and middle stages of my mother’s dementia, she was usually her gracious, talkative self. In her Southern, well-mannered way, she would ask the caregivers if they were hungry to indicate that, in fact, she was hungry. Confused but colorful compliments for their perfectly prepared grits, eggs, and crab cakes charmed her day and night nurses.

Every morning she would describe in detail the exquisite party she’d been to the night before. Although her conversations often sounded like a mélange of Tennessee Williams and Ionesco monologues, there was a sparkle and connection that has disappeared. A good visit now may consist of one slight smile of recognition during my three-day stay.

This stage has lasted for more than two years, with slight peaks but more declines. In the morning, after giving my mother breakfast and during her nap that often lasts all day, I grocery shop and pay bills. In the afternoon I try to spend a few hours cleaning out a house filled with sixty years of stuff, but often just sit and read the boxes of saved letters and postcards that date back to the 1930s.

The responsibilities of house, grounds and car maintenance hadn’t registered when I signed on to in-home care. I’ve lived in apartments in cities with good public transportation since my college days and home repairs still remain a challenge.

But beyond the petty annoyance of routine chores, it is the trauma and anguish of seeing a loved one in this ongoing degenerative state that can be so unbearable. It is truly the long goodbye. However, my mother’s disease is a fact of life; it is the reality right now.

For me, it helps to try to be grateful for the positive aspects that exist alongside the overwhelming sadness of her condition. I try to focus on the fact that my mother is comfortable and seemingly content.

She eats well, enjoys her meals and does not have any painful medical conditions. A doctor and podiatrist make house calls every three months. And, most importantly, my mother has received exceptional attention from two devoted caregivers for over six years.

There is a haiku that goes: “The robbers took everything/but the moon in the window.” In spite of the devastating loss, there’s still something there, at least for now – a smile, a nod, the moon in the window.

Immigrant News

Biometrics for Deferred Action – Not So Scary

November 6th, 2014 1 Comment

← Previous GET FINGERPRINTED A woman who seemed like a manager told me to put my finger on a clear surface, which was connected to a computer that scanned my finger prints. She took a few variations of prints and then asked me to sign my name on a touchscreen signature pad. SMILE FOR THE CAMERA She then asked me to sit down and took my photo for the work permit. She wished me luck and gave me a short survey to fill out. RATE THE EXPERIENCE The survey asked about the process and also about her service. While filled it out she looked over my shoulder and asked miscellaneous questions. She made me feel a little uncomfortable. It seemed like she wanted good ratings. So I gave her all “excellent” even though I wanted to give her “good.” But in all honesty, I had no complaints. Some can’t afford to pay the $465 to fee to apply. Now there is a no interest loan.

Go to Page 1 2

Helpful Tips: Consumer, Helpful Tips: Credit, Helpful Tips:All

Why Your Credit Report May Not Be Available Online

November 6th, 2014 14 Comments

←Previous Tips for Getting a Credit Report When you Hit a Road Block Write to AnnualCredit Report.com and request a report. TransUnion’s Emery suggests you call his company hotline directly. You’re likely to get a real person instead of recording device. TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800.

At Equifax, Meredith Griffanti says they try to get the reports out quickly. “After we receive the appropriate documents and confirm the consumer’s identity, then we send them their hard copy report through the mail. Again, this is simply for the sake of identity protection and security.

David Emery says the credit bureaus want to provide the reports. “For some reason people believe we are trying to make it difficult to get a credit report.” That’s not so he says, adding, “For most people it is seamless.” Go to Page 1 2 3

Worried about the EquifaxBreach? Read: What Do I Do About The Equifax Data Hack?

Consumer News, Money News, News

Why Your Credit Report May Not Be Available Online

November 6th, 2014 6 Comments

← Previous

The credit bureaus TransUnion and Equifax suggested he send a written request to them for a copy of his report.

We were curious about why Paul couldn’t get his report quickly and in general why your credit report may not be available online. We reached out to both TransUnion and Equifax.

We got a call from TransUnion C.O.O. David Emery. He told us, “The online security bar is high because once we give you that credit report, you see everything.”

Emery says there are a few things that automatically flag your request as problematic:

If you put in a new address that isn’t listed with the credit bureau.
If you put in a previous address that’s not listed.
If you put in a middle name that is not listed on your credit report or credit accounts.

Ironically, if you’re just starting out in life and you have few credit cards and loans or a brief financial history you may encounter the security wall. Meredith Griffanti, a spokesperson for Equifax says, “If the consumer has a “thin-file” or is unable to answer the online questions correctly, then annualcreditreport.com asks that the request be mailed in due to tighter security measures for consumer protection.”

Paul matched the criteria for red flags. He doesn’t have an extensive credit history and his new address wasn’t listed on the report.

Continue →

or go to page 1 2 3

Fun At The Anchor Desk

November 5th, 2014

Ever find yourself watching a television anchor and want to yell lighten up? Here’s something for you. A little fun at the anchor desk. My former Brooklyn College student Dan Thorn broke loose while anchoring the news at WSVN-TV in Ghent, West Virginia, and lightened the mood for a lot of people. His breakout on YouTube went viral. His co-anchor, however, couldn’t get in the groove.

Too bad.

CHECK OUT CM-TV FOR OUR ORIGINAL VIDEOS.

55 Plus News, All 55 Plus

Why I Decided to Downsize

October 30th, 2014

by Joanne Ower

I lived in the same house for over forty years. My late husband and I raised two sons there, and I greeted and loved grandchildren and great grandchildren there. It was a happy home, always lively with family and friends.

But as the nest emptied, my home in North Ft. Myers, Florida, got too big for me. I no longer needed three bedrooms, two baths and a two-car garage, and I sure didn’t need all the stuff that accumulated over the years.

I soon learned that having a feeling and doing something about it are two different things. My family gradually understood that I was unhappy living in a home too large for one person to maintain. But I stayed on longer than I really wanted to because my younger son lived next door. He’d promised his father that he’d take care of me. Then he relocated, and that’s what finally moved me off square one.

The best thing I did — and I recommend this for anybody in my situation — was to talk it over with my family. We had a Iot of long discussions. I also talked to friends I’d grown up and stayed in touch with in the Ft. Myers area. I had a great real estate agent who took the time to understand what I wanted after I downsized. He sent me listings from mobile home parks in my area geared specifically to retirees and older owners.

One of my best friends dating back to grade school had a winter home nearby on Ft. Myers Beach. She told me I could stay there if I needed to during the transition. That was an added piece of luck that pushed me forward and gave me confidence.

Once I’d made the decision to downsize, with my family’s encouragement, I listed my house. Then I faced the second hard part – deciding what to do with forty years’ worth of belongings ranging from furniture to odds-and-ends. Family members got larger items like the organ and grandfather clock. I donated a lot of other things. But after that I still had years worth of personal items, photos and mementoes. That was really hard. I’d put things in the discard pile and then take them out again, uncertain what to do. My youngest son solved the problem when he said, “Mom, keep what brings you happy, special memories, and let go of the rest.”

It was still difficult, but I felt a big relief when it was done.

I’d already chosen the mobile home park where I wanted to buy when my house sold. My new home is still in North Ft. Myers, less than two miles from my old one. It’s for very active people over sixty and offers lots of fun activities. The park takes care of yard maintenance so my son doesn’t have to worry how fast my grass is growing, and that’s a big relief for both of us. I own the mobile home and property, and have enough room to entertain family and friends, but not so much that I can’t take care of it. My new neighbors are friendly and helpful and we all look out for one another.

Of course any move comes with annoying details such as address changes, new utility hookups and so forth. You have to tell the driver’s license people, the Medicare people, the insurance people, your doctors and on and on that you’re moving, and this takes an awful lot of time.

I’m proud to say, now that the move is finished and I’ve settled in, that I adapted very well and I’m enjoying my new lack of stress. It was the best decision ever. Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Absolutely!

Reaching the decision that it’s time to downsize can be traumatic, but the window at the end is bright.

55 Plus News, All 55 Plus, Featured Stories

What Do You Call Someone Over 55?

October 30th, 2014 2 Comments

What do you call someone over 55? Older, aging, elder, senior — how we describe ourselves in the second half of our lives makes a lot of us uncomfortable. And some of us at the Encore Purpose Prize conference in Tempe, Arizona, raised the language issue and wonder if we can’t do better.

It came during a small group discussion with Nora Super, executive director of the White House Conference on Aging. She wanted ideas for the next aging conference. We’ll get to the agenda suggestions in a minute, but first the language question.

Super said, “It’s a big country,” and pointed out that in many places language like “senior” as in “senior center” is deeply embedded. But terms like “elderly” and “senior” and other catchwords and phrases widely used today may prevent some from getting involved in projects or embracing work that seems to ghettoize them.

Now sure, we’re aging. No denying it. But the way we use words shapes our perceptions of ourselves and may have an impact on the way others view us.

Dr. David Whitelaw, winner of the 2014 Eisner Prize for intergenerational advocacy, said, “As a doctor, I know there’s nothing more important than language and the words we use to explain things.”

While many of us at the conference don’t like the current vocabulary, there’s no consensus about the terms we should use.

Any ideas? Send them our way here at ConsumerMojo. Just comment below, or email.

Back to the plans for the upcoming Conference on Aging. Executive Director Super said they plan to focus on four areas.

1. Financial Security

“We’re looking for ways to help people save, to invest in their futures,” she said.

2. Long Term Services and Support

” We need to start thinking about how can we prepare better for people who need support,” she said. She explained that her team would like to put emphasis on helping middle class families.

3. Elder Justice

This would emphasize prevention and protection of people vulnerable to fraud and financial abuse.

4. Healthy Aging

This discussion will target disease prevention and management.

The agenda is a rough outline and the White House Conference on Aging plans to solicit ideas on its website. So keep an eye out.

All 55 Plus, News, Video: Most Viewed, Videos

Living! Artist Pierre Clerk

October 28th, 2014 2 Comments

Artist Pierre Clerk is the second profile in our video series called Living! Pierre was an easy choice for the series, which features older people who continue to pursue their passions, find new interests and do meaningful and creative things. Consider them leaders in the field of Living! Watch and get some inspiration.

85-year-old Pierre Clerk continues to paint, sculpt and exhibit the abstract work that reflects his intellectual curiosity. Pierre inspires because he continues to take risks, seek challenges and explore the world around him.

Ten years ago, he sold his artist’s loft in New York’s Soho and against the advice of many friends and colleagues, moved to France. This was the anti-retirement gambit. Instead of looking for a small cozy place, Pierre and his wife Linda Mandel discovered Le Laurier in southern Bordeaux. The previous owners had updated a monastery, which Pierre thinks may date back to the 13th Century, and turned the stone structure into a home. Pierre and Linda fell in love.

It’s easy to see why. The romantic property, behind stone walls, sits on a hill that overlooks the countryside. The French call this area, La France profonde, which means deeply French. Any American couple, of any age, even one with a French-Canadian family history like Pierre’s, might have had trouble acclimating.

But Pierre and Linda moved beyond all that. They turned an old barn into a studio for Pierre and he began to create new work. And then, he was discovered by the Bordeaux gallery Cortex Athletico.

They mounted a show of his painting and sculpture that led to other shows. Suddenly, Pierre Clerk’s brilliant abstractions drew the attention of new galleries, art fans and collectors.

Watch the Living! Pierre Clerk video and you’ll learn what motivates Pierre Clerk and what he thinks about life and creativity.

Quick Pierre Clerk facts:

Born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1928.
Family was from Montreal, Canada
Studied at McGill University, Loyola College, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Academy Julien in Paris, and Accademia di belle Arti in Florence.
His work is in the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of Art, National Gallery of Art, National Gallery of Canada, Montreal Museum, Brooklyn Museum and many others. His monumental public sculptures have been installed in cities as diverse as New York and Toledo, Ohio.

Watch and get some inspiration!

Also watch Living! Ann McGovern

Barbara Nevins Taylor Honored as Encore.org 2014 Purpose Prize Fellow

October 24th, 2014

Encore.org honored Barbara Nevins Taylor, founder of ConsumerMojo.com, as one of its 2014 Purpose Prize fellows, social innovators over 60 dedicated to finding solutions to challenging social problems.

Nevins Taylor, one of 38 Purpose Prize fellows, said, “I’m proud to be recognized for the work we do at ConsumerMojo.com. But I am in awe of the accomplishments of the 2014 Purpose Prize winners.”

PURPOSE PRIZE WINNERS

David Campbell won the main Purpose Prize for creating and running All Hands Volunteers. Campbell used his management skills to develop an organization that mobilizes volunteers and sends them to work on rebuilding projects in disaster areas.

Pamela Canter, M.D., won the Purpose Prize for Intergenerational Impact sponsored by the Eisner Foundation. She leads Turnaround For Children, which works in urban schools to help children traumatized by violence and poverty.

Charles Irvin Fletcher won the Purpose Prize because he created Spirit Horse International. His organization runs 91 free therapeutic riding centers for children with disabilities.

Richard Joyner won the Purpose Prize for his work that aims to improve the health of his community in rural North Carolina. Joyner started a 25-acre community garden to produce healthy food for members of his congregation. His Conetoe Family Life Center runs after-school and summer programs that focus on the fresh food the community grows and sells.

Mauricio Lim Miller won the Purpose Prize for Financial Inclusion sponsored by the MetLife Foundation. He started the Family Independence Initiative Program in Oakland, California that helped establish community lending circles where people lend money to one another. Forty lending circles operate now in Oakland, San Francisco, Fresno, Boston, Detroit and New Orleans.

Kate Williams began to lose her vision at 47 and kept going. She retrained herself and used what she learned to help others. She won the Purpose Prize for creating a program that uses adaptive technologies to help blind and visually impaired people prepare for jobs.

ABOUT THE PURPOSE PRIZE

The Purpose Prize honors people over 60 who combine their life skills and talents for the social good. The Purpose Prize is a program of Encore.org (formerly Civic Ventures), a nonprofit organization that wants to build a movement to tap the skills and experience of those in midlife and beyond to improve communities and the world.

Encore.org created the prize in 2005 with investments from The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Templeton Foundation. The Purpose Prize has honored over 430 Purpose Prize winners and fellows in nine years. Taken together, their work showcases the enormous, and too-often overlooked, value of experience, and disproves the notion that innovation is the sole province of the young.

ABOUT THE PURPOSE PRIZE FELLOWS PROGRAM

The 2014 Purpose Prize fellows represent inspiring examples of social innovation with growing potential for impact. As Purpose Prize fellows, they gain valuable access to a dynamic learning community of like-minded encore leaders and innovators.

For more information or to nominate candidates for The 2015 Purpose Prize, visit: http://www.encore.org/prize

All 55 Plus, Featured Stories, Helpful Tips: Retirement

Choosing A Pet When You’re Over 55

October 19th, 2014 2 Comments

by Ann Simkins

When you bring a cat or dog into your home, you bring lots of love into your life but you also take on a series of responsibilities. That’s why it’s a good idea to do some careful planning.

Choosing a pet when you’re over 55 may require an extra bit of thinking about the right fit for both you and the pet. Do not choose a pet just because it is cute or because you always wanted a specific breed for a sentimental reason. You are choosing a companion and the pet should reflect you and your lifestyle.

First, sit down and really think about the animal you want. Consider your time commitments, lifestyle and personality before making a choice.

Do you want a dog or a cat?

There are things to consider about a dog and a cat.

A dog is less independent than a cat. That means the dog needs to be walked at least three times a day and requires physical activity for the body and to maintain a healthy mental state. So you have to assess whether you have the time, energy and patience to walk a dog and play with it.

My company, Small World Pet Sitters, walks dogs for a few people who are retired and are physically active and a dog works for them.

Every breed has a different temperament and you should be sure to match the right dog to what you can handle. Cesar Milan has a great website where you can get a lot of information about choosing the right dog for you.

If you think a cat is a better bet for your lifestyle, there are things to consider.

A kitten is very cute but it also has lots of energy and can be a true handful. I know this from experience. Is it any surprise that older cats, say eight or ten years old, are more mellow and calm? Don’t count them out because they can live for another ten years. Their personalities have already developed and an older cat can make a wonderful companion. I know this too from experience.

How to find a dog or a cat.

There are so many animals stuck in shelters across the country and I really ask you to please consider adopting rather than buying from a pet store or breeder. That is a whole other topic for discussion.

I’m based in New York City and am familiar with Animal Care and Control of NYC. If you adopt from a shelter, you save a life. Sadly, animals that don’t get adopted or taken by a rescue group may be put to sleep.

The ASPCA is another organization that’s a good adoption source. They run a Meet Your Match program where dogs and cats are evaluated for behavior and an adoption counselor will work with you to find the right match.

Some organizations hold “Senior for Senior” adoption events where they work to match a senior cat with a senior human.

When you bring your pet home.

After you choose a pet, be sure to pet-proof your home before your animal arrives. Make sure windows have sturdy screens that will not come out. Your cat may want to say hello to a bird on the ledge or fire escape. The American Humane Organization has a thorough list of ways to keep your new companion safe in its new environment.

Be aware that many plants and flowers are toxic for cats and dogs. Begonias, lilies and gardenias are in this category. The ASPCA has a list of all toxic and non-toxic plants.

Feeding your pet.

There are many pet food options. Some include wholesome grain-free dry, wet and raw foods that give your pet a diet similar to what they might find in the wild. But if this is too much for you and you want to keep a lid on the budget, a variety of grocery store brand pet foods work just fine as long as the pet is in a loving and caring home.

Picky eaters need help.

If you choose an older pet, he or she may need a little special help with food.

For example, Bella, an older cat we adopted from a no-kill shelter had been in a cage for 6 months. She was fostered periodically to give her a break from the adoption center. But she had a rough time and looked unhappy. They fed her Fancy Feast, a prepared food that comes in a can, in the shelter, and she liked it.

We tried to change this many times, but she resisted any change and we decided to go with it. We just wanted her to eat and be content. We pick our battles.

Smelly cat boxes are not so smelly anymore.

Litter boxes and litter have come a long way. There are the usual rectangular shaped boxes in all sizes with or without a cover. There are also dome-shaped boxes with top access and self-cleaning mechanical boxes.

A Google search offers an abundance of choices. There is no need to suffer through the mess of clay litter, which produces dust when your cat uses the box, and when you clean it. There are litters made from pine, corn husks and wheat that are as tough or tougher on odor and better for the environment.

Every pet needs a vet.

If you don’t have a veterinarian ask for referrals from friends and neighbors or try your local neighborhood Yahoo groups. Check their reviews online, their Google business page or Yelp. Be sure the vet is people-friendly as well. You will be the spokesperson for your pet and having someone be kind to you is just as important.

What about when you travel?

Think about what you will do with your pet when you go away. If you have a dog, you can find pet-friendly hotels. There are also many wonderful pet care providers who will give care in their home, boarding facility or even stay in your home with your dog.

If you have a cat I would suggest hiring an insured and bonded pet sitter to take care of your pet at home while you are away. A cat does so much better when it stays in its own environment rather than in a boarding facility cage. The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters is a website where you can put in your zip code and locate a pet care provider in your area.

Stay away from websites that try to match you up with someone. Look for professional referrals instead.

Disaster Plan

Your new furry companion is a member of your household now. In times of natural disasters having a pet emergency plan in place is a good thing. It is not something any of us want to think about but it is important to be prepared.

Pet Foster Care

If you’re on the fence and not ready to adopt, you could offer an animal a foster home. You can also foster with intent to adopt. It’s a great way to see if you and the pet are the right match. If it turns out you are not, the pet can go back to the no-kill shelter. We hope it will then find the right home.

You can also volunteer at an animal shelter or a center that works with animals so that you can get a feel for what might be right for you.

Tell us what you’re thinking. Comment here and I will also answer your questions.

Get Some Inspiration: Living! Artist Pierre Clerk

Featured Stories, Immigrant News, News, Student News

DACA Recipients Must Reapply

October 17th, 2014

by Sindy Nanclares,

It’s a chore. But Henry Bravo understands he must reapply for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program every two years if he wants to keep his deferral grant. And for many DACA recipients, the moment to renew has arrived. The first two-year period ended, and there’s a narrow window to reapply.

Henry feels grateful for the Obama administration program, started in August 2012, that gave him and more than 500,000 undocumented young people a chance to live a close-to-normal life. But the law requires that everyone who received DACA approval reapply at the end of two years. The U.S. Immigrant and Citizenship Service (USCIS) gives you four months to submit your application and a one-month grace period.

Nick Katz, staff attorney for the New York activist group Make the Road, says, “If your application is pending (after it expires) you may be out of legal status for a couple of weeks, or even months. And if you continue to work it would have negative consequences in the future.”

Listening to 26-year-old Henry tell his story, you get a feel for how hard and frightening life was for him before DACA went into effect, and how essential it is for him to hold on to his legal status.

Henry left Ecuador when he was 13 and came to New York by himself. He imagined he’d go to school and make his dreams come true in America. Instead, without parents or a support system, he needed to work to pay for food and a place to live. He bounced from one short-term job to another and couldn’t complain when employers took advantage and paid low wages. “Sometimes I would work more than 60 hours, but they would only pay me for 45,” he recalled.

Every young person may share a different story, but all who signed up for DACA need to keep an eye on their own status and the renewal clock that ticks away.

RENEWAL FEE HELP

Renewal requires another $465 processing fee. In New York City, the more than 250,000 DACA approved young people can find help to pay the fee. The NYC DREAMer Loan Fund offers a loan with zero percent interest and monthly payments as low as $38.75.

LEGAL HELP

In addition, the Department of Youth and Community Development offers subsidies for legal assistance to low-income recipients. Make the Road also provides free legal help for people who need it.

So go ahead and reapply!

Follow the USCIS guidelines to make sure you keep your benefit.

The process is very simple:

Complete and mail the renewal form along with the application fee. You don’t need additional documentation about education or anything else because you submitted it with the original application.

Make the Road immigration coordinator Yenny Quispel told us, “As of now, I haven’t heard of anyone who has not gotten approved.”

And Henry Bravo expects, when his time comes, he’ll get quick approval. But he looks beyond the temporary to permanent legal status that allows him to join the Marines.

Banking News, Latest News, Money News, News

$16 Million In Refunds To Some CitiGroup Customers

October 9th, 2014

Customers of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (CGMI) might want to look at their statements and review their fee arrangements. It turns out that the company billed some customers more than the agreed-upon rate. After an investigation, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman reached an agreement with CGMI, a subsidiary of Citigroup, to reimburse Citi customers charged higher fees than they negotiated.

$16 million in refunds will go to about 31,000 Citigroup customers. Some have already started to receive the money. But investigators say it’s possible thousands more don’t realize that the fees they paid were too high and they can now get reimbursed.

The fee-padding affected customers with what Citigroup calls “TRAK” accounts. You typically pay a fee for advisory services ranging from 1% to 1.5%. But you could negotiate these fees and many successfully arranged fees lower than the standard rate. But that’s not what they were charged. The company continued to charge many people higher rates, according to Schneiderman’s investigation.

The probe began in 2012 after a Westchester customer complained that she had negotiated a 1.2% fee for her account, but the company charged her the standard 1.5% over a period of three years. This meant she paid more than $3,000 in overcharges.

Schneiderman said, “Often, it takes just one tip to uncover an error that affects tens of thousands of individuals. In this case, a bank customer complained to my office about her account. We investigated that complaint and found a widespread problem, one that cost bank customers, in New York and across the country, millions of dollars.”

CGMI apparently is cooperating with the New York Attorney General’s Office. The company launched a wider review of other types of accounts to make sure that any account holders who have been overcharged will also get restitution.

Consumer News, News, Scam News

AT&T Mobile Customers Will Get Refunds

October 9th, 2014

Customers complained, federal regulators wagged their fingers, and at least one employee of AT&T Mobility questioned the company’s “cramming” policy. Yet the practice of allowing third-party companies to add charges, typically $9.99 a month, to customers’ bills for services like horoscopes, flirting tips, text messages, ringtones and more went on for years, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Georgia by the Federal Trade Commission.

Now AT&T has agreed to pay $105 million in a settlement with federal and state law enforcement officials. $80 million will go to the Federal Trade Commission to provide refunds to consumers. The settlement also includes $20 million in penalties and fees paid to 50 states and the District of Columbia, and a $5 million penalty to the Federal Communications Commission.

BOTTOM LINE

But the bottom line is that AT&T mobile customers will get refunds. If you’re an AT&T mobile phone user and you think A&T billed you for things you didn’t request, visit www.ftc.gov/att and submit a refund claim. You have until May 15, 2015, to file a claim.

It sounds like a lot of money, but AT&T made a lot of money from the practice. The FTC’s complaint says the company took 35 percent of each charge paid by customers and that added up. In 2012, AT&T Mobility earned $108 million from these charges. In 2013, it earned $161 million.

FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said, “This case underscores the important fact that basic consumer protections – including that consumers should not be billed for charges they did not authorize – are fully applicable in the mobile environment.”

If you want to ask a human being whether you qualify for a refund, you can contact the outside settlement administrator hired to process claims at 1-877-819-9692.

Again, visit www.ftc.gov/att to submit a refund claim.

5 Things It Takes to Shut Down a Restaurant (and What it Takes to Reopen)

October 5th, 2014 2 Comments

One of our favorite restaurants cleaned up quickly and is open again after being shut down by New York City health inspectors. Inspectors returned to Lake Pavilion on Main Street in Flushing, Queens, just off the Long Island Expressway, and gave it the okay to reopen after four days.

This is good news for the dim sum connoisseurs who crowd the Lake Pavilion especially on weekends. We love it and sometimes travel from Manhattan just for the variety of delicious dishes.

Here’s the story of its closure. On our last trip we found it closed and decided to check out why.

We learned it takes 5 things to shut down a restaurant.

City health inspectors visited Lake Pavilion during the last week of September and they uncovered the 5 key things and more. But we had no idea until we turned on to the street behind the restaurant and discovered the parking lot empty and blocked.

A big sign in Chinese told the tale to those who could read it. We met a couple who explained, “The Health Department shut them down,” Sylvia, the wife, said.

The action came as a surprise to us and our new friends and they shared a tip about another Dim Sum place nearby. But what happened at the popular and well-reviewed Lake Pavilion intrigued me and I investigated to find the full story.

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, according to its website, found enough serious health code violations to shut down the restaurant on September 25, 2014. But the restaurant had an earlier chance to make improvements. Inspectors made repeat visits and cited the restaurant on September 23, 2014 for, among other things:

Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours.
Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plan.
Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies.
Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.

Inspectors returned two days later and discovered 5 things that caused them to shut down Lake Pavilion.

Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.

It certainly makes you glad that health officials took action. And now we’re glad that Lake Pavilion did the necessary cleanup and is back to serving its delicious menu and dim sum.

Comment. What do you think about the cleanliness of your favorite restaurant?