Protect Yourself From Fake Charities

On October 24, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a warning that donors should be aware of criminals who falsely pose as legitimate charities. These fake charities may scam good-hearted donors into making gifts that are for the purpose of helping those in need. However, these contributions to fake charities are not deductible on the donor’s tax returns.

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel noted, "We all want to help innocent victims and their families. Knowing that we are trying to aid those who are suffering, criminals crawl out of the woodwork to prey on those most vulnerable - people who simply want to help. Especially during these challenging times, do not feel pressured to immediately give to a charity you have never heard of. Check out the charity first and confirm it is authentic."

The IRS helps taxpayers on IRS.gov by offering a way to gather information on legitimate charities. There is a helpful Tax-Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) tool. It shows the existence of the charity, notes that it is eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions and lists the tax-exempt status and filings. Not all eligible charities will appear in this tool, some religious organizations may not be searchable.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation also has resources on "Charity and Disaster Fraud." This information also gives guidelines on protecting yourself.

Whenever there is an international crisis, such as a disaster or conflict, criminals take advantage of the generous spirit of Americans to create a bogus charity. Not only will they seek gifts, but they also ask for personal information that may assist them in identity theft.

These promoters will contact individuals using email or calls. They now are sufficiently sophisticated to "spoof" their caller ID to make it look like they represent a real charity. Many of the scammers target individuals who are seniors or have limited English proficiency.

You should be aware of strategies used by the fraudsters and scammers. They frequently will use names similar to legitimate charities. If an individual is uncertain about a call or email, he or she should ask the fundraiser for the exact charity name, website and mailing address. This information can be used to confirm that this is a legitimate nonprofit.

You should be cautious if you are asked for an immediate payment. Legitimate charities are willing to be patient and wait until the donor is prepared to make the gift. Scammers also will sometimes demand a large donation through a gift card or an immediate transfer by wire from a bank account.

Victims who make gifts to fraudulent charities do not qualify for an itemized charitable deduction. Only gifts to qualified tax-exempt nonprofits are qualified.

Editor's Note: Americans are among the most generous people on the planet. Their desire to help may make them vulnerable to scammers. It is admirable to make generous gifts to charity, but donors need to be certain that those gifts go to legitimate organizations.

IRAs - Regular and Roth

While Social Security will provide approximately 40% of the average person's retirement income, an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is an essential addition for a successful retirement. Your IRA has two main benefits—contributions to a regular IRA are from pre-tax income and there is tax-free growth. There is another version of an IRA called a Roth IRA, which is funded with after-tax income.

Linda is in her middle working years and anticipates receiving Social Security when she retires. But she has several questions about whether she should also start funding an IRA.

• How should I fund my IRA?
• Is it a good idea to do an IRA rollover?
• At what age should I start taking IRA distributions?
• Should I take the minimum required distribution or a larger amount?

Funding the IRA

If you are not actively participating in another type of qualified retirement plan and are within an adjusted gross income limit, you may qualify to transfer a substantial sum each year into an IRA. The IRA contribution amount is $6,500 this year. If you are over age 50, you may also make an additional $1,000 "catch-up" contribution. The maximum IRA contribution amounts are indexed for inflation in increments of $500. In future years, the contribution amount will increase.

Because Linda is over age 50, she is able to contribute $6,500 and her catch-up amount of $1,000, for a total of $7,500 to her IRA this year.

Linda considers the options to create a regular IRA or a Roth IRA. Because she wants to receive the income tax deduction, she transfers the funds into a regular IRA and deducts the $7,500 on her federal tax returns.

IRA Rollovers

The majority of larger IRAs are funded through rollovers from retirement plans through your employer. If you have a qualified plan through your employment, upon separation from service or reaching a specific age, such as 70, you will usually have an option to rollover to a self-directed IRA.

Normally, your qualified plan through a business has been funded with pretax income. The IRA account also benefits from tax free growth. Therefore, the rollover will be from the other qualified plan into a regular IRA. Your IRA will continue to grow tax free, but future distributions to you will be taxable.

IRAs may be rolled over to a new custodian. The preferred method is to have a custodian-to-custodian transfer. If the funds are transferred directly from one IRA custodian to the new custodian, there is no tax.

While it is permissible for your custodian to transfer funds to you and then for you to make the rollover, your IRA custodian will withhold 20%. Because of the 20% withholding requirement, virtually all IRA rollovers are completed with the custodian-to-custodian method.

An IRA to Roth IRA rollover may also be permissible for you. Generally speaking, people with any adjusted gross income are permitted to transfer a regular IRA to a Roth IRA. The value of the IRA will be included in your taxable income, so you may owe a substantial income tax for the conversion.

The primary benefit of the conversion to the Roth is that a Roth IRA does not have a mandatory distribution requirement at age 73. The funds may be permitted to grow tax free and, at the discretion of the owner, may be withdrawn tax free during retirement years. If the owner of a Roth IRA does not make withdrawals, then the Roth may be transferred to children, who may make tax-free withdrawals over a term of ten years.

IRA Distributions

For a traditional IRA, there are specific rules on both contributions and withdrawals. Withdrawals for distributions are generally not taken before age 59½. With limited exceptions—such as uniform distributions over a lifetime, disability, separation from employment after age 55, or other exceptions—there is a 10% excise tax in addition to the regular ordinary income tax on withdrawals before age 59½. Therefore, very few individuals take early withdrawals before age 59½.

Between ages 59½ and 73, there is an optional period for withdrawals. The withdrawals are not required, but you may withdraw any amount. Of course, for a traditional IRA the amount withdrawn is taxable to you and no longer grows tax free in the fund. Therefore, you may not want to take withdrawals unless you actually need the funds for living expenses.

After you reach age 73, there are required minimum distributions (RMDs). The distributions start at approximately 3.8%at age 73 but increase with age each year. The distribution is calculated using your balance on December 31 multiplied by the appropriate percentage and must be taken by the end of the next year. Starting in 2023, the penalty for failing to take a required minimum distribution is 25%. If the plan participant corrects the failure in a timely manner, the excise tax on the penalty is further reduced to 10%.

Transportation Options Post Medical Procedures

Can you recommend medical transportation services that help patients get home after a medical procedure?

Finding “door-through-door” medical transportation services for outpatient screenings and procedures involving anesthesia can be challenging, especially for patients without nearby family or friends to rely on.

Most clinics require door-through-door transportation as a safety measure. With a colonoscopy, for example, patients often receive an anesthetic or a narcotic, combined with anti-anxiety medication. Often this combination of medication can cause mild amnesia and can remain in the system anywhere between four to six hours. Thus, it is essential to have someone accompany you as you leave the premises, ensure you safely return home and escort you inside.

While there is no simple solution to this medical transportation problem, there are a wide variety of local service providers, nonprofits and home-care companies that may be able to assist you. However, what is available to you will depend on where you live.

Finding Help

A good first step in making medical transportation arrangements is to talk to your health care provider performing the procedure. Their clinic may offer transportation services or can refer you to a local medical transportation service who can assist with your transportation. If there are no viable transportation arrangements available, another option is to remain in the clinic for an extended period of time until the medications wear off and you can safely drive yourself home or hail a rideshare or taxi.

If these options are not available, here are some other resources you should check into.

Area Agency on Aging (AAA): Your local AAA is a great resource for locating transportation services and should be able to refer you to medical transportation services available in your community. To find your AAA, call the Eldercare Locater at 800-677-1116 or visit Eldercare.acl.gov.

Local nonprofit groups: The National Volunteer Caregiving Network (NVCNetwork.org) connects about 700 community organizations nationwide, most of which provide door-through-door transportation without charge.

Home-care companies: You may also want to consider hiring a medical transportation service through a home-care agency. Although Medicare does not cover medical transportation, in some states Medicaid will. If you choose this option, be sure to verify the requirements and give plenty of notice before your appointment to ensure there is availability.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Published October 27, 2023

WCCF Donors Award Grants to Local Nonprofits, Give Kids Books, and Send Adult Learners Back to School

Thanks to our generous donors and the Foundation’s Touch Tomorrow Funds Washington County nonprofits and government units will be receiving over $36,000 in grants.

Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department has been awarded a $10,000.00 grant for new equipment to place on fire engines to allow for ventilation of smoke from fires while removing toxic cancer-causing smoke from structure fires.

CASA of Washington County volunteers will be receiving new Chromebooks in an effort to increase efficiency of serving children in our community.

The Wilkins House in Campbellsburg renovation project will be getting a boost with a $5,000.00 grant for rehabilitation of the historic home.

Food insecurity in Washington County is a huge problem. The Washington County Food Bank has been awarded a $5,000.00 grant to purchase food and Dare to Care has been awarded a $10,000.00 grant to support various school food pantries in our community.

The Humane Society of Washington County has been awarded a $471.94 in order to finish furnishing the medical room of the new building.

In addition to supporting all of these projects, the Touch Tomorrow Funds help send adult learners back to school to finish their degrees by giving funds to the Education Matters Initiative. And, donors put books in the hands of our youngest citizens by allocating $30,000.00 per year for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program in Washington County.

Donors to the Washington County Community Foundation serve as a beacon of hope, creating a legacy of care and compassion that shines for generations to come.

End

D. Jack Mahuron Education Fund Recipients.

WCCF Announces D. Jack Mahuron Education Fund Recipients.

The D. Jack Mahuron Education Fund was established at the Washington County Community Foundation to encourage educators and staff to teach in innovative ways. This year, the fund has awarded several teachers in the county school corporations over $5,000.00.

Students in Laura Purlee’s East Washington Elementary 5^th grade class will be dissecting owl pellets to identify contents, record and analyze data, and discuss the food chain and predator/prey relationship.

Charles Adams’ East Washington Middle School Emotional Disabilities room will be receiving new reading comprehension resources as well as headphones. They will also be doing their own room facelift with backlight paints, giving students the opportunity to design the wall as well as drawing and painting it.

The STEAM Lab at Salem Middle School, led by Jessica Morgan, might turn green with envy. Maybe not with envy, but it will be turning green in order to become a green screen room, allowing students to produce videos about the content they are studying in core classes.

Bradie Shrum Elementary students will be seeing the addition of equipment that will allow them to learn about 3D design and think critically about those designs. Emily Johnson and Crystal Mikels, STEM leaders, will encourage students to better learn the programs and then assist them in seeing their designs from start to finish all while preparing students with programming skills, teamwork, collaboration, creativity, flexibility, and critical thinking.

Peyton Medlock’s East Washington Middle School Special Education room will be getting more organized and encouraging students to obtain their learning materials in an easier manner, allowing them to be more successful in the classroom.

Kindergarten students in Peggy Monroe’s East Washington Elementary School Classroom will be watching chickens hatch in a new incubator, allowing a hands-on approach to life cycles.

Sue Shipman’s East Washington Elementary School PE classes will be engaging in dynamic activities that foster teamwork and cooperation, listening skills, motor skills, and mental focus with the purchase of a new parachute.

Kayla Moore’s self-contained classroom at East Washington Elementary will become a classroom family while printing positive memories and realizing coping skills with a grant for a document printer and ink.

Students at West Washington Elementary will be building new VEX robots using advanced technology and coding skills. Melissa Nicholson and Veronica Bays will lead students through critical thinking and problem solving in order for the robot to move autonomously.

East Washington Elementary Pre-K students will be powering through the playground thanks to a grant awarded to Jennifer Anderson for new riding toys that promote balance, core muscle strength, and overall coordination.

All West Washington School Corporation students that need crisis counseling and help dealing with anxiety, depression, and anger issues will have the opportunity through Maria Burks’ and Michael Dockery’s office to utilize supplies for those needs.

Lesia Ellis’ 2^nd grade East Washington Elementary School classroom will enjoy some fall fun through a creative pumpkin project. The grant will also be sued for social emotional learning books and animals to learn a variety of emotions, what emotions look like, and how to explain those emotions to others.

Donors to the Washington County Community Foundation serve as a beacon of hope, creating a legacy of care and compassion that shines for generations to come.

End

Caring For Your Pets After You Die

I have two dogs and a cat that are part of my family and I want them to be taken care of after I pass away. What is the best way to ensure care for my pets?

Approximately 500,000 cats and dogs enter shelters every year after their pet owners experience an emergency or pass away. Without a plan in place for the future care of your pets, they are at risk of ending up in a shelter where they could be euthanized.

To avoid this scenario and ensure the well-being and financial security of your pets, you should include them in your estate plan. Talk to your attorney about how to include provisions for your pets in your will or trust in accordance with your state's laws. Here are some options to know about before you make your plans.

Wills

One option is to name a caretaker for your pets in your will. You should also name a successor caretaker in case your first choice is unable or unwilling to perform the duties. If you name a caretaker, you should set aside money in your will for your pets' care with an explanation of how the funds should be spent.

To determine how much to leave, multiply your pets' annual food, care and medical costs by their life expectancy. You may also add a separate letter of instruction describing your pets' routine, food and medication.

Be aware that, even with this provision in your will, your designated caretaker is not legally obligated to follow your instructions or spend the money as you intended. Once the money is distributed by the will's executor to the caretaker, the caretaker is on an honor system to fulfill your wishes. As such, it is best to choose a caretaker you deeply trust, who will adhere to your requests.

Trusts

Another option is to create a pet trust, which provides more legal protection. Depending on your state's laws, you could set up either a revocable pet trust, which can be changed or canceled during your lifetime, or a testamentary pet trust which takes effect upon your death. A pet trust can be separate or part of an existing trust that encompasses your other assets.

Along with appointing a trustee to manage your trust's finances, you name a caretaker and alternative caretakers. You should also include a trust protector for added oversight of the trustee given that the beneficiary (your pets) cannot defend their own rights. It is permissible for the trustee and caretaker to be the same person. Unlike in a will, the caretaker has a fiduciary duty to follow the terms of the pet trust including any care instructions included in the trust.

The cost for creating a living trust varies greatly with starting costs ranging from $1,500 to $2,500. A will typically costs between $200 and $600. Establishing an estate plan can be priceless for creating peace of mind.

Other Arrangements

If you do not have anyone who would be willing to take care of your pets after you are gone, you should make arrangements with an animal retirement home, rescue, humane society, pet care program or other animal welfare group. Many of these organizations find new homes for pets or offer lifetime care but may require a fee or donation. Ask your local animal nonprofit or veterinarian for more information. You could also search online for organizations in your area who may help.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

IRS Direct File 2024 - No State Tax Returns

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) continues to work on the direct-file software project. The IRS has tentatively promised to deliver a tax software program for the 2024 tax filing season.

IRS surveys indicated that taxpayers were interested in using a direct-file software program, but that they would strongly prefer that it also enable them to file their state tax return. On July 26, IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel wrote a letter to all state tax administrators and requested input on methods to integrate the IRS direct-file software with state tax systems. He acknowledged that there may not be sufficient time to include the state tax returns in the 2024 IRS software.

The IRS plans to include state tax returns in future software. However, the IRS is currently exploring options to "include limited State income tax filing information sharing to help facilitate State tax return filing for the taxpayer." It now seems likely that the state tax returns will be deferred to a future release date.

In other news, the IRS announced it is expanding the Tax Pro Account capabilities of IRS.gov. The enhancements are designed to enable CPAs and other tax preparers to view taxpayer information online. Tax Pro Account users will need to authorize their tax preparer to have access to their information.

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel stated, "Tax professionals provide a vital service to taxpayers and the nation, and the IRS is committed to making improvements to help them serve their clients. As part of our transformation efforts, we will be working to add new technology and expand our relationship with the tax professional community. The ongoing improvements to the Tax Pro Account are just part of a larger effort."

The Tax Pro Account is a digital self-service portal for both taxpayers and tax professionals. A common use of the account is for the taxpayer to authorize representation, by accepting Power of Attorney (POA) and Tax Information Authorization (TIA) requests from the tax professional. The new system allows the taxpayer to approve the request of the tax professional and for the authorization to be effective immediately.

Published October 6, 2023

Three Vaccines to Consider Getting This Fall

Which vaccines are recommended for this fall and winter virus season?

There are three different types of vaccines to consider getting this fall to protect against a repeat of last winter's "tripledemic" of respiratory illnesses, which included flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and coronavirus (COVID). Here is a review of the different vaccines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending and how they are covered by Medicare.

Senior-Specific Flu Shots

The CDC recommends everyone aged six months or older to get a flu vaccine. For those aged 64 and older, the CDC recommends three different types of flu shots. These senior-specific vaccines are designed to offer more protection than the standard flu shot, which may be important for older adults who have weaker immune defenses and those who may be at a greater risk of developing dangerous flu complications. The three senior-specific options include:

Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine: Contains four times the amount of antigen as a regular flu shot and creates a stronger immune response for better protection.
Fluad Quadrivalent vaccine: Contains an added adjuvant ingredient known as MF59 that helps create a stronger immune response.
FluBlok Quadrivalent vaccine, a recombinant protein (egg-free) flu vaccine that contains three times the amount of antigen as compared with a regular flu shot.

The CDC does not recommend one vaccination over the other. Speak with your healthcare professional to determine which vaccine is best for you.

The Fluzone High-Dose and Fluad vaccines can cause more side effects compared to the standard-dose flu shot. Side effects may include pain or tenderness at injection site, muscle aches, headache or fatigue.

Flu vaccines are covered by Medicare Part B and Original Medicare as long as your vaccine is received from a participating provider.

New RSV Vaccines

Individuals aged 60 and older, but particularly those with heart or lung conditions, diabetes, kidney or liver disorders that heighten vulnerability to RSV should consider getting one of the new FDA-approved RSV vaccines, Arexvy or Abrysvo. However, it is important to consult with a healthcare provider to determine if the RSV vaccine is safe and suitable for you. The new RSV vaccines are covered by Medicare (Part D) prescription drug plans.

RSV vaccines are recommended by the CDC to protect older and immunocompromised adults from respiratory illness. The CDC estimates that RSV is responsible for 6,000 to 10,000 deaths and at least 60,000 hospitalizations each year in adults aged 65 and older.

Updated Covid Booster

If you have not recently had a COVID-19 booster shot, you may consult with your healthcare professional to determine if you should get one this fall. Despite the COVID public health emergency ending and the reduction in the number of cases, there has been a recent surge causing an increase in hospitalizations, especially among the elderly.

The updated Covid vaccine targets XBB.1.5 and the omicron subvariant that is the most dominant coronavirus variant currently circulating in the U.S. It will also provide protection against the EG.5 variant, which is closely related to XBB.1.5 and BA.2.86, a new subvariant. COVID booster shots are covered by Medicare Part B.

When and Where

Most health officials agree that it is safe to receive the flu and COVID booster at the same time. However, because the RSV vaccines are new this year, many doctors are recommending a two-week window between an RSV shot and the flu and COVID shots.

You can find all three vaccines at most pharmacies, medical clinics and health departments, or you can do a search at Vaccines.gov. Check that the location is a participating provider.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Published October 6, 2023

Do You Need Life Insurance During Retirement?

Should I keep my life insurance after I retire?

The decision to retain a life insurance policy after retirement depends on your family and financial circumstances. While many retirees choose to stop paying their life insurance premiums when they no longer have young families, there are several reasons to keep a policy. Here are some things to consider before making a decision.

Family: Life insurance is designed to help protect your spouse and children in case of an unexpected passing. However, if you have adult children who are financially independent and sufficient financial resources to cover you and your spouse’s retirement costs, the need for ongoing life insurance may be minimal.

On the other hand, if you had a child late in life or have a relative with special needs who is dependent on you for income, it may make sense to keep paying the premiums on your policy.

You also need to make sure your spouse’s retirement income will not significantly drop when you die. Check out the conditions of your pension or annuity to determine the survivor’s benefit and factor in your lost Social Security income as well. If you find that your spouse will lose a significant portion of income upon your passing, you may want to keep the policy to help make up the difference.

Debts: If you are still paying off a mortgage or have other large debts, it may be best to keep your policy in order to help your family pay off these debts after you pass. If your debt is a small part of your net worth that poses no risk of financial difficulty, then life insurance may not be necessary.

Work: Since life insurance helps replace lost income to your family when you die, you may want to keep your policy if your spouse or other family members depend on you for income. However, if you have very little income from your retirement job, it is likely unnecessary to continue with the policy.

Estate taxes: Life insurance can also be an estate planning tool if you have a very large estate, in excess of $12.92 million in 2023. If you own a large business that you want to keep in the family and you do not have enough liquid assets to pay the estate taxes, your estate may use the proceeds from a life insurance policy to help your heirs pay estate taxes when you die.

To help you with this decision, consider talking to an estate-planning expert or a fee-only financial advisor who can help you weigh out the pros and cons.

Sell or Swap Your Policy: If you decide that you do not need your life insurance policy any longer, you may surrender it for its cash value or allow it to lapse. Another option is to sell your policy in a “life settlement” transaction to a third-party company. A life settlement sale typically pays more than the policy cash surrender value.

If you are interested in this option, get quotes from several life settlement providers or brokers in your state. Some states provide directories containing licensed life settlement providers. Make sure to confirm the information with your state’s insurance department.

Another option is to use a tax-free Section 1035 exchange to exchange your policy for a hybrid product that blends life insurance with long-term-care insurance coverage. These products come in various forms, but they often combine a whole or universal life policy with a long-term-care rider. If you do not use the long-term-care coverage, your heirs get the death benefit.

Donate Your Policy: If you choose to make a charitable contribution of your life insurance policy, your deduction will depend on whether the policy has increased in value above the premiums and whether the policy is paid up or there are remaining payments to be made. To receive an income tax deduction, the donor must irrevocably transfer ownership of the policy to a nonprofit. With this transfer, the donor must relinquish all incidents of ownership and rights in the policy. An outright gift of a life insurance policy will produce a charitable income tax deduction equal to the lesser of the policy's value or the donor's basis in the policy. See Sec. 170(e) and Rev. Rul. 78-137.

In general, the donor's basis in a policy equals the total amount of premiums paid by the donor. As a practical matter, the charitable income tax deduction will normally equal the donor's basis because, in most instances, the cost basis will not be greater than the policy's value, i.e., replacement cost or interpolated terminal reserve value (ITRV).

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Published October 13, 2023

Does Medicare Cover Getting a Second Medical Opinion?

The doctor I currently see thinks I need a knee replacement, but I would like to get some other treatment options before I proceed. Does Medicare cover second medical opinions?

Medicare will pay for a second opinion if your current doctor has recommended surgery, or some other major diagnostic or therapeutic procedure. A second medical opinion from another doctor may offer you a fresh perspective and additional options so you can make a more informed decision. If the second opinion agrees with your current doctor's opinion, then the second opinion will give you reassurance.

If you are enrolled in original Medicare, 80% of the costs for second medical opinions are covered under Part B (you or your Medicare supplemental policy are responsible for the other 20%). You do not need an order or referral from your doctor to get the second opinion. If the first two opinions differ, Medicare will pay 80% for a third opinion.

Most Medicare Advantage plans also cover second opinions, but you may need to follow certain steps to get the expenses covered. For example, some plans will only help pay for a second opinion if you have a referral from your primary care doctor. They may also require that you consult with a doctor in their designated network. If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, familiarize yourself with their specific guidelines.

Finding Another Doctor

To find a qualified doctor for a second opinion, you may ask your doctor or another trustworthy physician for recommendations. You also have the option to independently search for one.

Whatever you choose, it may be best to go with a doctor that is affiliated with a different practice or hospital than your original doctor. Hospitals and practices can be uniform when it comes to treatment recommendations and doctors from the same group are likely to offer similar advice.

If you choose to find a doctor on your own, consider using Medicare's Care Compare tool at Medicare.gov/care-compare or call 800-633-4227. This tool will help you find doctors by name or medical specialty in your area that accept original Medicare. If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, call or visit your plan's website to obtain a list of candidates. After you have a few doctors' names, there are free online resources to help you research their background and credentials.

Once you decide on the second doctor, ask your current doctor's office to send your medical records to the second doctor and follow up to ensure the records arrive before your appointment. Sometimes, you may have to pick up a copy of your records and deliver them yourself. Ensuring the second doctor has your records will help avoid having to repeat tests you have already done. If the second doctor wants to perform additional tests, Medicare will help pay for those tests.

For more information, see the Medicare publication "Getting a Second Opinion Before Surgery" at Medicare.gov/publications – type in 02173 in the Keyword or Product number box.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Funding the IRA

IRA Rollovers

IRA Distributions

Finding Help

Wills

Trusts

Other Arrangements

Senior-Specific Flu Shots

New RSV Vaccines

Updated Covid Booster

When and Where

Finding Another Doctor

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