What is the best way to go about choosing an assisted living facility for my parent? Their health has declined to the point that living at home is not an option anymore but my parent is not quite ready for a nursing home.

If your parent needs help with things like bathing, dressing, preparing meals, managing medications or just getting around, an assisted living facility is definitely a good option to consider. Assisted living facilities are residential communities that offer different levels of health or personal care services for seniors who want or need help with daily living.

There are nearly 29,000 assisted living communities, (also called board and care, supportive-care or residential-care facilities,) in the U.S. today, some of which are part of a retirement community or nursing home. Most facilities have anywhere between 10 and 100 suites, varying in size from a single room to a full apartment. Some even offer special memory care units for residents with dementia.

To help you choose a good assisted living facility for your parent, here are some steps to follow.

Make a list: There are several sources you can turn to for referrals to top assisted living communities in your area such as your parent's doctor or nearby hospital discharge planner, friends or neighbors who have had a loved one in assisted living and you can do your own online search.

Do some research: To research the communities on your list, call a long-term care ombudsman. This is a government official who investigates long-term care facility complaints and advocates for residents and their families. This person can help you find the latest health inspection reports on specific assisted living facilities and can tell you which ones have had complaints or other problems in the past.

Call the facilities: Once you have identified a few good assisted living facilities, call them to see if they have any vacancies, what they charge and if they provide the types of services your parent needs.

Tour your top choices: During your visit, take notice of a few key factors the facility has to offer. Is it homey and inviting? Does the staff seem responsive and kind to its residents? Also, be sure to taste the food and talk to the residents and their family members, if available. It is also a good idea to visit several times at different times of the day and different days of the week to get a broader perspective.

On your facility visit, get a copy of the admissions contract and the residence rules that outline the fees (and any extra charges), services and residents' rights, and explanations for when a resident might be asked to leave because their condition has worsened or they require more care than the facility can provide. Additionally, find out their staff turnover rate, COVID infection-control procedures and if and when medical professionals are on site.

How to pay: Monthly costs for assisted living ranges anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000 or more, depending on where you live, the facility you choose and the services provided. Since Medicare does not cover assisted living, most residents pay out-of-pocket from their own personal funds, and some have long-term care insurance policies.

If your parent has limited financial resources and cannot afford this, most states now have Medicaid waiver programs that help pay for assisted living. If your parent is a veteran, he or she may be able to get funds through the VA Aid and Attendance benefit. To find out about these programs, ask the assisted living facility director, or contact the local Medicaid office at Medicaid.gov or the regional VA benefit office at 800-827-1000.

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.

On March 28, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published a letter as part of its "Dirty Dozen series" warning taxpayers not to trust tax advice on social media. There are multiple claims on social media that filing certain IRS forms or documents allow a taxpayer to avoid reporting his or her actual income and receive a larger refund.

"There are many ways to get good tax information, including from a trusted tax professional, tax software and IRS.gov. But people should be incredibly wary about following advice being shared on social media," stated IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "The IRS continues to see a lot of inaccurate information that could get well-meaning taxpayers in trouble. People should remember that there is no secret way to fill out a form and simply get a larger refund that they are not entitled to. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

Each year the IRS convenes a Security Summit that includes state tax agencies and many tax preparers. The Security Summit attempts to protect taxpayers by warning them against using strategies that lead to tax fraud.

1. Fraudulent Form Filing or False Advice — Social media can provide a vast diversity of information. However, some of the false advice will cause good taxpayers to potentially break the law. There are numerous tactics promoted by fraudsters and scammers. Many of these tax schemes will have catchy hashtags such as "#taxadvice" or "#taxtips." There are multiple strategies promoted that are not legitimate.
2. IRS Form 8944 Fraud — IRS Form 8944, Preparer e-file Hardship Waiver Request is intended to be used by qualified tax return preparers. It enables them to request a waiver for a taxpayer so the tax return may be filed on paper rather than through an electronic method. However, fraudsters claim that anyone can use this form to avoid paying taxes. The IRS warns taxpayers that filing a form with false or fraudulent information can lead to civil or even criminal penalties.
3. Form W-2 Fraud — Another scheme promoted widely on social media is to encourage taxpayers to manually complete IRS Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. The taxpayer creates a phantom employer, reports a large income and a substantial withholding amount. Next, the taxpayer files his or her return and claims a large refund. However, the IRS works directly with payroll companies, most large employers and the Social Security Administration. The IRS verifies W-2 information and is equipped to discover fraudulent forms.

The IRS warns taxpayers to be on the lookout for claims that are not likely to be true. The best way to learn how to properly fill out forms is to go to IRS.gov and search for information on the topic.

If a taxpayer discovers an abusive tax scheme, he or she should use IRS Form 14242-Report Suspected Abusive Tax Promotions or Preparers. You can mail this to IRS Lead Development Center, Stop MS5040, 24000 Avila Road, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677-3405.

Editor's Note: An estimated 79% of millennials or Gen Z members receive financial advice through social media. The "#taxadvice" or "#taxtips" hashtags have trended widely on TikTok and Twitter. These "advisors" claim to offer high-quality guidance from CPAs and other tax preparers. Taxpayers should be careful not to fall for these scams and only follow advice from trusted sources.

I am interested in donating my body to science after I die. What can you tell me about body donations and how do I start the process?

If you are looking to help the medical community, donating your body is an option to consider. While whole-body donations might not be for everyone based on cultural, personal or religious convictions, it can help advance science and eliminate funeral and burial costs.

Body Donations

It is estimated that approximately 20,000 people donate their whole body each year to medical facilities to be used in research projects, anatomy lessons and surgical training.

After completing their research, these facilities use environmentally friendly cremation procedures and intern the ashes in a local cemetery or return them to family. Bodies are usually cremated within one to three years of donation. Many facilities also hold an annual ceremony to thank donors and their families.

A donation of your body to science will have the benefit of avoiding funeral and burial costs. Facilities that accept body donations have policies that prohibit payment for the use of bodies. These policies are in accordance with federal and state laws.

Here are some other things that are important to consider that will help you determine whether whole-body donation is right for you:

Donation denial: Most body donation programs will not accept bodies over a certain weight or those that have infectious diseases like hepatitis, tuberculosis, HIV or MRSA. Bodies that have suffered extensive trauma will also not be accepted.

Organ donation: Most medical school programs require that you donate your whole body in its entirety. If you decide to donate specific organs (except for your corneas), you will likely not qualify to be a whole-body donor.

Religious considerations: Many religions permit individuals to donate both their full body and organs. If you are unsure or want further guidance, you should consult with your religious or spiritual advisor.

Special requests: Most programs will not allow you to donate your body for a specific purpose. After you give them your body, they will decide how to use it.

Memorial options: Most programs require the immediate transport of the body after death, so there is not an option for open casket at the funeral. If your family wants a memorial service, they can have one without the body. Some programs offer memorial services at their facility at a later date without the remains.

Body transporting: Most programs will be responsible for arranging and paying for transporting your body to their facility if you are within a certain distance. However, the program accepting your body may charge a transportation fee if the body is outside their area. In some cases, your family may be required to pay out of pocket to have your body transported but there may be partial reimbursement for the cost.

How to Proceed

If you want to donate your body, it is best to make arrangements in advance with a body donation program in your area. Most programs are offered through university-affiliated medical schools. To find one near you, the University of Florida College of Medicine's Anatomical Board maintains a website with a list of nationwide programs with contact information. If you do not have Internet access, you can get help by calling the whole-body donation referral service during business hours at 800-727-0700.

In addition to medical schools, there are private organizations that accept whole body donations. Some of these organizations may also allow organ and tissue donation.

Carefully research any donation organization you plan to use to ensure proper care and handling of your body. Once you locate a program in your area, carefully review how the organization handles donated bodies so that you fully understand how their program works.

Generally, to register as a donor, you must fill out consent forms, have the forms witnessed or notarized and then return the forms. If you change your mind later, you can contact the program and remove your name from their registration list. Some programs may ask that you make your withdrawal in writing.

After you have made any arrangements, you should tell your family members so they will know what to do and who to call after your death. It is also a good idea to tell your doctors so that your final wishes can be included in your medical record.

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.

On March 21, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published a warning to taxpayers to watch out for scammers using email or text messages. With the tax deadline of April 18 approaching, scammers are hard at work tricking taxpayers.

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel noted, "Email and text scams are relentless, and scammers frequently use tax season as a way of tricking people. With people anxious to receive the latest information about a refund or other tax issue, scammers will regularly pose as the IRS, a state tax agency or others in the tax industry in emails and texts. People should be incredibly wary about unexpected messages like this that can be a trap, especially during filing season."

The IRS, state tax agencies and tax software companies all participate in the Security Summit. The Security Summit publishes warnings that are designed to reduce the vulnerability of taxpayers to identity theft. This warning focuses on both email and text frauds.

1. Phishing — Fraudsters will send emails to millions of taxpayers. The fraudster claims to represent the IRS, a state tax organization, a tax preparer or a financial firm. The emails may take many different forms. It may promise a phony tax refund. Another common strategy is to frighten the taxpayer by threatening false criminal charges for tax fraud if there is not an immediate response. All of these tricks are designed to enable scammers to make contact with the victim and obtain personal financial information.
2. Smishing — With the common usage of smartphones, a scammer may send millions of text messages that use similar techniques to their email tricks. The message might state, "Your account has now been put on hold," "Unusual Activity Report" or "Click For Solution." The links take the victim to the fraudster's website and an attempt is made to obtain the financial information of the taxpayer.

Scammers will use your financial information or sell it to other fraudsters who then file tax returns and claim improper tax refunds. The IRS cautions taxpayers that it generally makes an initial contact through regular mail. It states that it "will never initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text or social media regarding a bill or tax refund."

The IRS urges taxpayers to be cautious about clicking on unsolicited emails. A more sophisticated phishing strategy is to send three or four emails. After the relationship has been developed, the scammer sends the victim an email with the link that downloads malware.

Many of the latest scams include emails that claim to be from friends or family. A scammer monitors your email account to acquire information and sends an email that appears to be from someone you know. This has been an effective strategy to target both individuals and tax preparers. The final goal is always to obtain your financial information so they can file for a fraudulent refund.

An additional scam is currently popular. The scammer offers to provide "free help" in setting up an IRS Online Account. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel noted, "Scammers are coming up with new ways all the time to try to steal information from taxpayers. An Online Account at IRS.gov can help taxpayers view important details about their tax situation. But scammers are trying to convince people they need help setting up an account. In reality, no help is needed. This is just a scam to obtain valuable and sensitive tax information that scammers will used to try stealing a refund."

If you are approached by someone who wants to provide help in setting up an IRS Online account at IRS.gov, you should use the IRS website yourself to set up the account. Do not allow a third party to help you set up your IRS Online Account.

If you think you received an email or text from a scammer, you can send the email or a copy of the text to phishing@IRS.gov. You should also include the caller ID, his or her email address or phone number, the date, time, and the number that receives a text message.

There is a "Report Phishing and Online Scams" page at IRS.gov with additional details.

I have been taking care of my elderly parent for over a year and it is affecting my finances since I can only work part-time. Are there any resources that can help family caregivers receive financial support?

Caring for an elderly parent can be challenging in many ways, but it can be financially difficult if you must miss work to provide care. Fortunately, there are several government programs and other tips that may help you receive financial assistance while you care for your parent. Here are some options to explore.

Medicaid Assistance

All 50 states and the District of Columbia offer self-directed Medicaid services for long-term care. These programs let states approve waivers to allow income-qualified individuals to manage their own long-term home-care services. In some states, that can include hiring a family member to provide care.

Benefits, coverage, eligibility and rules differ from state to state. Program names also vary: "consumer directed care" in one state, may be called "participant-directed services," "in-home supportive services" or "cash and counseling" in another. Contact your state Medicaid program to ask about its options and requirements.

Veterans Benefits

If your parent is a military veteran, there are several VA programs. The eligibility criteria will vary, but these programs provide financial assistance to family caregivers, including:

• Veteran-Directed Care: This program is available in most states and provides a needs-based monthly budget for long-term care services. The veteran manages their own budget and hires their own caregivers, which many include family members. (VA.gov/geriatrics/pages/Veteran-Directed_Care.asp)
• VA Aid & Attendance or Housebound Benefits: This program provides a monthly payment to veterans and their surviving spouses who receive a VA pension and who either need assistance with activities of daily living (i.e., bathing, dressing, going to the bathroom), or are housebound. (VA.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound)
• Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers: This program provides a monthly stipend to family members who serve as caregivers for veterans who need assistance with daily living activities resulting from an injury or illness sustained while in the line of duty. (Caregiver.va.gov/support/support_benefits.asp)

Other Alternatives

Find out if your parent has long-term care insurance that covers in-home care. Long-term care insurance pays primarily for assistance with everyday tasks and does not require a licensed health care professional to provide the services. Some policies will pay benefits for care rendered in an in-home setting. Contact your parent's insurance provider to see if you are eligible to make a claim.

Some additional options for financial support include having your parent pay you for the care you provide if they are financially able to do so. Another option is to have other family members provide help. Check with your family members to see if they would be able to help take care of your parent and allow you to work beyond part-time. Alternatively, your family may be able to pay for your time or other caregivers.

If your family agrees to offer financial support, consider drafting a written contract that details the terms of your work and payment arrangements. A contract sets out everyone's expectations and will also help avoid potential problems should your parent ever need to apply for Medicaid for nursing home care.

Tax Credits

There are also tax credits and deductions you may be eligible for as your parent's caregiver. For example, if your parent lives with you and you are paying at least half of your parent's living expenses, and your parent's gross income was less than $4,400 in 2022, not counting Social Security, you can claim your parent as a dependent on your taxes and potentially receive a maximum of $500 as a tax credit.

If you cannot claim your parent as a dependent, you may still be able to get a tax deduction if you are paying more than half of their living expenses including medical and long-term care costs, and those expenses exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. You can include your own medical expenses in calculating the total. To see which medical expenses you can deduct, see IRS Publication 502 at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf.

Furthermore, if you are paying for in-home care or adult day care for your parent to allow you to work, you may qualify for the Dependent Care Tax Credit. Depending on your income, this credit may be worth as much as $1,050. To claim this credit, you will need to fill out IRS Form 2441 (IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2441.pdf) when you file your federal return.

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.

As the tax season moves into high gear, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published a series of tax tips for stress-free filing. The IRS asks taxpayers to keep these tips in mind to make certain that their taxes are done correctly and they receive prompt refunds.

1. Good Records — Taxpayers should gather all of their records. A key to easy tax filing is maintaining good records. These records enable taxpayers to take appropriate deductions and credits.

2. Use IRS.gov — The IRS website, IRS.gov, is available around-the-clock. It is the fastest way to benefit from assistance. You can use IRS.gov to file your tax return, pay taxes, receive information about your returns or find answers to many different tax questions. The IRS Services Guide on this website explains the best ways to obtain assistance from the IRS.

3. Helpful Online Tools — IRS.gov includes a wealth of helpful tools. If you have tax questions, use the Interactive Tax Assistant to obtain quick answers. The IRS has upgraded this tool and it generally provides the same answers that would be available over the phone.

4. Reputable Preparer — Over half of taxpayers use a CPA, attorney, enrolled agent or other preparer. You can go to IRS.gov/chooseataxpro and find many qualified preparers. The IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers also lists professionals and their credentials for filing returns.

5. File Electronic Returns — The IRS Free File program will help you calculate your earned income tax credit, child and dependent care credit and recovery rebate credit. Online software, MilTax, is available for members of the military and certain Department of Defense veterans. There are also limited Free File options available in Spanish.

6. Direct Deposit — By filing an electronic return and choosing direct deposit, you can ensure both an accurate tax return and a rapid refund.

7. Report All Income — Income from all sources is taxable. This includes your IRS Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statements, IRS Forms 1099, “gig economy” income, tips and other income. All income from any source must be reported. This is true even if you do not receive a formal statement for that income.

8. Unemployment Benefits — If you received unemployment benefits, these amounts are reportable as taxable income on your IRS Form 1040.

9. Review to Avoid Errors — Take extra time to review your tax return. Any taxpayer should understand the basic income, deductions and tax amounts. It is important that you file a complete and accurate return. Your electronic filing is generally the most accurate way to eliminate clerical or math errors. Check to make certain all names and Social Security numbers are correct. You also must recheck your bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of your refund.

I currently have high Medicare premium surcharges due to my past income. My income has dropped since I retired and I can no longer afford the premium surcharges. Is there a way to appeal my Medicare premium surcharges?

If you are paying higher premiums for Medicare Part B and Part D and you have experienced a life-changing event that affects your adjusted gross income (AGI), you should contact Social Security. After verifying your change in income, Social Security may make an adjustment to your premium which can reduce your monthly cost. Here is what you should know.

Medicare Surcharges

Many retirees do not realize that monthly premiums for Medicare Part B (coverage for doctor's services and outpatient care) and Part D (prescription drug coverage) are based on your modified AGI from two years earlier. To determine your 2023 Medicare premium, Social Security uses the income from your 2021 tax return. In the intervening two years, however, your life can change. Sometimes, those changes are enough to convince Social Security that your Medicare premium should be reduced.

Part B's standard monthly premium in 2023 is $164.90 for individuals earning $97,000 or less or joint filers earning $194,000 or less. Anyone whose income exceeds the thresholds pays a higher premium, known as an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA).

The higher monthly premiums rise steadily from $230.80 to $560.50 through five income tiers. The same tiers apply to IRMAAs for Medicare Part D, with enrollees paying an extra $12.20 to $76.40 per month depending on their income.

About 7% of higher-income Medicare beneficiaries pay a surcharge on their monthly Part B or Part D premiums.

Reasons for Appealing

In certain situations, outlined below, Social Security will recalculate your premiums – known as a redetermination – for Part B and Part D, particularly if the agency based the cost on a tax return that was later amended.

Otherwise, there are seven life-changing events that qualify for a redetermination if they impact your income, including the following: marriage, death of a spouse, divorce or annulment, reduced work hours or retirement, involuntary loss of income-producing property, the loss or reduction of some types of pension income and an employer settlement payment due to the employer's bankruptcy or reorganization.

How to File a Claim

To request Social Security for a redetermination, you must complete Form SSA-44 (SSA.gov/forms/ssa-44-ext.pdf) and include supporting documents, such as the death certificate for a spouse or a letter from a former employer stating that you are now retired. If you filed your federal income tax return for the year that your income was reduced, you will also need to provide a signed copy.

A decision usually takes a few weeks. If your request is approved, Social Security will refund you for the additional premiums paid by adding it to your next benefit payment. If you are on Medicare but have not started collecting Social Security, you receive a credit on a future invoice.

If your request for a redetermination is denied, there are three levels of appeals available to you: the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, the Medicare Appeals Council and the federal district court where you reside.

For more information on the premium rules for high-income beneficiaries see SSA.gov/benefits/medicare/medicare-p

My 74-year-old parent receives a handful of unwanted telemarketing and robocalls and has been cheated out of hundreds of dollars. What tips can you provide to help protect individuals from scam calls?

Scammers are always looking for new ways to trick individuals out of money. In the U.S., phone calls remain the primary way swindlers take advantage of older victims.

The Federal Trade Commission recently found that 24% of adults over age 60 who reported losing money to a scam in 2021 said it started with a phone call – the largest percentage of any method including email, text and mail. To help protect against robocall scams, telemarketing and spam calls, here are some tips and tools you can employ.

Register Numbers

If your parent has not already done so, a good first step in limiting at least some unwanted calls is to make sure home and cell phone numbers are registered with the National Do Not Call Registry. While this will not stop fraudulent scam calls, it will stop unwanted calls from legitimate businesses who are trying to sell something. To sign up, call 888-382-1222 from the phone number you want to register, or you can do it online at DoNotCall.gov.

Cell Phone Protection

Most wireless providers today offer good tools and apps for stopping scam calls and texts. To find out which apps are available within your network, use your preferred online search engine to research which applications work best for your device and service provider.

For additional tools, download a reputable spam-blocking app onto the phone. The apps may be offered by the wireless service provider and can be found in the Apple and Google App store. These apps are free to use, but most carriers will also offer upgraded services that you can get for a small monthly fee. If, however, your parent uses a regional or small wireless carrier that does not offer scam/robocall protection, you can use a free third-party app.

Built-In Call Blockers

Many smartphones today also offer built-in tools that can block spam calls. Some of the newer smartphones make it possible for your parent to completely silence all unknown callers who are not in their contacts list in the phone "Settings."

Silencing all unknown callers is an extreme solution that will stop all unknown callers, but your parent runs the risk of missing out on a few legitimate calls as well. However, unknown callers do have the option to leave a voice message and their calls will appear in the recent calls list. Your parent can also add any number to their contact list to let them through in the future and can block specific reoccurring spam call numbers manually.

Home Landline Protection

To stop scam calls on your parent's home phone, set up the "anonymous call rejection" option. This is a free feature available by most telephone companies, however some may charge a fee. It allows you to screen out calls from callers who have blocked their caller ID information – a favorite tactic of telemarketers.

Call your parent's telephone service provider to find out if they offer this tool, and if so, what you need to do to enable it. If they do not offer it, find out what other call blocking options they do offer.

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.