In France you can retire at 60; really?  Don’t put your house on the market and pick up Rosetta’s program on how to learn to speak French just yet. While it’s true that currently the retirement age is 60; the French government has other plans they are proposing that the official age of retirement be increased to at least 61.  While there is also a more significant change that is getting less press but is also just as important. While today you the average French citizen needs to complete 40 years of working years to receive the full pension the government would also like to raise that age requirement to!  

President Sarkozy’s reasoning: and you’re going to love this…French people are living longer so they should work longer. The average life expectancy for a French citizen in 2007 was 77 for men and 84 for women.

Makes sense right?  To everyone except the French people who are not too happy about the proposed plan and are literally shutting France down in protest! The French people are really not messing around today they walked off the job in every industry you can think of from the air traffic controller to the shop keepers.

So while it seems like the French people have a better life than we do at the moment things could be changing for them! SO settle back down into your cozy American life and be happy that here once you reach the age of 62 you can enjoy your retirement benefits.

Little has been in the new over the last few days other than the tragedy that took place In Haiti on Tuesday. You might not know but the people of Haiti are in desperate need to urgent help, prior to the epic earthquake the island mainly consisted of poorly crafted structures that stood no chance of an earthquake that hit 7 on the Richter scale. To give you some perspective last week there was a earthquake in Northern California that ranked 6.5 on the Richter scale however you didn’t see near the loss of humanity or the sheer volume of destruction because our building standards are far superior. I have pulled together some ways that you can help from the comfort of your home.

How to YOU can help!

They need urgent medical attention, food and shelter.

American Airlines is sending doctors and nurses to Haiti for Free; if you are interested please call 212-697-9767

American Red Cross: They are in DIRE need of blood or it’s simple to help by Send a $10 Donation by Texting ‘Haiti’ to 90999 You can also make a donation by calling 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or click on the Donate Now button.

Americares Your gift to the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund will help with our lifesaving response to this deadly disaster.

Catholic Relief Services Catholic Relief Services staff in Haiti is responding immediately to the earthquake that rocked Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti.

Habitat for Humanity is addressing shelter solutions for low-income families affected

Meds and Foods for Kids dedicated to saving the lives of Haiti’s malnourished children and other nutritionally vulnerable people.

These are just a FEW of the fine agencies that are stepping forward to help these people in their hour of need. Take a moment and be thankful for what you have and if you in the position to help I encourage you to reach out to those in need.

2010 as started with or without me, I have been off line sharing the joys of the season with family but I missed you all out there in WiserWorker.com land.  Along with enjoying the family over the holidays I’ve kept busy getting WiserWorker.com ready for 2010.  We have lots of exciting events and tools that will keep you primed and ready to get a new job.  

As always I have positive news to report: According to Help Wanted Online 2009 hiring ended on a positive note, rising 255,000 in December. More importantly the number of employers who placed now “hiring ads” online also rose. This is GREAT news indicating that yes folks there are companies that are hiring.

So dust off your resume and shake out the cobwebs from our holiday brains and let’s get reengaged in the search for a new job.  The best place to start is online with wiserworker.com dedicated to older workers.  

So while we are 6 days into the new year we still have time to catch the excitement and find a new career and still have time left over to enjoy all that life has to offer.

The Medicare Open Enrollment Deadline Approaching is rapidly approaching as a matter of fact it’s December 31^st so if you have questions you better get answers. Here’s some information I found.  Medicare FACT Sheet as well as a Medicare Cheat sheet of definitions.

Who can join a Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare Health Plan?
You can join if …

• you already have Medicare Parts A and B, AND (With a Medicare Cost Plan, you may join with only Part B.)
• you live in the plan’s service area, AND
• you don’t have End-Stage Renal Disease*

Who can join the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan?
You can join a plan in your area if…

• you have the Original Medicare Plan, OR
• you have a Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage, OR
• you have a Medicare Cost Plan.

When can I join these plans?
You can join…

• When you initially become eligible for Medicare. See our Medicare section for eligibility information.
• Medicare Advantage and other Health Plans, in certain instances, anytime. If you move, for example, you can join the plan in your new area.
• During the annual General Enrollment Period between January 1 and March 31st each year (starting the year after you first become eligible for Medicare).

How do I join these plans?
Since this is the first year Medicare has offered prescription drug coverage, several special rules apply. To find which plans are available in your area, what each one offers, and how to enroll, please request more information from one of our featured carriers.

Good Luck!

In case you missed it, AARP is rumored to be in support of the healthcare bill. It’s all no it’s the ONLY conversation on the social marketing sites and everyone no matter what your party affiliations seems to have an opinion. However I’m left with tonight this thought…

What does this all mean?

What happens if this bill gets passed?

What does it mean to someone that HAS private insurance?

What does it mean to someone who does NOT have insurance?

How many generations will be paying for this bill?

How quickly will this all take effect?

Well if you can answer these questions answers then you are steps ahead….if you can’t you have a lot of catching up to do! If you want to read through the entire bill here’s a copy of the expected bill for Health Care reform. (whole bill) However I did find Health Care Reform Bill - A Plain English Translation. Whichever way you want to go, make sure you find a position and be informed!

In case you missed it, AARP is rumored to be in support of the healthcare bill. It’s all no it’s the ONLY conversation on the social marketing sites and everyone no matter what your party affiliations seems to have an opinion. However I’m left with tonight this thought…

What does this all mean?

What happens if this bill gets passed?

What does it mean to someone that HAS private insurance?

What does it mean to someone who does NOT have insurance?

How many generations will be paying for this bill?

How quickly will this all take effect?

Well if you can answer these questions answers then you are steps ahead….if you can’t you have a lot of catching up to do!

If you want to read through the entire bill here’s a copy of the expected bill for Health Care reform. (whole bill) However I did find Health Care Reform Bill - A Plain English Translation.

Whichever way you want to go, make sure you find a position and be informed!

By now, most of us have seen or at least heard about South Carolina Republican House of Representative Joe Wilson’s outburst during President Obama’s speech last night.  No matter what your political beliefs are or where you stand on the health care reform issue, we can all agree that his outburst was inappropriate.

It seems like lately that adults have forgotten how to disagree.  Whether in sports, politics or every day life, the new attitude seems to be “it is my way or the highway”. This “if I can’t get my way, I am going to take my toys and go home” attitude may be cute when you are 6 years old, but any older than that, it is just immature.

Everybody has disagreements.  It is inevitable. How you handle them says just as much about you as the opinion you are defending.  Being respectful of the other person or group, keeping the ultimate goal in mind, and a willingness to compromise will go a long way in resolving many issues.

Now, I concede that I may be looking at the world through rose colored glasses, but I have to believe that it can’t hurt to be more respectful to everyone around us.

What does the unemployment rate mean?  I know that when the number is HIGH lots of people are out of work, but what do the numbers really tell us? The U.S. current unemployment rate soared to 9.7% this month

People may hear these numbers but most don’t understand what they mean. The 9.7% unemployment rate does not represent the amount of United States citizens who are not working. Instead, it represents the amount of people actively seeking employment who cannot find it.

The type of unemployment being talked about here is largely something called cyclical unemployment, this refers to unemployment that rises during economic downturns and falls when the economy improves. This is a natural byproduct of the normal upward and downward movements of the economy. In other words, what goes up will eventually come down and then back up then back down. It’s a natural cycle and one we have lived through time after time.  

So with this definition in mind what has to happen for unemployment to go down is the economy must improve. However to those that are unemployed this may seem rather gloomy. However it will bounce back and because you are a older worker you are most likely the best qualified candidate for any position.

There you have it the unemployment rate explained.

Our friends over at the AARP Foundation, they are leading the charge at making resources available that will give you some relief today.  I spent some time on the site and found it to be all encompassing and worth your time to check it out.  AARP Foundation’s Real Relief covers all problems relating to our current economic climate. I found that this web page had the answers to my most basic questions on things that keep me wide awake at night.

My medical expenses seem to have overtaken my checkbook, but I don’t know what to do.  I would recommend starting with Benefits QuickLINK  this program will tell you if your family qualifies for public benefits programs that help cover the costs of food, utilities, health care, and medicine.

What is a reverse mortgage and how can it help me?  This question may be on your mind but you don’t know where to start of what the implications of such a program might be. Check out the Reverse Mortgage Education Project: Homeowners age 62 or older can access free online tools and print materials. This is the right place to start and a place you can get answers that make sense.

I used to have enough money every month, but lately I seem to never have enough money for the basics…what can I do? Money Management offers a variety of basic financial resources that can help you with budgeting, credit, and debt management.

There are scams everywhere who do I trust?  If you think it might be a scam you are probably right it’s best to err on the safe side.  If it sounds to good to be tru it probably it.  

I have been retired but need to find a part time job to make ends meet, where’s the best place to start? WiserWorker.com and WorkSearch have the best tools in place and companies that are hiring NOW. Visit us and we will help you find the perfect job that fits your needs!

These are just a few of the items I found on AARP Foundation’s Real Relief website, check it out today to see what solutions are in place to help you. Good Luck!

Have you ever been caught so of guard by a topic that you feel like you just won’t be able to get caught up?  Well I have to admit at times this stimulus business keeps my mind at bay and always wondering what’s next.   I have a difficult understanding or better yet explaining what the stimulus means and how it will affect people like ME. I do know this….if you are waiting for a rebate check to come in the mail because it’s not coming.

So far the best article I have found that explains the basic components of the different programs was on MSNBC.com this morning titled Bailout acronym soup: A handy guide.  This article walks you through what each of the programs that will received stimulus money does and more importantly how it will affect you.

For instance do you know what the program TIP is?  If you did your ahead of me…..TIP is Targeted Investment Program. This program, also run by the Treasury Department, allows the government to provide aid to a troubled financial institution if that company’s problems could have a ripple effect on other aspects of the U.S. economy, such as creditors.

Test your knowledge on what these other program acronym means…..

A.    TARP

B.    PPIP

C.    TALF

D.    TGLP

E.    CAP

F.     CPFF

G.    AMLF

H.    MMIFF

A.    Buy certain types of commercial paper from money market mutual funds

B.    Aim of keeping low-risk mutual funds

C.    Designed to buy up the bad debt that was threatening the financial stability of some U.S. banks.

D.    Aims to ensure that financial institutions will be able to lend money.

E.    guarantees certain types of debt issued by financial institutions

F.     Offer bundled loans for small businesses and consumers.

G.    Make it easier for companies to get a kind of short-term loan

H.    Original purpose of buying up bad debt.

Make sure you are in the “know” on all these programs and how they affect you. It’s important to understand these programs especially as you navigate thought the current economic culture. It’s also important to know about these to your can better understand the job market.

Answer Key: TARP=C, PIPP=H, TALF=F,TGLP=E, CAP=D, CPFF=G, AMLF=B, MMIFF=A