9/10/14: Important visit tomorrow

Tomorrow, 9/11/2014, I have a visit to the local Social Security office. Why, you ask? Dealing face-to-face with them isn't something I would volunteer to do; SSA is not my favorite 3-letter federal agency. So why? Simple. I have to.

I turn 65 in October.

That means I will be put on Medicare as of October 1, which in and of itself isn't a bad thing. What is not good is how much they intend to charge me for the privilege of government-regulated nationwide healthcare coverage. So a refresher is in order.

I retired from federal service 12/31/2011. I had already made up my mind to enroll in Social security early, even though I knew I would take a big hit - and I did. I also planned to withdrew my retirement savings (the third part of federal retirement plan...Social Security, annuity, and retirement savings) to pay off important debts and such, which I did.

Unfortunately for me, SSA uses income from two years prior to compute the initial monthly Medicare payment. Because my retirement savings were substantial - 6 big numbers - my initial payment will be very large. Larger than I can afford, considering my current debt load (I lost a court fight big time) and my current family health insurance plan premium. I provide high-quality health insurance to my under-26 children per the Affordable Care Act, and those premiums continue to rise every January.

So I have to go talk to the SSA and show them my income from last year, 2013, wasn't high enough to kick me into the higher premium brackets. 

I hope to be successful. If not, I will have to cancel my family coverage next Ooen Season and my children will no longer be covered. That will not be a good thing. So wish me luck.

9/9/14: What's Next, Part 1?

I have a cloud-like plan.

The first thing to do is try to write a bit each day. Or at least every couple of days, so that's what I will do. I will share details with you, the readers, that some might find uncomfortable - heck, sharing the details might be uncomfortable - but I assume almost nobody will read, so the only reader will be me.

And the cloud-like plan is coming into clarity. It isn't set in stone, neither the direction nor the path has been picked, and many details have to be made. I have seven months to formulate it (for reasons that will be made clear, too.) I have a pretty big debt to take care of and, honestly, it means having to go back to work.

This blog is all about the journey from here to there. It will be difficult for me - it already is - and I will experience frustration and anger - I already do - and my credit raring is apt to take a bigger hit than it already has, but forward I must move.

So, until next post, thanks for reading.

9/8/14: Reopened

Even though I am no longer driving a truck, I am reopening this blog, mostly because I want to write. I'm not sure there is a "purpose" in it - I'm not a genealogist, aspiring musician, or quilter trying to sell my wares - but putting thoughts down "on paper" is therapeutic.

And who knows? Maybe a purpose will develop.