According to the Social Security Administration, a twenty-year-old has a 30% chance of becoming “disabled” prior to reaching retirement age. The SSA would define you as disabled if 1) you are unable to do the work you did before, 2) the SSA determines that you cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition(s), and 3) your disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.
The SSA recommends that you apply for disability benefits as soon as you become disabled. Applying for benefits can be a lengthy and complicated process. You may wish to consider getting assistance with your disability application – the process for appealing SSA’s denial of benefits decision can be costly and time-consuming. Finding an experienced attorney may save you hours of work and worry.
Now that the flurry of the holidays is behind us, there is probably some holiday debris left behind. Spending on credit cards over the holiday season jumped 7% in November and was even higher in December. As a result, over 75% of Americans are now facing credit card debt that they plan to pay off in January – or later.
This is an excellent time to review your financial priorities – are you looking to pay down debt, plan for a big purchase, or get your retirement accounts fattened up? The newly-created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has created a financial education website, MyMoney.gov, which has a collection of free resources available to help you clean your financial house, such as budget worksheets, checklists, and calculators.
Now that the flurry of the holidays is behind us, there is probably some holiday debris left behind. Spending on credit cards over the holiday season jumped 7% in November and was even higher in December. As a result, over 75% of Americans are now facing credit card debt that they plan to pay off in January – or later.
This is an excellent time to review your financial priorities – are you looking to pay down debt, plan for a big purchase, or get your retirement accounts fattened up? The newly-created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has created a financial education website, MyMoney.gov, which has a collection of resources available to help you clean your financial house, such as budget worksheets, checklists, and calculators.
Events and programs are happening state-wide to honor the legacy of civil rights crusader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Whether you’re interested in aeronautics, sports, the environment, or music, there is something that you can do on Monday to honor Dr. King and have a great time in the process.
* Washington State History Museum in Tacoma is offering a presentation by Bernard Harris, former NASA astronaut, and local chapter members of the Tuskegee Airmen.
* King Holiday Hoopfest at UW, featuring prep basketball teams and members of the NBA in an all-day benefit for the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County.
* Audobon’s MLK Day of Service at Seward Park, which is seeking volunteers of all ages to help remove invasive plant species.
* King County Executive’s Awards for Excellence in Hip Hop, which benefits Musica for Youth supporting early childhood education.
* MLK Unity March at 10 am at the INB Performing Arts Center, as well as a Children’s Activity Fair from 11 – 2 in Riverpark Square in Spokane.
The U.S. Surgeon General’s Healthy Apps Challenge is a competition open to U.S. application developers – and internet users will get reap the benefits! On January 31, 2012, winners in each of three categories (fitness / physical activity, nutrition / healthy eating, and integrative health) will be announced. Additionally, these apps must be free in order to be considered for the competition. Learn more about the Healthy Apps Challenge at sghealthyappschallenge.gov
Happy – and Healthy – New Year from the staff at Fuller and Fuller!
