Twice a year, Bath & Body Works pulls out all the stops and discounts holiday and everyday favorites up to 75 percent off, which new discounts throughout the week. The Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual sale for holiday 2020 is no different—actually, it might be even better. We’ve got the details on all the goods so you can game-plan your shopping trip.

Of course, deals will be online as well as in-store so if you feel safer shopping from your couch, you can still stock up on Bath & Body Works favorites. Now’s the chance to score the beloved holiday fragrances before they’re gone (until next year), as well as throwbacks including Secret Wonderland, Honeysuckle and Sensual Amber brought back just for this sale. Christmas body care will be just $4.95 and select Christmas 3-Wick Candles will be $11.95.

Source: Instagram

For the best of the best deals, you’ll want to dig for those 75 percent off products. These include body care, candles, hand soaps and tons of non-holiday items you’ll want to use all-year round. You’ll even be able to find some best-selling fall body scare scents and ones you haven’t smelled for months. It’s basically like a rummage sale where you never know exactly what you’ll find.

The sale begins Saturday, December 26. If you’re shopping in store, don’t forget your face mask and hand sanitizer and maybe even consider going on off hours to avoid the crowds. Or, there’s always delivery! As much as we want to shop and treat ourselves this year (we deserve it), we also have to stay safe too. Set your iCal and get ready to get your haul on. Then, have big New Year zoom with friends to share exactly what you got.

Twice a year, Bath & Body Works pulls out all the stops and discounts holiday and everyday favorites up to 75 percent off, which new discounts throughout the week. The Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual sale for holiday 2020 is no different—actually, it might be even better. We’ve got the details on all the goods so you can game-plan your shopping trip.

Of course, deals will be online as well as in-store so if you feel safer shopping from your couch, you can still stock up on Bath & Body Works favorites. Now’s the chance to score the beloved holiday fragrances before they’re gone (until next year), as well as throwbacks including Secret Wonderland, Honeysuckle and Sensual Amber brought back just for this sale. Christmas body care will be just $4.95 and select Christmas 3-Wick Candles will be $11.95.

Source: Instagram

For the best of the best deals, you’ll want to dig for those 75 percent off products. These include body care, candles, hand soaps and tons of non-holiday items you’ll want to use all-year round. You’ll even be able to find some best-selling fall body scare scents and ones you haven’t smelled for months. It’s basically like a rummage sale where you never know exactly what you’ll find.

The sale begins Saturday, December 26. If you’re shopping in store, don’t forget your face mask and hand sanitizer and maybe even consider going on off hours to avoid the crowds. Or, there’s always delivery! As much as we want to shop and treat ourselves this year (we deserve it), we also have to stay safe too. Set your iCal and get ready to get your haul on. Then, have big New Year zoom with friends to share exactly what you got.

If you’re turning 65 in the next 12 months, I surely don’t have to tell you what your mailbox likely looks like! The mailers and post cards are piled high in some bin to get to later, when you know you have to sit down and think about Medicare.

Or possibly your voicemail is clogged with messages from agents that will enroll you into plans that offer the sun, stars, and the moon for no cost to you. How much better can it get than that?

Or, how much more stressful can it get, I should ask.

We’re here to help you with a few pointers that can alleviate this stressful time for every person in the US turning 65 years old.

Quick refresher. Medicare is the US health insurance option available to those that are eligible for the coverage. That is generally at age 65, but it is also available to those on permanent disability who are not yet 65 years old.

The scope of this article is limited to those turning age 65, however. Medicare insurance through the government will provide 80% of a person’s coverage. The tricky part is “what do you do to cover the rest,” since there is no dollar limit on what that 20% could amount to.

Locate a Guide Prior to Turning 65

One of the best things that you can do for yourself is to “interview,” if you will, a Medicare guide prior to age 65. While you’re in this mode of finding that guide, also determine if you do indeed need to enroll into Medicare at age 65. Many people mistakenly believe that they MUST enroll at age 65, and that is just not the case.

So, while you are determining if you must enroll, also start looking for that person or place that can help you make a mistake-free transition to the Medicare insurance system. The key truly is avoiding mistakes before they happen. Sounds easy, I realize, but it can be done.

Look Beyond Friends and Family

Yes, they are often trying to be helpful, but they should not be the final authority as to what you enroll into. Your friends and family will make mistakes that they will, unknowingly, much of the time pass along to you. Here’s an example.

A client has a sister with higher net worth. Our client called us to ask why his sister (not our client) couldn’t receive care out of state for a new diagnosis. The answer was simply due to her plan selection when she joined the Medicare system. The response was “but she has money, what can she do now?”

Our answer is “nothing.” Some mistakes are unfixable in Medicare. Pre-existing conditions do matter. You should be aware up front of some of the dangers down the road. She, in this case, didn’t have good counsel, in my opinion. Or she possibly ignored good counsel. Both happen quite often in our space.

Frequency Is Important

Look for an agent that handles a LOT of Medicare. Meaning, they enroll more than one or two people a month. Ask them the following:

• How many cases they place with Medicare products.
• How many carriers they represent for Medicare plans.
• If they perform an annual review with clients.
• How they keep in touch with their clients.

Remember that any agent that has a health insurance license can technically enroll you into a plan. Does that mean that they know what they’re doing? Absolutely not.

Ask your financial planner for a referral. We work with a lot of financial advisors to be that referral source. Many understand the need for good Medicare planning as it relates to your entire financial picture.

Finally, don’t ask your doctor’s office what plan you should choose. Don’t listen to television ads, and don’t listen to what works great for your friend. You are unique, and you need a product that works for you and you alone.

Think of Yourself as the 80-Year-Old You

Right, this may not be quite the most fun tip here! But what I mean is, think beyond today when you are purchasing or enrolling into your Medicare plan.

Our health insurance system has been so focused in the past decade on the fact that “no pre-existing conditions” will affect your purchase of insurance coverage. True in the under 65 marketplace. Not true when you hit Medicare.

It’s a bit backwards, right? You turn 65 years old, parts seem to break down, your eyes need a cataract or two. You start taking Eliquis for some a-fib. It’s not a really big deal because it’s just something you live with.

A little bit of melanoma is removed from your leg. Our medical technology is amazing. All is well according to your brain. Underwriters at insurance carriers have a different idea of health.

For those people trying to change Medicare plans after what we refer to as their open enrollment window disappears, isn’t so easy. You may be stuck with the plan you are in, regardless of whether you now like it that plan or not.

So, what’s the best course of action to avoid that happening in the first place? Understanding all of the pitfalls that MIGHT hit you down the road. Make an educated decision based on your comfort level, your budget, your lifestyle, and your desire for what kind of medical care down the road.

Be that 80-year-old you in your mind for a little bit as you turn 65. Remember that oftentimes your friends and family that suggest Plan A or Plan B often don’t brag about the pitfalls down the road! So be careful in who you listen to.

Pay Attention at Year End

This is an excellent time of year to discuss year-end missteps with Medicare. Medicare monthly premiums in the US are based on modified adjusted gross income.

What this means is that our Medicare system, in 2021, to determine monthly pricing for its beneficiaries, will look to the person’s 2019 tax return to determine what they shall pay monthly in 2021. They will look to the line identified as modified adjusted gross income.

What you do at year end in any given year can impact your Medicare premiums. We received an email recently from a couple that each took a large sum of money out of an IRA account and moved it to a ROTH IRA account in 2019.

They had no idea that there was any repercussion in terms of their Medicare premiums. Each of them received notice that their Medicare premium will double for 2021.

Work with your financial advisor or your CPA on year end strategies to employ if they make sense but be sure to consider the impact on Medicare premiums.

Part D Drug Plan

Other year end strategies include checking your Part D drug plan annually. The last statistic I saw suggested that up to 70% of Medicare beneficiaries do not annually check their Part D plans to see if they are in the best plan for the following year.

Much of the time the comment is “I’m good, it worked well this year.” Because a drug plan worked well in 2020 doesn’t mean that the preferred pharmacy arrangement won’t change in 2021 for the same plan at the same pharmacy.

Mark on your calendar for September 2021 to look for the Annual Notice of Change that will arrive from your insurance carrier for Part D plans or your Medicare Advantage plan. They are required to provide the consumer the information as to their plan changes for the following year.

Don’t just throw that in the ‘get to it later bin’. There are no changing things in January once the change takes place. And, yes, you’re stuck for a full year.

These three simple tips may not seem so simple. And I’d agree; they certainly take a bit of work. But they are impactful when followed. Happy 2021 and cheers to turning 65!

Have you turned 65 yet? What Medicare impactful decisions have you had to made thus far? Have you been able to change any plans that didn’t work as you liked them to? Please share your experiences below!

Twice a year, Bath & Body Works pulls out all the stops and discounts holiday and everyday favorites up to 75 percent off, which new discounts throughout the week. The Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual sale for holiday 2020 is no different—actually, it might be even better. We’ve got the details on all the goods so you can game-plan your shopping trip.

Of course, deals will be online as well as in-store so if you feel safer shopping from your couch, you can still stock up on Bath & Body Works favorites. Now’s the chance to score the beloved holiday fragrances before they’re gone (until next year), as well as throwbacks including Secret Wonderland, Honeysuckle and Sensual Amber brought back just for this sale. Christmas body care will be just $4.95 and select Christmas 3-Wick Candles will be $11.95.

Source: Instagram

For the best of the best deals, you’ll want to dig for those 75 percent off products. These include body care, candles, hand soaps and tons of non-holiday items you’ll want to use all-year round. You’ll even be able to find some best-selling fall body scare scents and ones you haven’t smelled for months. It’s basically like a rummage sale where you never know exactly what you’ll find.

The sale begins Saturday, December 26. If you’re shopping in store, don’t forget your face mask and hand sanitizer and maybe even consider going on off hours to avoid the crowds. Or, there’s always delivery! As much as we want to shop and treat ourselves this year (we deserve it), we also have to stay safe too. Set your iCal and get ready to get your haul on. Then, have big New Year zoom with friends to share exactly what you got.

2020 has been challenging for everyone. And though sometimes the days can seem grim, each day and in every situation, we have a choice. We can choose to focus on the negative, or we can squeeze all the joy we can out of each moment.

Let 2021 be the year you choose joy!

Consider these fresh thoughts and ideas to fill your life with more happiness and joy:

Laugh at Least Once a Day

Laughter releases endorphins in the body and brings instant joy into your life. Need something to laugh about? Watch an old sit com, or get a book of jokes from the library.

Stay Grateful

Reflect on your daily blessings and find gratitude in them. Some people keep a gratitude journal and write down everything they are grateful for each day. It can change your life!

Find Creative Activities That Make You Happy

What do you enjoy? Tap into your natural passions with a new hobby that brings you pleasure. last year, I explored jewelry making, art journaling and basket weaving. I love them all!

Reconnect with Nature at Least Once a Week

It’s important to enjoy nature and find time to explore it. Plus, a half hour walk each day will lead to better health.

Volunteer to Help a Local Organization

Instead of writing a check and forgetting about the charity, connect with a local organization that needs help. Your heart will be filled with joy as you help others. Getting out of your self is a great way to add to your happiness.

Express Your Appreciation to Others

Ensure that others know you appreciate their efforts. Making them feel good makes you feel good too! One year, I wrote a nearly weekly note to people who had touched my life over the years. The notes were well received and made me feel great, too!

Clarify Your Priorities

Spending time on those activities that support what’s most important to you brings you satisfaction and fulfillment. With empty nests and changing relationships, now is the time to look at what is important to you. Many of us have spent our lives making others a priority in our lives. Now, you are the priority!

Organize Events with Friends

Your friendships can be a source of joy. Try to have a virtual coffee or tea, or take a walk with a friend at least once a week.

Get Enough Sleep

Researchers have found that getting enough sleep boosts happiness levels. Have trouble sleeping? Try some meditation CDs or soothing music at bedtime, instead of the computer or television.

Stay Present in the Moment

You can find joy in the little things by enjoying each moment of the day. Does your mind race around, thinking of what’s ahead or thinking about what’s behind?

It might be hard for you to just be present in the present moment. Practice for a few minutes at a time. Expand as you can. You will find your happiness expanding as well.

Keep Your Mind Active

An active mind avoids boredom, so you can find more joy. This might take the form of reading more, taking a course or learning something new. What are the things you have always been curious about, but never had enough time to pursue?

Make New Friends

New friendships instantly add joy to your life. Become more active at your church or senior center to meet some new people as soon as it’s safe.

Give and Accept More Hugs

Hugs can lift your mood, and researchers have found hugs have a positive impact on endorphin levels. Of course, hugs have become a commodity of the past, but we must not despair. Perhaps 2021 will be full of hugs!

Encourage the People Around You

As you encourage others and help them find happiness, your own joy will increase. Are there younger people in your career you can mentor? How about younger moms who need encouragement? Never waste an opportunity to speak a word of encouragement over someone else.

Smile More

Make smiling a priority and watch joy fill your life. Other people are attracted to a positive smile, too, albeit a masked one!

Create New Goals

Find happiness in new directions and goals. Set a goal to walk greater distances, or pick up a new language. The world is your oyster!

Reconnect with Lost Family Members

Have you drifted apart from family members? Rediscovering your bond will bring happiness to both of you.

Be Selfish!

Is it selfish to take time for yourself? After a lifetime of helping and serving others, this is your time for yourself. Take that bubble bath, get that pedicure, go on that retreat. Practicing good self-care is not selfish at all.

Think About Writing Your Memoir

Are there things you would like those who come after you to remember? Are there stories you want your children or nieces and nephews to cherish? Now is the time to preserve these precious memories for the future. You will enjoy remembering them and others will delight to read them.

Do Bold Things

Are there things you have been afraid to do, or felt a lack of self-confidence over? Guess what? As someone who has lived a full life, you have nothing to prove to others and nothing to lose. Be bold!

Speak out for causes you believe in. Tell others your feelings for them. Travel, when it’s safe to do so. Taking some risks to do bold things can lead to a fuller, fun life!

Forget about New Year’s resolutions. Try to reach for all the new year joy you can in the new year. Soaking the year in joy can transform your life!

How are you creating joyful thoughts for your new year? Please share in the comments below.