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Locals find love intheir senior years

How to keepmarriagegoing strong intogolden yearsPAGE 12

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Locals fi nd love in Locals fi nd love in Never too late

Affordable Valentine’sgetaway ideasPAGE 15

February 2013 • Vol. 7, Issue 2 • A monthly publication of the Bryan-College Station Eagle

Inside...

FinancesTaxTaxTa changes recently passed inCongress

Pg. 11

A guide to good living in the Brazos Valley

Valentine’s dessertChef Diane Lestina cooks upChocolate Strawberry Shortcakes

Pg. 3

PUBLISHERCrystal DuPre

DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETINGRon Prince

SPECIAL PROJECTPROJECTPR S EDITORShauna Lewis

shauna.lewis@theeagle.com

DISPLAYDISPLAYDISPL ADVERADVERAD TISINGVERTISINGVER MANAGERMANAGERMANAJoanne R. Patranella

SPECIALSPECIALSP PROJECTPROJECTPR S/OJECTS/OJECT MARKETINGCOORDINATOORDINATOORDINA R

Dawn Goodalldawn.goodall@theeagle.com

Chef Diane:Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes 3Bradway: How to ease osteoarthritis 4Cover: Finding love in later years 8Financial Literacy: Tax changes 11Calendar 13Travel: Valentine’s Day getaway ideas 15

CONTENTS

PUBLISHER

50plus is a monthly publication of Bryan-College StationCommunications Inc.1729 Briarcrest Drive

Bryan, Texas

Besides the chance to havehavehapaid offoffof your mortgage, thereis yet another advaadvaad ntage ofgrowing old. If you havehaveha beena lifelong learner,ner,ner you havehavehadeveloped powerful schemafor learning new things.Maybe youeven becamean experton certainsubjects.

Expertsbecame expertsbecause whatthey havehavehamemorizedincludedlearning templates andschema that help them to bebetter learners than non-experts. Development ofschema grows with age andexperience. Over time, peoplehavehaveha more opportunities toconfront multi-dimensionallearning tasks. The lifelong,complete learner employsall the means of improvingknowledge. In the process,the capacity of their learning

schema grows. Don’t believeit? Warren Buffett,Buffett,Buf CarlCarlCarIcahn, T. Boone Pickens,Rupert Murdoch are all olderthan I am (I’m 79), and theyare still making billions ofdollars a year. The take-homepoint about schema is that themore you remember,member,member the moreyou can learn.

The notion of schemastems originally from HarryHarloHarloHar w’s ideas back in the1940s. HarloHarloHar w showed thatwhen a monkey learns a newkind of problem, he solvesit by slow plodding trialand error. However,er,er if hehas experience with a largenumber of problems of asimilar type or class, the trialand error become replaced bya process in which individualindividualindiproblems are eventuallysolved insightfully. Forexample, if you learn howto do task A, B and C, when

Dr. BiLL KLeMMthethet memormemorm y meDiCmeDiCm

Memory schemas: anadvantage to aging

See Memorymorymor Medicpagepagepa 6

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Valentine’s Day is a great excusefor dessert! This dessert combinestwo flavoflavofla rs that we often associatewith Valentine’s day – chocolateand strawberries. It also featuresa chocolate hazelnut spread thatoriginated inEurope buthas gained inpopularity in theU.S. The brandmost peopleassociate thiswith is calledNutella, but otherfood companieshavehaveha jumped onthe band wagonso there are otherbrands available,as well. You can find it in the peanutbutter aisle of most grocery stores. Iwould also encourage you to purchaseorganic strawberries if you can findthem. Although more expensiveexpensiveexpensi thanthe non-organic variety,riety,riety the taste isreally superior.

Chocolate StrawberryShortcakes:

1 ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa1 tablespoon baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon sugar,ar,ardivideddivideddi use

1 stick cold butter – cut into 16pieces (I like to cut my butter,tter,tter thenput it back in the refrigerator for 15minutes beforbeforbef e I use it)

1 cup heavyheavyhea cream1 pound strawberries - sliced½ cup chocolate hazelnut spread1 cup heavyheavyhea cream – whipped with

3 tablespoons sugarPreheat oven to 425 degrees. Line

a rimmed baking pan with parchmentpaper or buttered foil.

In a large bowl, whisk together thedry ingredients.

Cut butter into the dry ingredientsusing a pastry cutter or two kniveknivekni s soit resembles coarse meal; it’s OK tohavehaveha pea size pieces of butter. Makea well in the center,center,center and with a forkstir in the heavyheavyhea cream and combinetogether gently. Be careful not tooverwork.ork.or

Turn out onto a lightly flouredsurfacesurfacesurf . Fold the dough over on itselfuntil it holds together.

Gently pat the dough into a 6 by12 inch rectangle about ¾ inch thickand cut into 8 (2 ¾ inch) biscuits withfloured round cutter.

Place on baking pan and sprinklewith remaining tablespoon of sugar.Bake 10 to 15 minutes.Assembly:

If you want, combine slicedstrawberries with a few teaspoons ofsugar (depending on the sweetness ofyour strawberries). Set aside for 30minutes.

Cut shortcake in half with aserrated knife.

Spread 2 tablespoons chocolatehazelnut spread on one side, then topwith strawberries.

Place a dab of whipped cream onstrawberries, then replace the top.Garnish with additional whippedcream and strawberries.

Diane Lestina, a certified personalchef, holds cookingingin classes and

pedpecooks for

resideef,de

ef,ntsntsnt in the BryaBryaBr n-College StatStatSt ion

area. To learn more,re,re visitwww.cwww.cwww hefdhefdhe iane.com.

Diane LestinaCookCookC it SimpleSimpleS

www.Cwww.Cwww hef.Chef.C DhefDhef ianeDianeD .iane.iane Com

Shortcakes recipe would make a good Valentine’s treat

Chef Diane Lestina’s Chocolate StrawberStrawberStra ry Shortcakestcakestcak would be a fitting dessertto serve onValentine’s Day.Day.Da

3

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Question: I am 65 yearsarsar old and Iwas diagnoseddiagnoseddia with osteoarthritis ofthe hip about eight yearsarsar ago.ago.ag I used tobe able to go up and down stairs,stairs,stair standand walk without pain, but that’snot true anymore.anymore.anymor I’m having painintermittentlymittentlymittentl throughout the day.day.da Inthe morning when I get out of bed myhip is stiffstiff.stiff It usuallyllyll takes about ahalf hour to loosenup completely.completely.completel Mywalking abilityisn’t as good asit used to be. I’mhesitant to goshopping withfriends becauseI’m afraidafraidafr I won’tbe able to last andI don’t want tohave pain. I’veread your storiesin The EaglEaglEa e and I would like to knowif physical theraptherapther yapyap or something elsecan get rid of the pain and keep mefrom having to get a hip replacement.replacement.reLouise, BryaBryaBr n

Louise, osteoarthritis (OA) ordegenerativetiveti joint disease is themost common form of arthritis andis one of the many chronic diseasesassociated with the natural agingprocess. In addition, this conditionis more common in women thanmen, so you are not alone. Whilethis condition is a natural process,some individualsindividualsindi havehaveha more intensepain and degenerativetiveti progressionthan others due to genetics, workenvirenviren onment, prior or currentinjuries or the amount of stressput on the hip joint throughout aperson’s life. “OA is responsible formore mobility related disabilitiesin those over 60 than any other

disease,” according to an article inLower Extremity Review (http://lowerextremityreview.com/article/role-of-physical-therapy-in-patients-with-hip-oa). Steroid injections areoften recommended and can behelpful in minimizing or eliminatingthe pain. However,er,er if the painreturns, there are likely other forcespulling on your hip and causing thepain to continue. In this case, moreinjections or medications are not theanswer and let me explain why. Painsurrounding any joint in the bodymeans the muscles are inhibiting thejoint from operating properlyoperlyoper . Forexample, tight muscles around the hipjoint will limit movement and createstiffnessstiffnessstif , muscle fatigue and pain.Motion is so important to the hip jointsuch that, once motion is limited orlost – motion inside the joint becomesrestricted, creating constant pressurein one area of your hip joint. Constantpressure concentrated in one arearesults in more rapid degeneration,resulting in more stiffnessstiffnessstif and pain.

Ask your doctor for a referralto physical therapy if you continueto havehaveha any or all of the following:morning stiffnessstiffnessstif , pain, difficultydifficultydifwalking, difficultydifficultydif sitting or standing.Seeing a physical therapist willhelp get the joint moving again,relieving the pressureconcentrated on thearea of restriction.Without treatment,the degeneration willcontinue at a fasterrate than necessary.Some degeneration isnatural, but gettingthe joint movingagain will helprelieve the pain and

stiffnessstiffnessstif and slow the degenerationprocess. The physical therapist willlook at your hip joint for limitations,restrictions or muscle inhibitionand will likely use a combinationof manual therapy and supervisedexercise as research demonstratesthat this combination yieldsfunctional benefits and may delayor prevent the need for surgery (G.Deyle, et al. 2000. Ann Intern Med, vol.132:pp.173-181; M. Fransen, et al. 2001.The Journal of Rheumatology,gy,gy vol. 28no. 1, pp. 156-164). Research resultsalso reveal that patients experiencerelief from pain and stiffnessstiffnessstif whenthey follow a physical therapy homeexercise program and attend periodicclinical visits for manual therapyand supervised exercise (G. Deyleet al., 2005. Physical Therapy,py,py Vol.85 no. 12 pp.1301-1317). I havehaveha alsohad excellent success reducing painand stiffnessstiffnessstif in OA patients using atechnique called Trigger Point DryNeedling. I havehaveha been credentialedby domestic and internationalexperts in this technique and havehavehaused it with great success for morethan 10 years. I would suggestyou try this as well. You can readmore about the technique at ourwebsite, http://bvphysicaltherapy.com/servicesprograms/

triggerpointdryneedling.If surgery becomes necessary,necessary,necessary

make sure to prepare yourselfbeforbeforbef e surgery to ensure the bestpossible outcomes. Your doctor willlikely recommend that you see aphysical therapist beforbeforbef e surgery.The strength and range of motionexercises you learn beforbeforbef e surgerywill make you stronger and moreflexible and will help after thesurgery,ery,ery when you will havehaveha to doextensiveextensiveextensi physical therapy to regainstrength and range of motion withyour new joint. The physical therapistwill also teach you how to managenormal daily activitiesactivitiesacti , such asgetting into and out of the bathtub,to help you avoid pain and furtherinjury to the joint beforbeforbef e surgeryand during recovery. So if surgeryis necessary,necessary,necessary beforbeforbef e you schedulethe surgery,ery,ery make sure to talk withyour physical therapist about astrengthening plan. Remember,member,memberthe choice of physical therapists isyours. You’ll want to choose someonewho has worked with pre- and post-surgical patients, so make sure to askabout their experience and expertise.

Leon BraDwayDwayDwphySiCalphySiCalp therthert apherapher y

How to help alleviate osteoarthritis

See Bradwaypagepagepa 10

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Moving in togetheris something typicallyassociated with youngcouples, but more andmore unmarried men andwomen over the age of 50 arechoosing to cohabitate.

According to ananalysis of 2012 U.S. Censusdata conducted by thePerforrforrf mance ReferenceBureau, roughly 10 percentof the 15.3 million opposite-sex unmarried cohabitingpartners in the United Statesare between the ages of 55and 64, while 15 percent arebetween the ages of 45 and 54.

Such figures indicatethat livinglivingli together as anunmarried couple is nolonger exclusiveusiveusi to youngercouples. The incentiveincentiveincenti s forolder,older,older unmarried couplesto cohabitate are similar tothose for younger ones, butolder couples should heed afew financial pointers beforbeforbef edeciding tomove in together.ther.ther

• Iron out the financialdetails ahead of time. Young

couples whomove in togetheroften do so as a precursor togettingmarried. Such couplesdo not typically havehaveha muchin the waywaywa of financial assetsand, as a result, do not need tocome to any formal agreementregarding their finances.

Older couples, however,er,ermight be bringing amoresubstantial financial portfoliotfoliotfinto the relationship, andthese finances can complicatematters. BeforBeforBef emoving intogether,ther,ther older couples shoulddocument their finances andhow household expenses,including amortgage if oneexists, will be paid. Decisionsregarding whowill receiveceiveceithe tax breaks youmightbe eligible for when payingpayingpaamortgage should also beconsidered.

Documenting yourfinancial situation can protectyour assets should you breakup. If these arrangements arenot documented, unmarried

Financial pointers forolder, unmarried couples

See Financial decisionspagepagepa 6

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presented with a related new task D,you might say to yourself, “I don’tknow how to do this task D, but itis like task B, and I do know how todo that!” Thus, you havehaveha a leg up onlearning how to do task D. The ideaunderliesunderliesunder how people become expertsin a givegivegi n field: their accumulatedlearning of various tasks providesthem with a repertoire of whatHarloHarloHar w called “learning sets” thatmakes it easier to learn new things.In other words, learning can becomea skill set.

The idea can be extended tomemory schema. Last fall, I attendeda “memory schema” symposium atthe annual meeting of the Society ofNeuroscience. The memory schemaidea is that memory of prior learningprovides a framework or context forcreating the associations that enhancememorization of new inforinforinf mation.That is, memory schemas facilitateassociating new inforinforinf mation withwhat one already knows, and thatspeeds the transfer into memory.

The experiments reported made itclear that structured relationships oflearning objects improve all aspectsof learning: encoding, memoryconsolidation and recall. The time hascome to develop teaching strategiesthat exploit learning and memoryschemas.

One example is the developmentof a PowerPoint method I justdeveloped to create a one-flash cardof learning objects that is a compositeof mnemonic icons systematicallyplaced in specified spatial locations.The images represent concepts tomemorize, and the spatial locationscreate spatial relationships that

promote memory formation. Thedetails are explained in my e-bookfor students (Better Grades, LessEffoEffoEf rt) and an example compositeflash card is downloadable for free atthankyoubrain.com/consultant.htm.

Few of the symposium speakers oraudience discussantsseemed to be awareof HarloHarloHar w’s literature(young scientists arewoefully ignorantof science history).Memory schemaideas havehaveha a specialimportance foreducation, and inthe panel discussionat the end of thesymposium, speakerswere asked to addressthis matter. Butnobody did. And inschool systems, feweducators do either.

But as I said in anearlierearlierear column, “olddogs can learn newtricks,” and you arealways young enoughto develop your ownlearning and memoryschemas.

Sources:HarloHarloHar w H F.

1949. The formationof learning sets.Psychol. Rev. 56:51-65.

Klemm, W. R.2012. Better Grades,Less EffoEffoEf rt. (e-bookin all formats atSmashwords.com)

Van Kesteren, M.T. R., and Henson,R. N. A. 2012.

The re-emergence of schemas inmemory research: from encodingto reconsolidation. Society ofNeuroscience Symposium. NewOrleansOrleansOr .

Dr.Dr.Dr Klemm is author of a newmemorymemorymemor improvement book, MemoryMemoryMemorPower 101 (New(New(N York: SkyhorSkyhorSk se)yhorse)yhor andan e-book in multiple formats forstudents,students,students Better GradesGradesGr ,ades,ades Less EffortEffortEff(Smashwords(Smashwords(Smashwor .com).

MemoryMedicfrom pagepagepa 2

couples who break up could findthemselves in a contentious financialbattle not unlike couples going througha divodivodi rce.

• Maintain some financialindependence. Older,Older,Older unmarriedmenandwomenwho choose to cohabitatewith their partners should stillmaintain some financial independenceaftermoving in together.ther.ther A jointchecking or savingssavingssa accountmightwork down the road, but initially keepthese accounts separate to avoid anydisputes. Keep payingpayingpa your own bills,including car paymentspaymentspa and creditcards, at the onset as well.

• Update certain documents andpolicies. Upon your death, a partnerwith whom you cohabitate doesnot havehaveha the same legal rights ofinheritance as would a spouse. As aresult, it’s important for unmarriedindividualsindividualsindi who cohabitate withtheir partners to update theirwills, especially if they havehaveha beencohabitating for an extended periodof time andwant their partner to be

taken care of in case of their death.In addition to updating inforinforinf mationregarding beneficiaries, oldermen andwomenmight want to update certaininforinforinf mation regarding their health, likewho should take legal responsibility formedical decisions should one partnerbecome incapacitated.

In addition to updating your will,update any existing life insurancepolicies and retirement benefits toinclude your partner if you so desire.

• Discuss any changes with yourfamily, especially any children.Whenyoumake changes to your will, thosechanges will affectaffectaf your beneficiaries.Uponmaking these changes, discussthemwith your existing beneficiariesso your partner does not havehaveha to dealwith relativetiveti s whose feelingsmightbe hurt upon your death. Thismightnot be an easy discussion, but youwillwant your partner to havehaveha your familyas a support system upon your death.

Older,Older,Older unmarried couples arechoosing to cohabitatemore andmore.While the incentiveincentiveincenti s to doingso are numerous, there are someprecautionarymeasures couplesshould take beforbeforbef emoving in together.ther.ther

Financial decisionsfrom pagepagepa 5

Older,Older,Older unmarried couples should make some financial decisions beforebeforebefor deciding tocohabitate.

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‘You’re gettingold’ gets old

By CECIL SCAGLIONESCAGLIONESCAMatureMatureMatur LifeLifeLif Featuresaturesatur

Old.It never goes away. When

you were young, you weren’told enough. Yet you wereoften told “you’re too oldfor that” when you spottedsomething you liked in theshop in town. You swore youwere never going to get oldand act like those old peoplearound you. When you gotold, you didn’t feel old. Youstill don’t. And you don’t likebeing treated like you’re old.

That’s why you’re stillworking, full- or part-time.You probably can use themoney,money,money of course.

But if you quit, everybodywill think you’re too old towork.

Old is not quite like dying.Everyone knows they’re goingto die. They don’t want to, but

they don’t see growing old asan alternativetiveti .

That’s changing.The widening gap in

how baby boomers perceiveceiveceitheir phalanx is just onepiece of evidence. Thoseat the younger end of the1946 - 1964 generation (48 to66 years of age) havehaveha begundisassociating themselvesfrom the vanguard thatalready has entered SocialSecurity country.

The under-55s don’tsee themselves as beinganywhere near “retirementage” as they steam roll aheadin their drivedrivedri to the top. Theydon’t identify with the needsand wants of anyone alreadygetting government, militaryor corporate pensions

See Busy boomerspagepagepa 10

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By Holli L. KosterSpecial to The EaglEaglEa eAs baby boomers enter their 60s, there are

more single seniors than ever beforbeforbef e.With that inmind, services and classes in the Bryan-CollegeStation area and online havehaveha become prime waysfor seniors to step out of their comforcomforcomf t zone,connect with others and, in some cases, to find apartner for life.

Linda Huet of College Station, 68, said shemet her husband Larry through a shared localactivityactivityacti – the St. Joseph Health System’s GoldMedallion Club, an organization for seniors. Thecouple married in December 2011.

At the time Larry,ry,ry an 88-year-old veteran ofWorldWar II, joinedGoldMedallion Club, hewasrecently widowed and prepared to move into aretirement community.

“Larry was lost in lonesomeness,” Lindasaid. “Both his sons had seen (the retirementcommunity) and agreed it was best for him. ButLarry knew there had to be something more tolife, even alone.”

So Larry backed out of moving into theretirement community,community,community losing his deposit, andbegan interacting more with other seniors.

Larry and Linda met in the summer of 2011 atthe urging of Linda’s friend at the Gold MedallionClub in Bryan.

“She told me, ‘he’s a very nice man, easy totalk with, recently widowed, loves games,’” said

Linda. “I told her to go ahead. GiveGiveGi himmy name and number.”

Linda, who lost her husband in 2008,said the idea of a blind date causedher some apprehension, as she pulledinto the parkingparkingpar lot of the St. JosephEducation Center Annex, which housesGold Medallion Club meetings – underher favofavofa rite tree – beforbeforbef e the two wentto lunch at a local restaurant. Herapprehension soon melted away as sheand Larry enjoyed their lunch, eventhough she had stepped outside of hercomforcomforcomf t zone.

The couple’s relationship took aserious turn just a week later whenLarry confided to Linda that he intendedto visit his 94-year-old sisterMaxine – hislast livinglivingli sibling – in Nebraska and thathis bag had been packed for the trip sinceJune. Linda agreed to accompany him.

Over the course of the trip, thecouple learned that they shared a lotin common. Both of them had beenretailers in their careers, liveliveli d alone intheir own homes and both had spouseswho were on dialysis for five years prior

to their deaths.“Our trip was a reality check,” said Linda. “We“We“W

never turned on the radio. We laughed our way tohis sister Maxine’s.”

Linda said she credits meeting Larry andthe development of their relationship to divinedivinediintervention, in which she felt called to push herown boundaries to find a partner for life.

TeriCzachowski,59,of CollegeStation,andKarlKarlKarLoehr,Loehr,Loehr 57, of Brookshire, also stepped out of theirrespectivespectivespecti comforcomforcomf t zones to find love – through theonline dating site, Senior People Meet.

“I contacted him first,” said Czachowski, amember of Senior Circle at the College StationMedical Center. “The computer had matchedus pretty highly.” Loehr quickly answered backaround the end of October 2011.

The couple – both Catholics – had plannedto share their first date at church the followingSunday, but Czachowski mentioned she had plansto go country dancing the night beforbeforbef e, and Loehrdecided to come along.

“He was differdifferdif ent from his picture on thewebsite, and I wasn’t sure it was him,” saidCzachowski. “But when he walked into the room,something went through my mind – like ‘you’regoing to marry this man.’ That’s never happenedto me in my entire life.”

When Loehr and Czachowski met, they were ina similar place – both had been married twice andwere single for many years.

“I havehaveha dated some, but really I havehaveha been busyraising my son,” said Czachowski, whose sonJosh recently graduated high school and enteredcollege. “Dating wasn’t a high priority.”

However,er,er Czachowski had established a NewYear’s resolution – to go out on at least one date.Loehr and Czachowski were engaged two monthslater.

Czachowski said she had not done onlinedating beforbeforbef e, so she didn’t really know what toexpect.

“You’r“You’r“Y e going to go through some frogs beforbeforbef eyou finally find the prince,” said Czachowski,who said she had gone on two dates in 2011 fromthe dating site.

Finding love safelyNow in their second year together,ther,ther the Huets

say handholding and laughter are staples oftheir relationship.

Linda said people should look for certainqualities in a possible mate, like the abilityto giggle and belly laugh together,ther,ther shareexperiences (past and present), play cards, hugeach other and to take time and make an effoeffoef rtto really listen to one another.

In the dating stages, Czachowski says safetyin dating is key, especially in online dating.According to an AARP dating expert, men

should take the first step in furnishing phonenumbers when he feels it is the right time.

“I can’t think of any good reason why alegitimatelyeligiblemanwouldwithholdhisdigits;if he does, that’s ample cause to feel unsafe,” saidKen Solin, in his article “How to Stay Safe WhileDating.”

Choosinga safe spot for afirst date is important,as well.

“A busy daytime café is ideal,” Solin wrote.“There isn’t much privaprivapri cy,cy,cy but you’ll be gratefulfor the presence of others if an unpleasantsituation develops.”

Should a volatile situation develop – Solinsaid he once ended a date when a womangrew increasingly angry and vocal over hermistreatment by an ex-boyfriend and turned herattack onto him – people should feel free to bail onthe date.

“If a coffeecoffeecof date shows up with a bad attitude,a bad temper or a foul mouth, head for the door,”door,”doorSolin said. “Do likewise if he talks about becomingsexual after 15 minutes, or attempts to corral youinto a relationship.”

He also advisesadvisesad asking a friend to call in duringthe date, to ensure you are safe.

Asking the right question – revealing a greatdeal of inforinforinf mation in a short amount of timeabout a person you’ve just met – can be beneficial.Solin suggests asking if the date has close friends;a yes indicates he or she is capable of connectingwith others, and a no suggests a lack of intimacyskills.

Finally, Solin suggests being safe at home.“We“We“W all want to believe the best about people,

but a date you don’t really know deserves only amodicum of trust,” he said.

Locals find partners for life intheir senior years

Never too late for love

Photos byShauna LewisAbove photo:Teri Czach-owski (right),of CollegeStation, andKarl Loehr, ofBrookBrookBr shire,shire,shirshare a kiss atTanglewoodPark in Bryan.The two (alsoto the left)met throughthroughthran online dat-ing site andarearear engaged.

Photos by Shauna LewisUpper and lower photos: Larry (left) and Linda Huet, of College Station,recently went to the St. Joseph Education Center Annex to participate inactivities with the Gold Medallion Club. The couple first met outside thebuilding for a blind date, afterafteraf encouragement fromfromfr the club coordinatorcoordinatorcoor .dinator.dinator

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and touring retirementcommunities.

Besides the growing trendto lengthen their workingliveliveli s, many also are seekingsecond careers that are moresatisfying and fulfilling thantheir first. And most of themcan use the money.

The recession thatdampened the first decadeof this century has forcedthese boomers to recalibratetheir focus on their financialfuture. Many, if not most,havehaveha had their inveinvein stmentportfoliostfoliostf gouged by as muchas 40 percent over the pasthalf dozen years.

And the value of theirhomes has dropped by one-third in most parts of thecountry.

They’re also lookingat Social Security fundsbecoming insolvent in thenext 20 years or so.

Forecasters predictthe current rate of benefitpayments will be slashed byas much as 30 percent.

At the same time,politicians are pushing toincrease the qualified old-age-benefit age to 67 yearsfrom the current 65. Medicare

funds also are melting away.So, as you maintain or

adjust your course in theworking world, what stepsshould you take to bolsteryour retirement revenues?

Your first step is to retireyour debt beforbeforbef e you retire,according to most moneymahouts. Start with credit-card debt, paying down thelargest amount and/or thecard with the highest interestrate.

Since your home probablyis your biggest singleinveinvein stment, you should lookat the amount of insuranceyou havehaveha on it.

There should be enoughto rebuild it in case ofcatastrophe not how muchyou think it’s worth on thereal-estate markemarkemar t.

For one thing, its realtyvalue includes the saleprice of the land it’s on. Thequestion is: how much it willcost for contractors to rebuildit?

Wait for the current realestate ups and downs tosubside beforbeforbef e consideringany action invoinvoin lving yourresidence, such as movingto a less-expensiveless-expensiveless-expensi city orneighborhood, downsizing toa smaller house, or,or,or if you’re62 or older,older,older applying for areverse mortgage.

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In the December column, Ireviewed several potential taxchanges that could affectaffectaf you.Now that theAmericanTaxpayerRelief Act of2012 (ATRA)(ATRA)(Ahas beenpassed, I amreturning tolet you knowwhat passedand whatdid not.

Smaller take-home payAccording to James

Larkin,Larkin,Lar CPACPACP with Thompson,Derrig & Craig , “the payrolltax break was not extended,so withholding will behigher by 2 percent thanin the previous two years.”You probably havehaveha alreadynoticed that your paycheck islighter now than in 2012.

The dreaded AlternativeMinimum Tax (AMT)

Good news! The AMTexemption amount wasincreased for 2012 and is nowindexed for inflation. LarkinLarkinLartells us that this means mosttaxpayers will not havehaveha toworry about AMT anymore.Had this not been done, theincreased tax would havehavehaaveraged $3,700 for most ofyou who are reading thisarticle.

Since 1998, we havehaveha seenannual patches to this tax.Now this law is permanentand retroactiveoactiveoacti to Jan. 1, 2012.

Estate taxesLet’s review the definition

of what an estate is and whatit is not. In general, an estateincludes all assets owned bythe decedent. As with all taxtopics, you should consult aCPACPACP to determine how estatetaxes relate to your uniquesituation.

In the December column,we learned that, generallyspeaking, a taxable estateincludes:

• Cash• Personal residence• Other real estate• Securities• Family business

• Mineral interests• InveInveIn stments in

non-familnon-familnon-f y businesses,partnerships and the like

• UndividedUndividedUndi interests inpartnerships, land, mineralinterests and the like

• Life insurance policiesUnder the prior law, if

your estate were to be valuedat more than $5 million, theamount over $5 million wouldbe taxed at 35 percent whenyou pass on. This is calleda $5 million exemption. TheAmerican Taxpayer ReliefAct of 2012 (ATRA)(ATRA)(A left the$5 million exemption intactbut raised the tax rate to 40percent.

In the December column,LarkinLarkinLar explained portability,bility,bilitytelling us that it “could bea great move if portabilitycarries over in some forminto 2013.” More good news:portability survivesurvivesurvi d. AsLarkinLarkinLar inforinforinf ms us, “Theexistence of portabilityeliminates the need for alot of the estate planningwe used to do for those withestates well under the $5million for a single personor $10 million for a marriedcouple. The estate planningis replaced by filing estatetax returns for those whomay not havehaveha an estate largeenough to require filing thereturn but where filing thereturn is necessary to electportability.”

LarkinLarkinLar givegivegi s us thefollowing example. A couplehas an estate of $7 million.When first spouse dies, his orher share of the estate is $3.5million, which is under the $5million exemption. Becausethe decedent’s estate is belowthe $5 million exemptionamount, an estate tax returnis not required to be filed.Assuming all property wentto the survivingsurvivingsurvi spouse, heor she would want to file anestate tax return just to beable to claim portability. Byfiling to claim portability,bility,bility thesurvivingsurvivingsurvi spouse would thenhavehaveha a $10 million exemption,which would cover their $7million estate when theyeventually pass on.

Other items notdiscussed in December

LarkinLarkinLar lists five other tax

changes that might affectaffectafyou:

• Medical deductions willbe more difficultdifficultdif to claimon your tax return startingwith the 2013 tax year.The deduction thresholdincreases from 7.5 percentof adjusted gross income to10 percent of adjusted grossincome. This means youwill havehaveha to spend more onmedical expenses in order tobe able to deduct them as anitemized deduction.

• The employee portionof Medicare tax has beenincreased for 2013 by anadditional 0.9 percent onwages that exceed thethreshold amounts. Thethreshold amounts are$250,000 for a joint return ora survivingsurvivingsurvi spouse, $125,000for a married individualindividualindifiling a separate return and$200,000 for any other case.This threshold is not indexedfor inflation. This means

we will havehaveha bracket creepon this tax. This means thatover time more taxpayerswill become subject to thistax because inflation willdrivedrivedri their wages up towardthe threshold amount. Thisadditional 0.9 percent tax isnot imposed on employers.

• Income tax rates are notchanging for 2013, exceptfor taxpayers with taxableincome in excess of $450,000married joint filers and$400,000 single filers. Thoserates havehaveha increased.

• Capital gains rates arenot changing for 2013, exceptfor taxpayers with taxableincome in excess of $450,000married joint filers and$400,000 single filers. Theircapital gains rate has gone upto 20 percent.

• Mentioned in theDecember article, but worthrepeating is the 3.8 percentMedicare contribution taxon net inveinvein stment income

effectieffectief vefectivefecti starting in 2013 forthose with taxable incomeover $250,000 for joint returnsand $200,000 for singlereturns. Most people do nothavehaveha taxes withheld frominveinvein stment income. If youthink this tax will apply,you may need to adjust yourwithholding from your wagesor increase your quarterlyterlyterestimated tax payments.

Note: This tax hasnothing to do with Medicare.According to the proposedregulations, “no provisionis made to transfer this taxfrom the General Fund of theUnited State Treasury to anyTrust Fund.” This meansthat none of this money goesto fund Medicare.

Contacntacnt t TracTracTr yacyac B. Stewart,CPA,CPA,CP PFS,PFS,PFS CFF,CFF,CF CDFA,CDFA,CDF CFP®CFP®CFthroughughug her blog at www.www.wwwTexasDixasDixas vorceFineFineF ance.com.

tracy stewarewarew tartarfinanCialfinanCialf literaCyiteraCyiter

The rest of the story: Tax changesthat passed in Congress

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Keeping marriage going strong into your golden yearsMetro CreatiCreatiCr ve Connection

The trend of long-marriedcouples calling it quits has beengrowing. However,er,er there are somesteps couples can take to keep theirrelationships going strong.

According to theAARP,AARP,AARP divodivodi rcesamong people over the age of 50 havehavehadoubled since 1990. According to SusanBrown, codirector of theNationalCenter for Family &Marriage Researchat BowlingGreen State UniveUniveUni rsity,rsity,rsity oneout of three Boomerswill face theirgolden years unmarried.

There are a number of reasons whywhywhdivodivodi rce rates havehaveha skyrocketed amongthe over-50 set. Understanding just whywhywhthese divodivodi rces are taking place andtaking proactiveoactiveoacti steps to alleviate someof the divodivodi rce triggers can be a recipefor a happymarriage that continuesthroughout a couple’s golden years.

• Increase accountability.accountability.accountability Oursis a transient society where familiesno longer bat an eyelash over movinggreat distances away from other familymembers. As a result, Boomers maymaymafeel like they are not connected tochildren or grandchildren. With thisin mind, theymaymayma feel less attached totheir marriage or their responsibilitiesor believe that no one will get hurt bya divodivodi rce. Keeping families close andremaining in frequent contact canincrease accountability and reduce thepropensity for divodivodi rce.

• Get things out in the open. Amajor reason for a failed marriage isyears of avoiding significant issuesrather than addressing problems.Couples shouldmake time to talkto each other about anything thatmight be bothering them rather thanletting toomany things slide. If theseconveconvecon rsations turn into shoutingmatches, there is alwaalwaal yswayswa the option ofbringing in a third party to serve as amediator.tor.tor

• Spend time apart.Afterretirement, couples maymayma find

themselves spending hours uponhours in each other’s company. Whiletogetherness can be beneficial, toomuch time spent together maymayma lead tofeelings of suffosuffosuf cationand the perceptionthat eachmember ofthe relationship is nolonger his or her ownperson. IndividualsIndividualsIndi canremedy this by doingmore things on theirown, whether spendingtime apart with friendsor engaging in hobbytime without yourspouse. After all,

absencemakes the heart grow fonder.nder.nderBrief periods of separation canmakethe timemarried couples do spendtogether feel moremeaningful.

• Recommit to your vows. After30 or more years, the vows you sharedon your weddingmaymayma be a distantmemory.memory.memory Some people maymayma havehavehadifferdifferdif ent views on the permanenceof vows, putting personal happinessahead of the happiness of the couple.Take stock of what you promised oneanother on your wedding daydayda and stickto those words.

• Become a comedian. Laughterhas a waywaywa of dissolving a tenuoussituation. Focus energy on laughingat mistakes instead of pointing blame.Couples canmake fun of themselvesand resolve to not take things tooseriously.

• Act like you’re dating. Couplesoften become complacent after manyyears of marriage. Theymaymayma forgetabout the little details that made therelationship fun in the earlyearlyear years. Thepersonal notes and cards and othersurprises maymayma fall by the wayswayswa ide afterbeing together for some time. Make aneffoeffoef rt to go on dates, write love notesand think of what was appreciated byyour partners when you were in thedating stage.

• Practice selflessness. Sometimesall that is needed to rekindle arelationship is a selfless act that showshowmuch you care for your partner.tner.tner

Couples who are on the fence withregard to divodivodi rce canmake an effoeffoef rt toimprove the relationship rather thansimply see divodivodi rce as the best option.

Going on dates is a greatgreatgr way for older married couples to createcreatecrexcitement and romance.

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CALENDAROngoing

Bridge - Southwood CommunityCenter, 1520 Rock Prairie Roadin College Station, offersoffersof bridgefor seniors Fridays from 9 a.m. tonoon. For more information, contactSouthwood Community Center at979-764-6351 or College StationParks and Recreation Department,Senior Services at 979-764-6371 ormrodgers@cstx.gov.

Line dancing - SouthwoodCommunity Center, 1520 RockPrairie Road in College Station,holds line dancing for seniors everyTuesday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. andevery Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. Formore details, contact SouthwoodCommunityCenterat 979-764-6351orCollege Station Parks and RecreationDepartment, Senior Services at 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Sit and Fit - Join other seniors atSouthwood Community Center, 1520Rock Prairie Road in College Station,every Tuesday and Thursday fromnoon to 12:45 p.m. For more details,contact Southwood CommunityCenter, 979-764-6351 or CollegeStation Parks and RecreationDepartment, Senior Services at 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Bluegrass Jam Session – Heldfrom 1:30 to 3 p.m. every Tuesdayat Southwood Community Center,1520 Rock Prairie Road in CollegeStation. All levels welcome, includingbeginners. Bring an instrument anda friend. For more details, contactSouthwood Community Center at979-764-6351 or College StationParks and Recreation Department,Senior Services at 979-764-6371 ormrodgers@cstx.gov.

Feb. 6Meditation class – Brazos

Healing Center, 1804 BrothersBlvd., Suite D, in College Station,holds a free meditation class thefirst Wednesday of each month, from7:15 to 8 p.m. For more details, visitBrazosHealingCenter.com or call979-402-3595.

Feb. 7Beginning digital photography

class – Four-week class on howto take better photos with a digitalcamera starts. Held from 2 to 3p.m. on Thursdays at SouthwoodCommunity Center, 1520 Rock PrairieRoad in College Station. Cost is $45.To register, visit rectrac.cstx.gov orvisit Stephen C. Beachy Central Parkoffice, 1000 Krenek Tap Road. Formore information call College StationSenior Services at 979-764-6371 or979-764-3486.

Feb. 11Learn the Internet class –Aclass

for beginners that teaches the basicsof the Internet and how to use varioussearch tools. Meets from 8 to 10:30a.m. on Monday and Wednesday.Cost is $45. To register, visit rectrac.cstx.gov or visit Stephen C. BeachyCentral Park office, 1000 KrenekTap Road. For more information callCollege Station Senior Services at979-764-6371 or 979-764-3486.

Email class - Learn how to set upand manage an e-mail account. Classmeets on Monday and Wednesdayfrom 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. atSouthwood Community Center, 1520Rock Prairie Road in College Station.Cost is $45. To register, visit rectrac.cstx.gov or visit Stephen C. BeachyCentral Park office, 1000 KrenekTap Road. For more information callCollege Station Senior Services at979-764-6371 or 979-764-3486.

Feb. 14Valentine’s Day Tea - All seniors

are invited to enjoy a cup of tea anda selection of afternoon tea delights.The afternoon will include a fashionshow with vintage clothing andValentine Bingowith prizes. Seating islimited and a reservation is necessaryby Feb. 11. Call 979-764-6351 or979-764-6371 or email mrodgers@cstx.gov to make a reservation.

Lifeline Open House – St.Joseph will host a Lifeline OpenHouse from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in theconference room in the warehousebehind the Lampo Building, 1530 EastWilliam J. Bryan Parkway in Bryan.Anyone can attend the free sessionto learn about Lifeline’s basic in-homeemergency response system, butalso about more advanced featuressuch as a fall-detecting button andautomatic medication dispenser. Formore details, call 979-774-4357.

Feb. 19AARP Driver Safety Class -

Class geared for drivers 50 and olderwill be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. atSouthwood Community Center, 1520Rock Prairie Road in College Station.Completion of class may qualifyfor discount of liability insurancepremium. Cost is $14 for non-AARPmembers or $12 for members. Toregister, call 979-764-6371 or emailmrodgers@cstx.gov.

Feb. 20Exploring History Lunch/

SeeCalendarpagepagepa 14 13

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Join Us for a Night at the Theatre!at Waldenbrooke Estates

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A Night at the TheatreAct 1: The County Fair Crime SpreeAct 2: How Broadway Beat the Blues

Thursday, February 28th at 6:00 pmThe drama club presents their latest play. Refreshments will be served.

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Lecture - The College StationHistoric Preservation Committeeand the College Station Parks andRecreation Department presentmonthly lectures with lunch on thehistory of the community. Speakeris Wayne Sadberry, known for hisassociation with the Brazos ValleyAfrican American Museum. Meetingsare held at Aldersgate Church, 2201Earl Rudder Fwy S. A reservation isnecessary. Cost is $5. Lunch is servedat 11:30 am. The speaker will beginat noon. Reserve by calling 979-764-6351 or emailing mrodgers@cst.gov.

Feb. 21Beauty Tips for Older Adults

– Beauty tips will be presented byGuardian Health Care at 1 p.m. atSouthwood Community Center, 1520Rock Prairie Road in College Station.For more details, contact SouthwoodCommunityCenterat 979-764-6351orCollege Station Parks and RecreationDepartment, Senior Services at 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Feb. 22Bingo and Birthday Celebration

- All seniors (even those withoutbirthdays that month) are invited at1 p.m. the last Friday of each month

to celebrate birthdays that monthwith cake and bingo at SouthwoodCommunity Center, 1520 RockPrairie Road in College Station. Formore details, contact SouthwoodCommunity Center at 979-764-6351 or College Station Parks andRecreation Senior Services at 979-764-6371 or mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Feb. 23Home & Garden Expo - The

Bryan-College Station Home BuildersAssociation will hold its 2013 Home& Garden Expo from 10 a.m. to 5p.m. on Feb. 23 and from 1 to 5 p.m.on Feb. 24. The event will be at theBrazos County Expo Complex, 5827Leonard Road in Bryan, and willinclude exhibitions such as one ongardening techniques and seminarson topics such as home building,remodeling, landscaping and energyefficiency. There will also be a pettingzoo. Admission is $5 for adults, $3for seniors and free for ages 12 andunder. www.HomeExpoBCS.com

Feb. 25Senior Advisory Committee

meeting - The Senior AdvisoryCommittee meets at SouthwoodCommunity Center, 1520 Rock PrairieRoad in College Station, starting at10 a.m. Visitors welcome. For moreinformation call 979-764-6371 oremail mrodgers@cstx.gov.

Calendarfrom pagepagepa 13

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Metro CreatiCreatiCr ve Connection

February,uary,uary when Valentine’s Dayserves as the officialofficialof day of love andaffection,affection,af is a great way to embarkembarkembar ona romantic vacation, especially if thatgetaway is to a warmer locale that canhelp men and women momentarilyforget about the colder temperaturesback home.

Some resorts and travetravetra l-basedbusinesses take advaadvaad ntage ofValentine’s Day by inflating pricesto capitalize on gift-giving.gift-giving.gift-gi However,er,ermany others use this time of year toofferofferof specialized sales and discountsto help boost business through theremainder of the winter season. Itis possible to enjoy an indulgent tripwithout havinghavingha to spend a fortune.

• Consider cruising. There arecruises that depart from various portsall year long. All it takes is a call toa cruise line or logging on to theirwebsites to check the scheduling.For those unopposed to flying to adifferdifferdif ent port, you may be able tobroaden your options with regardto cruise destinations and departingdates. Cruises are advaadvaad ntageousbecause they are all-inclusive,lusive,lusi self-contained vacations. Couples whodon’t want the hassle of packingand unpacking several times andwant their meals and entertainment

planned out ahead of time might findcruising is their trip. There also is theability to visit differdifferdif ent ports of callall in one trip, ensuring there is nevera dull moment.

• Look into winery packages.Wineries may be doing their plantingand harvesting in the warmerweather,her,her but come the winter theymay be facing a slow-down in foottraffictraffictraf and may be eager to attractbusiness. Sampling differdifferdif ent vintagesand spending time in an often adults-only envirenviren onment can be an ideal wayto spend a Valentine’s Day weekend.Make it an overnight trip and staynearby in a hotel. Some wineriesmay offerofferof a restaurant on premisesor work with a local establishment toprovide package deals.

• Visit your closest city. Manypeople livinglivingli in the suburbs seldommake trips into downtown unlessthey are regular commuters for work.Even those who spend their weekdaysin an urban area may never havehavehaexperienced all of the little gemsthat attract tourists. For Valentine’sDay, you may want to see your urbancenter through the eyes of a visitor,visitor,visitortaking advaadvaad ntage of the museums,cultural centers and buildings thatattract tourists throughout the year.Chances are the trip will not be costly,

and you’ll be close to home.• Take in liveliveli music. There’s

something romantic about listening tomusic together. InveInveIn stigate upcomingconcerts in your area. Some coffeecoffeecofshops and bars host open-mic nightswhen budding artists can be heard.Check to see if any smaller venuesare hosting intimate, acousticconcerts by popular bands. It can be amemorable night and one that doesn’tbreak the bank.

• Trade time-share dates withothers. Time shares are great ways tohavehaveha a dedicated vacation spot thatyou are guaranteed during a certaintime each year. There are time-shareswapping sites like TimeShareJuice.com. Find out if you can exchangeyour requisite time with anotherand take your vacation in honor of

Valentine’s Day.• Consider a privaprivapri te rental

situation. Many people who ownvacation homes list them for rentwhen they are unoccupied. You maybe able to stay in a larger condo orspace than a traditional hotel roomfor a smaller cost than going to ahotel. If you develop a rapport witha particular renter,nter,nter you may havehavehapreference of dates and can makevisiting a tropical island or anotherretreat a yearlyarlyar Valentine’s Dayadveadvead nture. Try VRBO.com to finda rental property in your desiredlocation.

Going away for Valentine’s Dayneed not be an expensiveexpensiveexpensi venture.There are many ways to savesavesa moneyand enjoy a much-needed romanticescape.

Affordable getaway ideas for Valentine’s Day

Cruising is often a romantic option for Valentine’s Day vacations.

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2013

50plus

Only Crestview delivers atruly sensible retirement living idea.It’s one of the smartest deals in senior living: Life Care helpsyou manage the costs of long-term care, just in case you everneed it. And when the worry’s written out of your future, you’vegot more time and energy for all the opportunities offered ina community full of terrifically friendly residents, helpful staff,and services and amenities galore. It’s what you expect fromCrestview, where we’ve served seniors for more than 50 years.In Arbor Oaks independent living, you’ll find the most gratifying,satisfying, enriching, mind-expanding, soul-deepening, laughter-filled experience you can imagine.

OPENING SOON. Call 1-888-401-4968 to find out more.

2505 East Villa Maria Road • Bryan, TX 77802ArborOaksatCrestview.com

Senior living with heritage, ingenuity and heart.