Kaitlin Lounsberry

Some seniors remember celebrating when the Chicago Blackhawks—the most unlikely of the National Hockey League contenders in 1938—captured the Stanley Cup: It was April 12. Many more seniors recall the hoopla on April 12, 1983, when Harold Washington became Chicago’s first black mayor.

Family caregivers make sacrifices daily to ensure their loved ones receive the necessary care and attention required to help them continue to live independently. Working caregivers face additional stress when attempting to balance work and the demands associated with caregiving, some even coming to the decision to leave work to care for a loved one. The Eligible Leave for Employee Caregiving Time (ELECT) bill filed in the Illinois House of Representatives on February 11 would allow for working caregivers to use existing personal sick leave to care for loved ones.

Consumers need to be extra cautious if they receive an email seeming to be from the Social Security Administration. Not only are fraudulent emails with malicious links offering “new features” to monitor finances floating around, but new emails urging consumers to create a My Social Security account are making the rounds. The Social Security Administration has issued an alert on their site to be on the lookout for email phishing and AARP Illinois is helping to warn people of the new scam.

As the time to file taxes quickly approaches, scammers are presented with a month-long opportunity that could result in identity theft or tax fraud. Now, more than ever, is a crucial time for taxpayers.

In addition to a string of laws and amendments going into effect at the start of the New Year, the SNAP gross income limit in Illinois increased from 130 percent to 165 percent of the federal poverty level. This means an estimated 40,000 low-income working families will be eligible for SNAP benefits.

In response to Illinois’ current budget impasse, the Illinois Secretary of State is no longer mailing license plate renewal notices to Illinois drivers. Failure to renew ones license plate on time can leave drivers with a $20 late fee or a $120 traffic ticket should they be pulled over with expired plates.

The rising cost of essential necessities, including groceries, utilities, and health care, combined with the increasing fiscal burden created through higher taxes, are growing concerns for millions of Illinoisans, especially for older and retired Illinoisans living on fixed incomes. As countless Illinois households struggle to make ends meet, an overwhelming majority of Illinoisans aged 50 plus have come out in strong opposition to the prospect of a new tax on retirement income to fix the state's ongoing budget crisis. AARP conducted a survey of individuals 50 plus across the state and today revealed its compelling results during a press conference in the state's capitol.

With over 2.5 million workers in Illinois without access to employer-based retirement savings plans, Illinois was facing a retirement security crisis, and workers across the state were facing the growing risk of retiring into poverty.

A statement from AARP Illinois State Director Bob Gallo

With thousands of older adults at risk of, or already losing, in-home services due to the current budget stalemate, AARP, State Treasurer Michael W. Frerichs, community organizations and Alton residents met today urging Governor Rauner and the General Assembly to stop fighting and pass a state budget that funds critical home and community-based programs and services countless Illinoisans depend on.