AARP North Carolina

March 26 – Lexington, Scam Jam, Lexington Senior Center, 555-B West Center Street Ext., Lexington, 1:00 – 4:00. Free. NC Secretary of State Elaine Marshall is the keynote speaker. Also speaking are representatives of the NC Attorney General’s Office, the NC Department of Insurance Senior Medicare Patrol, Secretary of State’s Securities Division, Better Business Bureau, and AARP. Advance registration is required; to register please call 336/242-2290. Deadline to register is March 22.

Once again this year, AARP Foundation is providing free tax assistance and preparation for taxpayers with low to moderate income through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in its 46 th year, is the nation’s largest free tax assistance and preparation service, giving special attention the older population. You do not need to be a member of AARP or a retiree to use this service.

Is your retirement on track? Plan your financial future so you can retire when — and how — you want.

As the N.C. Utilities Commission takes Duke Energy's long-term plan to the public for its reaction in a series of hearings this month, the majority of North Carolinians feel that Duke's 20 year plan, known as the IRP, relies too heavily on rate hikes and isn't focusing enough on the use of cleaner, cheaper and more efficient energy.

Some in Washington are pushing a budget proposal that would cut Social Security benefits by $112 billion over the next 10 years. It’s called “chained CPI” - a proposal that would cut the yearly cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security, leaving seniors struggling to keep up with the rising cost of utilities, health care and prescription drugs. As seniors get older, it would only get worse because the cuts would start now and get bigger every year. Washington should focus on finding responsible ways to addres ve earned their benefits and they deserve a separate conversation about how to protect Social Security for today’s seniors and strengthen the program for future generations.

By Mary Bethel -- Associate State Director

“AARP is deeply concerned about the government’s rate settlement with Progress Energy, which in the midst of public hearings, was hastily negotiated during closed-door meetings between company lawyers and the Utilities Commission as they secretly calculated how much ratepayers will shoulder. Isn’t a role of the Commission to listen to the people who will be paying the bills?

Seven years ago, North Carolina threw loansharks out of our state so they could not prey on struggling families, the cash-strapped unemployed or indigent elderly. But now the loansharks are back, tempting the General Assembly to let them back in. We need you to speak up and say, “Keep ‘em out!”

By Bridgette A. Lacy for AARP

RALEIGH – The American Academy of Actuaries estimates healthcare insurance premiums will rise by two percent if states do not expand Medicaid as the Affordable Care Act provided. According to a 2011 survey of employers by Kaiser Family Foundation, healthcare premiums cost on average $15,046 a year, including $10,944 paid by employers and $4,129 paid by employees. A two percent rise would mean $301 hike for employers and employees to pay together.