Author: Rodrigo H

Dear Liz: My wife and I plan to withdraw a larger than normal amount from our IRA to make a 20% down payment on our new retirement home. Unfortunately, this withdrawal will put our modified adjusted gross income over the limit, which will result in an increase in Medicare premiums in 2026. Is there any way to avoid this increase?A: You have the right to challenge a premium increase, but in order for your challenge to be successful, you must have experienced a reduction in your income due to retirement, death of a spouse, divorce, etc. A temporary increase in…

Tara Bruckner has already started her holiday shopping.Bruckner usually starts her holiday shopping by October and finishes by Thanksgiving, but this year she started even earlier and bought several items for her two children and her mother.”I made a ‘note’ on some items when I was shopping for school in July, then ordered them online in August when they went on sale,” Bruckner, who lives in Chilton, Wisconsin, told USA Today.She is not alone.A new survey finds that more consumers are starting their holiday shopping early this year, but are still worried about rising costs and budgets.A new survey released…

A judge denied bail Saturday for a man accused of killing a woman at a Newnan gun shop.The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has charged 38-year-old Brannon Owens with murder and aggravated assault.Investigators accuse Owens of shooting and killing Olivia Robinson, 28, inside Oz Cutlery (also known as Oz Tactical) on Friday just before 9:30 p.m.[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]”She always lit up a room and had the best sense of humor,” Michael Chavez told Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco.Chavez said he and Robinson grew up in Newnan.She was a graduate of Kennesaw State University and helped…

Charities have warned that the introduction of electronic medical records in hospitals across England poses “significant safety risks” to patients.The Patient Safety Learning Centre says incidents linked to the new system are likely to be under-reported and should be brought to attention. It has called on the government to more effectively monitor adverse event reporting. One trust reported more than 900 incidents involving potential patient harm after implementing new software.Helen Hughes, chief executive of the Patient Safety Learning Association, said that while electronic patient record systems have great potential to improve people’s care and treatment, there have been cases where…

James Halicka announced his resignation as Greenwood girls basketball coach effective Friday afternoon, citing a “minor health issue” as the reason.Halicka, 38, takes over for former coach Clay Reeves, who led Greenwood to its eighth state title and Reeves’ 11th overall in the 2023-24 season, after he announced his retirement in May. Halicka will step down from the position just under two months before the Lady Bulldogs open their season on Nov. 14 with a home game against Fayetteville.Halicka said it was best to make the decision now, rather than being forced to do so once the season has started…

As retailers take a tougher approach to deterring shoplifters, with more stores storing everything from deodorant to boxer briefs in locked areas, a quick trip to Target isn’t as quick as it once was.Lockdowns have helped in many ways, such as locking the wheels on shoppers’ carts if they stray too far from a store. Minneapolis-based Target and other retail chains have scaled back shrink rates, the industry term for physical loss, this summer. But storing items behind plexiglass to prevent theft could ultimately drive shoppers away or alienate them, loss-prevention experts say.kAm“%96J’G6 =@4@C6 E92? EH@ J62CD[ 4@>A2?:6D DF49 2D…

Charging accessories have just become so cool, thanks to a healthy amount of competition within the industry. But let’s be honest, Anker and UGREEN in particular are doing it big time. Both brands make very high-quality gear, but while Anker’s style is more focused on aesthetics, UGREEN takes a more unique approach, adding an adorable face to their already sleek-looking accessories.I test a new power bank or charger every week – actually at least one every week – and at some point they all blend into one, so this differentiation is really important to keep things fresh.UGREEN has released a…

Whether you pore over Alexa Chung’s latest Instagram posts or scroll deep into Tumblr’s archive of mid-2000s looks that changed everyone’s brain chemistry, overalls are a key piece linked to her style. Overalls have always been a staple in the icon’s closet, but the addition of denim pieces in her latest buzzy collaboration with Madewell, and celebs like Hailey Bieber wearing the style last year, only prove that the casual silhouette is cool again.Overalls are less indie-ish and flashy than they were in Chung’s heyday, and now they look more sophisticated and clean-cut. Instead of Dr. Martens and flannel waistcoats,…

Nearly three months after a nationwide ban came into force, tobacco shops and convenience stores still selling illegal e-cigarettes could soon face prosecution, with Health Minister Mark Butler suggesting a “far tougher approach” was needed.Australia became the first country to ban the sale of e-cigarettes for non-therapeutic purposes in July, but from October adults will be able to buy them from pharmacies without a prescription. The changes mean that businesses other than pharmacies found to be importing, manufacturing, supplying or advertising any type of e-cigarette could face multimillion-dollar fines and up to seven years in prison.But the highly addictive devices…

What do you think of Cincinnati’s shopping malls? Let us know what you think. Rate our shopping malls here.To find the answer, The Enquirer sent reporters to the remaining indoor shopping malls on a Saturday in August. Reporters assessed the condition, crowding, availability and overall atmosphere of five neighborhood malls.The result was The Enquirer’s first-ever shopping mall hygiene report card.In comparison:Eastgate MallBetween the hallways of closed storefronts and locked doors, thousands of patrons lingered in the halls of Eastgate Mall during its monthly pop-up sports card show.That’s unusual for a Saturday, said Jeff Bruce of Baby Boomer Rebellion, a new…