The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Trump -- Tighten your belt, a recession is coming

Well, I expected Hillary Clinton to be our next president, so I don't have a photo of Donald Trump to post here. I considered going to one of his rallies when they were scheduled in the Seattle area to take photos, but I didn't want to listen to his insults of the day and fight the crowds.

Since I follow consumer issues, I know that Republicans will cut regulations. That's what they do. Paul Ryan has been talking for years about abolishing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency created after the Great Recession of 2008 to protect consumers in financial dealings. They'll also abolish the Affordable Care Act. People will go without health care and some will die as a result.

So, what deregulation does is allow corporations to do what they want. The Volkswagen and Wells Fargo scandals will look small compared to what's coming next.

Baby boomer bloggers write about the challenges of retirement

 

Just before she dashes off for a six-week vacation in Santa Fe, Carol Cassara of Heart•Mind•Soul gives us a report on the latest baby boomer blogger happenings.

Boomers are enjoying walkable neighborhoods, setting their own terms for working part time in retirement, finding good services after you’ve moved, and reminding people to register to vote.

It’s the 468^th issue of the Best of Boomer Blogs. To read the articles, click here. And, be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2016, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Baby boomer bloggers travel into fall

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting describes the fun of her community’s fall festival, Funfest. However, my experience with “festivals” this weekend is quite different.

I’m a photojournalist, so as I go by the Legislative Building and see an interesting view with some emerging fall foliage, I decide to stop and take some photos.

I pull into a parking place and see two men getting out of a car with long guns. I immediately call 911. The operator tells me there is a gun rally. So, after pausing to consider my safety, I decide to attempt to take some photos.

Bridgepoint Education to forgive $23.5 million in private student loans

Bridgepoint Education, a for-profit college chain that told students they could pay off student loans for as little as $25 a month, is being required to discharge all outstanding private loans the institution made and refund loan payments already made by borrowers.

Loan forgiveness and refunds will total more than $23.5 million. Bridgepoint must also pay an $8 million civil penalty to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

“Bridgepoint deceived its students into taking out loans that cost more than advertised, and so we are ordering full relief of all loans made by the school,” said Richard Cordray, director of the bureau.

Facts and figures for Labor Day this year

Labor Day is a holiday that recognizes the social and economic achievements of American workers. It was established in 1894.

What’s happening on Labor Day 2016 and who are American workers today?

Travel

More than 3.5 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Labor Day weekend, according to WalletHub, a personal finance website. Of those, 85.8 percent will travel by car. Seven percent will fly to their destination. It’s the fifth straight year travel volume has increased.

It’s Women’s Equality Day

Ninety-six years ago today, after decades of struggle and advocacy, women finally won the right to vote with the certification of the 19th Amendment.

It took about a year after Congress approved the 19th Amendment for the required two-thirds of states to ratify the amendment and grant women’s right to vote in our constitution.

In a proclamation for Women's Equality Day, President Barack Obama said:

Today, as we celebrate the anniversary of this hard-won achievement and pay tribute to the trailblazers and suffragists who moved us closer to a more just and prosperous future, we resolve to protect this constitutional right and pledge to continue fighting for equality for women and girls.

Education Department issues guidance for improved customer service and protections for students who get loans

A series of improvements that will guide the future of federal student loan practices were announced Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Education.

About 43 million consumers owe money on student loans, and one-in-four of these borrowers are past due or in default.

The new loan system will make it easier for borrowers to manage and repay their loans. Any borrower can log into one website to access information, make payments, apply for benefits, and manage their account.

"Today's policy directive is a big win for tens of millions of borrowers," said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. "It will help ensure that student loan borrowers get the service they deserve."

Baby boomer bloggers write about summer fun, downsizing, careers, and kids who won’t leave home

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting is the host for this week’s Best of Boomer Blogs #457.

Baer writes about how friends and relatives descend on her and her husband’s beach cottage on the Jersey Shore during the summer. They bid visitors farewell and collapse, relax, recover, reenergize, and prepare for the next guests.

Other boomer bloggers write about what it’s like to downsize, what life might have been like if other paths would have been chosen in the 20s, what to do when a child won’t leave the nest, and the need to update the Funeral Rule this year to require funeral homes to provide price information online.

Be sure to take a look at these articles by clicking on the second link above.

And, as Baer says, take time to enjoy the wonders of summer such as the beach. It’s a peaceful microcosm in a world gone wild.

Copyright 2016, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

It’s taking longer and longer for federal agencies to issue rules, but Republicans want to drag it out even more

It’s taking more time for federal agencies to create and finalize new public protections, especially for the most important rules, according to a report by Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group.

However, rather than trying to improve the process, Republican lawmakers are proposing layering on new requirements to rulemaking that would add to the delays and put public health and the environment at greater risk, said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen.

Cost-benefit analyses, extensive agency reviews, and advanced notice and comment periods are among the reasons for excessive delays, the report found. It analyzed more than 20 years of data from the federal government’s semi-annual Unified Agenda on federal regulations.

Baby boomer bloggers write about aging, men, finances, pets, and food

Laura Lee Carter of the Adventures of the New Old Farts is the host for this week’s Best of Boomer Blogs #453.

Carter, who’s been posting photos of snow in the past few weeks where she lives in Southern Colorado, reports wildflowers are finally “taking off” at last.

Other boomer bloggers are writing about tips for traveling with your dog this summer, why men no longer dominate in the workplace and leadership roles, how old it makes you feel when you see a class called “The 1960s: Life a Half Century Ago,” a proposal to regulate payday loans, and voluntary guidelines for the food industry to reduce the amount of salt in processed food.

Click on the second link above to read about these topics. And, be sure to join in the conversations.

Copyright 2016, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist