FED INFO E-Newsletter
January/February 2010
From the Federal Citizen Information Center
This issue includes:
- The Census is Coming! And Hiring!
- Medicare Premium Capped for Most
- To Flush or Not to Flush? Disposing of Unused Medicines
- Cash for Appliances Program Underway
- Tax Questions Answered
- More H1N1 Fraud
- Don’t Lose Your Shirt to Stay Warm
- February 5th ─ Wear Red and Show Support for Women’s Heart Disease Awareness
- FREE Fact Sheets from the National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute (NHLBI)
The Census is Coming! And Hiring!
The 2010 U.S. Census is around the corner. Look for a census form to arrive at your household in March. The census counts every resident in the United States, and is used to distribute federal funds for hospitals, schools, emergency services, and more. By Federal law, your answers cannot be used against you by any government agency or court. The census also offers temporary jobs for hundreds of thousands. Census takers are needed nationwide, and bilingual speakers are encouraged to apply. You can apply today by contacting your local Census Office or by calling 1-866-861-2010.
Medicare Premium Capped for Most
The Part B monthly premium for most Medicare beneficiaries will remain at $96.40 in 2010, thanks to a provision in the law that protects 73 percent of beneficiaries from a rate hike. You are among that majority if your monthly premium is withheld from your Social Security benefits and your income is $85,000 or less (or $170,000 or less if you file jointly.) If you don’t meet both of those requirements, your premium will rise to $110.50, and possibly more.
To Flush or Not to Flush? Disposing of Unused Medicines
Start the New Year with a clean medicine cabinet. Pull out your unused and expired medicines and get rid of them—properly. For the vast majority of medicines, that means bringing them to a community drug take-back program or household hazardous waste collection event, or mixing them with coffee grounds or kitty litter, sealing them in a plastic bag and throwing them out with the trash. Only a few specific types should be flushed down the toilet to avoid harming children, pets or anyone else who might ingest them accidentally.
Cash for Appliances Program Underway
A new “cash for appliances” program funded by the federal government but administered by the states is underway in some locations and scheduled to start soon in others. Unlike last year’s “Cash for Clunkers” program, each state will decide which ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances are eligible for a rebate, and participants won’t have to trade in their old appliances. Learn when your state’s program is scheduled to start.
It’s not exactly a coffee-table book, but a newly revised comprehensive tax guide can help you get the most out of the new recovery tax breaks and get a jump on preparing your federal income tax return. Publication 17 reviews what’s new for the 2009 and 2010 tax-filing years and is packed with basic tax-filing information and tips. The IRS web site is also chock-full of helpful calculators, FAQs and more....
Scam artists continue to cash in on H1N1 (swine) flu concerns to make a quick buck or steal identities. Recent scams include unapproved flu disinfectant products and fraudulent emails referencing a CDC-sponsored state vaccination program. And the Food and Drug Administration continues to update its Fraudulent 2009 H1N1 Influenza Products List. Learn more at H1N1 Flu Claims.
Don’t Lose Your Shirt to Stay Warm
Want help staying warm while saving money this winter? Check out this Department of Energy seasonal guide for low- and no-cost tips for staying warm, help with home-heating bills and weatherizing your home, and the basics about home energy audits, programmable thermostats, insulation and more.
February 5th ─ Wear Red and Show Support for Women’s Heart Disease Awareness
One in four women in the United States dies of heart disease, while one in 30 dies of breast cancer. You can help raise awareness of heart disease in American women by wearing red on Feb. 5.
FREE Fact Sheets from the National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute (NHLBI)
NHLBI is offering free fact sheets on asthma, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, high blood cholesterol, healthy sleep, lowering your blood pressure, and more. Supplies are limited, so order now!
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