Need Assistance Filing your 2010 Taxes?

Sarah Holm

Free assistance is available in both English and Spanish to help seniors file their 2010 taxes.  This free service is provided through the University of Wisconsin Extension Financial Education Center.  The service is available from January 26-April 15 and no appointments are required.  The assistance is available at The Villager Mall at 2300 South Park Street.    Please see brochure for times and days of the week: http://dane.uwex.edu/files/2010/06/EITC-brochure-2011.pdf .  Spanish translation is available on Mondays from 4PM-6Pm; Wednesday Pm and Saturday AM.

 

¿Necesita ayuda en completar los impuestos para el año 2010?
La ayuda gratuita está disponible en inglés y español para completar los impuestos del año 2010. Este servicio está ofrecido por parte de la Universidad de Wisconsin Extensión, Centro de Educación Financiero. Este servicio no requiere una cita y está disponible desde el 26 de Enero hasta el 15 de Abril. La dirección local para la asistencia es en The Villager Mall al 2300 South Park Street. Favor ver el folleto adjuntado para las horas y los días del servicio. La traducción en español está http://dane.uwex.edu/files/2010/06/EITC-brochure-2011.pdf disponible los lunes desde 4PM-6PM, los miércoles durante la tarde y los sábados en la mañana.

Keep Prescription Drug Coverage Affordable for Seniors

Liz Mensing

As discussions surrounding the upcoming state budget intensify many of us have been hearing reports regarding SeniorCare, Wisconsin’s Prescription Drug Assistance Program.  The central issue focuses on determining whether SeniorCare is truly a necessary prescription drug insurance option in addition to a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug plan.  A recent publication by  Holin Kennen, an Elderly Benefit Specialist with the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups, described the importance of Senior Care and its value to seniors in Wisconsin.  Holin highlights comments made by Wisconsin Secretary of Human Services, Dennis Smith, regarding his feelings that Medicare Part D is better for low-income seniors than SeniorCare.  In the statement, Holin contends that “while this comment is true for the lowest income seniors with little or no assets, it does not reflect the entire spectrum of need in Wisconsin for low-cost drug coverage, particularly among seniors who have lower incomes but who are attempting to retain savings for purpose of tax payments on their homes, home maintenance, and health care and who do not qualify for the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) due to those assets.”

It is important for us to remember that although many low income individuals can benefit from the Low-Income Subsidy offered through Medicare Part D, it is not an option for all low-income seniors.  Affordable prescription drug insurance allows Wisconsin seniors to be able to purchase all their medications without sacrificing other necessities of daily life.  You can contact Governor Scott Walker directly to voice your opinion about this issue:  govgeneral@wisconsin.gov or (608) 266-1212.

Please feel free to contact a case manager if you have questions regarding your eligibility for SeniorCare or the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy.