It’s a new year and a new decade! This is my favorite time of year for planning, especially with all of the beautiful planners and calendars out there. I still love a good old-fashioned paper planner for so many reasons. We live in a busy fast paced world and there are so many things to keep track of. Calendars are great for planning for things in the future like appointments, remembering birthdays, family commitments and paying bills. They are also a good tool to use for meal planning and tracking goals. I like to use planners for budgeting and to track expenses throughout the year so I can see where I can make improvements or cut out unnecessary costs.

Is it just me or are there too many acronyms to know and keep track of nowadays?  And it seems Medicare has no shortage of those.  It can be pretty confusing, especially when it comes to the times of the year when you can sign up or make plan changes.  I think it is important to understand the different Medicare enrollment periods that occur throughout the year in the event you want or may need to adjust your health insurance coverage.  I have included a simplified summary of the what they are, including a few tips I think you might find useful.

If your 65th birthday is just around the corner, you might be thinking, “How do I sign up for Medicare?”  For many people the thought of Medicare seems complicated and confusing, but if you follow these simple guidelines you will have a nice seamless transition.  And it is important to make sure you are following the necessary steps to avoid any late enrollment penalties.