Internet Connectivity May Be The Most Important Retirement Expense
If you were already retired when the pandemic started, then you might not realize how much of a difference COVID relief programs made to working people. From stimulus checks to moratoriums on evictions, these programs prevented millions of Americans from becoming destitute as they worked at in-person jobs or cobbled together an income from gigs. Seniors are used to the fact that they get their Social Security checks plus, if they are lucky, any income from retirement accounts or pensions. Yes, one’s expenses are lower in retirement than for working age adults, but these days necessities are prohibitively expensive for everyone, including retirees. A pandemic era program that reduced the cost of Internet access for millions of Americans, many of them elderly, is likely to end soon. A Tampa estate planning lawyer can help you make plans to get by financially as a retiree in an era where everything is expensive and Social Security income alone is not enough to get by.
Retirement Without Internet Access Is a Bleak Picture Indeed
People who are old enough to remember a time when people did not carry Internet-enabled devices in their pockets everywhere they went can easily think of ways that constant access to the Internet has made our lives worse. If smartphones disappeared, no one would miss clickbait or the constant barrage of alerts that vie for our attention when we are trying to drive, eat, work, or rest. Now think about the ways that Internet connectivity makes life as we know it possible. Students and employees can submit assignments by email instead of commuting to deliver them in person. You can pay your bills on time if your paycheck hits your account half an hour before the bill is due, instead of having to mail a check days in advance.
Now imagine that you are retired and that you live alone with no car. The Internet helps you be independent. You can attend telehealth appointments, order groceries, exchange messages with your friends on Facebook, and talk to your grandchildren on video chat. In other words, the Internet is an antidote to isolation; it helps seniors stay physically and mentally healthy.
Can You Cope Without the ACP?
This year, the Affordable Connectivity Plan (ACP), a federal Internet subsidy that dates back to 2022, will come to an end unless politicians get their act together quickly. For more than two years, it provided a $30 per month Internet bill credit to low-income households, one fifth of which were people above the age of 65. The end of the ACP is yet another financial blow to American seniors, especially those in rural areas; it is another reason why you cannot afford to wait to make financial plans for your old age.
Contact David Toback About Retiring in Lean Times
A Central Florida estate planning lawyer can help you plan to avoid social isolation and live on a modest income in retirement. Contact David Toback in Tampa, Florida to set up a consultation.
Source:
cnn.com/2024/04/29/tech/broadband-affordability-acp-rural-older-americans/index.html
