July 2020
Animal adventures Park Rapids veterinarian reflects on 45 years in practice
Sharing what he has learned about caring for farm animals, Haroldson and his senior students at the State Fair Miracle of Birth Center gathered around a newly arrived calf.
By Lorie Skarpness lskarpness@parkrapidsenterprise.com
veterinarian,” he said. At the time he was in veterinary school, about 80 percent of veterhen veterinarian Kevin Harinarians went into the agriculturoldson took over as owner of al field. “The pet industry wasn’t Back Roads Veterinary Clinic, locatlike it is today,” he said. “People ed near Itasca State Park, in 1988 had pets, but they weren’t treated he didn’t know his clients would like people.” include wolves, tigers and beavers. Back then, dairy farming was a “Kevin has been a practicing vetbig industry in the state, and the U erinarian for 45 years and is still of M was leading the way in teachgoing,” wife Judy said. “At 69 ing how to rectally palpate cows to years old, he is still practicing in a figure out where they were in their field that involves a lot of physical pregnancy cycle. strength and endurance. He can put “If you don’t have a pregnant cow, his arm up 150 cows in a couple of you don’t get milk or your little beef hours to tell if they’re pregnant, and calf next year,” he said. he received the 2016 Veterinarian Working with exotic animals was one of Haroldson’s first job took him to of the Year Distinguished Service the adventures veterinarian Kevin Har- New York state to a practice that Award from the Minnesota Veteri- oldson never expected when he moved to wanted someone with that training. nary Medical Association. I’m very the Park Rapids area. When Deer Town Next he took a job in Pennsylvania. asked him to be their veterinarian, he said proud of him!” playing with the baby animals was one of That’s where he met Judy. The couJudy left her career with the his favorite memories. Submitted photos. ple married in 1978. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Haroldson returned to his home Administration and said moving here was the best state, working at veterinary practice in Watkins for decision for their family and one they never regretted. 10 years. Chuck Fuller was the owner of Back Roads VeteriThe journey to Back Roads nary Clinic at the time. “He was advertising in veterHaroldson grew up on a farm south of Mankato and inary journals that he had a clinic up here for sale,” received his veterinary training at the University of she said. Minnesota. “I knew from sixth grade on that I wanted to be a
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3 Balancing isolation and COVID-19 risk 4 Are you storing your medication safely? 5 Easy & savory antipasti salad 6 Protecting apples from worms 7 Can I stop Social Security if I go back to work? 8 Do you have your affairs in order?
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HAROLDSON: Page 2
Inside this issue...
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Kevin and Judy Haroldson said moving to the Park Rapids area and taking over the Back Roads Veterinary Clinic gave them plenty of adventures and a wonderful place to raise their two sons.
They took over the practice when their son, Mark, was in third grade and Steve was in first grade. The business is based out of their home. Going from being in a larger veterinary practice to just the two of them was a big transition. The majority of Kevin’s work has been with beef cows, along with horses and some dairy cows. Judy answers calls and relays messages to Kevin. At first, this was done by radio and later by cell phone. “I got to know all of the farmers by their voices,” she said. “We’ve gotten to know so many great people.” As with any job, there were also challenges. “Sometimes we’d be having dinner and Kevin would have to leave to pull a calf,” she said. “But that’s just the way it is when you’re a vet. He’s been kicked out of his boots by a horse, but in all these years he hasn’t been hurt much. He moves fast. And a year ago, without having a heart attack, he realized something was going on and ended up having fiveway bypass surgery. He’s come back so well that he was permitted to go scuba diving last winter. He’s a pretty tough nut.”
Research with beavers at Itasca
Shortly after moving to the area, Kevin was asked to help at the University of Minnesota biological test station at Itasca State Park. “When the head biologist found out I was a veterinarian, there were a few things my license allowed me to do that he couldn’t do,” he said. “I ended up being a consultant and worked with a couple of wildlife guys putting radio tracking devices inside beavers so researchers could follow them under the ice during the winter. They wanted to try out the technology here before they used it in Alaska to follow the migration patterns of the sea otters.” In the process, researchers learned more about beavers as well. “At that time, it was believed that beavers stayed in their dens or close to their dens in the winter,” he said. “One of the things they found out from this testing was that some of the juvenile beavers would swim all around under the ice of Lake Itasca during the winter, go out of the park and into another lake or two more distant. Some of them stayed active all winter long. It was fun to be part of that study.” Haraldson said he was always interested in wildlife. “In veterinary medicine, we were exposed to a lot of information, but I was in agriculture so I didn’t imagine back in the day I’d be working with wild animals,” he said.
Walking on the wild side
Haroldson took care of the animals at Deer Town, a wildlife park on Hwy. 71 just north of Park Rapids for about five years. That job included declawing baby cougars and bear cubs, giving vaccinations to large cats and putting birth control in female lions. The only injury he experienced during that time was a bite from a male timberwolf. “Every year, we vaccinated wolves for rabies,” he said. “As we were walking into the pen, I was directly behind the owner and the male timberwolf must have perceived me as a threat to him. He got in between us in nothing flat and as I slowly turned to get out of the pen he grabbed the upper part of my left arm in his jaws, clamped, and pulled me back into the pen. The owner immediately got behind the wolf and put his hands on both sides of his head so he couldn’t rip and tear. I took my other hand and grabbed the top of the wolf’s nose, broke eye contact and tried to relax. Their jaws are like a trap,they can snap the leg bone of a deer, so you can’t forcibly pry their mouth open. It seemed like a lot longer, but within 15-20 seconds
Haroldson was honored in 2016 with the Veterinarian of the Year Distinguished Service Award presented by the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association.
the wolf relaxed too, opened his mouth and let go. We sat right down with him. I had four big puncture wounds from his fangs but cleaned and wrapped them, got on antibiotics and dehorned 40 head of cattle that afternoon.” He said that “back in the day” Deer Town housed over 200 animals. “They had lions, cougars, Siberian tigers, leopards and many more,” he said.
The miracle of birth
“Due to my large animal experience, I was given the opportunity to serve as one of six co-chairs of the Miracle of Birth Center at the Minnesota State Fair the past seven years,” Haroldson said. He also helped with many births on area farms. One call is especially memorable. “A farmer near Lake George called me out at 3 a.m.,” he said. “We were in his pasture, by the light of a Coleman lantern, with his cow tied up, putting the uterus back when wolves started howling. It seemed like they were right behind us, but they were probably a little bit further than that. But in the dark when you hear a wolf howl close by it does cause the hair to stand up.” So how does a cow lose her uterus? “It’s not something that happens very often, but when the baby is born, the afterbirth is expelled and sometimes it’s attached to the uterus,” he said. “If it pulls a certain way the uterus turns inside out and as the cow is pushing feels like it’s another calf coming so the uterus, which is big enough to hold a 100-pound calf, is expelled too. It will shrink back down until it’s the size of your fingers within a month. It’s an amazing organ.” Often calls for help from farmers come in the middle of the night. “Sometimes if a head and leg of a calf comes and the other leg is back and it gets stuck I have to come to the farm to help with the birth,” he said. “Or if the calf is coming tail first I have to go in and get the back legs around so it can come out.” He said twins are kind of fun. “I’ll have my arm in there and feel two heads and eight feet,” he said. “Then I have to try to figure out which legs go with which head and maneuver them so one calf comes out first and the other one follows.”
Haroldson continues to serve as a co-chair of the Miracle of Birth Center at the Minnesota State Fair.
take trips to watch them play.” Kevin said he has never regretted the decision to move to this area. “You drive farther up here between farms, but when you look at what we have to drive through, the forests and the lakes, the perk is the scenery and the wildlife you get to see coming and going on calls,” he said. “People work 50 weeks a year to spend a week or two weeks in this place,” he said. Even when they sell the business, they plan to spend their retirement in the same home where they raised their family. “We just love it here,” Haroldson said. “Being here gave me so many opportunities, like working at ItasLooking into the future “Now we’re hoping to pass the business on,” Judy ca and with the wild animals at Deer Town. Those said. “We have been advertising and have a young are things I would never have gotten to do practicing man from Mahnomen in veterinary school who somewhere else. A guy should have kept a diary and wants to come back to his home area. Nothing has written a book but my handwriting is bad and I don’t been signed, but he’s interested. That means Kevin like typing.” has to hang in for a year or two because he wants to be mentored before being on his own. They will find their own location because this is our retirement Woodland Court offers you a home full of amenities that have been specially designed for independent living. home as well as our business.” Noon meal available through LSS meals on wheels • Court’s Hair Care Salon The couple is looking forward to spending more • Conveniently located within short walking distance to downtown, banking, grocery and time with their children and grandchildren. pharmacy • Controlled access entry system • Housing assistance available • No application fee The couple has made many friends over the years. Affordable 1 & 2 bedroom apartment housing for persons “Some of the farmers I’ve been working with for 32 over the age of 62, and/or handicapped or disabled years,” Kevin said. “They’re my clients but also my Call or stop in today to find out more about our facility. friends. Age brings some issues with it, so we have We have openings! cut back in hours. I can do everything I used to, I just Applications for can’t do it for as long of a time as I used to. Part of 1 BR, 1 BR H/C and 218-732-9312 2 BR apartments the reason I am looking forward to retirement is that 300 Court Ave., Park Rapids, MN www.lloydmanagementinc.com I have grandkids that are in sports and I would like to
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July 2020
Balancing isolation of older adults with COVID-19 risk Minding Our Elders CAROL BRADLEY BURSACK Columnist By Carol Bradley Bursack Dear Carol: My dad, a long-retired attorney, 92, has serious physical problems, but his mind is still sharp. Dad and his network of friends in his age group love getting together. We figured out early on how to help them all set up with technology and they’ve been doing pretty well with it. What am I worried about? They are all getting restless with the restrictions. Now that there are signs of local businesses opening up, Dad and his friends are starting to feel that they can continue activities just as they had in the past. This means gathering daily in a cafe at a local mall. How can I keep him focused on the risk of infection without making him feel like a prisoner? — TP. Dear TP: Your worry is shared by many adult children as well as medical professionals who understand that older adults are especially susceptible to COVID-19, but they are also vulnerable to decline when denied social interaction. For now, remember that many older people aren’t worried about their lifespan so much as they want to enjoy what life they have left. Who can blame them? For this reason, it might be helpful to remind your dad from time to time that he is helping others by physically isolating himself. Focusing on this might help him bear with isolation for a little longer. Depending on your local infection rate, your dad and his friends might be able to socialize again soon, though it won’t be like before. Depending on how many of them usually gather, they may benefit from having smaller groups for a while. Additionally, since just sharing the air inside a building for any length of time has been shown to increase the risk of infection, they might want to cut their time together short even after they do start meeting. Better yet, could you help them by researching locally to find a cafe or restaurant that offers outdoor seating, and also keeps chairs distanced? If this place could establish a time for older adults, so much the better.
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An even safer option would be to see if one or more of his friends or family members has a home patio that could serve the purpose. Perhaps, families who have been isolating or are otherwise deemed virusfree could help set up a “coffee place” for the older adults in that setting. The big question for everyone is this: Do older people stay completely isolated for months on end? Sure, they are unlikely to get the virus if they do, but their mental and even physical health could deteriorate substantially. Trying to balance these realities is what older peo-
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Carol Bradley Bursack is a veteran caregiver and an established columnist. She is also a blogger, and the author of “Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories.” Bradley Bursack hosts a website supporting caregivers and elders at www. mindingourelders.com. She can be reached through the contact form on her website.
Why do my eyes always feel tired?
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ple and those who love them face. Encourage your dad by assuring him that you will do your best to help him find a relatively safe way that he can get together with his friends, but ask him to give you a little more time to do some research. You’re being a fantastic caregiver, TP! I wish you and your dad well.
This is a very common question, and there are MANY possible causes for tired eyes. I’ll go over three of the more common causes and some solutions for each. Many people work on computer screens all day. While focusing on a screen, we don’t blink our eyes as often as we think. As a result, our eyes tend to dry out, which causes eye fatigue. There are many types of artificial tear products you can use throughout the day to moisten your eyes. There are dozens of different brands on the market - some are good and some can be harmful, so talk to your eye doctor about which ones are best for you. Blue light emitted from our digital devices can cause dry eyes, fatigue, eyestrain, and headaches. It affects your body’s release of melatonin, and can have a negative effect on sleep patterns. It can also have long-term effects on the retina, contributing to macular degeneration. Blue light filtering computer glasses can block this harmful light and help your eyes feel more comfortable throughout the day, and less tired at the end of your work day. Our work environments are typically not ideal for our eyes. Many people work at desks or cubicles where they focus at near for most of their day. This adds to eye strain and fatigue. Remember the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20 second break and look at something further than 20 feet away. Get up, move around, look out a window or down a hallway. Your focusing muscles need a break just like other muscles, so give them a rest about every 20 minutes…. and remember to blink your eyes! These are just a few of the most common causes of eyestrain and fatigue. If you haven’t had an eye exam in over a year, I recommend getting an exam sometime soon. Changes in your glasses prescription can also cause a great deal of fatigue and strain! Hopefully these suggestions will help your eyes feel better and perform their best!
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Are you storing your medicine safely? common in most households, so it may be wise to buy and follow the instructions on the label on your meditems – such as anti-diarrhea medicine, cold tablets, icines so you know exactly how to take and where to antibiotic ointments, sunscreens, and aspirin – in store your medicine. small quantities and discard them when they expire. It is best to store medicines in their original conGet rid of any medications that have a foul order, tainers in a cool, dry, childproof location. Be sure to have cracked coatings or have changed color. use child-resistant caps if you have children, grandAs we all know, time has a way of slipping away children or other children who visit. Most medicines BY KARIN HAUGRUD from us, so it is wise to check the expiration dates should be kept somewhere that protects them from Columnist and replace them with a fresh supply when neces- heat or humidity. sary. As a general rule, the Food and Drug AdminisPrescription and non-prescription drugs can be We all know there are hundreds of relatively minor tration recommends no medication should be taken hazardous if stored incorrectly or if consumed after conditions that can be treated at home with non-pre- past the date it expires. Dispose of any medicines that the expiration date. Be sure to read your package and scription remedies. have gone past their final date by taking them back to ask your pharmacist if you have questions. So what should you keep on hand to treat these your local pharmacy for a safe disposal. This article is made possible with Older Americans Act dollars from common ailments? Despite the convenience of your bathroom’s medi- the Land of the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging. Call the Senior What you keep in your home medicine kit will, of cine cabinet, Medline Plus believes its location makes LinkAge® One Stop Shop at 800-333-2433 to speak with an course, depend on the needs of you and your family. it a poor choice for storing most medicines because of information specialist, or check out our website at MinnesotaHelp. info. MinnesotaHelp.info is an online directory of services designed In addition to prescribed medicines from your doctor, the humidity and moisture from the tub or shower. to help people in Minnesota find human services, information and your medicine cabinet should contain items such as The room’s moisture and heat speed up the chemical referral, financial assistance, and other forms of help. acetaminophen or ibuprofen, like Tylenol or Advil for breakdown of drugs. It is important to always read adults to relieve pain or fever. If there are children in the family, you’ll need another set of chewable or children’s strength, non-prescription pain reliever. For cuts and other minor injuries, you should have bandages, tape Service-enriched and antibiotic ointment to prevent infections, calaAssisted Living mine lotion for itchy rashes, and syrup of ipecac to 218-237-8345 induce vomiting. Other over-the-counter medications that you may want to keep on hand are aspirin (for adult’s only), an antihistamine for allergic reactions, decongestant Individualized Memory Care cough-cold medicines, antacids for heartburn and 619 W. 6th Street, Park Rapids, MN 56470 Managed by Ecumen laxatives for constipation. 218-237-8345 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn that having a well-stocked medicine cabinet is a comfort, but it can also be a risk. All drugs eventually break down and lose their effectiveness. Most Affordable medications become ineffective, and possibly harmSenior Living Skilled Nursing Care ful, over time. 218-237-7275 218-732-3329 Finding expired, non-prescription medications is
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July 2020
SARAH NASELLO / THE FORUM Sarah's colorful and hearty Antipasti Salad is filled with classic Italian flavors for a quick and easy summer recipe when you don't feel like cooking.
Try this easy and savory Antipasti Salad Home with the Lost Italian BY SARAH & TONY NASELLO
Columnist
I love the Italian tradition of antipasto — the first course of a traditional Italian meal that features a variety of specialties like cured meats, cheese and vegetables. This savory Antipasti Salad combines two courses in one for a quick and easy meal or side dish when you just don’t feel like cooking on a hot summer’s night. Featuring crispy romaine lettuce with Genoa salami, prosciutto, mozzarella pearls, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, red onions and mixed olives, this simple summer salad only requires a bit of chopping before it’s ready to assemble and serve. We often serve it with a simple dressing of extra-virgin olive and oil and red wine vinaigrette, but for this occasion I’ve included a recipe for a tangy Oregano Vinaigrette that is the perfect complement to the hearty Italian flavors of the cured meats. In addition to olive oil and red wine vinegar, the dressing is flavored with dried oregano flakes, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and seasoning, and can be prepared up to a week in advance of serving. This recipe calls for two hearts of romaine lettuce, which are chopped with a sharp knife into sections that are about 1 inch wide to produce bite-sized pieces. It is a good idea to rinse and dry fresh lettuce, especially when purchased by the head, and a salad spinner is a terrific kitchen tool to ensure that the lettuce dries quickly. For the meats, I buy a 7-ounce stick of Genoa salami and cut half of it into rounds about 1/4-inch
thick, and then cut each round into quarters. You could buy pre-cut salami if you prefer, but I like the thick slices that a stick allows, especially in contrast to the strips of ultra-thin prosciutto that are also in this salad. I chose mozzarella pearls for this dish, which are bite-sized little balls of fresh mozzarella cheese, but you could also use marinated mozzarella balls, or buy a log and slice the cheese to whatever size you prefer. The soft, tender mildness of fresh mozzarella complements the flavorful meats and vegetables, and fontina or feta cheeses would also work well. Roasted red peppers are a pantry staple in our home, and when I don’t have time to make them myself, I buy a jar of roasted bell peppers produced by the Mezzetta brand, which are typically located in the pickle aisle. You can find artichoke hearts in the vegetable aisle of most supermarkets, and either plain or marinated will work for this recipe. Combining two courses into one, this fresh, crisp and hearty Antipasti Salad perfectly embodies the simplicity and deliciousness of Italian cuisine. Buon Appetito!
Antipasti Salad
2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces 3 oz. Genoa salami, cut into 1/4-inch rounds, then quartered or halved (about 1 cup) 3 oz. prosciutto, chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 cup mozzarella pearls or cubes 1 cup mixed olives 1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped 1 cup artichoke hearts, marinated or plain, chopped into pieces 1 cup (about 15) cherry tomatoes, halved 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced Garnish 2 tsp. fresh basil, chopped 5 to 6 pepperoncini peppers, whole Oregano Vinaigrette 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. dried oregano flakes 1/4 tsp. garlic powder Pinch crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper Prepare the oregano vinaigrette first to allow flavors to combine. In a small bowl or jar, add all the ingredients and whisk or shake vigorously until the dressing is fully combined and emulsified; taste and adjust seasoning and flavors as desired. Set aside at room temperature until the salad is assembled. The dressing may be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week. To assemble the salad, in a large bowl, add the chopped romaine lettuce and then place all the remaining salad ingredients on top. Pour all the oregano vinaigrette over the top of the salad and use tongs to gently toss until the ingredients appear evenly distributed. To serve, transfer salad to a serving platter or plates and garnish with the chopped basil and whole pepperoncini. Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Serves 4 to 6. “Home with the Lost Italian” is a weekly column written by Sarah Nasello featuring recipes by her husband, Tony Nasello. The couple owned Sarello’s in Moorhead and lives in Fargo with their son, Giovanni. Readers can reach them at sarahnasello@ gmail.com.
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How to protect homegrown apples from worms
FORUM FILE PHOTO Apple maggots can be controlled by timely sprays, following product label instructions.
adult flies appear around July 1. We can monitor whether the flies have become active by hanging traps, which are red apple-looking balls, in the tree. The round traps are available at some garden centers and online, or they can be made from red-painted balls, coated with sticky material like Tanglefoot. Or simply hang actual BY DON KINZLER red apples from the tree, coated with the material. Columnist Average-sized trees should have five or six traps for best monitoring. As soon as the small flies begin appearing on the Why didn’t the two worms go into Noah’s Ark traps, begin control. To control apple maggots with inside an apple? insecticidal spray, begin a program between June 20 Because Noah told them they had to go in pairs. Joking aside, worm damage to apples is no laugh- and July 1, before female flies begin laying eggs in ing matter. Have you ever sliced a homegrown apple small apple fruits. Effective insecticides are carbaryl (original Sevin) and found brown streaks or lines winding through and spinosad, which is also registered for organic the flesh? The damage is caused by the wormlike apple maggot, the most common apple insect in the use. Follow the product label and repeat as directed, which means you might need to spray for apple Upper Midwest. Besides affecting the flesh, the apple’s exterior maggots three or four times during the summer. The often becomes bumpy or pockmarked. Apple maggot number of apple maggot adults reduces as the season damage also shortens the fruit’s storage life. The culprit is rarely seen, because by harvest, the small maggots have usually exited the fruit. Although damaged fruit are safe to eat and commonly used for cider, the apples are unappetizing for fresh eating. The apple maggot is the larval stage of a 1/4-inchlong black fly that pierces the skin of developing apple fruit to deposit eggs in late June or early July. The eggs hatch into little wormlike larvae that tunnel New Tr internally in apple fruit, feeding through the sumansitional Care Unit mer. The discolored, winding steaks have earned the insect the nickname “railroad worm.” By late summer, the larvae exit the fruit and drop Green Pine Acres Skilled Nursing Facility to the ground, where they spend the fall and winter, Long Term Care & Short Term Stay Rehabilitation emerging the following summer as adult flies to start the cycle over again. Woodside Manor Assisted Living Control measures for apple maggots must be in Assisted Living with Services place before the adult flies emerge from the ground, which varies each year, depending on how warm the Green Pine Acres Adult Day Services spring and early summer have been. On average,
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progresses, and you should be able to stop spraying sometime in August. A novel idea for maggot control, tested by the University of Minnesota, excludes the egg-laying flies by enclosing each apple in a plastic sandwich bag, either a zipper closure bag or a plain bag closed with staples. Snip the bottom corners off each bag with a pair of scissors to leave a small opening for water to run out. Bagging is easy to do if you have a small to medium-sized tree that can be managed from the ground or a short ladder. If you have a tall tree, you may choose to bag only the fruits that are easy to reach, and let the apple maggots have the fruit growing higher up. Sanitation helps for future infestations. Promptly remove any fruit that drops from the tree to prevent larvae from entering the soil through fallen fruit. Don Kinzler, a lifelong gardener, is the horticulturist with North Dakota State University Extension for Cass County. Readers can reach him at kinzlerd@casscountynd.gov or call 701-241-5707.
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July 2020
Can I stop Social Security if I go back to work? The Savvy Senior BY JIM MILLER Columnist Dear Savvy Senior, I lost my job last month because of the coronavirus crisis. With little savings, I’ve been thinking about starting my Social Security benefits early to help me get by. But my question is, if I find a new job can I stop my Social Security benefits and restart them at a later date so they can continue to grow? ~ Almost 63 Dear Almost, Yes, there are actually two ways you can stop your Social Security retirement benefits (once you’ve started collecting them) and restart them at a later date, which would boost your benefits. But in order to do this certain rules and conditions must be met. Here are your options. Withdraw your benefits: One way to pause your Social Security benefits is to simply withdraw your Social Security application. But this must be done within 12 months of starting your benefits and you’ll also have to repay what you’ve received so far. If you choose this option, Social Security will treat your application for early benefits as if it never happened. To withdraw your benefits, you’ll need to complete Form SSA-521 (SSA.gov/forms/ssa-521.pdf) and send it to your local Social Security office. Also be aware that you can only withdraw benefits once in a lifetime. Suspend your benefits: If you aren’t eligible for withdrawal, but you’ve reached your full retirement age and have not yet reached age 70, another option is to voluntarily suspend your retirement benefits. With the suspension option you don’t have to repay the benefits you’ve received, and you can restart them anytime you wish, or they will be automatically reinstated at age 70. (See SSA.gov/planners/retire/ ageincrease.html to find your full retirement age.) By suspending your benefits you’ll earn delayed retirement credits, which means your benefit amount increases for every month of the suspension. Your
payment will go up by two-thirds of 1 percent monthly or 8 percent annually. A benefit of $1,500 monthly, for example, increases by $10 for each month you have benefits suspended. You can request a suspension by phone (800-7721213) or in person at your local Social Security office.
some or all of your Social Security benefits because of the earning limits, they aren’t lost forever. When you reach full retirement age, your benefits will be recalculated to a higher amount to make up for what was withheld. Also, if you do decide to work and collect Social Security benefits at the same time, you need to Working and collecting benefits factor in Uncle Sam too. Because working increasIf you start collecting Social Security and you do go es your income, it might make your Social Security back to work, but your income is modest, you may want to continue drawing your benefits while work- benefits taxable. Here’s how this works. If your combined income ing at the same time. But if your earnings are higher, is between $25,000 and $34,000 as an individual or it makes sense to stop your benefits. Social Security has a “retirement earnings test” between $32,000 and $44,000 as joint filers, you will that says if you’re under your full retirement age and pay tax on up to 50 percent of your Social Security you earn more than $18,240 in 2020, Social Security benefits. If you earn above the upper limit of these will deduct $1 from your benefits for every $2 you ranges, you will pay tax on up to 85 percent of your earn over that amount. Those who reach full retire- benefits. To help you calculate this see the IRS publiment age in 2020 a less stringent rule applies. In this cation 915 at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p915.pdf. case, $1 gets taken out for every $3 you make above Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, $48,600 until you reach the month of your birthday. OK 73070 or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to It’s also important to know that if you were to lose the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
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Do you have your affairs in place? The Family Circle LAUREL HED Columnist I work as a geriatric care manager for two elder law attorneys and have had the opportunity to be a witness for clients who are getting their affairs in order. I realized I needed to do the same and did. Here are some things to think about putting into place sooner rather than later. These first items you will need an attorney to assist with and they are a power of attorney for your finances, a will, and starting to think about how you want your estate planning to look. A health care directive will provide you with a power of attorney for your health care, now known as your health care agent. This can be completed on your own with two witnesses and notary or if you would like someone to walk you through it, you could go to the clinic and request one of their nurses to assist you or have a facilitator from Honoring Choices to assist. However you choose to complete this is fine, but make sure your agents are made aware and have a copy of your health care directive as well as the hospital and clinic. Although families are uncomfortable talking about end of life, now would be the perfect time to request
a family meeting and provide them with copies of your health care directive and discuss what your end of life choices may be. When that time comes and you are at the end of your life, your family will thank you. They will know exactly what they need to do – what a wonderful final gift that will be for your family! I visited a family several years ago. The mother and daughter were planning the mother’s funeral. The mother had everything planned out right down to the food and who was to sit where. She was so caught up in the planning that at one point she
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said, “and we will all sit at this table” and then she stopped and started laughing and said, “Oh, wait, I won’t even be there!” What a wonderful gift she gave her daughter that day. Once all these documents and decisions have been made, make sure they are in a known location, so your family is able to access them easily when that time comes. And that time will come for all of us. Preplan and prepare. Laurel Hed is a licensed social worker and geriatric care manager for the elder law attorneys of Thomason Swanson and Zahn Law Firm.