January was named for the Roman god Janus, known as the protector of gates and doorways, who symbolize beginnings and endings. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other with the ability to see into the future. What a fitting symbol for this first day of the year; this month is our door into the new year.

History of January

The months of January and February were not originally in the ancient Roman calendar as the winter months were considered dormant, both in terms of agriculture and also in terms of making war. This was a time of peace. Until 450 BCE, the Roman calendar was 10 months, beginning in March (Martius), due to the March Equinox. Remember, March was named for “Mars,” the god of War who was also an agricultural guardian.

January Calendar

January 1 is New Year’s Day. While you’re still recuperating from the prior night’s parties, read about some other New Year’s traditions you might not know about and celebrate with some Hoppin’ John for good luck.

January 5 brings Twelfth Night, an English folk custom that marked the end of Christmas merrymaking and, in ancient Celtic tradition, the end of the 12-day winter solstice celebration. On Twelfth Night, it was customary for the assembled company to toast each other from the wassail bowl.

January 6 is Epiphany. According to the New Testament’s Gospels, on this date, the Magi—the three wise men or kings—venerated and brought gifts to the infant Jesus. Bake a beautiful Epiphany Tart or a King Cake with a lucky bean inside!

January 15 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day (observed). This holiday is held on the third Monday in January and honors the principles of this civil rights leader and Nobel Prize Winner dedicated to nonviolence.

January 17 is Benjamin Franklin’s birthday. He was not only a world-renowned statesman, inventor, and scientist but was also fascinated by agriculture. Here at the Old Farmer’s Almanac, we consider him the father of almanacs!

January Weather

In the Northern Hemisphere, January is the coldest month of the year in most regions. We’re expecting a chilly start to the New Year.

Did You Know: According to folklore, the weather of the first 12 days of the year is said to be indicative of the following 12 months.

Gardening: Start Planning!

For much of the country, January is the best time to start planning your garden for the upcoming season.

The post The Month of January appeared first on C-Medisolutions.

Published by: almanac.com

Many New Year’s traditions that we take for granted date from ancient times. This year, ring out the old and ring in the new with a New Year tradition—or two! From singing “Auld Lang Syne” to eating black-eyed peas for good luck, discover different ways to celebrate the start of 2024!

Make Some Noise

Making a lot of noise and light—from fireworks to gunshots to church bells—seems to be a favorite New Year’s pastime across the globe.

• In Thailand, it was once tradition to fire guns to frighten off demons.
• In China, firecrackers routed the forces of darkness.
• In Denmark, they throw plates and glasses against each other’s front doors to banish bad spirits.
• In Ecuador, it is tradition to burn the effigies of famous people to destroy bad “juju” from the past year and start fresh.
• In the early American colonies, the sound of pistol shots rang through the air.
• In the United States today, many watch the ball drop in New York’s Times Square.
• In other countries, many folks wait for the church bells or the chimes of clock towers to ring out.

Eat Lucky Food

Many New Year’s traditions involve food. Here are a few:

• In Spain, people attempt to eat 12 grapes during these 12 strokes of midnight! Tradition says that if they succeed before the chimes stop, they will have good luck for all 12 months of the coming year.
• In the southern US, black-eyed peas and pork foretell good fortune.
• In Scotland—where Hogmanay is celebrated—Scots also hold bonfire ceremonies where people parade while swinging giant fireballs on poles!
• Eating any ring-shaped treat (such as a doughnut) symbolizes “coming full circle” and leads to good fortune. In Dutch homes, fritters called olie bollen are served.
• The Irish enjoy pastries called bannocks.
• In India and Pakistan, rice promises prosperity.
• Apples dipped in honey are a Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) tradition.
• In Swiss homes, dollops of whipped cream, symbolizing the richness of the year to come, are dropped on the floors—and allowed to remain there!

Have a Drink

Although the pop of a champagne cork signals the arrival of the New Year around the world, some countries have their beverage-based traditions.

• Wassail, a punch-like drink named after the Gaelic term for “good health,” is served in some parts of England.
• Spiced “hot pint” is the Scottish version of Wassail. Traditionally, the Scots drank to each other’s prosperity and also offered this warm drink to neighbors along with a small gift.
• In Spain, Cava (a sparkling white wine) is often served to guests for making toasts.

Give a Gift

New Year’s Day was once the time to swap presents.

• Gifts of gilded nuts or coins marked the start of the new year in Rome.
• Eggs, the symbol of fertility, were exchanged by the Persians.
• Early Egyptians traded earthenware flasks.
• In Scotland, coal, shortbread, and silverware were traditionally exchanged for good luck.

The post New Year’s Traditions from Around the World appeared first on C-Medisolutions.

Published by: AARP

Year-to-year changes in areas key to retiree life — Social Security benefits, Medicare premiums, tax and savings policies geared for older adults — can greatly impact that balance, especially as they interact with economic shifts such as higher inflation or a market downturn. Here are seven things to know about your retirement money for the coming year.

1. Social Security payments

Social Security recipients will see their monthly payments rise 3.2 percent as the 2024 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) kicks in. The estimated average retirement benefit will increase by $59 a month, from $1,848 to $1,907.

2. Medicare costs

After coming down by 3 percent in 2023, standard premiums for Medicare Part B are going back up in 2024, from $164.90 to $174.70 per month, a 6 percent increase.

Most Medicare enrollees have their premium payments for Part B, the portion of original Medicare that covers doctor visits and other outpatient treatment, deducted directly from their Social Security payments.  For this group, the premium increase takes a $9.80-a-month bite out of the COLA benefit boost.

3. Retirement plan contributions

If you are 50 or older, you can put up to $8,000 into an individual retirement account (IRA) for the 2024 tax year. That includes the $1,000 catch-up contribution available to older savers. The cap for people under 50 is $7,000. In both cases, the contribution limit has been bumped up by $500 from 2023.  (By the way, you can still make your contributions for the 2023 tax year — the deadline is April 15, 2024.)

4. RMDs

Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are a fact of later life for holders of most types of retirement savings accounts. (The notable exception is Roth IRAs, which are not subject to annual required withdrawals while the owner is alive. Starting with the 2024 tax year, this exception will also apply to Roth 401(k) and 403(b) accounts.)

5. Standard tax deduction

Most taxpayers take the standard deduction rather than itemizing on their tax returns. For the 2023 tax returns they must file by April 15, 2024, married couples in that majority can take $27,700 off their taxable income, up from $25,900 the year before. For individual taxpayers (single or married filing separately), the standard deduction increases from $12,950 to $13,850. Those filing as a head of household can deduct $20,800, up from $19,400 the previous year.

6. Full retirement age

Congress voted in 1983 to gradually raise the Social Security full retirement age (FRA) from 65 to 67.  Four decades on, the change is nearly complete, with FRA reaching 66 and 8 months in the latter half of 2024.

7. Social Security earnings test

If you claim Social Security retirement benefits before reaching FRA and continue to do paying work, your benefits may be temporarily reduced. That depends on whether your annual working income exceeds a set limit called the earnings test.

The post 7 Ways Retirement Will Be Different in 2024 appeared first on C-Medisolutions.

Social Security beneficiaries will soon get notices showing exactly how much money to expect in their monthly checks for 2024.

Those recipients are slated to get a 3.2% boost to their benefits starting in January with the 2024 annual cost-of-living adjustment. Retirement benefits are expected to go up by more than $50 per month, on average.

One factor that will affect exactly how much beneficiaries receive is their Medicare Part B premium, which is typically deducted directly from Social Security checks.

Medicare Part B serves as medical insurance and covers doctor and other provider services, outpatient care, home health care, durable medical equipment and some preventive services.

Standard monthly premiums are slated to rise by $9.80 per month to $174.70 in 2024, from $164.90 per month this year.

However, people with higher incomes will pay more as a result of what is called income-related monthly adjustment amounts, or IRMAA.

When to appeal your Medicare Part B premium

You generally can’t have your Medicare Part B premiums adjusted — with one exception, according to Tim Steffen, director of advanced planning at financial services company Baird.

“If something has materially changed in your situation, you can appeal your Medicare premium,” Steffen said.

That applies to events that have caused your income to go down since 2022, such as a divorce, the death of a spouse, the loss of a pension or starting retirement.

You may file an appeal once you receive your benefit notice for 2024.

Medicare Part B premiums are based on beneficiaries’ modified adjusted gross income from two years prior. Therefore, 2024 Part B premiums are based on your 2022 federal tax returns.

That includes adjusted gross income — wages, retirement distributions, investment income, capital gains, rental income and Social Security benefits — as well as tax-exempt interest.

If you have municipal bond interest that you don’t pay federal taxes on because it is exempt, that can still prompt higher Medicare Part B premiums, Steffen said.

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