Lifelong TCSCC

A Message from Lucia Sacco, Executive Director at Lifelong: Retirement has been calling to me for quite some time and I’m now answering that call. First, let me say working at Lifelong for the last 8 years has been one of the best working experiences of my life, and leading the organization these last 5 years as Executive Director has been a dream job. I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish here with the support of my team, my board and this wonderful comm...Continue reading

Security Summit partners warn taxpayers of new COVID-related text scam WASHINGTON The Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies and the tax industry today warned of a new text scam created by thieves that trick people into disclosing bank account information under the guise of receiving the $1,200 Economic Impact Payment. The IRS, states and industry, working together as the Security Summit, remind taxpayers that neither the IRS nor state agencies will ever text taxpayer...s asking for bank account information so that an EIP deposit may be made. Criminals are relentlessly using COVID-19 and Economic Impact Payments as cover to try to trick taxpayers out of their money or identities, said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. This scam is a new twist on those we’ve been seeing much of this year. We urge people to remain alert to these types of scams. The scam text message states: You have received a direct deposit of $1,200 from COVID-19 TREAS FUND. Further action is required to accept this payment into your account. Continue here to accept this payment The text includes a link to a fake phishing web address. This fake phishing URL, which appears to come from a state agency or relief organization, takes recipients to a fraudulent website that impersonates the IRS.gov Get My Payment website. Individuals who visit the fraudulent website and then enter their personal and financial account information will have their information collected by these scammers. People who receive this text scam should take a screen shot of the text message that they received and then include the screenshot in an email to [email protected] with the following information: Date/Time/Timezone that they received the text message The number that appeared on their Caller ID The number that received the text message The IRS does not send unsolicited texts or emails. The IRS does not call people with threats of jail or lawsuits, nor does it demand tax payments on gift cards. People who believe they are eligible for the Economic Impact Payment should go directly to IRS.gov. People who do not have a filing requirement but who are eligible for EIP can use a non-filers tool on IRS.gov until Nov. 21 to claim their payment

Just a reminder that Medicare's open enrollment ends on December 7th! If you are in need of a Medicare counseling "check-up", please call our HIICAP program ASAP to get an appointment.

Join us for one more Medicare Basics presentation co-hosted by Tompkins County Public Library on October 8th!

Open enrollment starts....TODAY! Please reach out if you'd like to review your Medicare coverage with one of our certified HIICAP counselors.

From the TCE (Tax Counseling for the Elderly) program: Non-Filers who have not received an Economic Impact Payment need to provide information by October 15. While most eligible U.S. taxpayers have automatically received their Economic Impact Payment, some may need to provide their information by October 15 if they have not received their payment yet. If you don’t usually file a tax return and you have not received your Economic Impact yet, the IRS may not have enough informa...tion to determine your eligibility. This includes those receiving the federal benefits listed below. Those receiving Social Security retirement, disability (SSDI), survivor benefits Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients Recipients of Veterans Affairs Compensation and Pension (C&P) benefits Individuals who receive Railroad Retirement (RRB) benefits You can submit your information online by October 15 using the Non-Filers tool. http://www.irs.gov/nonfilereip See more

It's here! Lifelong's Fall catalog is out and we hope you'll be part of our great offerings this Fall. Many of our course options are held virtually, so you can join right from your couch! While we will have a few hard copies of the catalog available soon at Lifelong, here is a link to the catalog: https://mcusercontent.com//Lifelong_FALL2020_CATALOG_FINAL

Looking forward to welcoming everyone back into our building when it's safe to do so. Even the wildlife are missing us!

A message from the Director: Dear Lifelong Friends, Won’t we always remember the Spring of 2020?... To say this has been a challenging time is an understatement. Our lives have been changed in so many ways. Our vocabulary has changed with phrases like social distancing, our fashion has changed with cloth masks, our dining out experiences have changed with curb-side pickup, our hair has changed without access to barbers and beauticians, our celebrations have changed with virtual parties, our medical appointments have changed to telemedicine chats and for sure our appreciation for life’s simple pleasures has changed. Remember hugging and shaking hands? Ah, those were the days! I’m ready for them to return when it’s safe to do so. Due to the Coronavirus, Lifelong closed and cancelled all programming temporarily effective March 16th. When the Governor instituted the PAUSE directive, all Lifelong staff was temporarily furloughed. Sadly, we weren’t able to finish out our Spring semester of Lifelong Learning and had to also put a halt to our free tax preparation. However, as you know, Lifelong has some amazing instructors and quite quickly, we were able to offer virtual exercise classes and they’re now available 6 days a week. We’re now able to offer virtual HIICAP appointments to help folks with Medicare issues. Some of our Lifelong Learning instructors expressed a willingness to offer classes virtually as well. With staff furloughed, this took a little longer to implement but I’m happy to say beginning this week, we’re slowly building some offerings. As is true for many, many area agencies, the funding we receive for Lifelong’s programs is being decreased. With fewer classes being offered and less income from registrations and membership renewals, of course our finances are of concern. We sincerely hope that, in the not too distant future, we’ll be able to re-open and offer classes in person. Until that happens, we still have bills to pay. Our ongoing expenses such as utilities, insurance and vendors don’t care about COVID19 and with your support, we’ll be business as usual before too long. If you’ve benefitted from any of our programs in the past, if you’ve appreciated the friendships and camaraderie Lifelong has helped you cultivate, if we’ve offered classes that interested you or made you look at something differently, if you’re stronger and healthier because of our exercise classes or if you’re made to feel welcomed by just walking through the door, won’t you please consider a gift to Lifelong? Checks can be mailed to Lifelong, 119 West Court Street, Ithaca, NY 14850. With such gratitude, Lucia

Update on the TCE program: As many of you know, our tax preparation program unfortunately came to a halt in late March when we had to take extensive measures to keep our tax clients, volunteers, and staff safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the IRS extending the tax filing deadline to July 15, Lifelong's tax preparation program will unfortunately continue to be closed through this tax season. You may consider filing online yourself for free using www.myfreetaxes.com,... or filing for an extension which may provide you with additional time to work on getting your taxes done. Paper forms used in filing for an extension are available outside of Lifelong's front entrance. And now a bit of good news! We've learned that Social Security recipients who are not typically required to file a tax return do not need to take any action, and will receive their stimulus payment directly to their bank account or by paper check. We are so thankful for your understanding at this challenging time, and we look forward to serving you next tax season. Be well!

HIICAP IS BACK!!! HIICAP is Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program and I'm delighted to say our counselors are willing and able to offer their services either by phone or Zoom. Just call Lifelong at 273-1511 and leave a message for Liza Burger. Messages will be forwarded to her regularly, though not daily so we thank you for your patience.

Hello everybody. We are so happy that you are attending Lifelong classes while we are "pausing." Up until now we have not asked for payment for the classes, and have been happy to offer them as a way to try to keep sane and physically healthy. But it seems this situation is going to continue for a while longer than we had hoped, and so we are going to charge for the classes, beginning May 1, just like when we gathered in the flesh. The cost will be as usual, $30 a month for members for all the fitness and yoga classes you want to take (now they are available 6 day a week!) or $5 per class. Please mail your checks (made out to Lifelong) to Lifelong. 119 West Court Street, Ithaca 14850