Saturday, October 21, 2023

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Gaza hospital blast; cold case reopened, more.

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The Short List

Sat Oct 21 2023
 

John Riley | Audience Editor

Israel is hunting a key Hamas figure. Americans' COVID savings are running out. And a woman's relentless efforts over two decades helped reopen the search for missing loved ones.

👋Hello again! I'm John Riley, and these were some of the best stories of week in USA TODAY. Let's take a look, shall we?

Was Hamas' attack tied to Iran? This man may hold the key

🔵Six weeks before Hamas' deadly attack on Israel, a deputy political advisor in the group did an interview with a Lebanese news outlet. Tucked into it was a specific warning. "We are preparing for an all-out war," Saleh al-Arouri said. Israel is now hunting Arouri, USA TODAY has learned. But he's been in their sights for decades. Read more

Her sister and nephew vanished in 2002. She wouldn't let it go.

💔For two decades, Mary Ramsbottom and her family have traveled to Valdosta, Georgia, to commemorate Oct. 14, 2002, the day Paula and Brandon Wade were reported missing. Paula was 25 and her boy was 3. Mary's decadeslong effort to find her missing sister and nephew paid off in August, when authorities announced "a new push to find answers" in the case. Read more

Americans' COVID savings are drying up

💵The pandemic-related savings and government aid that have helped prop up the U.S. economy over the past three years are now dwindling, data show. That's putting new strain on low and moderate-income households and increasing the risk of the nation slipping into recession by early 2024. Read more

•Working from home: What's that remote job worth to you?

👇Scroll down! There are more great stories below. See you next week!
A person clears their car of snow to go to work, in Provo, Utah, on Feb. 22, 2023. - 29 US states are under winter weather alerts as people brace for a winter storm expected to bring heavy snow, wind, and freezing temperatures from the west to the east coast.

The U.S. winter of 2023-24 will likely be dominated by the effects of what could be a powerful El Niño.

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Sandra Lindsay, RN, the first American to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in 2020 repeated the feat again Sept. 13, 2023 as part of a public health awareness event held by Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, NY. Lindsay became a global phenomenon on Dec. 14, 2020, when the Northwell Health critical care nurse director received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. HANDOUT PHOTO
 

Should you get a COVID booster? Here are 7 things to think about.

When and whether to get a COVID booster should depend on your health status, risk tolerance, timing of last infection and other personal factors, experts say.
Image source: Getty Images. Social Security provides a foundation for the retirement plans of millions of Americans. Unfortunately, many of those Americans incorrectly believe that Social Security's foundation is sufficient to cover their overall retirement, only to be painfully surprised when they go to collect and discover that it isn't. Don't just take my word for it. Here's what Social Security itself has to say: Social Security was never meant to be the only source of income for people when they retire. Social Security replaces about 40 percent of an average wage earner's income after retiring, and most financial advisors say retirees will need 70 percent or more of pre-retirement earnings to live comfortably. To have a comfortable retirement, Americans need more than Social Security. They also need private pensions, savings, and investments. What can you expect for your benefit? Your Social Security retirement is personalized based on either your or your spouse's earnings history. As of Aug. 2016, the average retiree received $1,350.64 per month, and the average retiree's spouse received $701.76 per month. In general, a person claiming benefits on a spouse's earnings record receives up to half that spouse's benefit.  For a retiree who starts to collect at his or her full retirement age, the maximum possible monthly benefit in 2016 is $2,639. To get that maximum benefit, though, you would have needed to earn the maximum income that Social Security taxes (currently $118,500) for 35 years. For most people, benefits are closer to the typical level than the maximum level, driven by both the high earnings needed to max out benefits and the bend points that reduce the value of Social Security for higher-income earners. As a result, if you're expecting Social Security to cover your costs of living, you'll want to keep those costs within your anticipated benefit level. On average, that'd be in the neighborhood of $1,350 per month if you're single, $2,700 per month if you're married and both spouses worked, and $2,050 per month if you're married and only one of you worked for pay. What kind of lifestyle is that? Image source: Getty Images. $1,350 per month works out to $16,200 per year, which is above the federal poverty level for a single person ($11,800). Similarly, the $24,600 per year that a married couple with one working spouse or $32,400 that a married couple with two working spouses can generally expect to get is above the Federal poverty level for a couple ($16,020). So the typical person or couple living on Social Security alone will get enough to not starve , but won't have enough for much above the bare minimums. While that may seem reasonable on the surface -- particularly in a low-cost part of the country -- the total picture is far tougher. For instance, once one member of a couple passes away, the surviving spouse's income will drop to the higher of the two spouse's benefit. The combined Social Security benefit for a typical couple is farther above the poverty level than that of a single retiree is, and the sticker shock of losing one income can add to the stress of losing a spouse. In addition, you can expect fairly high healthcare costs in retirement, too. The current base Medicare Part B premium is $121.80 per month per person, and a Medigap plan to help cover what Medicare won't can easily cost $250 per month or more each as well. Indeed, the typical costs for health insurance premiums for a retired couple can easily reach $250,000 throughout retirement, and that doesn't include any out-of-pocket costs of actual medical care. On top of the medical costs of aging, there are the everyday costs of living to consider. If you own your home, even assuming your mortgage is paid off, you'll still have utilities, property taxes, maintenance, and upkeep to worry about. If you're a renter, you'll still have to pay your rent and utilities -- not to mention things like food, clothing, and transportation that you'll still have to deal with. Plus, particularly as you get later in your retirement, you'll likely find that you'll need help taking care of some of the things that you used to be able to handle on your own. That help comes at a cost -- a cost that can be very tough to cover on a budget that consists of Social Security alone. Build yourself a better retirement lifestyle Image source: Getty Images. Fortunately, your retirement doesn't have to be limited to just your Social Security check. You can -- and should -- build a portfolio that can give you a better lifestyle than you'll get from Social Security alone. Every dollar you save up between now and your retirement is a dollar that can make your golden years all that much more golden. And if you have enough time between now and your anticipated retirement day, the growth in those dollars can be quite impressive -- potentially even making you a millionaire . If you want a better retirement than you can get from Social Security alone, the most important resource you have is your time. The sooner you get started investing for your future, the easier and cheaper it is for you to build a nest egg that will make a real difference to the lifestyle you can expect during your retirement. So get started now and improve your chances of beating the barely above-poverty-level lifestyle offered by Social Security alone. Chuck Saletta has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy . The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. Offer from the Motley Fool: The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook
 

Not the best, not the worst: US retirement gets a C+ in global study

U.S. retirement gets a C+ in a global study. See which countries topped the list and which faltered.
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh looks on fro the sidelines during the Wolverines' game against Indiana on Oct. 14, 2023.
 

Time for Harbaugh to drop self-righteous act after more cheating claims

Jim Harbaugh is in a snit with the NCAA over potential rules violations that were petty, avoidable and ultimately stupid if they indeed took place.
Steve Meyer wears wristbands to honor the memory of his daughter Katie Meyer.
 

Former Stanford goalie may have left clues to final hours on laptop

Judge writes Katie Meyer's 'deepest, darkest thoughts' may be relevant in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by her parents against Stanford.
Mapping the areas of conflict in the Israel-Hamas war.
 

These maps and aerial images visualize the Israel-Hamas war

Maps and visuals explain Israel-Hamas war. Latest updates: trucks line up at Gaza/Egypt border, church building hit, power outages, hospital explosion
A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent arrives to pick up a family of five claiming to be from Guatemala after they crossed the border fence in the Tucson Sector of the U.S.-Mexico border, on Aug. 29, 2023, in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument near Lukeville, AZ.
 
For subscribers

'False sense of calm': How misinformation on crossing US border spreads

The YouTube channel had a catalog of 180 videos that offered advice, stories and tips on the process of crossing the Arizona-Mexico border.
trick or treating during COVID-19
 

What is the 'healthiest' Halloween candy? It's an American favorite.

Halloween candy isn't a health food by any standard, but there are some aspects that make this one a healthier option. Plus, tips for parents and kids.
Illinois-based DeLorean Midwest helped unearth a DeLorean out of a barn in Dousman with only 977 miles on the odometer. The vehicle was filled with evidence of rodents but was also apparently all or mostly original -- including the factory tires.
 

Great Scott!: 1981 DeLorean with 977 miles found in Wisconsin barn

The DeLorean, manufactured in April 1981, appeared to be mostly if not completely original, down to a blue oil filter and factory tires.

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