Good morning. Happy St. Patrick’s Day — here’s hoping the only green you lose today is on a decorative shamrock and not to a phone scam.
In this issue:
- AI voice cloning: the new grandparent scam
- Worth Knowing: a Medicare surcharge, living alone, and a tax deadline
- From the Archives: things nobody warns you about retirement
- Slice of Life: a bit of Irish luck
Last spring, my mother got a phone call from my nephew. At least, she thought it was my nephew. The voice sounded exactly like him — same tone, same cadence, same panic. He said he’d been in a car accident and needed money for a lawyer right away. My mother had her purse in her hand and was reaching for her credit card.
One word saved her. The caller said “Grandma.” My nephew has never called her that. It’s “Lola” — the Filipino word for grandmother. That tiny slip broke the spell.
Scammers can clone a voice from just 10 to 30 seconds of audio. A voicemail greeting. A birthday video on Facebook. A clip from a grandchild’s TikTok. Some of these tools cost $29 a month.
Adults over 60 lost $2.4 billion to fraud in 2024. AI-related fraud attempts surged 194% last year.
What to do right now: Set up a family code word. Get everyone on a group text, pick a word only your family knows, and make sure the grandparents have it. If someone calls in distress and can’t say the word, it’s not them. Hang up and call your family member directly.
💰 The Medicare surcharge nobody warns you about. Sold a house? Cashed out a big IRA? Your Medicare premium might double next year. It’s called IRMAA, and it’s based on your income from two years ago. One client got hit with an extra $1,949 per year in premiums he never expected.
→ Read Benjamin’s full breakdown
🏠 Living alone after 65 — and loving it. Sixteen million Americans over 65 live alone. Only 25% report feeling lonely — three out of four are doing just fine. Victoria Sinclair wrote about what her friend Margaret taught her about solo living, and why “alone” isn’t a diagnosis.
📋 Tax deadline: 29 days away. April 15, 2026. If you haven’t filed, book your appointment now — AARP Tax-Aide sites are filling up. Standard deduction for 65+ is $16,550 (single) or $32,300 (married, both 65+). Find free help at aarpfoundation.org/taxaide or call 1-888-227-7669.
Things Nobody Warns You About Retirement — by Victoria Sinclair
This article is already one of our most-read pieces. Victoria retired after 34 years of teaching English and writes about the identity crisis, the friendships that evaporate, and the guilt of spending money you saved your whole life to spend. She calls it “the Tuesday problem” — the moment you wake up and can’t remember what day it is.
My grandmother used to say that St. Patrick’s Day wasn’t about being Irish. It was about spring deciding to show up. She’d put a green ribbon on the mailbox every March 17, even in Michigan, even when it was still snowing. She said it was her way of telling winter she was done negotiating. Wherever you are today, consider winter officially on notice.
Until next Tuesday,
Nino
P.S. If this was useful, forward it to someone who’d appreciate it. And hit reply if you want — I read every one.
