Affordable Internet Is More Important to Retirees’ Wellbeing Than You Realize

Despite abundant evidence to the contrary, the stereotype that the elderly and the Internet repel each other persists.  Yes, old folks are much more likely to head to the supermarket with shopping lists written on scraps of paper, while the younger generation keeps their shopping lists on the phone, editing them in real time; items disappear from the list when the shopper checks them off after placing the item in the cart, and new ones appear mid-shopping trip as the shopper’s spouse or housemates remembers an item they forgot to tell the shopper that they needed.  The elderly are also the target audience for wall calendars, film cameras, paperback books, and other items made to manage activities that young people accomplish via smartphone.  This does not mean that seniors do not use the Internet, though; in fact, lack of Internet access makes seniors exponentially more vulnerable to many of the vicissitudes of old age.  A federal program that made reliable Internet access affordable for millions of seniors and other low-income Americans is about to expire. , contact a Dade City estate planning lawyer.

The Uncertain Future of the Affordable Connectivity Plan

The Affordable Connectivity Plan (ACP) was a federal program that provided a monthly $30 credit on the Internet bills of households with income below a certain threshold.  About 20 percent of the beneficiaries were above the age of 65, and across all age groups, 40 percent of the beneficiaries live in rural areas.

The program began in 2022, but April 2024 was the last month where beneficiaries received the full $30 credit.  Unless politicians can put aside their differences and agree to extend it, the funding will disappear completely by the end of this year.

Seniors need affordable Internet because it is a powerful defense against that most harmful of forces, social isolation.  If you can connect to the Internet, you can attend telehealth appointments, order grocery deliveries, and stay in contact with your family and friends on social media and video chat, even if you are not healthy enough to leave your house without assistance.  Without the Internet, aging in place is only for the healthy, the wealthy, and people whose close relatives live nearby, but the Internet enables millions of seniors to live more independently than would otherwise be possible.  It seems like a minor expense, but it is an essential component of your plans for retirement.

If the thought of languishing alone with no contact with the outside world scares you, it means you need an estate plan.  You may prefer to move in with your relatives or move to an assisted living facility and stay there as long as your savings last, but it is essential to find some way to stay connected to other people.

Contact a Florida Estate Planning Attorney About Planning for a Lean Retirement

An estate planning attorney can help you make pragmatic decisions about your estate plan.  Contact The Law Office of Laurie R. Chane in Dade City, Florida to discuss your estate plan.

Source:

cnn.com/2024/04/29/tech/broadband-affordability-acp-rural-older-americans/index.html