{"title":"Money","description":"\u003cp\u003eMoney decisions with a deadline attached. Which Social Security benefit to claim and in what order, what a widow or a divorced woman is actually entitled to, how to insure yourself before Medicare, and how a household of one funds a long old age.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"social-security-for-widows-divorced-women","title":"Social Security for Widows \u0026 Divorced Women","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClaim the survivor benefits you're owed.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo one hands you a manual the week your husband dies — or the day the divorce is final. This is that manual. SSA's own inspector general found 5,367 widows could have received about $21,000 more each.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePaperback Book · 132 pages\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBy M. E. Hart\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEducational information only — not legal, financial, medical, or tax advice.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eNo one hands you a manual the week your husband dies — or the day the divorce is final\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn April 2026, Social Security's own inspector general found that 5,367 widows could have received $113.8 million more — roughly $21,000 each — simply by claiming their benefits in a smarter order. Nobody at the office is required to map that order for you. This book does, in plain English.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's written for two women the system keeps failing: the widow who doesn't know she can take one check now and switch to a bigger one later, and the divorced woman who never claims on her ex's record because she believes it would cut his check or that he'd be told. It wouldn't, and he isn't — and this book shows you exactly what you're entitled to, at what ages, and in what order.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe survivor \"switch\" — the move that's worth six figures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour survivor benefit and your own benefit are separate checks, and you can take one now and switch to the other later — letting the bigger one grow untouched until it peaks. Because survivor benefits are exempt from the deemed-filing rule, this switch is legal for every birth year, which is exactly the distinction generalist books and AI muddle. The book walks both scenarios with real numbers, plus the divorced-spouse rules — the 10-year line, the 2-year rule, and the myth that stops women cold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's inside — your real options, in the right order\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe $100,000 order\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy claiming order beats being a \"math person\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat SSA's own 2026 audit found\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe one choice that changes everything\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eIf you are widowed\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat you're entitled to, at what ages\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe switch that's worth six figures\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRemarriage, work, and the traps\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eIf you are divorced\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYes, you can claim on his record\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 10-year line and the 2-year rule\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen your ex has died\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe money, verified\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow to verify SSA's own number\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat gets taxed — and what to do\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTimelines and the paperwork that matters\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe myths, busted\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClaiming on his record won't cut his check\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe is never notified\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt doesn't touch his current spouse's benefit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eYour move this month\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe whole book on one decision page\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA fill-in example for each situation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFive concrete actions to take this week\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions people ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow much Social Security does a widow get?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA survivor benefit can be as much as the full benefit your husband was receiving, but the age you claim at reduces it — and the order you take your own benefit and the survivor benefit in changes the lifetime total more than either decision alone. SSA's own inspector general found 5,367 widows who could have received about $21,000 more each, not because they were owed something extra, but because they took the two checks in the wrong order.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhen should a widow switch from her own benefit to the survivor benefit?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat switch is the decision this book is built around: take one check now, let the other keep growing, then switch. Which one goes first depends on your age, your own earnings record, and what you are still earning. A fill-in Benefit Comparison worksheet and the \"Which Door Am I?\" page walk you to the answer for your situation instead of the average one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I claim Social Security on my ex-husband's record?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes — if the marriage lasted 10 years, the divorce is at least 2 years behind you, and you're 62 or older. And no to the three things women ask next: it does not reduce his benefit, it does not touch his current spouse's benefit, and he is never notified. The book quotes SSA directly on all three so you know where you stand before you call.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat's actually in the book?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe survivor \"switch\" strategy (take one check now, switch to the bigger one later), exactly what a widow is entitled to and at what ages, the divorced-spouse rules in plain English, what you can claim when an ex has died, how to verify SSA's own figure, and what gets taxed. It includes five fill-in worksheets: Which Door Am I?, Benefit Comparison, What to Ask Social Security, a Document Checklist, and My Key Dates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the information current for 2026?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes — every dollar figure, age threshold, and rule was verified against SSA, IRS, and the SSA inspector general's primary sources in 2026, including the deemed-filing birth-year cutoff and the Social Security Fairness Act. Because these rules change, treat it as an educational guide and confirm current figures at SSA.gov before you file.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this financial or tax advice?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. It's an educational guide written to help you understand your options and ask better questions — not financial, tax, or legal advice. Confirm your situation with SSA (1-800-772-1213) and consider a fee-only fiduciary. It's published under the pen name M. E. 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Hart\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEducational information only — not legal, financial, medical, or tax advice.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eYou retired early — now you have to insure yourself until Medicare, alone\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLeaving work before 65 means leaving employer health coverage behind, and if you're a household of one there's no spouse's plan to fall back on. The years between early retirement and Medicare are where a lot of careful plans quietly spring a leak — a single wrong move on income or enrollment can cost you thousands in premiums or lost subsidies. This book is the plain-English guide to crossing that gap on your own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's written specifically for the solo early retiree: one person, one income, no fallback plan. Instead of generic advice, it walks through your real options — the Marketplace, COBRA, and how the 2026 subsidy rules actually work — and shows you how the choices fit together year by year until you reach 65.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe MAGI control game — the lever that quietly sets your premium\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor an early retiree, your Modified Adjusted Gross Income doesn't just affect your taxes — it decides how much help you get paying for coverage, and one dollar over a threshold can cost you thousands. The book breaks down how MAGI is calculated, where the 2026 cliffs sit, and the levers you actually control, with six worked case studies and a fill-in Solo MAGI worksheet so you can run your own numbers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's inside — your real options, in depth\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eYour coverage options\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Marketplace, plan by plan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCOBRA — when it's worth it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBridging gaps and short-term traps\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe 2026 subsidy rules\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow premium tax credits work now\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhere the income cliffs sit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat changed for 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe MAGI control game\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat counts toward your income\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLevers you actually control\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA fill-in Solo MAGI worksheet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSix worked case studies\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReal solo-retiree scenarios\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe math, step by step\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat each one should do\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eYour timeline to 65\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA year-by-year plan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnrollment windows you can't miss\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe handoff to Medicare\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eBuilt for a household of one\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo spouse's plan assumed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne income, one decision-maker\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWritten to you, not a family\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions people ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are my health insurance options before Medicare?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFour, realistically: an ACA Marketplace plan, COBRA from the job you left, a spouse's plan, or going without and paying cash. For a household of one there is no spouse's plan, which is why this book compares the two that are left, plan by plan, and says when COBRA is genuinely the cheaper answer — it sometimes is, and usually isn't.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs COBRA or a Marketplace plan cheaper if I retire early?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUsually the Marketplace, because a premium tax credit follows your income and COBRA doesn't — COBRA charges you the whole group premium plus an administrative fee, the share your employer used to pay included. COBRA wins in specific cases: a deductible you've already met mid-year, a drug or specialist only your old network covers, and short gaps. Six worked case studies do the math, and the free calculator runs your own numbers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow does my income affect my ACA subsidy after I retire?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYour premium tax credit is set by your modified adjusted gross income for the year, not by what you used to earn — which means an early retiree controls it in a way a salaried worker never could. Which withdrawals you take, from which account, in which year, moves the number. The book calls it the MAGI control game and gives you a fill-in worksheet; the free ACA Subsidy Calculator shows what each choice costs before you commit to it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo I need to read the whole thing, or can I just run my numbers?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBoth work. There's a free Health Insurance \u0026amp; ACA Subsidy Calculator that compares COBRA against a Marketplace plan year-by-year to Medicare, with 2026 subsidies built in — start there for the numbers, then use the book to understand the options in depth and make the call.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the information current for 2026?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes — the book is built around the 2026 subsidy and income-cliff rules, which changed meaningfully for early retirees. Because tax and health-insurance rules change, treat it as an educational guide and confirm current figures with the official source or a professional before you file or enroll.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this financial or tax advice?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. It's an educational guide written to help you understand your options and ask better questions — not financial, tax, or legal advice. Size any decision with a fiduciary or CPA. It's published under the pen name M. E. Hart.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Retirement In Order","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44279910826087,"sku":"k5z4j5","price":25.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/7312\/8039\/files\/solo-early-retiree-health-insurance-thumb.png?v=1785178477"},{"product_id":"solo-aging","title":"Solo Aging: Living Well \u0026 Planning Ahead","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe warm, practical plan for a household of one.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're aging without a spouse or kids, you already know the quiet 2 a.m. question: who would even decide for me? Everyone else seems to have a default person. You don't. Solo Aging is the warm, practical plan for the household of one — and it ends with the one page your named person should be handed first.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePaperback Book · 146 pages\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBy M. E. Hart\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEducational information only — not legal, financial, medical, or tax advice.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAging alone is not the same as aging without a plan\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you've just watched a parent age without a plan, you know exactly what's at stake — and you know there's no obvious person lined up to do it for you. Solo Aging comes at that fear head-on: it names it out loud, then dismantles it with a plan you can actually finish. Not a reference tome that reads like homework, but a steady, been-there friend who refuses to let you catastrophize or avoid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou are not doomed. You are unassigned. This book is how you get assigned — a care network you choose on purpose, the legal scaffolding done right with no default next-of-kin, a funding plan for a solo old age, and answers to the questions that keep you up: who decides if I can't, who notices, who signs the forms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCurrent, warm, and built for the caregiver who became the patient\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two big solo-aging books are 8–9 years old and read like reference manuals. Solo Aging is written for this moment — post-Peak-65, current programs and figures — and it comes in through the caregiver door: you just did all of this for someone else; no one is lined up to do it for you. Every legal, financial, and program claim is drawn from a named primary source — AARP, the National Institute on Aging, Medicare, the Social Security Administration, CANHR — and fully cited.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's inside — the whole solo-aging plan, one decision at a time\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eYour care network\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour chosen \"who's my person\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExactly how to ask — the script\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA roster, not a single soulmate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe legal scaffolding\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHealthcare proxy \u0026amp; HIPAA authorization\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDurable power of attorney\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWill, trust \u0026amp; no default next-of-kin\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWho decides if you can't\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAgents, backups \u0026amp; professional fiduciaries\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGuardianship you choose vs. one imposed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSSA advance designation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eFunding a solo old age\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLong-term-care costs \u0026amp; insurance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMedicaid, spend-down \u0026amp; the single math\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMedicare is not long-term care\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHousing while you still choose\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAge in place vs. move on your terms\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCCRCs, the Village movement, co-housing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePACE and the isolation risk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe human side\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeing your own health advocate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigning connection on purpose\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCognitive decline \u0026amp; final wishes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions people ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is solo aging?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSolo aging is growing older without a spouse or adult children to step in — never married, divorced, widowed, or child-free. The practical problem isn't loneliness. It's that there is no default next-of-kin: hospitals, banks and courts all fall back to a relative who isn't there. So the decisions most people leave to their family, a solo ager has to make on purpose and put in writing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho decides for me if I can't decide for myself?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhoever you named — or a judge, if you named no one. With no spouse and no children there is no automatic decision-maker, so an unplanned incapacity ends in guardianship and a stranger gets appointed. The book covers naming a healthcare agent and a durable power of attorney, naming backups for both, when a professional fiduciary is the right answer, and SSA's advance designation for your benefits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat legal documents does a solo ager need?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA healthcare proxy with a HIPAA authorization attached, a durable power of attorney for money, and a will or trust. The chapter on the legal scaffolding covers each one — plus the part the general guides skip: who you name when there is no obvious person, exactly how to ask them, and who backs each of them up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow is it different from the other solo-aging books?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe two best-known titles are 8–9 years old and read like encyclopedic reference manuals. Solo Aging is current, warm, and decision-first — it opens in the real fear and hands you scripts, checklists, and a one-page plan you can actually finish, coming in through the caregiver door most books aren't built on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat's the free Solo Ager's Document Kit?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA fillable companion kit referenced at the back of the book — HIPAA and advance-directive templates, an emergency wallet card, a folder checklist, and the \"ask a friend\" script. It's free at RetirementInOrder.com\/solo-kit and it's how the plan in the book becomes paperwork in a drawer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this legal or financial advice?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. It's educational — a plain-English guide to the decisions and documents, with every figure and rule drawn from primary sources and cited. Laws and dollar figures vary by state and change, so the book routes you to your state's forms and the right professional (an elder-law or estate attorney, your clinicians) to make it real.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat format does it come in?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA paperback, printed when you order and mailed to you — free US shipping, about two weeks. Published under the pen name M. E. Hart as part of the Retirement In Order series.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Retirement In Order","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44279934943335,"sku":"n4nqj5","price":25.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/7312\/8039\/files\/solo-aging-thumb.png?v=1785178473"},{"product_id":"the-solo-series","title":"The Solo Series","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBoth books for the household of one.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo books, one parcel, for a retirement with no spouse's plan to fall onto and no adult child the hospital can call. Health Insurance for the Early Retiree is the 72-page walkthrough of the years before Medicare: the Marketplace against COBRA, the 2026 subsidy rules, the income levers you actually control, and six worked case studies with the arithmetic already done. Solo Aging is the 146-page plan for the decades after — naming your care network and the script for asking, the four legal documents that decide who steps in if you can't, funding a solo old age, housing while the choice is still yours, and final wishes with no default next-of-kin. One gets you to 65 without overpaying. The other answers who decides if you can't.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTwo Paperback Books · 218 pages\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBy M. E. Hart\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEducational information only — not legal, financial, medical, or tax advice.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe insurance and the incapacity. Nobody is covering either one for you.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou hand in your notice, and the first thing that lands isn't freedom — it's a premium quote with no employer share taken off it. Then a form asks for an emergency contact and you sit there with the pen up. Everyone else seems to have a spouse's plan to fall onto and a grown child the admissions desk can phone. You have a browser tab and a guess.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese two books split the solo problem by decade. One covers the stretch to 65: Marketplace against COBRA, where the subsidy cliffs sit, the income levers an early retiree controls in a way a salaried worker never could, and six worked case studies with the math done rather than described. The other covers the thirty years after, where the question stops being what does coverage cost and becomes who signs when I can't. Buy the pair and neither answer is something you're inventing at 2am.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe gap to Medicare is the first solo problem. It isn't the last one.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost people buy the insurance book because a date is already on the calendar — a resignation, a COBRA election window, an enrollment page that closes. Then somewhere in the reading it lands that the same blank line, the one asking who to call, is going to come back from a hospital admissions desk instead of an insurer, and there is no enrollment window for that one. Buy them together and the answer is already written down before anyone asks. Every figure in both books, from the subsidy rules to what long-term care actually costs, is cited to a named primary source rather than to a blog post.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTwo books, and the decade each one covers\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eYour coverage options\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Marketplace, plan by plan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCOBRA — when it's worth it\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBridging gaps and short-term traps\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe 2026 subsidy rules\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow premium tax credits work now\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhere the income cliffs sit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat changed for 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe MAGI control game\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat counts toward your income\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLevers you actually control\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA fill-in Solo MAGI worksheet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSix worked case studies\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReal solo-retiree scenarios\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe math, step by step\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhat each one should do\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eYour timeline to 65\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA year-by-year plan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnrollment windows you can't miss\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe handoff to Medicare\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eBuilt for a household of one\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo spouse's plan assumed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne income, one decision-maker\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWritten to you, not a family\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eYour care network\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour chosen \"who's my person\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExactly how to ask — the script\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA roster, not a single soulmate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe legal scaffolding\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHealthcare proxy \u0026amp; HIPAA authorization\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDurable power of attorney\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWill, trust \u0026amp; no default next-of-kin\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eWho decides if you can't\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAgents, backups \u0026amp; professional fiduciaries\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGuardianship you choose vs. one imposed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSSA advance designation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eFunding a solo old age\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLong-term-care costs \u0026amp; insurance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMedicaid, spend-down \u0026amp; the single math\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMedicare is not long-term care\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eHousing while you still choose\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAge in place vs. move on your terms\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCCRCs, the Village movement, co-housing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePACE and the isolation risk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe human side\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeing your own health advocate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesigning connection on purpose\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCognitive decline \u0026amp; final wishes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions people ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat's actually in the bundle?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBoth paperbacks, shipped together in one parcel: Health Insurance for the Early Retiree (72 pages, 5.5x8.5) and Solo Aging (146 pages, 5.5x8.5). They are the same editions sold separately — nothing is abridged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy buy the pair instead of one?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBecause they cover consecutive decades of the same problem. The insurance book gets you to 65 without overpaying; Solo Aging is what you need from 65 on, when the question is who has legal authority to act for you. Most people buy one and come back for the other, and the pair costs less than the two bought apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhich one should I read first?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhichever has a date attached. If you have resigned, or your COBRA election window is open, or open enrollment closes this month, read the insurance book tonight — that one is time-boxed and the others aren't. If nothing is pending, start with Solo Aging, because naming a healthcare agent takes an afternoon and can't be done retroactively.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eI'm already on Medicare. Is half of this wasted?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHalf of it, yes, and we would rather say so than take the full sale. Health Insurance for the Early Retiree is written for the years before 65 and it hands off to Medicare at the end; if you're already enrolled, that book is behind you. Solo Aging is the one that still earns its place, and it is sold separately.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo I have to be single for these to apply?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, but they assume you are planning as one. Both are written for a household of one: one income, one decision-maker, no spouse's group plan in the comparison and no adult child listed as the default next-of-kin. Married readers with no children still get most of it, particularly the chapters on backups and on who decides when the person you named is the one in the bed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the insurance book work with your free calculator?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, and they're built to be used together. The free Health Insurance \u0026amp; ACA Subsidy Calculator on our site runs your own numbers — COBRA against a Marketplace plan, year by year to Medicare, with the subsidy rules and the income cliff built in. The book is what explains the answer it gives you and what to do about it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow is this different from the End of Life Planner?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Planner is a fill-in book: blank lines for your accounts, your documents and your wishes. These two are the reasoning behind what goes on those lines, for someone with nobody obvious to hand it to. Plenty of solo readers own all three, and if you buy only one of the three, make it the one matching what is happening this month.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow fast does it arrive?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBoth books are printed to order and posted together in one parcel. Free US shipping, and delivery runs about two weeks. There is no rush tier, because the printer sets that schedule and not us — we would rather give you the real date than sell you a faster one we don't control.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe years to 65 costed out, and the years after that decided in writing while it's still your call. Two paperbacks, one parcel, free US shipping. Read the one with a date on it first — the other keeps.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Retirement In Order","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44311855235175,"sku":"n4nenn","price":44.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0680\/7312\/8039\/files\/the-solo-series-thumb_761aa02b-5c15-423f-9475-80f9e3ccf678.png?v=1785546729"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.retirementinorder.com\/collections\/money-security.oembed","provider":"Retirement In Order","version":"1.0","type":"link"}