Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, March 27, 2021

MVNews this week:  Page 10

Mountain View News Saturday, March 27, 2021 10 Mountain View News Saturday, March 27, 2021 10 
HOW TO SEARCH FOR SENIOR DISCOUNTS IN 2021 

Dear Savvy Senior:
I just turned 60 and would like to find out the best way 
to go about locating senior discounts. Looking to Save 

Dear Looking:
One of the best, yet underutilized perks of growing 
older in the United States is the many discounts that 
are available to older adults. 
There are literally thousands of discounts on a wide variety of products and services including restaurants, 
grocery stores, travel and lodging, entertainment, retail and apparel, health and beauty, 
automotive services and much more. These discounts – typically ranging between 5 and 25 percent 
off – can add up to save you hundreds of dollars each year. 


So, if you don’t mind admitting your age, here are some tips and tools to help you find the discounts 
you may be eligible for. 

Ask! 
The first thing to know is that most businesses don’t advertise them, but many give senior discounts 
just for the asking, so don’t be shy. 

You also need to know that while some discounts are available as soon as you turn 50, most don’t kick 
in until you turn 55, 60, 62 or 65. 

Search Online 
Because senior discounts frequently change and can vary depending on where you live and the time 
of the year, the internet is the easiest way to locate them. 

A good place to start is at TheSeniorList.com (click on the “Senior Discounts” tab), which provides 
a large list of discounts in categories, i.e., restaurant dining, grocery stores, retail stores, prescription 
medications, travel discounts and more. 

You can also search for discounts by provider. Go to a search engine like Google and Yahoo and 
type in the business or organization you’re curious about, followed by “senior discount” or “senior 
discount tickets.” 

If you use a smartphone, there are also apps you can use like the “Senior Discounts & Coupons” app 
(available on the App Store and Google Play), which categorizes discounts by age and type. 

Join a Club 
Another good avenue to senior discounts is through membership organizations like AARP, which 
offers its members age 50 and older a wide variety of discounts through affiliate businesses (see AARPdiscounts.
com). 

If, however, you don’t like or agree with AARP, there are other organizations you can join that also 
provide discounts like the American Seniors Association (AmericanSeniors.org), the American Automobile 
Association (AAA.com), or for retired federal workers, the National Active and Retired 
Federal Employees Association (NARFE.org). 

Types of DiscountsHere’s an abbreviated rundown of some of the different types of discounts you can expect to find. 

Restaurants: Senior discounts are common at restaurants and fast-food establishments – like Applebee’s, 
Arby’s, Burger King, Chili’s, Denny’s and IHOP – ranging from free/discounted drinks, to discounts 
off your total order. 

Retailers: Many thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army, and certain retailers like TJ Maxx, 
Banana Republic, Kohl’s, Michaels, Ross and Walgreens stores offer a break to seniors on certain days 
of the week. 

Grocery stores: Many locally owned grocery stores offer senior discount programs, as do some chains 
like BI-LO, Piggly-Wiggly, Fry’s Food Stores, New Seasons, Fred Meyer, and Hy-Vee, which offer 
discounts on certain days of the week, but they vary by location. 

Travel: American, United and Southwest Airlines provide limited senior fares in the U.S. to passengers 
65 and older, while British Airlines offers AARP members discounts of up to $200. Amtrak provides 
a 15 percent discount to travelers over 62. Most car rental companies give discounts to 50-plus 
customers or those who belong to organizations like AARP. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity 
and Carnival cruise lines offer discount rates to cruisers 55 and over. And, most hotels offer senior 
discounts, usually ranging from 10 to 20 percent. 

Entertainment: Most movie theaters, museums, golf courses, ski slopes and other public entertainment 
venues provide reduced admission to seniors over 60 or 65. And the National Park Service 
offers a lifetime senior pass for those 62 and older for $80 (see nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm). 

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.
org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. 

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett 


WAYS TO SAVE BIG MONEY ON YOUR 2020 
TAXES—PART 1 

2020 was such a tough 

much or too little. But there’s good news—even if your 
year in so many ways 

financial situation has improved since 2018 or 2019 
for so many families. 

and you received too much stimulus money based on 
But thanks to recent 

your 2020 income, you get to keep the overage. 

legislation, you could 

see a silver lining in 

2. Unemployment Benefits 
the form of major tax 
When the pandemic stalled out the economy, many 

breaks when filing 

Americans lost their jobs and were forced to rely on 
your income taxes 

unemployment insurance to pay the bills. That said, 
this spring. First up, although it’s technically not a tax 

unemployment benefits are generally taxable, so if 
break, the IRS announced that the deadline for filing 

you took them, without having taxes automatically 
your 2020 federal income taxes has been pushed back 

deducted, you were looking at having to pay income 
from April 15 to May 17, 2021, which gives you an 

taxes on that money when you file your 2020 return. 
extra month to get your tax return handled. 

However, taxpayers who received unemployment 
The postponement applies to individual taxpayers, 

benefits in 2020 were provided with significant relief 
including those who pay self-employment taxes. But 

with the passage of President Biden’s American 
the extension does not apply to first-quarter 2021 

Rescue Plan (ARP). Under the ARP, the first $10,200 
estimated tax payments that many small business 

of your 2020 unemployment benefits are tax-free if 
owners file. So if you file quarterly taxes, contact 

your annual household income is less than $150,000. 
your tax advisor now if you haven’t already done so. 

The ARP doesn’t provide a different threshold for 

single and joint filers, so both spouses are entitled 
Additionally, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and 

to the $10,200 tax break, for a potential total of 
Economic Security (CARES) Act passed in March 

$20,400, if both spouses received the benefits. 
2020 provides individual taxpayers with several 
hefty tax-saving opportunities, many of which are 

Note that if your unemployment benefits exceed 
only available this year. What’s more, President 

$10,200 in 2020, you’ll need to report the excess as 
Biden’s new relief package, known as the American 

taxable income and pay taxes on the amount over the 
Rescue Plan (ARP), which went into effect in March 

limit. And if your household income is over $150,000, 
2021, not only offers additional stimulus payments 

you’ll need to pay taxes on all of your unemployment 
to most Americans, but it also includes significant 

benefits just like you would before the passage of the 
tax relief for those taxpayers who lost their job and 

ARP. 
had to rely on unemployment benefits in 2020. 

3. Waived RMDs 
While there are dozens of potential tax breaks available 
You are typically required to take an annual required 
for 2020, here are three of the leading ways you can 

minimum distribution (RMD) from your IRA, 401(k), 
save big money on your 2020 tax return. 

or other tax-deferred retirement account starting 

in the year when you turn 72, but the CARES Act 

1. Stimulus Payments 
temporarily waived the RMD requirement for 2020. 
As part of the CARES Act, millions of Americans 

The waiver also applies if you reached age 70½ in 
received stimulus checks in 2020, and those payments 

2019, but waited to take your first RMD until 2020, as 
were an advance refundable tax credit on your 2020 

allowed under the SECURE Act. 
taxes. This means that no matter how much you owe 
(or get back) on your 2020 taxes, you get to keep all of 

RMDs generally count as taxable income, so taking this 
the stimulus money and won’t have to pay any taxes 

waiver means that you may have lower taxable income 
on it. 

in 2020 and therefore owe less income taxes for 2020. 

Because the IRS didn’t have everyone’s 2020 tax 

However, there are several factors to consider, including 
returns when they issued the stimulus checks, they 

the state of the market and your living expenses, when 
based the stimulus payments on your 2018 or 2019 

deciding whether or not to waive your RMDs. Given 
returns, whichever one you had most recently filed. 

this, consult with your tax professional before making 
Using data from those years, the stimulus payments 

your final decision. 
from 2020 phased out at an adjusted gross income 
(AGI) of $75,000 to $99,000 for singles and at 

Next week, in part two of this series, we’ll cover a few 
$150,000 to $198,000 for married couples filing jointly. 

additional ways you can save big money on your 2020 

tax bill. 
Given that the stimulus payments were based on your 
AGI for 2018 or 2019 but technically apply to your 2020 
AGI, you may find that your payment was either too 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …MARCH Birthdays* 


Cathy Flammer, Clare Marquardt, Karen Blachly, Carla Duplex, Ella Guttman, 
Viky Tchatlian, Mary Cooper, Sun Liu, Helen Wallis, Joan Crow, Nancy Fox, 
Martha Cassara, Rita Johnson, Mercedes Campos, Dorothy Webster,Terri Elder, 
Carol Cerrina, Amy Putnam, Sally Contreras

* To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 
626.355.2737. YEAR of birth not required 
SENIOR ACTIVITIES IN SIERRA MADRE 

CHAIR YOGA Every Monday and Wednesday, 10-10:45 am Chair yoga with Paul is coming back! Class will 
begin on Monday, August 10th and will be held in the Covered Pavilion in Memorial Park in front of the Senior 
Center. Please join us for some gentle stretching, yoga, balance exercise and overall relaxa-tion. Class size is limited 
so please call 264-8923 to reserve your spot. 

HAWAIIAN AND POLYNESIAN DANCE CLASS Every Friday, 10-10:45 am Class will also meet in the Covered 
Pavilion in Memorial Park in front of the Senior Center. Join the class with instructor Barbara as she leads 
you through the art of Hula. Please call 264-8923 with any questions. 
Classes will maintain a distance of 6 ft between participants. ALL participants must be wearing masks for the 
duration of the class. All equipment used will be sanitized after each use before it is stored. Each participant is 
responsible for providing their own water, masks and needed equipment or sup-plies for each class. Please call the 
Community Services Department at 355-5278 with any questions or concerns. 

OCTOBER CRAFT 

Wednesday, October 21, 11:00 am. Please join me as we try our hands at making Wooden Owl Orna-ments. This 
will be a new type of program as we create our masterpieces via Zoom to ensure all of our safety. I will have all the 
supplies individually packaged and ready for pickup on Monday, October 19th pickup will be between 10:00 am


2:00 pm. I will have enough supplies for 10 participants. Reservations are required so please call 355-5278 x 704 
to secure your spot. Please note that this is an ONLINE class that will be held via Zoom. We will not be meeting 
in the Hart Park House Senior Center. 
IDEAS

 Do you have any ideas for programming? Is there a class or club you would like to see in our Senior Community? 
Please call or email Lawren Heinz with ideas or questions. 626-355-5278 x 704 lheinz@cityofsierramadre.com

 City staff are monitoring email communication daily, and although employees are minimizing direct engagement 
and interfacing less with the community, please note that voice messages, emails, and social media responses are 
being addressed in the most efficient and timely manner. If at any time additional information is needed, please 
contact City Hall Administrative Services at (626) 355-7135, Monday-Thursday from 7:30a – 5:30p, as they are 
taking messages and e-mailing the appropriate per-son. For messages that may trickle in otherwise, please note 
our team is remotely checking voicemail daily at the Community Services Department, (626) 355-5278 x702. 

SIERRA MADRE SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 
The City of Sierra Madre is following these procedures to provide current communication in light of COVID-19 
and keep the Senior Community and families informed of essential information and resources. City staff are 
monitoring email communication daily, and although employees are minimizing direct engagement and practicing 
social distancing in the community, please note that voice messages, emails, and social media responses are 
being addressed in the most efficient and timely manner.
If at any moment additional information is needed, please contact City Hall Administrative Services at (626) 3557135, 
Monday-Thursday from 7:30a – 5:30p, as they are taking messages and e-mailing the appropriate person.

For messages that may trickle in otherwise, please note our team is remotely checking voicemail daily at the 
Community Services Department, (626) 355-5278 x702.

Community Services Department will continue email communication with Senior residents and aging community 
members.

If you know of family members or neighbors who may benefit from accessing information electronically, and 
to receive the department’s Seniors Newsletter via email but may not otherwise have been included on an email 
group list, please send your request with email address to the following team members: Lawren Heinz Lheinz@ 
cityofsierramadre.com and Clarissa Lowe Clowe@cityofsierramadre.com.

City Social Media will continue via Facebook as well as Instagram, and information sharing will include updates 
as details becomes available. 

Mater Dolorosa - Sierra Madre Meal Pick-Up Program provides seal-packaged frozen meals, 5-per person 
every Thursday, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. at Hart Park House Senior Center 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Donations 
are accepted. Call (626) 355-5278; x702 or 704. YWCA Intervale Meal Program - Effective 
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 

YWCA has transitioned their distribution of take home meals at the Sierra Madre Hart Park House 
Senior Center to a home-delivery meal program. Participants previously reserved for meal pick-up 
as of Wednesday, 3/25/20 were informed that they would begin to have their meals delivered to their 
homes, beginning Wednesday, April 1, 2020 until further notice. 


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

ANTS,ANTS, ANTS, WHERE'S THE UNCLES? 

I have learned in my life that 

liberty to reveal that person's name. 
the small things are the ones 

I never encountered any problem those three days 
that get you down. 

and enjoyed myself; at least, I thought I was en-
You would think the big things 

joying myself. 
are the ones to steal most of your time. But those 

My wife came home on a Thursday, and that night 
big things call at-tention to themselves from the 

we went to bed, and early the following morn-ing, 
very beginning. You know they're there, you know 

as I was shaving, I heard a loud voice coming from 
you have to do something about it, and so you do. 

the kitchen area. 
The little things in life, usually unnoticed and ig


"What are you doing in here?" 
nored, cause most of the problems. 

I almost cut myself shaving, thinking we had an 
Everybody has their definition of what a "small 

intruder, and I better get out there to see what's 
problem" really is. 

happening. 
A small problem for me is finding the pen I need 

When I got to the kitchen my wife was at the door, 
for a particular project. I have a different pen for 

looking down with some can of spray in her hand, 
each project, and I don't like to mix them up. 

yelling, "Get out of here and never come back." 
Someone in the family thinks it's crazy for me 

I did not know what she was talking about or who 
to have that kind of a problem. But everybody is 

she was talking to. As I got closer, I looked down 
crazy in some way. 

at the floor, and much to my surprise, there was a 
Another small problem for me would be finding 

whole colony of ants that had invaded her kitchthe 
right book to do some research for the day. Be


en. I have never seen so many ants in all my life. 
lieve me, that small problem can become a huge 

I was afraid to ask what I could do because she 
problem towards the end of the day. 

probably would've told me. 
But then there is the Gracious Mistress of the 

I try supporting her for the next hour as she was 
Parsonage. 

getting those ants out of her kitchen. Most of them 
She never met a problem she can't fix and fix right 

did not survive. When she was done, I thought that 
away. No problem, in her mind, goes without be-

would be over, and we could get on with our life. 
ing fixed right now. 

After all, an ant is a tiny thing and, to my mind, 
Sometime this year, we will be celebrating our 

easily disposed. 
50th wedding anniversary. For 50 years, I have 

By afternoon, I had forgotten all about that morn-
lived with her, and I have learned some things 

ing incident. 
about her. 

We went to bed that night, as usual, thinking ev-
For example, when something isn't working right, 

erything was okay. 
she stops whatever she is doing and fixes it, and if 

The following morning as I was in the bathroom 
it can't be fixed, then it really isn't broken. 

shaving, I again heard her screaming, "You're not 
This is quite different from me. There is nothing I 

back again, are you?" 
can fix. If it isn't broken, I can't even fix it. That's 

I had forgotten about yesterday, so I ran out to the 
why we make an excellent team. 

kitchen to see what was going on in the world. 
There is nothing I can't break and there is nothing 

There at the door, my wife was looking down and 
she can't fix. What a team we make. 

yelling and spraying something, and I noticed it 
There is nothing too big that she cannot fix and fix 

was the ants again. 
right away. I've always appreciated that, and I can't 

"I told you not to come back again!" 
imagine how much money we have saved by not 

They were back again, and for the next few days, 
hiring fix-it people to come and fix some-thing. 

they returned every morning. Eventually, my wife 
The truth be known, I never noticed anything is 

had her way, and the ants disappeared. I have no 
broken until after my wife fixes it. What would our 

idea where they went, but I'm hoping they don't 
home be if she wasn't around? 

come back again, or they will be in real trouble. 
But then recently I discovered something new 

During the day, I happened to think of the Bible 
about her. 

verse that said, "The ants are a people not strong, 
My wife and her daughter and granddaughter 

yet they prepare their meat in the summer" (Provspent 
three days doing some thrift store shopping 

erbs 30:25).
in St. Augustine. That meant I was in charge of the 

Ants are so little, and yet they can create such a 
house for three days. I still don't understand why 

big problem if not taken care of. Where are the 
she left me in charge for that long of a period, but 

uncles? 
I don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Anyway, I was in charge, and I tried to be as care-

Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God 
ful as possible, so I wouldn't get into any trouble. 

Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472. 
However, someone in the house dropped some cat 
food by the door as they fed the cats. I'm not at 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 
Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com