Senior News Line: Are you getting all your benefits?

You might be eligible for benefits you don't even know about. The National Council on Aging has a website that identifies benefits such as getting help paying for prescription medicine, utilities, winterizing, food, health care, transportation and much more.

Go online to BenefitsCheckUp.org and complete its questionnaire. There are two ways to do this: If you click “Can I Get Help?” you'll be asked four simple questions — your ZIP code, monthly income, month and year of birth, and what kind of assistance you're looking for. Start with this short questionnaire and see if the results get you the information you need. If not, go to the more-comprehensive questionnaire.

For the full benefits checkup, click on “Find Help.” The questions are much more detailed and a bit intrusive, including questions about whether you're a veteran, what kind of assistance you already receive, what medical conditions you have, what assets you have and more. However, if you need a full range of help, this questionnaire might be your best bet.

The results you get will consist of links to other sites that can answer your questions. For example, if you want to know about home delivery of meals, you'll be directed to your local food-distribution source, perhaps an organization that creates and delivers meals. If you need help paying utilities or having your home winterized, the links will take you to the right places to get that information. If you need help paying property taxes, you'll be directed to your state's homeowner assistance site.

The top of the BenefitsCheckUp website says they've helped over 5 million people find $17 billion worth of benefits. Maybe you're eligible for some of those? If you're about to retire on a limited income, know in advance some of the possible assistance available.

Medicare: Start early to get the facts

When it's time to sign up for Medicare, we're advised to start three months in advance. That three months might not be enough time to get all the information you need. Your enrollment period is three months before and three months after the month you turn age 65.

Start by going online to www.medicare.gov and look at the drop-down menus under “What Medicare Covers” and “Your Medicare Costs.”

One thing to consider (and it takes the most time) is whether you need a Medicare Advantage Plan, and whether it should be an HMO or a PPO, or possibly a Private Fee-for-Service or Special Needs Plan.

Go online to the Advantage Plan search and put in your ZIP code. Enter the names of the drugs you take, plus your pharmacy. Review the plans that are available in your area and look for the five-star plans.

Here are some questions to consider: Will you get to stay with your own doctor? Will you have Plan D drug coverage, and does it cover the drugs you need? Does the plan have extras, like dental, hearing and vision coverage? Are you covered if you travel or if you get out-of-network care?

And the big question: How much will it cost? Don't just look at the monthly premiums, but also review the extras, such as office-visit charges and co-pays, as well as hospital-stay coverage.

Start your search early for Medicare information and what plans are right for you. It might take longer than you think.

If you don't enroll when you're eligible, your monthly premium could go up as much as 10 percent as a penalty for each year you weren't enrolled.

Eight tips to avoid identity theft

Seniors are as much at risk of identity theft as the millions of other people whose information is compromised every year. However, there are ways to reduce your risk of becoming a victim. Here are some suggestions:

• Shred anything that comes in the mail that has your name on it (including the envelopes) as well as bank statements, tax returns, old medical information, credit-card offers ... anything someone can use to tie your name to your address.

• If you don't have a shredder, make some calls. Many senior centers and banks now have a shredding day twice a year where a company is hired to destroy documents right there in the parking lot. Find out if there's one near you.

• If you have an electronic device that requires a password, be sure the password contains at least one number and symbol, more if possible.

• Send for your free credit report. You get one free report a year from TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. Order one every four months, alternating between the three providers. Go over the reports carefully, especially the parts about accounts, addresses and names used. Take a look at annualcreditreport.com for more information.

• Don't open emails from people you don't know. Period. Just don't open them. Delete them immediately.

• If a caller says you've won a prize but needs you to wire money for fees, hang up.

• Leave your Medicare card at home, as well as your Social Security card.

• Don't give personal information to anyone who calls you. You really don't know who's on the other end of the phone.

• Go over your bank and credit-card statements every month to be sure you recognize every transaction.

If you know a senior who might be in danger of having his or her identity stolen, take this column and have a conversation about steps to take to be safe.

(c) 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.