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It’s not too late to make the most of Costco bargains. The trick is only getting what you’ll actually need. Stocking up on essentials and some nice-to-haves is smart ahead of the summer heat kicking in, and will save you unnecessary trips to the grocery store.

Costco is useful here because the right bulk buy can cover weeks or months, especially on items seniors already use often: pharmacy basics, paper goods, pantry protein, hydration, and summer care. Prices are accurate at the time of publishing but may vary by warehouse, ZIP code, or sell out quickly.

Neutrogena Beach Defense sunscreen

Sunscreen is one of those things that disappears right when you need it, usually after someone leaves a half-empty can in a hot car. This Neutrogena Beach Defense pack includes two spray bottles, and it is currently $14.74 after $4 off.

That is a practical buy before July if you spend time walking, gardening, sitting through kids’ sports, or heading to the pool with family. The spray format is easier for shoulders, legs, and backs than rubbing in lotion, though you still need to use enough. This is a good stock-up only if sunscreen is already part of your routine.

Kirkland Signature purified drinking water

A 40-count case of Kirkland Signature purified water is $4.53, which comes out to about 11 cents per bottle. That is hard to beat if you need easy backup water for car trips, medication schedules, visitors, or hot days.

This does not replace a reusable bottle for everyday use, but it is useful to have on hand before peak summer. Seniors who live alone may also like having a case set aside for storms or power outages. The main downside is weight, so this is one to buy when someone can help carry it in.

Kirkland Signature hearing aid batteries

Hearing aid batteries are small, easy to forget, and not fun to buy at drugstore prices. Costco has Kirkland Signature hearing aid batteries in common sizes, with the size 312 pack at $9.07 for 48 batteries.

That is about 19 cents per battery, which is exactly the kind of bulk math Costco is good at. If you or someone in your house uses hearing aids daily, running out is not a minor inconvenience. Check the battery size before buying, since grabbing the wrong pack is a very expensive form of being organized.

Kirkland Signature mature multivitamins

Kirkland Signature Adults Mature Multi comes in a 400-tablet bottle for $14.74. For seniors who already take a daily multivitamin, that is a long supply for less than many smaller bottles cost at a pharmacy.

This is not a reason to start a supplement you do not need. It is a budget move if your doctor has already cleared it and you are tired of paying more for smaller counts. The large bottle also means fewer refill trips, which matters when you are trying to combine errands instead of living in the checkout line.

Kirkland Signature vitamin D softgels

The Kirkland Signature vitamin D bottle has 600 softgels and costs $11.91. That breaks down to about two cents per softgel, which is low for a supplement many older adults are told to keep on hand.

The value is strongest for people who already take vitamin D daily and know they will use the bottle before it expires. It is small enough to store easily, unlike some Costco buys that need their own closet. Check dosage with your doctor or pharmacist, especially if you take other supplements.

Kirkland Signature calcium citrate with magnesium and zinc

This Kirkland Signature calcium citrate, magnesium, and zinc bottle has 500 tablets for $13.61. For shoppers who already buy calcium supplements, the price per tablet is much easier to live with than smaller drugstore bottles.

The practical angle is simple: bone-support supplements are often a steady monthly cost for seniors, and steady costs are where bulk buying can help. This is not a casual add-to-cart item, though. Calcium can interact with some medications and may not be right for everyone, so this one belongs in the cart only if it fits your current health plan.

Kirkland Signature acetaminophen

Kirkland Signature Extra Strength Acetaminophen comes in two 500-count bottles, 1,000 caplets total, for $11.34. That is the kind of price that makes name-brand pain reliever look a little rude.

For seniors who keep acetaminophen on hand for headaches, fever, or occasional aches, this is a strong stock-up. The two-bottle setup also makes it easy to keep one upstairs and one in the main medicine cabinet. Watch expiration dates and dosing, and ask a pharmacist first if you take other medications or have liver concerns.

Kirkland Signature allergy spray

Summer allergies can make a cheap walk outside feel like a bad decision. Kirkland Signature Aller-Flo has five bottles with 720 total metered sprays for $22.69.

The value is strong because it compares to Flonase’s active ingredient, but costs far less per spray than many name-brand packs. This is useful for seniors who already use nasal allergy spray through summer and do not want to rebuy every few weeks. It is also FSA and HSA eligible, which helps if you are trying to use those funds on things you actually need.

Refresh lubricant eye drops

Dry eyes can flare up with air conditioning, allergy season, screen time, and travel. Refresh Tears Lubricant Eye Drops are $20.99 after $4.50 off, with multiple bottles in the pack.

This is a sensible buy for seniors who already use artificial tears and want spares in a purse, car, nightstand, or travel bag. Single small bottles from a drugstore can add up fast. Just make sure you buy the type your eye doctor recommends, especially if you wear contacts or use prescription eye drops.

Ensure Original nutrition shakes

Ensure Original Nutrition Shakes are $42.55 for a 30-count pack. That works out to about $1.42 per bottle, which is lower than buying a few at a time at many grocery or drugstores.

These make sense for seniors who already use nutrition shakes as a snack, small meal backup, or part of a doctor-recommended plan. They are also handy during hot weather when cooking feels like too much effort. This is not a cheap drink for everyone, but it is a useful stock-up if it keeps you from skipping meals or ordering takeout.

Poise advanced absorbency pads

Incontinence products are expensive, and nobody wants to make a special trip for them. Poise Advanced Ultimate Absorbency Long Pads are $37.44 after $10 off for a 108-count pack.

That is about 35 cents per pad, and the bulk pack is useful if this is already part of your monthly budget. It also ships discreetly through Costco’s same-day listing, which some shoppers may appreciate. This is not a glamorous Costco buy, but saving on a recurring personal care item is more useful than saving a few dollars on something you will not use.

Ultra Strength Bengay topical pain cream

Ultra Strength Bengay comes in two 4-ounce tubes for $9.07 after $3 off. It is a low-cost way to keep topical pain relief around for sore backs, knees, shoulders, or hands.

For seniors who already use rub-on pain relief, this is cheaper than grabbing one small tube at the pharmacy after something starts hurting. Keeping one tube in the bathroom and one near your favorite chair is not fancy, but it is convenient. Read the label carefully, especially if you use other pain products or have sensitive skin.

Kirkland Signature bath tissue

Kirkland Signature Bath Tissue is $23.82 for 30 rolls, with 380 sheets per roll. It is one of the more boring Costco buys, which is exactly why it belongs in the cart.

For seniors trying to limit errand runs, paper goods are worth buying ahead when the price is right and storage space allows. This pack is large, so apartment dwellers may want to split it with family or a neighbor. Still, running out of toilet paper is not the kind of excitement anyone needs in July.

Kirkland Signature paper towels

The Kirkland Signature Paper Towels pack has 12 rolls and costs $23.60. Each roll has create-a-size sheets, which helps stretch the pack when you only need a small piece.

This is a useful stock-up for seniors who clean often, host family, care for pets, or want fewer heavy paper-good trips. Paper towels are not always the cheapest cleaning option, but a bulk pack can prevent emergency convenience-store buys. If storage is tight, tuck a few rolls in different cabinets instead of trying to make one giant package fit where it clearly does not want to.

Kirkland Signature powder laundry detergent

Kirkland Signature Powder Laundry Detergent covers 200 loads for $22.69. That is about 11 cents per load, which is a strong price if you do laundry at home.

The catch is the container. It is big and heavy, so this only makes sense if you can store it safely and pour from it without wrestling the whole box every wash day. For seniors who do regular laundry for themselves, a spouse, or visiting family, this is one of those buys that quietly saves money for months.

Kirkland Signature kitchen trash bags

Kirkland Signature Flex-Tech kitchen trash bags are $21.55 for 200 bags. That comes out to about 11 cents each, and the box lasts a long time in a one- or two-person household.

This is a practical stock-up because trash bags are annoying to overpay for. They do not expire, they are easy to store, and they are used in every home. Seniors who host summer visitors or have caregivers coming in and out may go through more than usual, so buying ahead before July is not a bad move.

Kirkland Signature dishwasher detergent pacs

Kirkland Signature UltraShine dishwasher pacs are $13.61 for 115 pacs. That is about 12 cents per load, which is much better than buying small bags at the grocery store.

This buy is best for seniors who run the dishwasher regularly and want a simple pac instead of measuring liquid or powder. It also helps during summer visits, when every cup in the house somehow gets used by noon. Skip it if you live alone and rarely run full loads, because even a good unit price is not useful if it sits forever.

Kirkland Signature canned chicken breast

Kirkland Signature canned chicken breast is $14.29 for six 12.5-ounce cans. It is packed in water and gives you shelf-stable protein for quick lunches or low-effort dinners.

This is a smart pantry buy for seniors who do not always want to cook raw meat, especially in summer heat. Use it for chicken salad, soup, casseroles, wraps, or a fast protein boost with crackers and fruit. The cans are heavier than they look, but they are much easier to manage than cooking a whole batch of chicken from scratch.

Kirkland Signature albacore tuna

Kirkland Signature albacore tuna is $20.42 for eight 7-ounce cans. Each can has 42 grams of protein, making it useful for simple meals that do not require much prep.

Tuna is one of the better emergency pantry staples because it works in sandwiches, salads, pasta, or straight out of the can if the day has gone that far. Seniors who live alone may appreciate having a protein option that does not spoil in the fridge. If sodium or mercury intake is a concern, check with your doctor and rotate it with other proteins.

Quaker old fashioned oats

Quaker Old Fashioned Rolled Oats are $8.96 for a 10-pound package. That is a lot of breakfasts for under $10, especially if you add fruit, nuts, peanut butter, or cinnamon instead of buying boxed cereal every week.

Oats are also useful beyond breakfast. They work in meatloaf, muffins, cookies, and simple overnight oats when cooking feels like too much. For seniors on a fixed grocery budget, this is one of the better pantry staples because it is cheap per serving, shelf-stable, and easy to portion.

Kirkland Signature organic extra virgin olive oil

Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is $19.17 for a 2-liter bottle. Olive oil has gotten painfully expensive in regular grocery stores, so this is a useful stock-up if you cook at home often.

The bottle is large, which is good for price but less good for small hands or tight cabinets. Seniors may want to pour some into a smaller bottle for daily use and store the big one away from heat and light. Used for vegetables, eggs, pasta, marinades, and simple dressings, it can help keep meals at home from feeling like punishment.

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The best Dollar Tree summer buys are not the cute ones. They are the things you do not want to pay $6 for somewhere else: sunscreen for the car, a grill brush, freezer pops, matches, paper plates, and a cheap towel that can disappear at camp without ruining your week.

Dollar Tree is best for the small stuff that gets used hard, lost fast, or needed at the last minute. Think backyard toys, grill supplies, travel bottles, paper goods, freezer pops, and a few first-aid basics you will be glad you bought before the bug bites start . Now is the right time to grab those basics because the useful seasonal stuff goes first. The goal is not to fill a cart with junk. It is to pick up the small things that will actually get used before you are paying convenience-store prices on the way to the pool, cookout, park, or beach.

Prices are accurate at the time of publishing but may vary by store or sell out quickly.

Kids sunscreen lotion

This small tube of kids SPF lotion is a smart glove box, pool bag, or camp backpack buy. It is not the size you want for a full family beach day, but for the “we forgot sunscreen” moment, it earns its place.

At $1.25, it costs less than grabbing a last-minute tube near the register at a drugstore. Parents, grandparents, and anyone who keeps a summer emergency bag in the car can use this.

Blistex lip balm with sun protection

Lips get ignored until they are cracked, burned, and making every cold drink feel rude. This Blistex balm has SPF protection and is small enough to keep in a beach tote, golf bag, purse, or tackle box.

For $1.50, it is a cheap add-on that can save you from buying a pricier lip product later. It is especially useful if your summer involves pools, yard work, walking, or watching kids play sports.

Anti-itch relief cream

Bug bites are part of summer, which is not a glowing endorsement of summer. This anti-itch cream is the kind of small first-aid item that makes sense to keep near the back door or packed with camping and park supplies.

At $1.25, it is cheaper to buy ahead than to make a separate store run when someone is already scratching. Use it as directed, and keep it with the bandages and sunscreen so you can actually find it.

Thera-Med ice bag

Summer comes with bumps, sprains, overheated afternoons, and kids who treat patios like obstacle courses. These ice bags are useful for home first-aid kits, coolers, sports bags, and road trips.

The pack is $1.25, which is low enough to buy one for the house and one for the car. It is not exciting, but neither is paying more for a basic cold pack after someone twists an ankle.

Squeeze tube travel bottle

Travel bottles are one of those things people always need after they have already packed. This squeeze tube is good for decanting shampoo, body wash, lotion, aloe, or face cleanser for weekend trips and camp bags.

At $1.25, it beats paying several dollars for a basic empty bottle at a travel aisle. It also helps you use products you already own instead of buying mini versions at marked-up prices.

Plastic tote bag with handle

A lightweight plastic tote is useful when summer life keeps moving between the car, pool, park, porch, and kitchen. Use it for wet sandals, snacks, water toys, library books, or the loose items that somehow breed in the back seat.

This one is $1.50, so it is cheap enough to dedicate to messy jobs. That matters if you do not want your good canvas bag smelling like sunscreen and damp towels by July.

Summer beach towel

A five-dollar beach towel will not feel like luxury resort linen, and that is fine. What you need in the summer is a spare towel for pool days, splash pads, camp, sleepovers, and the kid who swears they packed one.

This assorted summer towel is $5.00, which is a fair price for a backup towel you will not panic over if it gets left behind. Buy it for utility, not plushness.

Flip-top plastic water bottles

Reusable bottles disappear fast in summer. They get left at camp, forgotten at practice, and mysteriously lost in the house you just cleaned. This colorful flip-top bottle pack gives you extras without treating each bottle like fine china.

At $1.25, it is a strong buy for families, summer camps, and anyone trying to stop buying single drinks every time they leave home. Label them before they vanish.

Bagged ice

Buying a bag of ice is cheaper than replacing food that sat too warm in a cooler. It is also useful for cookouts, road trips, beach days, and keeping drinks cold when your refrigerator is already full.

This seven-pound bag is $2.00, which is reasonable for a quick cooler fill. It is a boring bargain, but boring is fine when it keeps lunch meat, fruit, and bottled water cold.

Kool Pops assorted freezer pops

Freezer pops are not dinner, and nobody needs to pretend they are. They are, however, one of the cheapest ways to hand out a cold treat after yard work, pool time, or a long afternoon with kids at home.

The assorted pack is $1.25 for 20 pops, which works out to pennies each. That is hard to beat when the alternative is an ice cream truck stop that turns into a financial event.

Crayola sidewalk chalk

Sidewalk chalk is still one of the better summer boredom fixes. It gets kids outside, does not require batteries, and washes away without turning your living room into a craft crime scene.

This Crayola pack is $1.25 for 18 pieces, which is low for a name-brand outdoor activity. It is a good pick for grandparents, babysitters, and parents who need a cheap porch or driveway option.

Bubble solution with wand

Bubbles are cheap entertainment for toddlers, preschoolers, and dogs with no sense of dignity. This large bottle comes with a wand, so you are not buying a separate bubble toy just to use it.

At $1.75, the 32-ounce size is a good value for backyard play dates and summer parties. Pour some into a smaller cup if you do not want the whole bottle dumped in one tragic second.

Splash-N-Swim water balls

Water balls are easier to deal with than filling and cleaning up piles of water balloons. These can be reused for pool games, backyard toss, and sprinkler days, which makes them a better buy if you hate picking tiny balloon pieces out of grass.

The six-count pack is $1.00, so it is cheap enough for a few kids to share. Keep them in a mesh bag or bucket so they do not end up scattered across the yard.

Pool noodle chair

A pool noodle chair is a small float-style item that gives kids or adults a way to lounge without buying a bulky inflatable. It is also easier to store than a giant pool float that somehow takes over the garage.

At $1.00, it is worth grabbing before pool stock thins out. This makes the most sense for households that already use pool noodles and want a low-cost extra for shallow, supervised pool time.

Inflatable globe

This inflatable globe is part toy, part sneaky learning tool. It can work as a beach ball, classroom activity, road trip distraction, or a way to keep younger kids busy without handing over a screen.

For $1.25, it is a decent summer buy for parents, teachers, and grandparents. It is light, cheap, and easy to pack flat, which is more than you can say for most toys.

Ball and bat set

A plastic ball and bat set is exactly the kind of outdoor toy that belongs at a dollar store. It gives kids something active to do without making you spend real baseball-equipment money on a backyard toy.

This set is $1.00, which is low enough for camp bags, park days, or a spare at a grandparent’s house. It is best for casual play, not a child preparing for the World Series in your driveway.

Badminton racket

Outdoor games get expensive fast when you buy full sets. A single budget badminton racket is useful if you need replacements, extras for kids, or a low-stakes way to see whether anyone in your house will actually play.

At $1.00, this is a practical summer grab. Pair it with what you already have, or buy a few for backyard use without worrying when one gets stepped on.

Colorful boomerangs

These plastic boomerangs give kids something to throw that is not rocks, which is already a win. They are simple outdoor toys for parks, yards, beach trips, and summer camp prize bins.

The three-count pack is $1.00, so you get more than one for less than the price of many single checkout-lane toys. They are also easy to tuck into a tote for a cheap activity outside.

Insect viewer toy

For kids who are curious about bugs, an insect viewer can turn a backyard into a mini science lesson. It is better than using your best food container, which should not have to recover from that experience.

This assorted viewer is $1.00, making it a low-risk buy for nature walks, camping, or summer learning at home. Just set clear rules about what comes inside the house.

Licensed diamond kite

A kite is a good beach, park, or open-field activity because it takes up very little room and keeps kids moving. This licensed diamond kite is light enough to pack without turning your trunk into a toy bin.

At $1.75, it is a cheap way to add one more outdoor option to a summer afternoon. It also makes sense for vacation houses where you do not want to leave expensive toys behind.

Light-up jump rope

A jump rope is one of the rare toys that works for exercise, recess, driveway play, and “please go outside for ten minutes.” The light-up feature adds some fun without turning it into an expensive electronic toy.

This one is $1.75, which is a reasonable price for summer movement that does not need an app, subscription, or charging cable. That alone feels refreshing.

Cooking Concepts grill brush

A dirty grill makes even cheap burgers feel like a mistake. This three-in-one grill brush is useful for scraping and cleaning grates before cookouts, especially if your current brush has seen several summers too many.

At $1.25, it is a small buy that helps protect more expensive food. Check the brush before each use and replace it if it starts shedding or looking rough.

Metal skewers

Reusable skewers are worth having if you grill vegetables, chicken, shrimp, fruit, or kabobs even a few times a summer. They also save you from buying disposable bamboo skewers again and again.

The four-count pack is $1.25, which is a strong value for a grilling tool you can wash and reuse. They are especially useful when you are stretching smaller amounts of meat with vegetables.

Diamond kitchen matches

Matches are easy to forget until you need to light a grill, candle, fire pit, or camping stove. This large box gives you plenty without paying convenience-store prices right before a cookout.

At $1.25 for 300 matches, it is one of the better practical buys on the shelf. Store them safely and keep them dry, because a damp matchbox is just cardboard with broken dreams.

Grill drip pans

Drip pans are not fun to buy, but they help keep grilling cleanup under control. They catch grease, help with indirect cooking, and save you from scrubbing more than necessary after dinner.

This three-count pack is $1.75, which is a good price for a seasonal supply that gets used and tossed. If you grill often, grab these before you are stuck paying more elsewhere mid-summer.

Kraft barbecue sauce

Brand-name barbecue sauce for close to a dollar is worth noticing right now. It works for burgers, chicken, pulled pork, meatballs, and quick weeknight dinners when you do not want to build flavor from scratch.

The 18-ounce bottle is $1.25, which is useful if you are feeding people outside more often. It helps stretch cheaper cuts of meat and leftovers without turning dinner into a project.

Paper plates

Paper plates are not glamorous, but they are practical when you are feeding people outside, sending snacks to camp, or trying to avoid running the dishwasher twice in one night. Summer has enough dishes already.

This 40-count pack is $1.25, which is a useful price for cookouts, picnics, and kid-heavy weekends. Keep a pack tucked away so you are not paying more right before guests arrive.

Seasonal lunch napkins

Napkins are one of those small party supplies people overpay for because they buy them at the last minute. These seasonal lunch napkins work for backyard meals, birthday cake, pool snacks, and Fourth of July prep.

The 30-count pack is $1.75, which is reasonable if you are already pulling together summer hosting supplies. They are a better buy than themed party-store napkins that cost several times more.

Garden gloves

Gardening gloves save your hands from soil, weeds, splinters, and whatever mysterious thing is living under the mulch. Even if you only keep a few pots alive on a balcony, gloves make the job less annoying.

This pair is $1.75, which is low for a seasonal basic that often gets dirty, lost, or soaked. Buy them for practical yard work, not as a fashion statement.

Plastic watering can

A watering can is easier than dragging out a hose for porch pots, herbs, seedlings, and small garden beds. It also helps kids help with plants without turning the yard into a floodplain.

This 64-ounce plastic watering can is $1.75, which is a good price for a basic garden tool. It is especially useful for renters, small patios, and anyone with more plants than storage space.

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You finally log into your father’s bank account after weeks of asking, and the first thing you notice is two uncashed checks from Social Security sitting in a drawer next to a stack of unopened Medicare envelopes. This is usually the moment the job becomes real.

The financial side of caregiving rarely matches what people expect going in. Banks have their own rules about power of attorney. Social Security has rules that ignore power of attorney completely. Medicare premiums change based on tax returns filed two years earlier. None of this gets explained until you’re already in the middle of it.

Most of what goes wrong here isn’t about effort or love. It’s about not knowing which rules apply to a parent’s money instead of your own.

Believing a power of attorney works the same everywhere

A power of attorney only gives you the authority spelled out in the document itself, and even then, a bank can still refuse to accept it and ask for its own form instead, especially once your parent can no longer act for herself. Most families don’t find this out until they’re standing at the branch counter trying to use a document they assumed would just work.

Some institutions want their own internal form filled out and notarized in branch, even when a valid power of attorney already exists. Insurance companies, brokerages, and the IRS each have their own standards too, and none of them are required to simply take your word, or your lawyer’s wording, for it.

This isn’t a sign you did something wrong. It’s a sign that a power of attorney is a legal tool, not a master key. Before you assume it will work somewhere, call ahead and ask what that specific institution requires. Bring the original document, a copy, and a government-issued ID every time, and expect to repeat this process at every bank, brokerage, and insurer your parent uses.

Confusing power of attorney with Social Security’s representative payee rules

This is the mistake that surprises people most. The U.S. Treasury does not recognize power of attorney for negotiating federal benefit payments, including Social Security and SSI checks, no matter how thorough the document is or which attorney drafted it.

If your parent can no longer manage their own Social Security benefit, the power of attorney doesn’t let you step in. You apply to become their representative payee through the Social Security Administration, which usually means an in-person interview, identification documents, and Form SSA-11. Having power of attorney, being an authorized representative, or even sharing a joint bank account with your parent does none of this for you.

The process is free and doesn’t require a lawyer. It can, however, take weeks, and benefits don’t pause while you wait. If a parent’s memory or judgment is declining, start this application before a crisis forces your hand, not after a missed payment makes it urgent.

Adding their own name to a parent’s bank account

It feels like the simplest fix: get added as a joint owner so you can pay bills without a fight every time. Anyone acting as a fiduciary for a parent’s money should actually avoid joint accounts entirely, and the reasons go beyond the obvious convenience of paying bills together.

A joint account is legally yours as much as your parent’s. If you get divorced, get sued, or fall behind on your own debts, that account can be exposed. If your parent later needs to qualify for Medicaid long-term care, a joint account is often counted as entirely your parent’s asset unless you can prove which deposits were yours, which gets complicated fast. And when your parent dies, a joint account usually passes directly to you outside the will, which can blindside siblings who assumed the estate would be split evenly.

A power of attorney, paired with an account where you’re listed as an authorized signer rather than a co-owner, accomplishes the same daily task of paying bills without tangling your finances with your parent’s.

Gifting money or property away without knowing about Medicaid’s look back rule

Adult children often try to help a parent qualify for long-term care Medicaid by moving money out of their name first. Medicaid reviews five years of financial transfers before approving long-term care coverage, and gifts or sales for less than fair value during that window can trigger months, sometimes years, of disqualification right when a parent needs the coverage most.

This trips people up because it gets confused with a completely different rule. The IRS lets anyone give up to $19,000 per recipient in 2026 without filing a gift tax return. That limit has nothing to do with Medicaid. A $19,000 gift that’s perfectly fine on a tax return can still cause a Medicaid penalty if it happens within the five-year look back period before an application.

If a parent’s care needs are years away, gifting and other planning may still make sense with the right guidance. If a nursing home or in-home Medicaid application could be on the horizon, talk to an elder law attorney before moving money, not after.

Missing the window to lower a Medicare premium surcharge

The standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, but higher earners pay more through a surcharge called IRMAA, calculated from a tax return filed two years earlier. A parent who reported more than $109,000 in income as a single filer, or $218,000 filing jointly, on their 2024 return will pay extra in 2026 even if their income has since dropped because of retirement, a spouse’s death, or another major change.

The fix is Form SSA-44, which lets you ask Social Security to use a more recent income figure after specific life changing events. Adult children frequently miss this because nobody mentions it, and a parent quietly overpays for a year or more before anyone notices the larger Medicare deduction coming out of their Social Security check.

Pull a parent’s most recent IRMAA notice and check the income year it’s based on. If their income has actually changed since then for a qualifying reason, filing this form can save hundreds of dollars a month.

Letting required minimum distributions slip through the cracks

If a parent owns a traditional IRA or 401(k), the IRS requires withdrawals starting in the year they turn 73, with a tax penalty of 25 percent on whatever wasn’t withdrawn on time, reduced to 10 percent if the mistake is corrected within two years.

This is an easy one to overlook once you’re focused on day to day bills and medical appointments. The custodian holding the account, whether that’s a brokerage, a bank, or an old 401(k) provider, usually calculates the required amount and sends a reminder, but reminders go to whatever address is on file, which may not be the address a parent still checks.

If you’re managing a parent’s accounts, make a list every January of every retirement account they own, note whether the required withdrawal has already happened for the year, and calendar the December 31 deadline. The IRS does offer relief for honest mistakes if you file the right form and explain what happened, but it’s far easier to take the withdrawal on time in the first place.

Treating guardianship and power of attorney as the same thing

A power of attorney is a document a parent signs while they still have the legal capacity to understand what they’re agreeing to. A guardianship, sometimes called a conservatorship depending on the state, is a court process that takes over when a parent can no longer make decisions and never signed anything in advance.

Families sometimes assume that if a power of attorney falls apart or a bank won’t honor it, the next move is automatically a guardianship. It isn’t automatic, and it isn’t quick. Guardianship usually requires a medical evaluation, a court hearing, and sometimes an attorney representing a parent’s interests separately from the family’s, even when everyone agrees on what should happen. It can take months and isn’t cheap.

The better order of operations is to set up a power of attorney, a healthcare proxy, and a HIPAA authorization while a parent is still able to sign them. Guardianship exists as a backup for families who didn’t get the chance to plan ahead, not as the default next step.

Not reporting a parent’s income or life changes to Social Security right away

Social Security needs to know promptly about changes like remarriage, a move, a return to work, or a death, because the agency keeps paying based on whatever information it has on file until someone updates it. When that information turns out to be wrong, the result is an overpayment, and Social Security will eventually want that money back.

For new overpayment notices, Social Security automatically withholds 50 percent of a person’s monthly benefit starting 30 days after the notice if it isn’t repaid or appealed, which can suddenly cut a fixed income in half. Families managing a parent’s benefits sometimes don’t learn about the original overpayment until this withholding shows up and the monthly check is smaller than expected.

If you take over a parent’s Social Security matters, report changes the same month they happen, not when you get around to it. If a notice does arrive, there are generally options to appeal, request a waiver, or ask for a smaller withholding amount, but the clock starts the day the notice is dated.

Never checking who is actually named as beneficiary on accounts

A will only controls what passes through probate. Retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and many bank accounts pass directly to whoever is named as beneficiary on the account itself, regardless of what the will says. A parent’s will might say everything gets split evenly between three children, while an old 401(k) still names an ex-spouse from a marriage that ended decades ago.

This happens more often than families expect, usually because nobody checks until after a death, when it’s too late to fix. Beneficiary forms get filled out once when an account is opened and then ignored for years through marriages, divorces, deaths, and other changes in family circumstances.

While you’re getting organized around a parent’s finances, ask for a list of every retirement account, life insurance policy, and payable on death designation they have, and confirm who’s actually listed. It’s a short conversation now that can prevent a serious and completely avoidable conflict between siblings later.

Assuming Medicare will pay for a nursing home stay

Medicare covers a short stay in a skilled nursing facility after a qualifying hospitalization, but it doesn’t cover custodial care, which is the help with bathing, dressing, eating, and getting around that most long-term nursing home residents actually need. Families frequently discover this only after a parent has already moved in and the first private-pay bill arrives.

The confusion is understandable. Medicare will pay for up to 100 days of skilled nursing care following a hospital stay of at least three days, and that coverage can feel like it’s handling everything. Once the need shifts from medical recovery to ongoing daily help, Medicare’s involvement generally stops, even though the parent is still living in the same building.

Long-term custodial care gets paid for out of pocket, through long-term care insurance, or through Medicaid for those who qualify financially. If a parent’s care needs are likely to grow, it’s worth having the cost conversation early, while there’s still time to plan for it instead of reacting to a bill.

Skipping HIPAA paperwork and assuming power of attorney covers it

A financial power of attorney generally has nothing to do with medical records. Getting a parent’s doctor or hospital to talk to you about test results, treatment plans, or a hospital discharge usually requires its own separate authorization, because federal privacy rules govern who a provider can share that information with.

In practice, many doctors will talk informally with an adult child who’s clearly involved in a parent’s care, especially when the parent is present and doesn’t object. That informal cooperation falls apart fast in a hospital setting, with an on-call doctor who’s never met you, or once a parent becomes too confused or sedated to express a preference.

Ask a parent to sign a HIPAA authorization form, separate from any financial power of attorney, while they’re still able to do so. Many states also offer a healthcare power of attorney or medical proxy form that covers both information sharing and treatment decisions. Keep copies with you, not just in a file at home, since the moment you need them is rarely a moment you can plan for.

Assuming survivor benefits start on their own

When a parent dies, their surviving spouse doesn’t automatically start receiving survivor benefits from Social Security. With one narrow exception, survivor benefits require their own application, and there’s no online option for it. Someone has to call Social Security or visit an office in person.

Funeral homes will often report a death to Social Security as part of handling the arrangements, which stops the deceased parent’s own monthly payment. That’s different from starting survivor benefits for the spouse who’s left behind, and the two get confused constantly. A surviving spouse who was already receiving a spousal benefit based on the deceased parent’s record will generally see that benefit convert to a survivor benefit automatically. Anyone who hadn’t yet filed for any benefit has to start the survivor application themselves.

Survivor benefits aren’t retroactive to the date of death, so delaying the application costs real money every month it isn’t filed. If you’re helping a surviving parent through this, make the call to Social Security one of the first things you do, not something that waits until after the funeral and the paperwork settle down.

Not checking whether a parent has already been targeted by a scam

Fraud targeting older adults topped $2.4 billion in reported losses in a single year, and the real total, including unreported cases, may run into the tens of billions. Investment scams, romance scams, and impersonation schemes account for most of the damage, and they often go on for months before anyone outside the victim finds out.

Adult children sometimes assume that if a parent hasn’t mentioned any money trouble, none exists. Shame and embarrassment keep a lot of victims quiet, especially once a scam has been running for a while and a parent doesn’t want to admit how much they’ve sent. By the time it surfaces, the money is frequently gone for good.

Part of taking over a parent’s finances is actually looking, not just asking. Review recent bank and credit card statements for unfamiliar wire transfers, gift card purchases, or repeated payments to the same unfamiliar name. If something looks off, it’s worth a direct, nonjudgmental conversation rather than waiting for a confession that may never come.

Overlooking programs that could lower a parent’s bills right now

Many adult children focus entirely on protecting a parent’s existing money and never check whether the parent already qualifies for help they’re not using. Medicare Savings Programs, for example, can cover a parent’s Part B premium entirely for people with limited income, and enrollment can save more than $2,400 a year for those who qualify, while also unlocking automatic help with prescription drug costs.

These programs go unused constantly, partly because the income limits are higher than people assume and partly because nobody mentions them until a social worker or hospital discharge planner brings it up, often years after a parent could have been benefiting. Many states also have separate property tax relief, utility assistance, or prescription discount programs specifically for seniors with limited income, and eligibility rules vary by state.

Before assuming a parent’s budget is fixed, check what they might already qualify for. Applying takes paperwork, but it’s paperwork that can put real money back into a monthly budget instead of slowly draining savings that won’t come back.

Doing all of this without keeping records

Once you’re handling a parent’s money, even informally, you’re effectively accountable to your siblings, to the courts if it ever comes to that, and to your parent. The safest approach is to keep detailed records of every dollar received or spent on a parent’s behalf, and avoid paying for anything in cash, since cash leaves no trail.

Without records, an honest, well-intentioned adult child can end up accused of mismanaging or even stealing from a parent, sometimes by a sibling who wasn’t as involved day to day and doesn’t see what the money actually paid for. These disputes are common, painful, and almost entirely preventable.

Keep receipts. Use a parent’s own funds for a parent’s own expenses, never mixed with yours. Write down what every withdrawal or transfer was for, even the small ones. None of this is about distrust. It’s about protecting yourself and your relationship with your siblings, in a situation where good intentions alone won’t be enough if anyone ever asks for an explanation.

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Every Goodwill has one: a long shelf of figurines, all priced somewhere between $2 and $5, and almost all of them worth exactly that. But sitting among the generic ceramic cats and the plaster angels, there is occasionally something else. A rare Herend figurine made to commemorate the 1936 Olympics sold on eBay for $1,990 in February 2026. There’s a good chance it got there because someone spotted it at a thrift store and recognized the value.

The gap between a $3 tag and a $250 resale price isn’t luck. It’s a set of habits that experienced thrifters run through in about 60 seconds. Flip it over, read the mark, check a number on your phone. Most pieces fail the first step and go back on the shelf. A few don’t.

Flip it over before you do anything else

The base of a figurine tells you almost everything you need to know before you spend another second on it. Every major collectible porcelain brand stamped, incised, or painted identifying marks on the underside of their pieces. That mark will tell you who made it, sometimes when, and often which model it is.

Marks can be pressed into the clay before firing (called incised), printed in ink, or painted on. They are usually on the center of the base, though sometimes near the rim. What you are looking for: a company name, a logo, a country of origin, and sometimes a model number. These four things are the foundation of every valuation. A piece with no mark isn’t automatically worthless, but you have fewer tools to identify it, and most of the truly valuable brands were diligent about marking everything they made.

Get in the habit of flipping every single piece before you look at the front. It takes three seconds and tells you whether the next step is worth your time.

The five brands that almost always have resale value

Not every collectible brand shows up in thrift stores with the same frequency, but these five appear regularly enough that it is worth knowing exactly what you’re looking for. Each has a distinct look and a specific mark that confirms authenticity.

Hummel (Germany): Rosy-cheeked children in pastoral settings, soft warm colors, heavy-looking but surprisingly light porcelain. Made by the Goebel factory in Germany beginning in 1935. Look for the Goebel trademark on the base alongside the letters “M.I. Hummel.” The shape of the trademark logo tells you how old the piece is, which matters enormously for value. Most post-1979 Hummels sell for $10 to $50, but early pieces can reach thousands.

Lladro (Spain): Delicate glazed porcelain with a signature soft pastel palette, graceful elongated figures, and meticulous detail. Think ballerinas, religious subjects, couples, and elaborate multi-figure compositions. The base carries a small blue bellflower stamp alongside a model number. Values range from $10 for common pieces in poor condition to over $60,000 for rare High Porcelain masterpieces, with most sold thrift finds landing somewhere between $50 and $300 when the piece is in good shape.

Royal Doulton (England): English bone china figurines carrying an HN number on the base, a system in use since 1913. The classic Royal Doulton lady in 18th-century dress is the most common type, but the brand also produced Toby jugs, Bunnykins rabbit characters, and Dickens-themed pieces. Look for “Royal Doulton” printed on the base with “Made in England.” Values range from under $20 for common later-production pieces to tens of thousands for rare prototypes and early HN numbers.

Herend (Hungary): Hand-painted Hungarian porcelain, almost always with intricate all-over patterns in bright colors and heavy gold accents. The most collectible pieces carry the “fishnet” or “Rothschild Bird” patterns. Every Herend piece carries the word “Herend” and a shield mark on the base, and the company still marks new production, so finding one priced at $3 is a real possibility. A small current-production Herend lamb figurine retails for $415 new; you want to find one for $4.

Beswick (England): Realistic animal figurines, horses especially, made at Longton in Stoke-on-Trent from 1894 until Royal Doulton ended production in 2002. The mark reads “Beswick England” with a model number. Beswick horses in good condition sell for $400 to $850 depending on model and colorway. Rare shire horse models and unusual colorways have sold at auction for over $1,000.

Hummel marks and the dating system that changes everything

With Hummels, the company name tells you almost nothing on its own. What matters is the shape and style of the Goebel trademark on the base, called the TMK (Trademark). Goebel changed the logo nine times between 1935 and the end of production in 2008, and the mark is the primary tool for dating any piece. Earlier marks mean dramatically higher value.

The most valuable are TMK-1 (Crown Mark, 1935 to 1950) and TMK-2 (Full Bee, 1950 to 1959). TMK-1 features a crown above the letters “WG” inside a circle, with a bee and the letter V. TMK-2 shows a large, detailed bee inside the letter V. Any piece from 1950 to 1959 carries some version of the bee-in-V, and there are a dozen minor variations, but they all count as the Full Bee period. A figurine with a Crown Mark can be worth 5 to 20 times more than the identical model with a mark from the 1970s or later.

If you find a Hummel with “Germany” on the base but no “West” in front of it, pay attention: that designation predates 1945, and you may be holding one of the rarest pieces in the series. Most Hummels made after 1972 sell for $10 to $50 in today’s market, which is not nothing if you paid $3, but it’s a different category of find than a TMK-1 or TMK-2 piece.

What separates a $50 Lladro from a $500 one

The blue bellflower stamp on the base is the first thing to confirm. Without it, you do not have a genuine Lladro. The stamp has appeared in slightly different forms over the decades, but always in blue and always featuring the bellflower shape. Once you confirm it is real, the next step is the model number, which will be a four- or five-digit number on the base alongside the mark.

Lladro regularly retired models, meaning they stopped producing them. Retired pieces are worth more than pieces still in current production. The model number is how you find out. A quick search for “Lladro [model number] retired” will tell you immediately whether production has stopped and when. Pieces from the Don Quixote series, the Gres matte line from the 1970s, Black Americana subjects, and large multi-figure compositions consistently attract the strongest prices. The original box, any wooden stand, and a certificate of authenticity can add 30 to 50 percent to the resale value.

The typical thrift store Lladro in decent condition without its box sells for $50 to $75. A retired model in excellent condition with the original box can sell for $200 to $500. Rare large pieces and limited editions can push well past $1,000.

Royal Doulton’s HN numbers

Every Royal Doulton figurine carries an HN number on its base. HN stands for Harry Nixon, the head of the decorating department when the series launched in 1913, and the numbers have been assigned sequentially ever since. By 2010 the series had passed HN 5000. The HN number is how you identify exactly which figurine you have and look up its value.

Pre-1956 pieces also carry a date code on the base: a letter indicating the year of production (A for 1927, B for 1928, and so on). If you see a date code letter alongside the Royal Doulton backstamp, you are looking at a vintage piece, which generally commands stronger prices. Condition is critical for Royal Doulton figurines, particularly for the lady series: chips to fingers, parasols, or hat brims are extremely common and significantly reduce value.

When you are at the store, look up the HN number on your phone. Cross-referencing it against sold listings on eBay or Live Auctioneers takes about 90 seconds and tells you exactly what the piece has actually sold for, not what sellers are asking. Royal Doulton character jugs from the 1930s and 1940s and any piece with an HN number under 200 tend to be the most collectible.

Use Google Lens for anything you don’t recognize

If you find a piece with a mark you don’t know, or no mark at all, Google Lens is the fastest identification tool available. Open your phone camera, tap the Lens icon (or open Google Lens directly), and point it at the figurine or specifically at the mark on the base. It will return the best visual matches it can find, which often includes the maker, the model name, and recent sales.

This works for more than just maker’s marks. Lens can identify artist signatures on paintings, pattern names on china, and ornate logos that are hard to read in person. It takes 10 to 15 seconds and has saved more than a few thrifters from walking away from a real find because the name on the bottom didn’t ring a bell. Not every result will be accurate, but a strong match with multiple corroborating sold listings is reliable enough to justify a $3 purchase.

Keep in mind that Lens finds visual similarities, not database lookups, so unusual or obscure pieces may return weak results. In that case, a photo of the mark posted to one of the collector communities on Reddit (r/whatsthispiece or r/Antiques) usually gets a response within hours.

Only look at sold listings, never asking prices

On eBay, an active listing tells you what a seller wishes their item would fetch. A completed, sold listing tells you what a buyer actually paid. Those are often very different numbers, and only one of them matters.

On eBay, go to Filters and check “Sold Items” under the Show Only section. This filters results to items that have actually changed hands. For thrift store research, you want to see the sold price range for the specific model in comparable condition, ideally within the last 90 days. If a figurine is showing $40 to $80 in sold listings and you found it for $4, that’s a clear buy. If asking prices are $250 but nothing has sold in six months, that’s a figurine sitting on a shelf with no buyers.

This rule applies everywhere you check: LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable, and any other platform all have completed sale filters. Active listings are aspirations. Sold listings are reality.

Condition is the factor that kills value fastest

A chip on a fingertip, a missing flower from a Lladro bouquet, or a broken parasol handle can reduce a figurine’s resale value by 50 to 80 percent. Collectors of fine porcelain are not forgiving about damage, and sellers who try to downplay chips with phrases like “minor flaw” find their pieces sitting unsold for months.

Crazing, which is the fine network of cracks in the glaze surface on older pieces, is different and much more acceptable. Crazing is an expected characteristic of age, not damage, and most collectors factor it in. Actual chips, breaks, or repairs are a different matter. Professionally repaired figurines look intact in daylight but will often fluoresce under UV light, which is something knowledgeable buyers check for on expensive pieces.

Original boxes add real money. A Lladro or Hummel in excellent condition with the original box and certificate of authenticity routinely sells for 30 to 50 percent more than the same piece without. If the thrift store has the box behind the counter or on a nearby shelf, ask about it. Sometimes they are kept together, sometimes not.

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You switch jobs in March, keep contributing to your new HSA at the pace you always have, and don’t think about it again until tax season. That’s when you find out: both employers funded the same account, and you put $1,600 more into it than the IRS allowed for the year.

An HSA is one of the only accounts where money goes in tax-free, grows tax-free, and comes out tax-free for medical bills. That’s the entire pitch, and it holds up. But the rules underneath it are stricter than they look, and a handful of ordinary moves can quietly cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars without you ever doing anything that feels reckless.

None of the mistakes below involve carelessness. They involve not knowing a rule existed until it already cost you.

Letting your balance sit in cash instead of investing it

Most people treat their HSA like a checking account, which is a problem because that cash usually earns next to nothing while it sits there. As of mid-2025, fewer than 1 in 10 HSA accounts had any money invested in stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, even though most providers let you do it once your cash balance clears a small minimum.

That gap matters more than it sounds like it should. Cash in an HSA earns whatever low rate the bank pays. Money you invest grows tax-free the same way a 401(k) does, and if you’re not planning to spend it for years, leaving thousands of dollars parked flat in cash quietly costs you the difference between a savings account return and real market growth, compounded over a decade or two.

Find out what your provider’s investment minimum actually is, then treat that number as the floor, not something to aim for. Everything above it can be working instead of sitting still.

Spending HSA money on something that was never going to qualify

An HSA debit card swipes just like any other card, which makes it easy to forget that the IRS has a strict definition of what the money is actually for. Gym memberships, vitamins and supplements taken for general health, cosmetic procedures, and teeth whitening are common purchases that feel medical but typically don’t qualify, even when a doctor casually recommends them.

Use the card for one of these anyway and you’re not just out the money. If you’re under 65, the withdrawal gets hit with income tax plus a 20% additional tax on top, the same penalty that applies to an early retirement account withdrawal.

Before buying something borderline, ask whether it treats a diagnosed condition or just supports general health. A gym membership prescribed in writing by a doctor for a specific diagnosis can sometimes qualify. The same membership bought because you want to get in shape never does.

Overcontributing because you didn’t prorate after a coverage change

If you only had HSA-eligible coverage for part of the year, your contribution limit shrinks to match, and skipping that math is one of the easiest ways to overfund the account by accident. Have family coverage for eight months, then switch to a plan that doesn’t qualify, and your limit for that year is roughly eight-twelfths of the family maximum, not the full $8,750.

This trips people up most often around job changes, a switch from family to individual coverage, or the IRS’s last-month rule, which lets you contribute the full annual amount if you’re eligible on December 1, but only if you stay eligible through the following December. Break that condition and the IRS adds the extra contribution back into your income, plus a 10% penalty.

Either version creates an excess contribution, and excess contributions get hit with a 6% excise tax for every year they stay in the account, not just once.

Topping off your HSA in the months before you enroll in Medicare

If you delay signing up for Medicare past 65 because you’re still working and covered by an employer plan, the moment you do enroll, coverage can apply retroactively for up to six months, though never earlier than the month you turned 65. Any HSA contribution made during that retroactive window turns into an excess contribution, even though it felt completely legal when you made it.

This catches people off guard because nothing about the contribution felt wrong in the moment. You were still working, still on the HDHP, still eligible, until Medicare reached back and erased your eligibility for months you’d already counted.

The fix is simple once you know about it: stop contributing to your HSA around six months before you plan to apply for Medicare or Social Security retirement benefits. If the lookback has already caught you, withdraw the excess plus any earnings before your tax filing deadline and skip the 6% penalty entirely.

Never naming a beneficiary, or naming the wrong one

Naming a beneficiary on an HSA gets skipped constantly, probably because it feels like a formality compared to a will or a 401(k). It isn’t. If your spouse is the named beneficiary, the account simply becomes their HSA the day you die, and they keep every tax advantage you had.

Name anyone else, a child, a sibling, your estate, and the account stops being an HSA immediately. The entire balance becomes taxable income to that person in the year you pass away, all at once, which can push them into a tax bracket the money would never have justified in a normal year.

If you haven’t named anyone, most providers default to your spouse if you’re married or your estate if you’re not. Checking who’s currently listed takes a few minutes online and can spare whoever inherits the account a tax bill far bigger than it needed to be.

Throwing away your receipts

Here’s the part most people don’t know about HSAs: there’s no deadline to reimburse yourself for a qualified medical expense. Pay a $200 dental bill out of pocket today, let your HSA keep growing untouched, and pull that $200 back out tax-free five, ten, or twenty years from now, as long as you can prove the expense happened after you opened the account.

That flexibility is exactly why losing your receipts is so costly. Without proof, the IRS can treat a later withdrawal as a non-qualified distribution if you’re ever audited, which means income tax plus a 20% penalty on money that should have come out completely clean.

Keep a folder, paper or digital, with the date, provider, amount, and a short description of each expense. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. It just needs to exist if anyone ever asks.

Letting a forgotten old HSA get nibbled away by fees

Most large HSA providers charge a monthly maintenance fee, usually a few dollars, and plenty of employers quietly cover that fee while you’re still on the payroll. Leave the job and that subsidy often disappears with you. One major provider raises its fee from $2.95 to $3.95 a month the moment you separate from your employer or switch health plans, and the charge keeps pulling from your balance until someone notices.

It sounds small until you do the math over time. A few dollars a month adds up over a decade, and the cash needed to clear most fee-waiver thresholds usually can’t be invested at the same time, so you end up choosing between dodging the fee and growing the balance.

If you have an old HSA from a job you left years ago, log in and check what’s actually happening to it. Plenty of people are funding a forgotten account’s maintenance fee without realizing it’s even still open.

Switching jobs and accidentally funding two HSAs past the limit

Every dollar that goes into your HSA counts toward the same annual limit, no matter who put it there or how many employers were involved. Switch jobs mid-year and both your old and new employer fund an HSA for you, on top of your own payroll contributions at each one, and it’s startlingly easy to blow past the cap without anyone flagging it in real time.

This is different from the proration mistake above. You might have HSA-eligible coverage the entire year, so your annual limit doesn’t shrink at all, but the total dollars landing in the account from multiple sources can still add up to more than that limit allows.

Check your running total any time your HSA situation changes, a new job, a new health plan, a spouse opening their own HSA. Don’t assume your old employer’s contribution and your new one will happen to add up to something reasonable.

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