It’s no big secret that many of us are ignoring the traditional retirement age of 65. Some of us are continuing on in long-established careers while others are embarking on an “encore” or even third career. And why not? If you have the health, interest, and stamina, work can tremendously rewarding. The tricky thing is that many programs for senior citizens were developed at a time when few worked beyond age 65. So many important programs for seniors, like Medicare, kick in at 65 and if you’re not ready, you may miss out on important benefits or be penalized as a result.

Traditional sign-up for Medicare is at age 65, and if you’re tardy enrolling, you may be hit with additional monthly fees once you do enroll. However, if you’re still out in the work world, you may have health insurance and not need to turn to Medicare. So what then happens to your Medicare benefit? Will you be penalized? Lose out on the chance of subsequently getting Medicare? Well, Joe Baker has some answers for you. He’s the President of the Medicare Rights Center, the national consumer and policy organization that advocates on behalf of Medicare recipients. And in a recent post on Next Avenue, Baker has some sound advice for those of you still working even if you’ve reached age 65. So grab a cup of coffee and check out his advice here. And if you’re approaching age 65, or just now retiring and need to sign up for Medicare, check out the help available from Medicare Interactive here.