Retirement Should Be Protected on Every Side.
Three decisions shape almost every retirement: when you claim Social Security, how you take Medicare, and what happens if you need care. We help Florida families — and the advisors who serve them — get all three right, with specialist-level clarity at every step.
Virginia Barausky, CLTC, RSSA® · Licensed in 30 states · Independent & unbiased
Live 2026 data
133
Medicare plan options in Hillsborough County for 2026 — we help you find the one built for your doctors, drugs and budget.
Source: CMS CY2026 MA & Part D Landscape
133
Medicare plan options in Hillsborough County
MA & Part D plans available for 2026 · CMS CY2026 MA & Part D Landscape
$2,100/yr
Part D out-of-pocket drug cap
Once reached, covered drugs cost $0 the rest of the year · CMS.gov
Three Decisions. One Coordinated Plan.
Each of these choices is permanent or close to it — and they affect each other. We plan them together, in plain English.
Medicare Planning
Advantage vs. Supplement, Part D drug plans, enrollment windows and penalty avoidance — compared side by side against your doctors, prescriptions and budget.
Plan your Medicare →
Social Security Strategy
Claim at 62 and your check shrinks for life; wait to 70 and it grows about 8% a year past full retirement age (SSA.gov). An RSSA®-certified analysis runs your household's math before you file.
Run your claiming analysis →
Long-Term Care Planning
Roughly 7 in 10 people turning 65 will need some form of long-term care (ACL.gov) — and Medicare mostly won't pay for it. Traditional, hybrid and asset-based strategies from a CLTC designee.
Protect your plan →Run Your Own Numbers First.
Our calculators use verified 2026 figures — the same ones we use in consultations. No email wall, nothing stored.
IRMAA Calculator →
Estimate your total 2026 monthly Medicare premium — standard Part B plus any Part B and Part D IRMAA surcharges — from your filing status and income.
Annual Medicare Cost Estimator →
Total your year on Original Medicare + Medigap: Part B premiums, your Medigap and Part D premiums, the $283 deductible and drug costs capped at $2,100.
Plan G vs Plan N Comparison →
Enter your real Medigap quotes and expected visits to see which plan pencils out lower across a full year — copays, deductible and all.
Enrollment Window Checker →
Enter your date of birth and get your exact Initial Enrollment Period, your six-month Medigap open-enrollment window, and the annual AEP dates.
Part B Late-Enrollment Penalty Calculator →
See what delaying Medicare Part B without creditable coverage adds to your premium — for life — based on the 2026 standard premium.
Part D Late-Enrollment Penalty Calculator →
1% of the national base beneficiary premium for every month without creditable drug coverage, added for life. Calculate your lifetime add-on.
Part A Premium Checker →
Do your quarters of Medicare-covered work qualify you for premium-free Part A — or could a spouse's record do it instead?
Long-Term Care Cost Estimator →
Project what long-term care could cost when you actually need it — the expense Medicare mostly does not cover.
Medicare 101, Without the Jargon
A Specialist, Not a Generalist.
Virginia Barausky brings 20+ years in long-term care, Medicare and retirement income planning. A Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC) designee and Registered Social Security Analyst (RSSA®), she serves families across Florida and partners with financial advisors nationwide.
- ✓ CLTC — Certified in Long-Term Care
- ✓ RSSA® — Registered Social Security Analyst
- ✓ Independent — no single-carrier quotas, plans compared across the carriers we represent
- ✓ Trusted by financial advisors, RIAs and their clients nationwide
Straight Answers, Sourced.
How much does Medicare Part B cost in 2026?
The standard Part B premium is $202.90 per month in 2026, with a $283 annual deductible (source: CMS.gov). Higher-income households pay IRMAA surcharges on top — generally starting above $109,000 of MAGI for individual filers.
How many Medicare plans are available in the Tampa area?
For 2026 there are 133 Medicare Advantage and Part D plan options in Hillsborough County alone (source: CMS CY2026 MA & Part D Landscape). Comparing them against your doctors, drugs and budget is exactly what we do.
When should I start planning for Medicare?
Ideally 6–12 months before you turn 65. Your Initial Enrollment Period is the 7-month window around your 65th birthday, and decisions made (or missed) in that window can carry lifelong penalties.
What does a claiming-strategy review cost?
Your initial consultation is free. If we work together on insurance products, we're compensated by the carriers — your premiums are the same whether you use an agent or not.
Will Medicare pay for long-term care?
Mostly no — Medicare covers short-term skilled care after a hospital stay, not extended custodial care. About 70% of people turning 65 will need some type of long-term care in their lifetimes (source: ACL.gov), which is why LTC planning is its own conversation.
Do you only work with clients in Florida?
Virginia is based in Tampa and licensed in 30 states. Florida families are the core of the practice; advisor partnerships extend nationwide.
Planning Ahead Beats Reacting Later.
Free consultation · direct response from Virginia within one business day.