I talk to a lot of 65-year-olds, and one of the biggest fears they have is making a mistake with Medicare . It's hard not to be afraid when you keep hearing well-intentioned, but conflicting advice such as:

"You have to sign up for Medicare at 65."

"You don't have to sign up for Medicare at 65."

"You can change your Medicare insurance every year."

During my 20-plus years as a retirement-focused financial adviser, I've just about heard it all — some true, some false and just about all of it leaving near-65-year-olds wondering how they can figure it out in time.

Below are the five most common mistakes retirees make with Medicare and what you can do to try to avoid them.

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