A primer to help you consider your needs and understand your options If you’ll be turning 65 soon, it’s time to start thinking about Medicare coverage. Before you enroll, though, take the time to learn about your choices. Your first step is to understand your options. At the simplest level, you have a choice of […]
Q: How does a shared-benefit rider for long term care insurance work? Does it cost more than regular coverage? A: One of the big unknowns with long-term-care insurance is predicting how long you’ll need benefits. Although the average need for care is about three years, you might die before needing any care or you could […]Read More
Ah, the rituals of fall: The leaves change color. The temperature drops. Sweaters and boots pop out of the closet. And Medicare opens the doors for beneficiaries to shop for Part D and Advantage plans. As you cozy up to the first fire of the season, now is the time to peruse your options to […]Read More
People who are newly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease typically experience a tsunami of emotions: disbelief, fear, anger, depression, sense of loss. But after the initial shock, a person can assert some control over the future by creating an action blueprint that will guide the patient and caregivers as the disease progresses. “When someone is still […]Read More
By Eleanor Laise, Kiplinger Retirement Report The vast majority of seniors don’t have long-term-care insurance. For all but the wealthiest, deteriorating health or an imminent need for care can raise real concerns about running out of money. One solution: a medically underwritten single-premium immediate annuity. Like traditional immediate annuities, these contracts offer a lifetime of […]Read More
By Christopher J. Gearon, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report As you approach your final 10 or so years of work, did you ever think how you’d pay the bills if you became seriously ill for an extended period? Whether you are self-employed or work for a company, perhaps you should consider a long-term disability insurance policy. Such […]Read More
By Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Personal Finance Q: I’m about to sign up for Medicare, and I know there are gaps in the coverage. How much should I expect to spend for medical expenses after I retire? How can I reduce those costs? A: Even though Medicare will take care of a big portion of your […]Read More
By Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Retirement Report Q: I turned 65 a few years ago while living in Florida. My wife and I are about to move to Delaware, and the insurer says I can keep my policy. (My wife turns 65 next year.) Do the pricing rules for Medigap policies vary by state? And will […]Read More
By Susan B. Garland, Kiplinger Retirement Report Childless and divorced, Linda Wiesman, 67, is apprehensive about her future. With two knee replacements, the retired accountant is having trouble negotiating the stairs in her three-story townhouse in Gaithersburg, Md. Wiesman says she and several friends who live in different cities have “seriously thought of communal living” […]Read More
By Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger Personal Finance Life insurance is an essential part of every family’s financial plan, but people often underestimate the amount of coverage they need and pay too much for what they get. What’s more, your needs change as you age. The policy you bought when your kids were born may not have […]Read More