Health Abroad
Is the cost of travel insurance — for trip cancellations or for your health — ever worthwhile? When you’re planning your next vacation getaway, how often do you envision coming down with the flu or breaking a bone? If you’re like me, never. In the excitement of buying tickets and making plans, I never consider […]
Insurance Inquiries
Why you need a health insurance agent and how to find one When I lost my job in a company-wide layoff, I faced a multitude of concerns: How would I find a new job? How long would my savings last? And what would I do about health insurance? While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has provided […]
Are You Prepared for Healthcare Costs While in Retirement?
There is a simple and unsettling reality in the United States. Many Americans don’t feel financially prepared for healthcare costs in retirement. In a recent study of U.S. adults ages 50 to 64, nearly 45% had low confidence in their ability to afford health insurance during retirement. We’ve all heard these costs are rising faster […]
How Couples Can Share Long Term Care Benefits
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 […]
Guide to Medicare open enrollment for 2018
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 […]
Annuities that pay off for the sick
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 […]
How to get insurance if you can’t work
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 […]
Tactics to make long-term-care coverage affordable
By Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance No matter how carefully you plan for retirement, if you don’t have long-term-care insurance, a catastrophic illness could wipe out your savings. The average private room in a nursing home costs $250 per day — or $91,250 per year — according to Genworth’s 2015 Cost of Care study. The […]