Tag: Health Care Savings

Cost of Medical Care

Sep 4, 2024

Choosing Medical Care Options
The expense of insuring yourself may be minor compared to the price of surgeries and procedures.

When uninsured people end up in the hospital, “sticker shock” can follow. Just a quick look at the current prices for medical care procedures can be sobering.

How much does a CT scan cost? Between $250 to $1,500, depending on where it is performed. Need a stent in your heart? The average cost of that delicate procedure is now close to $20,000. How about a knee replacement? That surgery may run anywhere from $15,000 to $35,000.1,2 (more…)

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How Do I Plan for Medicaid?

May 29, 2024

The best time to plan for the possibility of nursing home care is when you’re still healthy. By doing so, you may be able to pay for your long-term care and preserve assets for your loved ones. How? Through Medicaid planning.

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Medicare Costs Are Increasing in 2024

Nov 13, 2023

You can get more information on Medicare benefits in the Medicare & You 2024 Handbook at medicare.gov.

Premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for Original Medicare generally change every year. Here’s a look at some of the costs that will apply in 2024.

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Facing the Possibility of Incapacity

Jul 26, 2023

Incapacity means that you are either mentally or physically unable to take care of yourself or your day-to-day affairs. Incapacity can result from serious physical injury, mental or physical illness, advancing age, and alcohol or drug abuse.

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Healthcare Costs are Cutting into Retirement Preparations

Mar 22, 2023

 

health supplements on dollar bill
How healthcare costs affect retirement planning

You may have seen this statistic before or one resembling it: the average 65-year-old retiring couple can now expect to pay more than $250,000 in healthcare costs during the rest of their lives.

In fact, Fidelity now projects this cost at $285,000. The effort to prepare for these potential expenses is changing the big picture of retirement planning.

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Understanding Extended Care

Mar 23, 2022

Extended Care
The important question: are you prepared?

Addressing the potential threat of extended care expenses may be one of the biggest financial challenges for individuals who are developing a retirement strategy.

The Administration for Community Living estimates that by 2060, 94.7 million Americans will be aged 65 and older. Of those, it’s estimated that someone who just turned 65 has an almost 70% chance of needing some type of extended care.1,2 (more…)

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The Under Utilized Benefits of a Health Savings Account

Sep 22, 2021

Health Savings Account
Tax benefits and new contribution limits for you Health Savings Account

Healthcare can be one of the priciest yet essential parts of life’s journey. And yet, many struggle to utilize the financial tools that may help. Take Health Saving Account (HSAs), for example. (more…)

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Ways to Fund A Special Needs Trust

Jul 7, 2021

Special Needs Trusts
A look at the different choices and strategies

If you have a child with special needs, a special needs trust may be a financial priority. There are many crucial goods and services that Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income might not pay for, and a special needs trust may be used to address those financial challenges. Most importantly, a special needs trust may help provide for your disabled child in case you’re no longer able to care for them. (more…)

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Group Life for a Growing Business

Dec 14, 2020

As companies grow and add employees, they also add employee benefits. Retirement and medical plans can be provided, but what about group life insurance?

Group life on the menu? Owner-operators know that group life coverage can help attract excellent workers, but some are anxious about the cost and suspect they are just “small fish” to insurers. In reality, coverage may be very affordable and include a variety of policy choices. (more…)

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Managing Drug Costs

Nov 27, 2020

Are prescription drug costs burdening your finances? Some people find it a challenge to manage the cost of prescription drugs. Americans pay an average of $1,200 per year for medicine. For those facing greater and more dangerous ailments, some drug costs are $10,000 per month or even lump sums in excess of $80,000 for certain drug therapies. Yes, health insurance and Medicare Part D can help you, but not everyone has access to Medicare, and not every insurance company has the same formulary. This means that your coverage may fall short—not something you want to hear when wrestling with a major diagnosis.1 (more…)

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More Insights

Dec 6, 2024

Solid gains for stocks gave investors a November to remember. In fact, the S&P 500’s more than 5% advance marked its best month of 2024. Several factors played into the stock market’s continued move higher. The U.S. economy continued its steady run of solid growth. The Federal Reserve (Fed) cut interest rates as expected, providing … Continue reading “Market Update – A November to Remember”

Dec 4, 2024

A thoughtful retirement strategy may help you pursue your many retirement goals. That strategy must consider many factors, and here are just a few: your income needs, the order of your withdrawals from taxable and tax-advantaged retirement accounts, the income tax implications of those withdrawals, and sequence of return risk.

Dec 2, 2024

Selecting a filing status is one of the first decisions you’ll make when you fill out your federal income tax return, so it’s important to know the rules. And because you may have more than one option, you need to know the advantages and disadvantages of each. Making the right decision about your filing status … Continue reading “Choosing an Income Tax Filing Status”

Nov 29, 2024

When you think of Social Security, you probably think of retirement. However, Social Security can also provide much-needed income to your family members when you die, making their financial lives easier. Your family members may be eligible to receive survivor benefits if you worked, paid Social Security taxes, and earned enough work credits. The number … Continue reading “Social Security Survivor Benefits”

Nov 25, 2024

Talking about “the end” is not the easiest thing to do, and this is one reason why some people never adequately plan for the transfer of their wealth. Those who do create estate plans with help from financial and legal professionals sometimes leave their heirs out of the conversation.

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