Medicare won’t cover all of your health-care costs during retirement, so you may want to buy a supplemental medical insurance policy known as Medigap. Offered by private insurance companies, Medigap policies are designed to cover costs not paid by Original Medicare (Parts A and B), helping you fill the gaps in your Medicare coverage. You’ll pay the private insurance company a monthly premium in addition to the monthly Part B premium you pay to Medicare.
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…)
Given the threat of COVID-19, seniors today may be considering their eldercare alternatives with extra caution.
In addition to health factors, the cost can be an issue. According to Genworth’s 2020 Cost of Care Survey, the median annual cost of a semi-private room in a nursing home is now $90,000. A single-occupancy room may cost over $100,000 a year.1 (more…)
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…)
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…)
How much does extended care cost, and how do you arrange it when it is needed? The average person might have difficulty answering those two questions, for the answers are not widely known. For clarification, here are some facts to dispel some myths. (more…)
Whether your 65th birthday is on the horizon or decades away, understanding the different parts of Medicare is critical, as this government-sponsored program may play a role in your future health care decisions. (more…)
Medicare’s open enrollment period runs through December 7th. If you are enrolling in Medicare for the first time, you will discover that it is much more complex than an employer-sponsored group health plan.
When you are enrolled in Medicare, you pay multiple premiums for multiple types of coverage (Parts A and B as well as the Part D prescription drug plan), and unlike a group health plan, there are no caps on out-of-pocket costs and a risk that you might have to pay a hospital insurance deductible more than once per year. Original Medicare also does not cover some costs that many seniors would like to cover, such as dental and vision care expenses. (more…)
The S&P 500 strung together 37 record highs this year aboard an 18.1% rally, as of July 10. The advance has largely been powered by a handful of mega cap names tied to technology and/or artificial intelligence. In fact, six stocks — NVIDIA (NVDA), Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Meta (META), and Alphabet (GOOG/L) … Continue reading “Market Performance is a Tale of Haves & Have-Nots”
Investors are people, and people are often impatient. No one likes to wait in line or wait longer than they have to for something, especially today when so much is just a click or two away.
You can prepare for the transition years in advance. In doing so, you may be better equipped to manage anything unexpected that may come your way.
When developing your estate plan, you can do well by doing good. Leaving money to charity rewards you in many ways. It gives you a sense of personal satisfaction, and it can save you money in estate taxes.
How healthy a retirement do you think you will have? If you can stay active as a senior and curb or avoid certain habits, you could potentially reduce one type of retirement expense. Each year, Fidelity Investments presents an analysis of retiree health care costs. In 2023, Fidelity projected that the average 65-year-old couple would … Continue reading “Retirement Wellness”
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