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Insurance

Monday’s need-to-know money news

May 12, 2014 By Liz Weston

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: Why you should ditch your debit card. Also in the news: Knowing when it’s okay to co-sign for a loan, how much credit card debt is too much, and 3 common mistakes when choosing an insurance plan.

5 Expert Reasons to Ditch Your Debit Card
Why some believe credit is better than debit.

How to Know When It’s OK to Co-Sign a Loan
Do a little soul-searching first.

Do You Have Too Much Credit Card Debt?
How much is too much?

Choosing an insurance plan: 3 common mistakes
Looking beyond the deductibles.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: co-signing loans, debit cards, Insurance, Loans

What Mom really wants on Sunday…

May 7, 2014 By Liz Weston

Massage of shuolder…is a day at the spa, according to a poll commissioned by Insure.com.

About two out of five moms picked pampering as their top choice for a purchased gift. A family getaway was the next most popular option, preferred by about one third of respondents. Gift cards, a nice dinner out, a romantic getaway, chocolates and breakfast in bed were other favorites.

As for the day itself, the majority wanted to spend time with the whole family and preferred homemade presents from their kids.

Appreciating Mom means appreciating all the things mothers do, which offers a natural segue (at least for personal finance types) to a discussion about the importance of life insurance. That’s part of the Insure.com post as well. The idea is that if Mom weren’t around, you’d have to not only replace her income (assuming she works outside the home, as most mothers do) plus hire someone to perform at least some of the many tasks she accomplishes each day.

But “Hey, Mom, I bought you some life insurance!” doesn’t really have the right ring to it. So look into getting insurance, but book the massage as well.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: gifts, Insurance, Insure.com, life insurance, Mother's Day, mothers

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

February 18, 2014 By Liz Weston

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: Capital One could be paying you a visit. Also in the news: Why your tax return could get audited, the pros and cons of self-insurance, and how to rent a home with bad credit.

Capital One Says It Can Show Up at Cardholders’ Homes, Workplaces
“What’s in your wallet? No, really. Show us what’s in your wallet.”

6 Reasons Your Tax Return Might Get Audited
Don’t panic.

Should You Self Insure Against Long-Term Care Risk Or Buy Insurance?
Hedging your bets.

5 Tips for Renting a Home With Bad Credit
Bad credit doesn’t have to leave you out in the cold.

Track How Happy You Are with Your Purchases in Your Ledger
Analyzing your purchase satisfaction can save you money.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: audits, Credit Cards, home rental, Insurance, long term care, tax returns

Unexpected ways to save on insurance

February 13, 2014 By Liz Weston

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailMost ideas for saving money on insurance are pretty shopworn. You know the advice: Raise your deductible. Get discounts. Shop around.

So I was pretty psyched to hear a Certified Financial Planner talk about less common ways that advisors can save their clients money. CFP Mark Maurer is president and CEO of Low Load Insurance Services, which caters to fee-only planners. Maurer recently conducted a webinar that covered ways to save money on the big-ticket policies: life, disability and long-term care insurance.

What I learned:

Beware of riders. Two commonly-pushed riders are “waiver of premium” and “return of premium.” Maurer calls these the “undercoating” of the insurance business; in other words, they’re pricey add-ons that may not have the value you’re told.

Premium waivers allow you to stop paying your premiums if you’re disabled, but you typically have to be totally disabled to qualify (unable to work in any occupation, vs. your own occupation, for example). Some policies have the same definition of disability as Social Security, which is notoriously tough to qualify for.

If you’re really concerned about not being able to pay your premiums, then the solution may be disability insurance, Maurer said. Each dollar you’d spend on a DI policy would likely buy you far more insurance than what you’d get from a waiver of premium rider.

Return of premium also sounds good—the idea being that if you don’t use your long-term care policy, your heirs will get back the money you’ve paid in. These riders come with restrictions, too. Typically you have to own your policy at least 10 years and not have made a claim within those 10 years. Any claims thereafter would be deducted from your heir’s payout.

Again, Maurer suggests asking, “What are you really after?” In this case, it’s money for heirs. Buying a permanent life insurance policy likely will offer a better and more certain payout compared to an ROP rider, he said.

Apply the 80/20 rule to long term care insurance. If you’ve ever had a loved one in a nursing home, you know how shockingly expensive custodial care can be. Those who buy long term care insurance often opt for the daily payout amount that will cover either a private or a semi-private room in their area.

Maurer points out, though, that nursing home costs include expenses the patients would be incurring whether or not they were there—expenses like meals and laundry, for example, that typically account for 20% of the total.

So, one way to reduce premiums is to insure for 80% of the costs. Instead of the $255 a day that the average Florida nursing home costs, he suggests, shoot for something like $200 a day…which typically lowers your premium by, guess what, 20%.

Lifetime benefits on disability insurance aren’t a slam dunk. If you have to be disabled, wouldn’t you rather get checks for life rather than having them stop at age 65, when most DI policies cut off?

Well, of course! But like the riders mentioned above, adding lifetime benefits may not give you all the coverage you think you’re getting.

A typical policy will continue 100% of your benefit only if you’re disabled by age 45 and continue to be disabled until age 65, Maurer said. Those disabled after 45 get a smaller benefit, based on a sliding scale that gives you less the older you are when you become disabled. Someone who’s disabled at 58, for example, might get only 35% of his monthly benefit after age 65.

Is that worth premiums that might be 33% higher? Only you can answer that question, but Maurer, who has two disability policies, has decided against adding lifetime benefits to either.

“I didn’t think it was worth the additional premium,” he said.

 

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: disability, disability insurance, Insurance, life insurance, lifetime benefits, long term care, long-term care insurance, return of premium, waiver of premium

Monday’s need-to-know money news

January 27, 2014 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: How small business owners should plan for retirement. Also in the news: Picking the right credit card for college students, mistakes to avoid when you’re buying insurance, and what to do when bankruptcy is your only option.Help at financial crisis

Retirement plans for small business owners
Tailoring a plan to fit your needs.

How to Pick a Credit Card for College
Finding the right card that won’t get you into trouble.

5 Insurance-Buying Mistakes to Avoid
Never shop based on the price.

How to Know When Bankruptcy Is Your Best Option
What happens when your last resort option becomes the only one left.

What to Zero In On When Curbing Family Expenses
Tracking expenses is absolutely essential.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: Bankruptcy, college, Credit Cards, Insurance, retirement planning, small business owners, students

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

January 7, 2014 By Liz Weston

Today’s top story: Making sense of your credit report. Also in the news: Protecting your credit cards from data theft, four bills you may be able to eliminate in 2014, and the benefits of joining a credit union.The hacker

The 5 Most Confusing Things on Your Credit Report
Unlocking the mysteries of your credit report.

How to Protect Your Credit Card from a Data Breach
Don’t let your credit become a target.

You May Be Able to Eliminate these 4 Bills
Not everything needs to be insured.

The Benefits of Joining a Credit Union
Lower fees and higher interest rates.

How To Profit From Gift Cards, Pay It Forward With Frequent Flier Miles
Don’t let unwanted gift cards collect dust.

Filed Under: Liz's Blog Tagged With: Credit Reports, credit unions, gift cards, Identity Theft, Insurance, interest rates

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