choosing | Common News Update

Jun162020 by adminNo Comments

A ‘Medigap’ policy picks up some costs that Medicare won’t. Here are tips for choosing one

Finance

Karen Ducey | Getty ImagesSo you've enrolled in Medicare and have determined that a supplement plan — aka, "Medigap" — is an appropriate add-on for you. There may be more decisions to make.While Medigap policies are standardized regardless of which insurance company sells them and where you live, the premiums can vary from insurer to insurer and among locations. And, experts say, this makes it important to understand the differences you may see when evaluating your options.You'd want to know "a carrier's premium rating system, its claims history and how good its customer service department is," said Elizabeth Gavino, founder of Lewin & Gavino in New York and an independent broker and general agent for Medicare plans.More from Personal Finance:Here's where to get your tax return do...

Nov272019 by adminNo Comments

Choosing Medicare is a high-stakes decision. How advisors can make sure clients get it right

Finance

A senior citizen holds a sign during a rally to protect federal health programs at the 8th Annual Healthy Living Festival on July 15, 2011 in Oakland, California.Justin Sullivan | Getty ImagesFor most people, signing up for Medicare is a retirement rite of passage.But as they turn 65 and sort through their Medicare Part A, B, C and D choices, many individuals can also be vulnerable to costly mistakes.Even done the right way, it's a high-stakes choice. Medicare beneficiaries will need as much as $ 400,000 for health expenses per couple, according to 2018 research from the Employee Benefit Research Institute. That is up from $ 370,000 in 2017."People do feel overwhelmed and baffled by Medicare," said Katy Votava, president of Goodcare.com. "But there are some basic things that an advisor can...

Apr292019 by adminNo Comments

More Britons ‘choosing non-EU holiday destinations’

Business

More UK holidaymakers have chosen destinations outside the European Union for their holidays this summer, according to new figures from Thomas Cook.The travel operator said 48% of its package holiday bookings for the season were for countries outside the EU, 10 percentage points higher than the same time last year - and the report helped lift travel stocks in Monday trading. Thomas Cook said the weakness of the pound against the euro was the most likely cause for the trend.It also said that the prolonged uncertainty around the UK's exit from the European Union had led many to delay their decision on when and where to book.Shares in Thomas Cook and rose by more than 2% with rival TUI up 3%. Low-cost airline easyJet was also up by 3%, as was International Airlines Group, owner of British Air...

Oct102018 by adminNo Comments

Think twice before choosing any employee benefit plans and perks

Finance

Just because your company offers you a brand-new employee benefit, doesn't mean that you have to take it. October kicks off the beginning of benefits enrollment season for many employees, as they sign up for next year's health care plan and life insurance coverage. But the list of potential perks — known as voluntary and fringe benefits — goes beyond the core suite of life and health insurance coverage and 401(k) plans. A June survey by the National Business Group on Health found that about 9 out of 10 large employers offered accidental de...

Aug122018 by adminNo Comments

Choosing how and when to receive pension benefits

Finance

Pensions were common when it was typical to work for a company for 20 or 30 years and then retire with a gold watch and a full package of retirement benefits. When speaking about retirement savings, there was the “three-legged stool” of retirement income: personal savings, Social Security benefits and a pension. In this retirement-saving strategy, pension and Social Security benefits provided a guaranteed monthly income for the rest of the retiree’s life. Times have changed quite a bit over the last couple of decades. Driven mostly by employers’ desire to reduce their long-term liability exposure, pens...