Retirement Watch Weekly
Slashing Medicare Costs, and Benefits
A little-noticed provision of the 2010 health care reform (Affordable Care Act) is the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). This will be a 15-member panel of experts appointed by the President without input or oversight from Congress. The IPAB would designate the appropriate levels of care and treatment. It’s expected that Medicare would follow the […]
The Future of Medicare?
It’s no secret that Medicare is in trouble. The government will have to spend less on the beneficiaries at some point. It’s likely there will be some form of rationing or reduction in care. There are three ways that could be implemented. One way is to put the onus on the patient or consumer to […]
Evaluating Index Annuity Returns
Indexed Annuities can be a tough sale for insurance brokers, partly because they’re very complicated. A recent article in the Journal of Financial Planning appeared to cut through a lot of the problems by taking actual results from annuity contracts and showing that they outperformed a benchmark. But, not so fast. Robert Huebscher of AdvisorPerspectives.com […]
Guaranteed Inflation-Protected Income
A lifetime stream of guaranteed income is a goal for many people. Even better is to have that income stream increase with inflation. You can have a lifetime stream of guaranteed income that increases with inflation. You must study the options, plan, and shop carefully. An immediate annuity is the prime way to receive guaranteed […]
June 2011
June 30, 2011 11:00 a.m. The Week in Review The trading week and the quarter are winding down, and it’s been a very interesting week in the markets, economy, and world of personal finance. Let’s take a look at the highlights. The Data There were only a few pieces of economic data this week. The […]
Finding Your Classic Estate Plan
Every estate is unique, but each estate can be put in a category with similar estates. Those similar estates are likely to have plans that share a number of common features. So, in this visit we present the classic categories and key elements of plans that fall into those categories. All estate plans. Every plan […]
Seeking Alternatives to Traditional Long Term Care Insurance
The crisis in long-term care insurance is causing people to look for alternatives to traditional LTCI. There are a few options, but you want to consider them care-fully before deciding on a plan. Each option has its own disadvantages. In our January and March visits we documented how some insurers are raising premiums on LTCI […]
Re-Evaluating Your Life Insurance
Many people are reconsidering their life insurance coverage. The new estate tax law and low interest rates change the equation for many people. But don’t make a quick decision. Make a careful review with your estate planner. Most permanent life insurance was purchased to help pay estate taxes. The 2010 tax law moves many estates […]
