Can You Spot a Deepfake?
Have you heard about AI generated images and “deepfakes”? You might be wondering: what exactly is a “deepfake”? How can a computer make such realistic fake photos, videos, and sound bites, and why?
How Can A Single Mom Make Life Insurance Work Harder for Her?
My friend, Tara*, didn’t expect to be a single mom. She had a good job, a home of her own, and a husband she loved when she had her children. But after struggling for years…
How Do Your Retirement Savings Compare? [Updated for 2023]
According to Andrew Rosen’s article in Forbes, “Americans aren’t saving for retirement at all, or [not] enough.” We’ve updated our blog on retirement savings by age for 2023.
Lower Prescription Drug Costs - 2023
Rising drug costs and high inflation are hitting many people hard this year, leaving folks wondering where to find relief. If you or someone you’re caring for is looking for ways to lower prescription costs, this article is for you.
Sometimes Time Is On Your Side: Making Your Investment Work Twice as Hard For Your Family
Trying to balance work, children and anything resembling a personal life can sometimes feel impossible. Days rush by while dreams disappear into the future. Your budget feels stretched to the limit. How is it possible to keep the household expenses paid, pay for life insurance to protect the family in case you or your spouse pass away, put money away for the kids’ college costs, and still save for retirement? If this is happening to you and your children are high school age or younger, options may be here.
Long Term Care Planning - Even “Too Little Too Late” Can Be Enough
Are you one of the millions of adults who have let estate planning fall to the bottom your to do list for years? Does wondering about how you’ll pay for long term care nag at the back of your mind? Has life thrown some curve balls that smacked the life out of your retirement savings?
Sometimes it feels like it’s just too late or too hard to rescue your retirement dreams, but take a minute to remember all the times you’ve been knocked down yet found a way to get back on your feet.
A Tale of Two Small Estates: Lessons Learned
Last year brought home to me the reality of aging. My husband and I experienced five deaths of people close to us which included responsibilities for three of the estates. My mother, Joan, and a close family friend, Russell (through his wife Mary) chose me to handle their estates as Personal Representative – a role I’d never held before. Since both estates were small and had been prepared by the same local estate attorney, the comparison of how they turned out was eye opening.
Inflation Shock? Here Are Some Tips For Improving Your Retirement Income
During the current high inflation, many of us are rethinking our retirement plans and wondering if we’ll outlive our savings. If you’re still working and saving for retirement, it’s not too late to make some changes to account for higher inflation. If you find yourself in a bind with an unexpected expense or a view of the end of your retirement income, you may be able to recoup some funds.
9 Tips for Giving Care From Far Away
Chances are you or someone you know has opened their heart and dedicated their time as an unpaid caregiver. But what happens when a loved one that needs care is too far away to help day to day? The good news is that there are ways to lend support from a distance.
Love and Challenges - Caring for Loved Ones
According to the latest statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association, over 11 million Americans provide unpaid care (totaling more than 16 billion hours) for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. 1 in 3 seniors die with dementia. Like many of you, I am one of those eleven million Americans who has cared for a family member – my mother.
How to Plan a Loving Legacy
Spending time with family and friends during the holidays may have you wondering about what you will happen when you leave this mortal coil. So many questions come up! None of these questions are easy to think about. But not knowing the answers can keep a person up at night. Our mission is to help you find a measure of safety and peace of mind. That’s why we’ve brought LegacyLock to the table.
Retirement Game Plan
Today we bring you Retirement Game Plan, a system to guide you through your retirement journey. It combines two powerful software tools into one integrated process - Thomas Gold’s Retirement Analyzer software and LegacyLock’s estate planning software. Retirement Analyzer allows us to put together a complete picture of your financial situation then look at it from different angles. It helps you figure out what you need to protect yourself and your loved ones during your lifetime. LegacyLock allows you to build estate documents and revocable trusts based on attorney built, state specific templates.
More Robocall Relief Ahead
Some good news in the midst of a dark year: the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) finally took aggressive measures to shut down unwanted robocalls and texts. Hopefully we’ll all find some relief.
What Does the Inflation Reduction Act Do for Medicare Rx?
In August of 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law. More than 80% of both political parties support this bill. Unusual in itself. Among the many, many provisions in the IRA, there are history making changes to Medicare Prescription Drug Plans. Medicare experts and attorneys are still analyzing the bill to tease out the changes that affect Medicare members. Here’s a summary of what’s been reported so far.
Choosing Between an Employer Health Plan or Medicare at Age 65
Longer lives, career satisfaction, financial security – all of these are reasons why people choose to stay in the workforce long past 65 years old. Turning 65 may not mean retirement for you, but it still marks the age to turn your attention to Medicare to learn whether it’s the right time for you to enroll.
How Will The Out Of Pocket Cost Of Long Term Care Impact My Retirement?
One of the first questions people ask when they consider long term care insurance is whether or not it’s worth it. Follow our Real Retirement Stories series and make your own decision.
Our first story is about a 67-year-old friend and client, Tom (not his real name), who made a reasonable decision based on his long-term preparations for his and his wife’s retirement - but then life happened.
Keep Track of These Documents In Case of Emergency
When an accident or illness turns your life upside down, knowing where to find critical documents can help ease the stress. The key is to locate and organize these documents ahead of time so you or your loved ones can easily find them.
While there are a number of documents important to have on hand in an emergency, in this case we are focusing on documents that will help pay for care, grant access to medical or financial information, help your loved ones understand your wishes or appoint someone to make medical or financial decisions.
Money To Grow On - Fund a Child’s Future
Wondering how to soften the worst financial blows to your child or grandchild while helping them build their future? All without sacrificing your retirement plans to do it? By investing $100 per month while they’re an infant in a specially designed indexed life insurance policy, you can give them a helping hand throughout their lifetime. The gift is tax-free and avoids probate.
18% of Claim Payment Denials by Medicare Advantage Plans Met Medicare Coverage Rules
A recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General determined that a significant number of denials actually met Medicare coverage rules. Most of the major news outlets carried headlines about this report designed to catch your attention. To help sort out useful from unhelpful facts, let’s start by putting the results into perspective.
How Preparing to Retire Can Increase Medicare Premiums
If you're over 62 and considering shifting a chunk of your assets to cash check out our new blog to learn how to protect yourself from unexpected tax expenses - especially when remodeling or selling a home.