How Healthy Are Your Finances?

January is not only the beginning of a new year, but also the official Financial Wellness Month.  It’s a great time to look over your family finances and see where you can improve.  Here are a few great places to start…

Get rid of debt.  Debt reduces your monthly income, costs you money in interest, and can make it harder to purchase a home.  Maybe 2016 will be the year that you get rid of it once and for all? One simple tip you can start with is leave your credit card at home. Only having cash on hands limits your spending. For more great tips on where to start and how to create a debt payoff plan, check out books by Dave Ramsey or Suze Orman.

Put more money in savings.  The easiest way to save money each month?  Put it on autopilot.  Set up an automatic transfer from your checking to your savings account on the day you get paid.  Or find out how you can save money tax free in a retirement account through your employer.  The less you have to think about it, the easier it will be to save! 

Get the right insurance.  You don’t want to skimp on insurance coverage, but you don’t have to overpay either!  Call us today to schedule a free no-obligation insurance review.  We’ll look at all of your needs and find you the best policy for the best price.

Your Insurance Financial Plan

There are many aspects to successful financial plans.  Most include a family budget, emergency savings, retirement savings, and…insurance!

So today, let's review the important parts of your insurance financial plan.

Protect Your Stuff - 

This is what we think of first when it comes to insurance.  Fixing your car after an accident and replacing your belongings after a fire.  When you review your financial plan, you want to make sure that all of your valuable assets are protected.  Cars, homes, high priced jewelry or artwork, boats, motorcycles, ATV's, etc.  Protect it all and make sure that the deductible is reasonable and that you have full replacement cost coverage.  (We can explain all the details.)  

Protect Your Money - 

Liability is a misunderstood coverage, but it's extremely important.  When you are held responsible for an accident, your assets and money are at risk!  What if your teenager caused an accident and your were sued?  What if you caused a major accident and didn't have enough liability coverage?  Good insurance can make sure this doesn't happen!  We look at how much you have to protect (total assets) and create a plan to cover it all.

Protect Your Family - 

You can protect all of your belongings, but the ultimate way to protect your family is with good life and disability insurance.  If something happens to you, you don't have to worry about your family being protected.  You can plan to pay off debt, pay for college, or anything else that is important to you.  

All of this might seem like a lot for think about, but it doesn't have to be.  With a great insurance agent, you can meet once a year and trust that all of these things are taken care of.  Why not take a few minutes to schedule an insurance financial planning review with one of our agents?  Call us today at 508-347-9343!  

Avoid Running Out of Money During Retirement

Many people have no idea how much money they will need to retire and/or think that they have plenty of time to plan for it. Before you know it, you’re about to retire and feel completely unprepared. Do you know how much you need to have available at your retirement? You need to consider your life expectancy and how much money you’ll need to maintain your lifestyle (which includes inflation). See your personal Financial Planner today to discuss what you’ll need to be able to have a retirement that is as stress-free as possible.

Disability Insurance, Who Needs It?

Have you ever thought that you'll never need disability insurance?  According to the Social Security Administration, one in four 20-year olds will become disabled and unable to work before they reach the age of 67. In 2012 alone, 650,000 workers became disabled. I don’t know about you but those figures astound me. You may think that Worker's Compensation will cover you if you become disabled, but did you know that 90% of long-term disability claims are due to illnesses and not work-related accidents? You’re never too young to be concerned about disability insurance; if you work, you need it. Long-term disability payments may not replace your income 100% (it’s typically around 60% of your income) but can you imagine if you’re disabled and you have no money coming in?  Even if you have coverage through your employer, you should talk to your Financial Advisor to make sure that you have the appropriate coverage to help protect your future.

Long Term Care Insurance

The use of long-term and home health care are on the rise because of medical advances and people living longer. If you think that Medicare will provide coverage for nursing home or at-home care, you could be shocked to know low limited that coverage is. Medicare will pay for a short nursing home stay if you’re hospitalized for at least three days prior to your need for skilled care. Medicare will pay for the first 20 days, but you will be responsible for $148 a day for days 21 through 100. After that, Medicare coverage runs out. Medicare also provides limited coverage for home–health services only when your doctor states that it’s medically necessary. Medicare Supplement Plans may provide more coverage but it is not extensive.  Long-term care costs can cripple a family if they’re not prepared. To prepare for long-term care issues, speak to your Financial Planner for options that are available to protect your future.