September is Life Insurance Awareness Month, and each year around this time I write about the importance of making sure your family is correctly covered should one of you pass early and the other is left to cover the household bills alone. This usually corresponds with benefit election season in the workplace, and we encourage you to let us look at your benefit packages with you before just clicking the same buttons as last year.
If you’ve been following our team for a while, you know that we talk a lot about what you can do to work toward financial freedom. Today I want to switch gears and look at what might be holding you back from that goal.
Please don’t ask me why, but the way providers talk about benefits can confuse many folks, especially younger employees who might be enrolling for their insurance for the first time. One recent study showed that more than half of employees choose plans that aren’t right for them, costing them money in premiums or underfunded costs.
So, what is all this tricky language, and what does it mean for you and your benefit selections? Let’s review a few of the most common terms you’ll encounter in selecting a package.
This has been a really interesting year watching the discussion of artificial intelligence advance due to the rise of ChatGPT and similar machine-learning tools that have permeated daily life and business. In order to learn more about the subject, I recently invited Brad Watkins, a self-described “technology evangelist” to our podcast, “In My Day.” Ryan and I had a fascinating hour-long discussion with him where he broke down what AI really is and how it’s going to affect our lives moving forward. I thought that, for this month’s newsletter, you’d like to read an excerpt from that conversation.
Nobody’s benefits renew in March. March is pretty much the opposite of benefits season. Many of you are just waiting on the fall email from your employer that reminds you to check your benefits and see if something has changed — marital status, number of children, medical history — as well as instructions on how to make changes to your package. If nothing significant has occurred, you probably just check the box to keep everything the same. It’s easy.
Most of the time when people come into our conference room or call us up, they want help with how to do something. Whether it’s saving money, budgeting, making major purchases or signing up for insurance, they want to know how.
We are in that time of year when companies start releasing new benefits packages, and open enrollment is almost here. As you look through your new employee book provided by your HR department, you probably see things like additional 401(k) options, accidental death & dismemberment (yikes!) insurance, life insurance, supplemental life insurance, short term/long term disability coverage, along with all sorts of other acronyms you may or may not have any idea what they stand for.
It shouldn’t come as a shock when I say it is very common for people to job-hop during their 20s and into their 30s before they settle into a long-term position. Typically, people change jobs to gain new experiences, obtain a better title, or for more pay. While these are all very good reasons that, in the long run, should be positives in our financial lives, changing jobs too often can come with a cost.
Disability insurance replaces a portion of your income if you become sick, injured, pregnant or need surgery and are unable to go to work. There are two types of disability insurance: short-term and long-term. These are sometimes offered as an employee benefit from your employer but be sure you understand what you have and any plan limitations before assuming you are fully covered.
The cooler weather has finally arrived and it officially feels like fall in the Bluegrass! Before you know it, holidays will be upon us, and we’ll be embarking on a brand new year. But before 2017 arrives, make sure to finish 2016 on a strong financial note. It’s important to review your finances and financial goals now, before hectic fall and holiday schedules get in the way, and you’re scrambling to get things in order for the new year. Taking care of these to-dos today could make the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017 much more relaxing.
*Representatives are licensed to offer insurance and annuity products in AL, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, ME, MI, MO, NH, OH, SC, and TN and are licensed to offer investment products in AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, Washington DC and WV. This website and its content are not intended for residents of other states. Securities offered through: The O.N. Equity Sales Company, Member FINRA/SIPC, One Financial Way, Cincinnati, OH 45242. 513.794.6794 Investment Advisory Services offered through The O.N. Investment Management Company. Estate Planning Services provided in conjunction with your licensed legal advisor.