I just read your column, "Health insurance and open enrollment – what you need to know" in today's Chicago Tribune. I was wondering if you could help me out. I'm looking for supplemental insurance to go along with my Medicare....
Having health insurance shields you from the full brunt of medical expenses, but it's no guarantee that your costs will be low.
Nevertheless, health-care bills still come as a surprise to many individuals who have insurance.
Close to half of ad...
As part of my divorce, I am required to maintain life insurance on myself with my ex-wife as beneficiary. Can I deduct the life-insurance premiums that I pay as alimony?
John
Dear John,
My answer will be longer than your question.
If your questio...
Tax planning for retirees may sound simple on the surface. Since they typically have lower incomes and fewer deductions compared with many taxpayers, they don't face such a comprehensive range of tax issues, right? Well, not exactly.
Retirees ha...
Many people only think about taxes when they’re forced to.
It might be when they fill out a tax document for work or when they tuck away a receipt for a deductible expense or charitable gift. And, of course, people inevitably think about taxes...
Though we're told to prioritize retirement savings during our working years, it's estimated that nearly half of U.S. households have no money set aside for the future. Now, if you're in that camp but still have a number of working years a...
TIAA was founded 100 years ago by Andrew Carnegie to provide college professors with retirement income through employment-based annuities. This was an innovative concept for the time, predating the Social Security system by two decades.
The first pr...
Annuity sounds like it should be a financial code word. It should be traded with pork futures by men in smoking jackets and wingback chairs.
So here's the dirty little secret: It shouldn't. It isn't. An annuity is a financial product for...
Mention the word “annuity” to an investor, and you’re likely to receive mixed reactions. The concept is often misunderstood, leaving the everyday investor who is planning for retirement concerned that their money will end up tied up...
A recent survey found that 29% of adults between the ages of 30-49 don’t have life insurance, often because they think it’s too expensive.
But in some cases, life insurance can be worth the expense.
Imagine a 30-year-old named Ted, who&...