Debbie Perlman Blog

A recent insurance industry survey found that almost half of all Americans don’t have life insurance coverage 1 . The survey also found that Americans’ changing needs in different stages of life can influence their perception of the importance of life insurance in their overall financial wellness. The survey found that 67 percent of Americans believe that having life insurance is important to achieving financial wellbeing, but just 53 percent of Americans have life insurance coverage. Where does this disparity come from? It could be from different stages of life, with different pressures and expenses. What about being prepared for emergencies – how important is that to most people? According to the research, emergency savings is only important to 77% of 18-24 years old, but is important to 93% of people 55 and older. And less than half of those 18-24 year olds perceive life insurance as important to their financial wellness, but over three-quarters of 45-54 year ol...

It’s no coincidence that one of the most special times in a person’s life also happens to be among the most expensive. Having a baby in a hospital setting costs a family an average of $3,035 — and that’s just for a delivery that’s “natural” in nearly every sense of the word (read: no epidural). The dollar signs tick up from there, amounting to medical bills that can keep coming long after mom returns from maternity leave. But chances are none of this is a shock to you or your employees. The thing about babies, at least biological ones, is that nature gives most new parents roughly nine months to prepare. And many new moms or dads know to expect medical expenses ahead of time. Still, there are some costs that even the most astute planners may not anticipate. Life can throw wrenches in every part of a person’s birth plan, and your employees may get hit for more than they bargained for when welcoming that new bundle of joy — which can seriously affect their engagem...

Here's how to increase your Social Security payout. Boost your benefit. Your Social Security payment amount is determined by how much you earn while working and when you elect to start receiving payments. Married individuals are additionally eligible for spousal and survivor's payments. But there are many strategies you can use to increase how much you will receive in retirement. Here's how to get the highest Social Security payment you qualify for. Work 35 or more years. Your Social Security payments are calculated using your 35 highest-earning years in the workforce. If you don't work for at least 35 years, zeros are factored into the calculation and reduce your payments. Even a low-earning year is better than having a zero averaged in. Earn a higher salary. The more you earn and pay into Social Security up to the taxable maximum of $132,900 in 2019, the higher your retirement payments will be. Earnings above the taxable maximum are not subj...

Look past cookie-cutter approaches when saving for retirement to build a nest egg that's right for you.   Your retirement plan needs to be aligned with what you need and want. “As a whole, retirement plans can never be one size fits all, because everybody is very different,” says Ephie Coumanakos, co-founder and managing partner at Concord Financial Group in Wilmington, Delaware. Finding the right retirement plan involves: Thinking about your values and goals. Identifying your risk tolerance. Considering your age. Projecting your retirement lifestyle. Adjusting your plan as needed. Follow these strategies to create a customized retirement plan that's best for you. Understand What's Important to You The ideal retirement can vary greatly depending on your priorities and goals. Think through what's meaningful for you and how you might want to spend funds. "Sit down with your spouse or loved ones and discuss what you would like t...

Officials point to rising employment, but the uninsured rate is climbing as families run afoul of new paperwork and as fear rises among immigrants. HOUSTON — The baby’s lips were turning blue from lack of oxygen in the blood when his mother, Kristin Johnson, rushed him to an emergency room here last month. Only after he was admitted to intensive care with a respiratory virus did Ms. Johnson learn that he had been dropped from Medicaid coverage. The 9-month-old, Elijah, had joined a growing number of children around the country with no health insurance, a trend that new Census Bureau data suggests is most pronounced in Texas and a handful of other states. Two of Elijah’s older siblings lost Medicaid coverage two years ago for reasons Ms. Johnson never understood, and she got so stymied trying to prove their eligibility that she gave up. “I’ve been on this emotional roller coaster,” Ms. Johnson, 34, said of Elijah’s loss of coverage, an error that hap...

The conversation about wearables in health care is no longer limited to activity trackers. Consumers and health care professionals now make use of all kinds of wearables. Insurers and employers have taken note of how wearables can enhance wellness efforts. For example, last year the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association announced plans to include the Fitbit in its Blue365 health and wellness program. The percentage of health care consumers who use wearables has nearly quadrupled, up from just 9% in 2014 to 33% in 2018, an Accenture survey found. And supply and demand are still growing. Consider the following stats about wearables in health care: The Stanford Medicine 2018 Health Trends Report found that of the health care patents filed by tech companies between 2015 and 2017, 23% were for wearable devices. More than 80% of consumers are willing to wear technology that measures health data, according to the Accenture survey. The United States is the largest player in a ...

Nearly one million individuals with disabilities received vocational rehabilitation services in 2016 — and over half of them subsequently found employment, according to the Rehabilitation Services Administration. Putting people to work, including those with short-term disabilities, is one goal. Another is to help employers gain access to qualified workers. Although employers may incur limited costs when providing vocational rehab and workplace accommodations, doing so often pays dividends in the long-run, enabling you to hire and retain employees who help your business thrive. What Is Vocational Rehab?  Vocational rehabilitation services are designed to help people with physical or mental disabilities prepare for, obtain, keep or regain a job. This includes individuals who have suffered on-the-job injuries and are trying to return to date-of-injury positions or to secure new jobs with comparable compensation. Vocational rehab includes a variety of services...