Be careful of “junk insurers.”   Short-term insurance plans are meant to be a stop-gap measure for people between jobs. But many don’t offer meaningful coverage. Zeke Faux in Bloomberg Business reports about Marisia Diaz.  She bought a plan from health Insurance Innovation for $400 month, a maximum and a $7,500 deductible.   When her husband had a heart attack, she was left with a bill for $244,447.91. What she wasn’t told is the plan didn’t cover preexisting conditions, limited the number of doctor visits, and capped hospital coverage at $1,000 a day and $5,000 per surgery.  Ouch! (Or whatever expletives you…

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Not always!  An argument about over-spending is a fight that is well worth having – and solving!  But what about things you can afford, but don’t agree on?  Are you getting blasted for the price of your new skinny jeans? Are you fuming about the ridiculous cost of play-off tickets? Then maybe it’s time for a bit of financial independence. Three separate checking accounts: yours, mine, and ours, can restore peace in a relationship.   The joint account pays your bills and the separate accounts are for your eyes only.  The playing rules must be fair, even if you have unequal…

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This is a good question.  Markets don’t like uncertainty and investors have a tendency to pull back when there is doubt. Oddly enough, when Trump tweeted he would be releasing the transcript of his phone call with the President of Ukraine, the stock market jumped up a little bit. This was followed by a sizeable sell-off.  Markets are rebounding today. We’ve only had three impeachments proceedings in America history: Jackson, Nixon and Clinton.  Only two of these are in an era of modern financial markets.  Nixon’s impeachment, from October 1973 to January 1974, saw a significant decline.  It’s worth noting…

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Many thanks to those who responded to last week’s blog on Social Security.  KUSI picked up the story! Watch it here: http://www.kusi.com/clip/13592385/how-social-security-fits-into-your-plan-when-you-retire. If you have any questions or concerns about your Social Security options, please reach out to me, I am happy to help. Barbara Norman, CFP®, ChFC®…

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But you can leave money for your pet. I made trust provisions for my dog. Many people do. Just as you would name a guardian for your child, so can you name a guardian for your pet. Just make sure that person wants the animal! You may wish to think about leaving a sum of money your pet’s care. For example, I asked that money be set aside for veterinary charges, food, and grooming expenses. I won’t say how much money, because my mother would balk. The residual (if any) is to go to the Helen Woodward Foundation. If this…

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