November 29, 2011 in Business, Business News by jferris

Last Months of 2011 a Last Chance to Review Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Contributions Reports Next Exit Retirement CEO

With only a few months left in 2011, it is time to look at IRA contributions.

“This is one of the best times to start looking at your 2011 IRA contributions and one of the smartest things you can do is add mutual funds to the account,” said Evan Tunis, president and CEO of Next Exit Retirement. “If you don’t know what type of funds will work to your advantage, then just call me, and we can discuss what would work the best.”

The beauty of IRAs is that they have many advantages that will make a smart investor quite pleased with the prospects for their future. The IRA can help manage retirement plans with flexibility and allows funds to be used in the IRA to be invested in non-traditional investments. “And that means, you could choose to invest in businesses, tax liens, real estate or even loans,” added Tunis.

The bottom line is that IRAs are very good alternatives for those who wish to diversify their investment portfolio, and all of the investments can be done within the same account envelope or structure. “That means it is a very handy tool for investors wanting to look to their future retirement and who want to grow their wealth to be ready to retire,” Tunis remarked.

“LLCs are often used in situations like this,” indicated Tunis, “as LLC programs let people secure their investments. That means that IRAs, which are time sensitive, tend to be good choices for those wanting a safer investment option with total control over the investments and the retirement funds.”

IRAs are a great way to save for the future. “If this appeals to you, call me and we can review your options. The advice is free and the expertise and customer service you get is superior. This is my job and I work to ensure your money works for your retirement,” Tunis stated.

November 22, 2011 in Insurance, Insurance Articles by jferris

Long Term Care Planning is Vitally Important For Women

Mention long-term care, and most people think of older men. Yet more than 70 percent of nursing home check-ins are women.

Long-term care is an issue for all Americans, no matter their age. The earlier you buy the coverage, the better off you will be later. Additionally, the earlier and younger you are when coverage is bought, the less the premiums are. For example, if you start paying on a long-term care policy in your early 40s, you would pay around $5,000 a year. If you wait another 10 years or so, you would be paying at least $7,500 or more annually.

Still not comfortable with the idea of preparing for the future? Did you realize that the kind of care you may need when you are older is usually not covered by a traditional health insurance policy and it is not covered by Medicare, no matter what you might think? Medicaid only offers limited, if any, coverage for long-term care, but that is only after you have spent all your own money.

If you are a female, you need to know how to plan and act on your long-term care needs. With nursing home costs running about $70,000 to $80,000 a year, any savings you may have can rapidly vanish. Act now and take your long-term care into your own hands.

Wondering what is covered by a long-term care policy? A policy like this can address a variety of services that may include, but are not limited to, adult day-care, nursing home care and in-home health care. What you get is dependent on the amount of coverage you want and can pay for. Some policies include an inflation adjustment. Be prepared to pay more for this option. You can opt to go for a lifetime policy, but the more common ones are two, three, and five years. The final cost will depend on the level of benefits you want, health factors and your age.

If you are looking to lower the costs of your premium, then speak to an insurance specialist about the elimination period before your coverage starts. This can range from no days and coverage that starts right away, or you can opt for 180 days and pay your own costs. In other words, the longer the elimination period, the less expensive the policy will be.

Take the time to speak to an experienced insurance specialist about long-term care policies for women. It will be well worth your long-term peace of mind.

Evan Tunis is with Next Exit Retirement. To learn more about Boca Raton long-term care insurance or West Palm Beach long-term care insurance, visit http://www.nextexitretirement.com.

November 17, 2011 in Insurance, Insurance Articles by jferris

Newer Products Take Diverse Approach to Long Term Care Insurance

With newer long-term care products on the market, now may be the time to start shopping for the future.
It does not matter what age you are, long-term care is something you need to think about. Just try not to leave it until the very last minute, when the expense will be much higher. The most critical thing to remember is that much of what you may need for long-term care is not covered by Medicare, which is a major mistake many older Americans make in thinking that it does cover them. Get busy sourcing some of the newer products on the market, as they are more cost effective.
Long-term care costs may run up to at least $80,000 a year, which is a significant chunk of money to find, even if you had funds stashed away. It could wipe out your savings in no time flat. However, with the latest line of combination insurance and long-term care products (dubbed hybrid life insurance), you might like the idea of investing a lump sum and choosing your long-term care coverage and death benefit.
The combo plans are not easily compared to individual, sole focus long-term care policies largely because the combination product is usually a lump sum investment. This approach to being covered for long-term care, if it is needed, is quite popular and sales of the combination products shot up to 62 percent in 2010. To put that into dollar terms, that would represent $1.2 billion according to the Life Insurance and Market Research Association.
Put another way, the new combination products symbolize about 6 percent of the individual life insurance market premium, and that even though older Americans (in their 60s) represented a large portion of this market, younger people were also interested. And why wouldn’t they be interested when they discover there are some very significant tax benefits to the payout of annuity values (and that includes contract gains), provided tax free under the Pension Protection Act of 2006.
How do you know which product to select? In the case of a long-term care policy on cash value life insurance, you would be able to control the specific term. Anything unused would pass to your named beneficiary, unlike regular stand-alone long-term care policies in which anything not used is not returned.
If you are interested in taking advantage of a tax deferred annuity, you might like the idea of investing a lump sum with a life insurance company, with part of the cash value being earmarked for long-term care benefits. Again, these are issues that are important to some and not to others. This is why it is best to discuss these issues with an experienced insurance agent.
You may decide the long-term care benefits are not as all-inclusive as those offered by a stand-alone policy. Or, for those with pre-existing conditions who cannot qualify for long-term care insurance, underwriting issues for the hybrid policies are not as rigorous. Additionally, you need to be aware that if you withdraw from a hybrid early, the annuities may be penalized twice – once by the IRS for taking funds out before you are 59 ½ years old and a surrender charge for early withdrawal (usually within the first seven years of the life of the product).

These products are complex, but for those who choose to plan ahead of time, it is well worth their while. It is time to call an insurance specialist and find out how these policies work.

Evan Tunis is with Next Exit Retirement. To learn more about Boca Raton long-term care insurance or West Palm Beach long-term care insurance, visit http://www.nextexitretirement.com.

October 25, 2011 in Insurance, Insurance News by jferris

Planning Ahead for Long-Term Care is a Smart Lifestyle Choice Says Next Exit Retirement CEO

Many people do not put much time into planning for their future care. Without long-term care in place later in life things may be very difficult.

“Long-term care is an issue many Americans want to shove under the rug,” explained Evan Tunis, president and CEO of Nextexitretirement.com. “It is one of those things no one really wants to confront when they are younger and in relative good health. The thing is, with each passing year the reality is you may need long-term care, and if you have no provisions in place to pay for that, the alternatives are not very appealing.”

Even though life expectancies have increased, the result causes a gap in the number of people needing long-term care and the resources being offered by the system. It is a large gap and many fall through the cracks. The brutal fact is that many Americans may reach old age and have no resources to pay for long-term care and the alternatives may be government funded homes or private assisted living situations.

“If you have read the news lately, you will know there are many horror stories about nursing homes, assisted living centers and government run senior’s facilities,” said Tunis. “Bad things do not happen to everyone, but most seniors want to hold onto their independence for as long as they can. Without long-term care in place, that is not always possible.”
For those that do not seriously think there is a burgeoning aging and care crisis, consider these numbers. There are approximately nine million Americans over the age of 65 years old that need long-term care services of some kind. This number will increase as more people reach the age of 65. Long-term care services are in heavy demand and to meet that demand not only does there need to be increased facilities, but the cost of care will skyrocket. “In 2010 alone, long-term care costs were on average about $75,000 a year, and this is not just for those over the age of 65,” added Tunis. “It could happen to anyone, at any age, and that is something to seriously think about.”

When does someone know if they need long-term care? “This typically happens when a person acquires an illness, whether it is a cognitive illness or disability that keeps them from being able to carry out the basic necessities of daily living,” Tunis explained. “The cost of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia is catastrophically high. If you plan now for the future, you will have everything secured and not worry about how to pay the medical bills.”
“It is my job to be here for you and answer any questions you may have about long-term care policies and how to shop for them and what they can do for you,” stated Tunis. “Do not hesitate to contact me. What people do not think about is that just because they have good health now, does not mean things cannot change. It is best to be prepared for just about any eventuality when it comes to your most precious asset – your health and independence.”

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida and Florida Keys health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, visit http://floridahealthcareinsurance.com/floridakeys -insurance.html

October 11, 2011 in Insurance, Insurance Articles, Life Insurance by jferris

Term Life Insurance Can Fit Your Budget and Provide Great Protection

Life insurance is a personal choice and one that is sometimes confusing. It doesn’t need to be overwhelming.

There are so many terms when it comes to understanding life insurance. People have a tendency to get lost and frustrated, and then give up. For instance, how is term insurance different than life insurance, or is it? Fair question, and the answer is simply this – term life insurance, also referred to as pure insurance without the investment part, is a policy that offers insurance coverage for a designated time period and pays out a fixed pre-determined amount to a beneficiary should the insured unexpectedly die during the life of the policy. In terms of policy duration, you could choose anywhere from 10 years to 30 or more years, if that suits your circumstances.

Really, the goal of any life insurance policy should be to offer a guarantee that if an untimely death takes place, those left behind get a sufficient amount of money. Life insurance products ought to have lower premium amounts as well, and that is doable by purchasing a term plan. The main benefit of term life when you compare it to other kinds of insurance is that it typically pays out a larger amount for a smaller premium, which many buyers find attractive. Keep in mind, though, that term insurance does not accrue any kind of investment funds.

Before making the final decision to buy term insurance, there are a few things you should think about. First and foremost, compare the quotes you get from every insurance company you talk to about coverage. This is easy to do online and often you can compare prices instantly. Having said that, do not buy a policy based on price alone; consider the whole policy and what it has to offer. The bottom line is that you need a policy that covers you, not just some cheap policy. This is where you get told to read the fine print.

When filling out the forms for a quote, tell the truth on your application. If you do not and the error, omission, or lie is caught later, your insurance company will not pay out on the policy. This can have serious consequences, so take the extra time to fill it out accurately.

Another reason for reading the fine print is that you need to know precisely what is being covered and what you are paying for in the long run. Do not be enticed by bells and whistles and other add-ons that do not have any purpose for you, as it will only increase the premium. On a similar note, the younger you are, the cheaper your quote for a term life insurance policy.

While this may sound like common sense, stay as healthy as possible. If you live a healthy life, your policy rates stay lower. Do not excessively drink or smoke, consume massive quantities of junk food, or be a couch potato. Lose weight if you need to shed some pounds and maintain a healthy weight for your age. This is good, sound advice, that unfortunately many people do not follow, and then wonder why their policy premiums are higher. When in doubt about how to shop for term insurance, make it a point to connect with an experienced life insurance agent. They always have the answers to your questions.

October 7, 2011 in Insurance, Insurance Articles by jferris

Disability Insurance is Vitally Important

Someone who is 20-years-old has a 30 percent chance of being disabled before reaching retirement. Everyone at some point in their lives, typically when they are younger, thinks they are invincible. Since we are not invincible, when you start a career, you want to protect your assets. You might be thinking this is irrelevant and that you don’t need or can’t afford to pay for disability insurance.

But think about this – can you afford to not have disability insurance if you suddenly find that you cannot work and pay your bills? There are a number of different kinds of disability insurance – mortgage disability, credit disability and individual disability income. The ironic thing with insurance is that people go ahead and insure their lives, because they realize it is valuable to do so. However, those same people do not insure their livelihood. The bottom line is this – your ability to work and earn money to pay the bills is one of the least protected assets you have.

If you lost your job tomorrow because you had been in a car accident and rendered a quadriplegic, how would you make money? Any savings you had on hand would be wiped out fast, as we all know medical expenses these days are astronomical. Very soon, you would be strapped for cash and wondering how you would be able to live. If you have disability insurance, you have a plan in place for the unexpected moments that happen in life.

Disability insurance does not have to be expensive and you can ask an experienced insurance agent for assistance in choosing the right policy for you. That’s their job, and they can find you the best deal. Do not leave finding the right disability insurance policy to chance, as you may choose the wrong one and it won’t cover you for what you need.

Individual disability income typically replaces about 45 to 60 percent of your gross income tax free. Coverage is provided if you become disabled as a result of an illness or an accident. But the policy should offer more than that. For instance, make certain the policy covers you if you are not able to work in your current job, not just any occupation. You will also want to ask if the policy is guaranteed renewable so long as you keep paying the premiums.

Generally speaking, most policies like this are payable up to the age of 65, although there are some companies that may provide extended coverage up to the age of 70. Keep in mind that there is usually an elimination period – the length of time you must be disabled before the policy takes over. That could be anywhere from one to six months. By the way, the shorter the elimination timeframe, the more expensive your policy will be. You might want to take that into consideration when you are buying disability insurance. Additionally, what you do for work is related to the likelihood that you may be injured and not able to work in that particular job.

For expert help in choosing the right disability policy for your lifestyle, consult with a knowledgeable insurance agent who can point you in the right direction, and find precisely what you need to take care of the most important thing in your life, your ability to keep financially stable.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida and Florida Keys health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, visit http://floridahealthcareinsurance.com/floridakeys -insurance.html

February 28, 2011 in Health Insurance, Insurance News by jferris

New Grants Awarded for Group Health Insurance Wellness Programs

Tampa, FL – Grants are now being awarded for small businesses to assist in providing comprehensive workplace wellness programs. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will award $200 million over the next five-year period to businesses that did not offer these programs as of March 23, 2010 and employ fewer than 100 employees that work 25 hours or more per week.

“Prevention and wellness programs will help retain and attract employees,” said Thomas Kaspar of Grouphealthflorida.com. “Your employees will be more healthy and an employer can tout cutting edge benefits.”

Kaspar’s group health agency helps businesses find what insurer offers the best health awareness and prevention initiatives. Grants from the PPACA will most often be awarded to companies that sign up with plans that offer health education, risk assessments, and screenings as well as seminars to encourage participation from all employees to modify unhealthy behaviors and lifestyle patterns.

“Many insurers offer tailored programs to keep employees well, rather than just covering illness or injuries,” Kaspar said. “The wellness services will cover women, men, and children’s wellbeing and strive to help employees and their families live longer, healthier lives.”

Health plans now abound with options for personal and online coaching to help achieve healthier lifestyle goals, from reducing stress and sleeping better, losing weight and improving fitness and energy levels, stop smoking, and improving the work/life balance. Paired with health care tax credits and insurance exchanges, small businesses will have many incentives to offer insurance and wellness programs that they otherwise might not have thought about or allocated monies for in their business plan.

With more than 20 years experience, Group Health Florida assists benefit managers and companies through the detailed process of finding the best insurance and wellness programs for their employees. They pride themselves on providing a high quality of service, dependability, knowledge, value, and clarity.

To learn more visit: http://www.grouphealthflorida.com

February 26, 2011 in Health Insurance, Insurance Articles by jferris

Cost Savings for Employees Equals Confidence in Their Group Health Insurance

Group health benefit administrators and managers can make their employees aware of some money saving tips when using their health insurance.

It may be a good idea to do a seminar or send out a refresher to employees so they remember how their plan can help their wallet, not hurt it.

Here are the biggest tips to save:

Use in-network doctors. Doctors, hospitals, outpatient testing, treatment, and surgery centers that are in-network will save a lot of money. Most insurers offer online and telephone directories to target in-network providers that will equal cost savings.

Ask your doctor about the best care for the best price. Doctors often have more than one drug to treat medical conditions and illnesses. When you chat with your doctor about benefits, see if there are generic options that will help you the same, but cost less. Many plans also offer mail order pharmacy options that have discounts on prescriptions. And with many drugs now available in similar formulas over the counter, see if your doctor recommends any of these more affordable medications.

Call before you run to the doctor. You can sometimes avoid the expense and hassle of going to the doctor if you need a medication or consultation on a lab follow up. Many doctors will fax a prescription refill to your pharmacy and they or their nurses will discuss the results of lab tests over the phone. Both can save patients money on copays and time.

Go to the most appropriate doctor for medical concerns. Retail clings in department, grocery, and drug stores have convenient, quick, and even weekend care in some stores. But patients should check their benefits coverage to see if the costs are on par with their primary doctor. Equally as important is deciding on whether or not to go to the emergency room. Patients should call their health plan’s nurse line or doctor’s office to see if a trip to the ER is going to worth the big cost and potential wait time. Many people go to the ER for back pain, fevers, and nausea that are slowing down the staff’s ability to address more serious illness and injuries. So if a hospital visit is necessary, be sure to check that the hospital is in-network. Just because your doctors works at that hospital or has admitting privileges does not mean that the hospital is covered under your plan. So check coverage and even estimate costs on many of the provider’s web calculators before you go if possible.

Read medical bills and invoices. Billing errors do happen, so review the cost when checking out at the doctor and when the invoice comes in the mail. Adjustments after you have visited the doctor will affect your wallet, so keep a file and call your insurer to double check that you are paying the correct amount.

Seek out the best provider when it comes to specialized exams. Services at labs can cost dramatically less than those done at hospital facilities. Same goes for pathology tests, MRIs and CT scans, as well as colonoscopy, endoscopy, and arthroscopy tests. An insurer will have online cost calculators and provider listings that will give greater value than a hospital visit.

Focus on preventive health, not just current problems. Regular physicals, screenings, and immunizations will help ward off problems before they start. Providers oftentimes list recommended tests and schedules for children and adults. Patients save a lot of money taking care of the health versus ending up with a chronic condition that can affect their lifestyle and wallet dramatically.

Reviewing your insurance provider and their benefits will help employers know that they have the best plan for their employees. This means a lot of savings for their workers and confidence in their benefits package.

Bradley Palmer is with Grouphealthflorida.com offering Florida Group Health Insurance. To learn more about group health insurance, visit Grouphealthflorida.com.

February 1, 2011 in Health Insurance, Insurance Articles by jferris

Have Fort Lauderdale Health Insurance Like House Insurance

Having Fort Lauderdale health insurance is crucial for those inevitable life events that need medical care.

There are a great number of Americans who wonder why they should bother to have health insurance, as they don’t think they will ever use it. In other words, why are they shelling out good money every month for something they aren’t using or benefitting from right away?

It’s like having house insurance. You don’t see a benefit from it right away, but if something happens, like a fire, then you know what the benefits are immediately when you file a claim. It’s the same thing with Fort Lauderdale health insurance; without it you could be financially wiped out with one accident or illness.

Fort Lauderdale health insurance just isn’t something that people purchase and then use right away. It can’t be consumed like a product you buy. Instead, consider it an investment; an investment in your long-term good health. If you need it, it will be there to cover you for medical expenses.

The other thing to remember is that by buying health insurance, you are protecting yourself against medical risks; just like buying house insurance to protect against the risk of fire, etc. If you don’t have insurance, the cost is devastating. With insurance, the costs are less and you could at least manage to handle some of the financial fallout.

Could you go through life not have anything happen to you medically? Sure you could, but that doesn’t happen often, as people do get older and their health changes. That’s life. For those who choose to not buy health insurance and instead save the money, remember this, the first time you need a doctor, you will be forking over every penny you had saved and then some to cover that one bill. Then where are you? Right; right back where you started from, no insurance and now, no money.

The last thing anyone needs is a major financial setback in this economy. Think ahead, plan for the future, get the right kind of health insurance to deal with any possible medical problems and know that should something go wrong, you’re covered and won’t be financially destitute.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida and Fort Lauderdale health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, visit Floridahealthcareinsurance.com/fortlauderdale -insurance.html.

January 31, 2011 in Health Insurance, Insurance News by jferris

Floridahealthcare Insurance Says No One Can Foretell Health Insurance Needs

If there is one thing in life that people can count on, it is that life is not predictable. While it makes living exciting at times, it can be a problem health-wise if you do not have insurance.

“While a lot of people figure they will be just fine when it comes to not having Florida Keys health insurance, the truth is, no one really knows for sure what will happen in life. They may have an accident, break a leg, contract pneumonia or be diagnosed with asthma. Guessing how healthy you are going to be is a little like playing Russian roulette. You may not get the bullet and then again, you may, so why take chances with your health?” asked Evan Tunis, Evan Tunis of Florida Healthcare Insurance, Delray Beach, Florida.

If people are uncertain of what they need for health coverage, they will be heartened to know that there are a wide variety of options available to them on the market. If price is a concern, it is quite possible to find suitable Florida Keys health insurance at a reasonable price. “You need to know what you are looking for, what your budget is, what you need in terms of care and that includes pre-existing conditions and how often you usually see a doctor a year,” Tunis said.

For those looking for health insurance for their families, the best place to start looking is by making a list of what is needed. That may include the medical conditions of all family members, their drugs and how often they see a doctor. Everyone has different needs and the idea is to find something that covers as many of those needs as possible.

When looking online for various Florida Keys health insurance plans, find out precisely what kinds of plans are out there that would suit a family situation. There may be various routes to choose here as well. “For instance, if you are employed, you might get less expensive coverage through work. If not, you will want to speak directly to your local health insurance specialist for help. That’s my job, and I can assist you in finding what you need, quickly and for a reasonable price,” Tunis said.

It is always helpful to check into what the limitations are for each plan under consideration. Every plan has some restrictions, but they are not always the same, so it is wise to know what those are, particularly if there are family members with pre-existing conditions. To that end, also be on the lookout for plans to take care of prescriptions. “If you and/or anyone in the family are taking pills, this needs to be factored into the health insurance coverage equation as well,” Tunis said.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida and Florida Keys health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, visit http://floridahealthcareinsurance.com/floridakeys -insurance.html