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	<title>Over 50 Website &#187; Finance &amp; Insurance</title>
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	<description>Dont Let Us Get Sick. Dont Let Us Get Old. Dont Let Us Get Stupid. Allright? WZ</description>
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		<title>Help to Afford Prescriptions and Health Care</title>
		<link>http://www.over50web.net/finance/help-to-afford-prescriptions-and-health-care/</link>
		<comments>http://www.over50web.net/finance/help-to-afford-prescriptions-and-health-care/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:58:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Finance & Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[afford health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[afford prescriptions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prescriptions]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Can You Afford Prescriptios and Other Health Care?
We have published some articles on health insurance, and even ranted a bit about health reform in the US. I do not care what your political outlook is right now, but you have to know that the US health system has some big problems that affect patients, doctors, [...]


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/issues/health-care-reform-a-short-history-fdr-to-obama/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Health Care Reform &#8211; A Short History: FDR to Obama'>Health Care Reform &#8211; A Short History: FDR to Obama</a> <small>Health Reform in The USA Since the health care reform...</small></li><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/health-beauty/health-care-reform-2009-proposals-and-debacles/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Health Care Reform 2009 Proposals and Debacles'>Health Care Reform 2009 Proposals and Debacles</a> <small>Having Trouble Keeping up with Health Reform? If you are...</small></li><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/finance/do-we-need-long-term-care-insurance/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Do We Need Long Term Care Insurance?'>Do We Need Long Term Care Insurance?</a> <small>Do We Need Long Term Care Insurance? Since the population...</small></li></ol>

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Can You Afford Prescriptios and Other Health Care?</h3>
<p>We have published some articles on health insurance, and even ranted a bit about health reform in the US. I do not <img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-452" title="nurse" src="http://www.over50web.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/nurse-150x150.jpg" alt="nurse" width="150" height="150" />care what your political outlook is right now, but you have to know that the US health system has some big problems that affect patients, doctors, and employers. In fact, every player in this issue has a crisis to deal with right now, and I wish our own government could somehow get past the silly stuff and get some work done.</p>
<p><strong>Who Needs Help Affording Health Care?</strong></p>
<p>We have gotten some very sincere emails from our previous posts. I am not going to pubish them because of privacy issues. You will have to take my word for it. People are having real trouble because they cannot afford prescriptions or other health services. I think this problem is really tough for those of us betwee about 50 and 64. We are too young for Medicare, and too old to easilly qualify for private individual policies. Even if some of us have health isurance, our policies may not be all that good. I have heard of tragic cases of people running out of benefits or having huge copays, deductibles, or limits when they needed expensive medical treatment.</p>
<p><strong>Solutions to Affording Prescriptions, Doctors, Clinics, Hospitals, ETC.</strong></p>
<p>I am going to link to this article on finding health with health care for people who cannot afford prescriptions, doctors, hospitals, and other costs associated with being sick or injured. I think it provides a clear and succint roadmap</p>
<h3><a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?What-to-Do-If-You-Cant-Afford-Health-Insurance&amp;id=3876848">What to Do if You Cannot Afford Health Insurance</a> &lt;&lt; Click Here</h3>
<p><strong>The Partnership for Prescription Assistance (And Other Medical Services)</strong></p>
<p>One of the big resources it mentions is <a href="http://www.pparx.org">PPARX.org.</a>   Though the name of the organization is the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, it does even more than provide prescription help.</p>
<p>This website, and organization provides a portal to private and public assistance for prescriptions, clinics, financial aids, and patient advocates. You can look up your prescriptions. You can enter a zip code and find nearby low cost (or free) clinics. You can find orgaizations that provide some financial aid for your costs or that will advocate for your treatment.</p>
<h3>Are You Healthy Now?</h3>
<p>This may really surprise you, but many people do not bother to get health insurance when they are still healthy because they just do not see the need. Or they may buy a policy that is very cheap, but has some limits that really make it a poor choice is a serious illess or injury crops up.  I am hardly an advocate for insurance companies, but you should understand that the best time to buy health insurance is when you are healthy! You are not going to get a private insurer to cover you after you are already sick. Insurance doesn&#8217;t work like that! That would be like trying to buy life insurance after you are already dead!</p>
<p><strong>Do You Have A Decent Income, But Still Lack Health Insurance?</strong></p>
<p>A major medical plan with a high deductible, for a healthy person, should not cost more than the price of a couple of family restaurant meals every week. You really need to examine priorities. Besides, for many of us, health insurance premiums are tax deductible. And even if you are still responsible for deductibles and copays, you will be able to avoid financial run.</p>
<p>Besides, people with insurance tend to pay less for services. My own plan does not cover testing under the deductible. But when I do get those tests they are discounted. Last time I got routie blood tests, I paid about $70 for $300 of charges because of the discount. My friend, who lacks insurance, paid the whole amount. Is it fair to offer discouts to people with insurance? It isn&#8217;t fair, but it is real.</p>
<p>Be wary of limited benefit plans that cap out limits on the top end. An example might be a policy that pays out some figure, like $2,000 a day, for hospital stays. This is not going to be that helpful for you. You need to absorb the bottom costs, like a deductible or office visits, and have a major medical plan at your back when you really need it.</p>
<p><strong>If You Cannot Afford Health Insurance or Health Costs</strong></p>
<p>If you just cannot afford it, then please take time to look at the article above or the PPARX website so you can have a game plan of what to do get sick. There are organizations out there that provide prescription assistance, low cost clinics, sliding scales for hospital costs, patient advocates, etc. It would be a good idea to be aware of these before you experience a crisis.</p>
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<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/issues/health-care-reform-a-short-history-fdr-to-obama/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Health Care Reform &#8211; A Short History: FDR to Obama'>Health Care Reform &#8211; A Short History: FDR to Obama</a> <small>Health Reform in The USA Since the health care reform...</small></li><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/health-beauty/health-care-reform-2009-proposals-and-debacles/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Health Care Reform 2009 Proposals and Debacles'>Health Care Reform 2009 Proposals and Debacles</a> <small>Having Trouble Keeping up with Health Reform? If you are...</small></li><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/finance/do-we-need-long-term-care-insurance/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Do We Need Long Term Care Insurance?'>Do We Need Long Term Care Insurance?</a> <small>Do We Need Long Term Care Insurance? Since the population...</small></li></ol></p>
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		<title>Do We Need Long Term Care Insurance?</title>
		<link>http://www.over50web.net/finance/do-we-need-long-term-care-insurance/</link>
		<comments>http://www.over50web.net/finance/do-we-need-long-term-care-insurance/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:33:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Finance & Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[estate planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[long term care insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LTCI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nursing homes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement planning]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.over50web.net/?p=430</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Do We Need Long Term Care Insurance?
Since the population is aging, I see a lot more discussion of the need long term care insurance (LTCI). There is no doubt that odds are good that many of us will require some sort of nursing care in our lives. This could be assisted living, a true nursing [...]


Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/finance/who-needs-long-term-care-insurance-ltci/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Who Needs Long Term Care Insurance (LTCI)?'>Who Needs Long Term Care Insurance (LTCI)?</a> <small>Do you Need Long Term Care Insurance (LTCI)? While most...</small></li><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/finance/term-life-insurance-after-age-50/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Term Life Insurance After Age 50'>Term Life Insurance After Age 50</a> <small>Affordable Term Life Insurance Over Age 50 Somehow we seem...</small></li><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/finance/term-life-savings-for-older-people/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Term Life Savings for Older People'>Term Life Savings for Older People</a> <small>Can Older People get a Good Deal on Term Life...</small></li></ol>

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Do We Need Long Term Care Insurance?</h3>
<p>Since the population is aging, I see a lot more discussion of the need long term care insurance (LTCI). There is no <img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-431" title="grandpadaughter" src="http://www.over50web.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/grandpadaughter-150x150.jpg" alt="grandpadaughter" width="150" height="150" />doubt that odds are good that many of us will require some sort of nursing care in our lives. This could be assisted living, a true nursing home, or even home health care. And since it is common for this care to cost a few thousand dollars a month, this expense should be planned for.</p>
<p><em>But do we need to plan with a long term care insurance policy?</em></p>
<p><strong>Why Consider LTCI?</strong></p>
<p>People purchase this coverage for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is to protect the assets they have built up over a lifetime. <em>Medicare</em>, the federal health insurance program for seniors and disabled people, only covers <em>short term nursing care</em>. <em>Medicaid</em>, the federal program for poor people, requires a very low income and few assets. People do not want to have to spend all of their assets on nursing care so they can qualify for Medicaid. They want to leave their resources intact. They may also want more choices, since Medicaid only covers approved and participating facilities and services.</p>
<h3>Is There Another Way to Pay For Nursing Care?</h3>
<p>We were very interested in this article about <a href="http://bestquoteus.com/bestquotes/health-insurance/long-term-care-insurance/long-term-care-insurance-alternatives/"><strong>long term care insurace alternatives</strong></a><strong>.</strong> There are some other creative financial products that may provide ways to plan for the possibility of needing nursing care.</p>
<p>Why consider alternatives? Well, premiums can get expensive, and they increase as we age. This can be a tough burden for older people on fixed incomes or anybody with a moderate income! LTCI is certainly a popular option, but is not the only product to consider.</p>
<p><strong>Nursing Care Riders</strong> &#8211; You can find life insurance policies or annuities with provisions to pay out in case you need nursing care. The life insurance policies may pay out a portion of the face value in case of a terminal illness or nursing home confinement.  Their may be similar provisions on retirement annuities. You may also be able to make a deal for a cash settlment on permanant life insurance or an annuity too.</p>
<p>You can look into these options so you can use one of these insurance products to perform a double duty.  They could provide a death benefit for your heirs, in the case of life insurance. Or, if you need it, you can use part of the benefit to help care for you while you are still alive.  An annuity can provide you with retirement income. But, if you need it, it could also help cover the costs of care. Life insurance policies and annuity contracts differ, so you will have to look into the specific plans on the market where you live.</p>
<h3>How Do You Know If You Need Long Term Care Insurance?</h3>
<p>You need to balance the<a href="http://www.bestquoteus.com/private-longtermcareinsurance-cost.html"> costs and benefit of a LTC insurance policy</a>. Then look of other ways to fund this potential expense. An estate or retirment planner should be able to help, or you could speak with a local insurance agent. If any of these professionals will only illustrate one type of policy, be wary. A good financial professional should be able to work with you to compare your options.</p>


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		<title>Single Premium Life Insurance</title>
		<link>http://www.over50web.net/finance/single-premium-life-insurance/</link>
		<comments>http://www.over50web.net/finance/single-premium-life-insurance/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:37:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Finance & Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[whole life]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Single Premium Life (SPL) Insurance Explanation
What is Single Premium Life Insurance, which is also sometimes just called SPLI? Instead of making payments over a period of years, you actually fund this type of policy with one large sum at the beginning for the contract. We are used to paying premiums once a month, or once a [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Single Premium Life (SPL) Insurance Explanation</h3>
<p>What is Single Premium Life Insurance, which is also sometimes just called SPLI? Instead of making payments over a <img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-381" title="grandparentsfamily" src="http://www.over50web.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/grandparentsfamily-150x150.jpg" alt="grandparentsfamily" width="150" height="150" />period of years, you actually fund this type of policy with one large sum at the beginning for the contract. We are used to paying premiums once a month, or once a year, over many years. In this case, you just pay once, and then you are done. You can also get more information here: <a href="http://bestquoteus.com/bestquotes/life-insurance/single-premium-life-insurance-explained/">Single Premium Life Insurance Explained</a>.</p>
<h3>Who Should Consider SPLI?</h3>
<p>There are some advantages to buying a whole life policy this way. You can just make one large payment, and then know you will be covered for the rest of your life. And if you happen to have a lump sum of cash, you can usually purchase many times that amount of face value. So one type of person who should consider this product would have some cash they do not need to spend, and who would like to turn that sum into a larger sum to pass on to heirs.</p>
<p><strong>Estate Transfer Example</strong></p>
<p>Consider the example of a retired person who received $20,000 as a lump sum paymet from an investment account. Since this individual also has a pension, other savings, and social security, they are sure they will not need to spend this money in the near future. Let us say for this example, that individual could purchase a $100,000 single premium life policy. So they could take the $20k, and they could be assured that if they can leave it alone, they will be able to pass on a much bigger estate to their spouse or children.</p>
<p><strong>Single Premium Life vs Annuties</strong></p>
<p>This may seem similar to some annuities that allow the owners to leave the cash value to beneficiaries. But there are some differences. With an annuity, the money will grow at the rate the contract allows. This could be a fixed interest rate or some market index. But there is no way that annuity will grow to many times the lump sum right away. With SPLI, the death benefit should be quite a bit larger than the premium payment right away.</p>
<p><strong>Single Premium Life Disadvantages</strong></p>
<p>Policies differ, and you must compare them to find the one that is best for you. But here are some typical things to consider before purchasing one.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Fees or Surrender Charges</strong> &#8211; Just after your purchase your policy, your cash value will be less than your investment. These are good for people who are sure they can leave the money alone for awhile.</li>
<li><strong>MEC Status</strong> &#8211; The IRS considers SPLI as Modified Endowment Contracts, and you may not get all of the tax benefits you do from a normal life policy.</li>
<li><strong>You need a fairly large amount of money</strong> &#8211; It may be more affordable for many people to purchase normal life insurance and just make monthly, quarterly, or yearly payments.</li>
<li><strong>Underwriting</strong> &#8211; Even though many insurance companies accept older people who are not in perfect health, they will probably require some sort of health application.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Advantages of SPLI</strong></p>
<p>Here are some of the main reasons why many peope are turning to single premium life.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Cash Value</strong> &#8211; It should grow fairly quickly since you have funded the policy with a lump sum. This cash value can be borrowed against, though that may reduce the death benefit. You can also surrender your policy for the cash if you need it. Again, this really only works out well if you have held the policy for a few years. Check the terms of any policies you are considering.</li>
<li><strong>Accelerated Death Benefit</strong> &#8211; Look at the terms of your specific contract, but you should have a provision for cashing in a large percentage of the death benefit if the insured person is terminally ill.</li>
<li><strong>Large Death Benefit</strong> &#8211; You have the opportunity to multiple the cash you have in order to pass it on to your heirs as an estate.. This could be your spouse, children, grandchildren, or a favorite charity.</li>
<li><strong>Simplified Underwriting</strong> &#8211; This is still life insurance, and their could be underwriting. But because the policy is being funded by a large, upfront payment, many insurers will accept applicants up to age 80.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>How Much Does Single Premium Life Insurance Cost?</strong></p>
<p>Like any other policy, your cost will depend upon more than one thing. Your age and health, the size of the policy you want, and other factors will matter.  You can get free life insurace quotes or find a qualified local agent here: <a href="http://seniorslifesolutions.com/seniorlife.html"><strong>Senior Life Insurance Quotes. </strong></a> </p>
<p>Don&#8217;t worry &#8211; in life insurance terms, senior usually means over 50!</p>
<p>More Information:</p>
<p>I think this article is helpful &#8211; <a href="http://seniorslifesolutions.com/finances/single-premium-life-vs-annuities/"><strong>Single Premium Life vs Immediate Annuities</strong></a></p>


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		<title>Cut Bills for More Retirement Savings</title>
		<link>http://www.over50web.net/finance/cut-bills-for-more-retirement-savings/</link>
		<comments>http://www.over50web.net/finance/cut-bills-for-more-retirement-savings/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:17:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Finance & Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cut bils]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[frugal living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement savings]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[How Can We Save More For Retirement?
If you are like me, and like a lot of middle aged Americans, you are probably concerned about retirement. I do set aside a monthly amount for my retirement account, but I am very concerned that it will not be enough. Right now I do not have real plans [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>How Can We Save More For Retirement?</h3>
<p>If you are like me, and like a lot of middle aged Americans, you are probably concerned about retirement. I <img src="http://www.over50web.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/bills-150x150.jpg" alt="bills" title="bills" width="150" height="150" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-369" />do set aside a monthly amount for my retirement account, but I am very concerned that it will not be enough. Right now I do not have real plans to retire at a certain age, but I do know that things could change. And I do not think that there really is ever such a thing as having too much retirement savings. So I would like to improve my savings rate. Even a $50 a month increase could really add up over the next 15 &#8211; 20 years.</p>
<h3>Cutting Expenses for More Retirement Savings</h3>
<p>As a small business owner, I always strive to increase my income. But I seem to hit the ceiling on that sometimes. So my next attack plan has to be from cutting my expenses. Now everybody who knows me, also knows that I do not want to live like a monk for the next 20 years so I can build up my retirement account. Plus, I still have kids at home, and they have some fixed costs too. So I need to trim some fat out of my budget without reducing my living standard too much.</p>
<h3>Budget, Budget, Budget</h3>
<p>We have discussed this before. I am also not the type of person who likes to account for every dollar I spend. But I have found that forcing myself to go over my budget, at least a few times a year, really helps me spot the money leaks. Some cuts are really very painless because I found I was spending money on things I really did not use that much.</p>
<p>These tips may seem simple or obvious, but they really were not obvious to me until I sat down and prepared a monthly budget. As I wrote before, I used my previous month&#8217;s bills and checking account statement to help me form a mental picture of just how so much money was leaving my checking account, and how I needed to dig into savings sometimes to meet monthly bills.</p>
<p><strong>Areas Where I Cut Cost</strong></p>
<p>These are some of my own budget issues, and when I fixed them, I managed to pull a few hundred extra dollars out of my monthly budget. This may seem like a lot, but I&#8217;m betting that a lot of households have similar issues.  The &#8220;money saved&#8221; entry at the end of every tip is my estimated monthly savings.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Unused Gym Membership</strong> &#8211; I was actually paying for 2 gym memberships. One was for myself, and one was for another family member. We had, sadly enough, not been to the gym for months. I found a high quality, and gently used, exercise bike at a garage sale for $20. It was actually more convenient to set aside a half hour to use it instead of having to get dressed and travel to the gym too.  Money Saved &#8211; $50 a month!</li>
<li><strong>The Pantry and Fridge</strong> - Grocery shopping can eat up a big chunk of a family budget. We all need to do it, but we do not need to buy a lot of food that we don&#8217;t eat so it gets stuffed in the back of the pantry and forgetten about.  When I forced myself to spend a morning cleaning out all of my food storage places, I found a lot of items I had purchased in the last few months and totally forgetten about. I had fallen into the habit of buying certain food items every week without remembering that we were stockpiling jars of salsa and cans of corn. It was time to use up what we had and resist duplicating for awhile. Money Saved &#8211; About $50.</li>
<li><strong>Other Grocery Shopping Considerations</strong> &#8211; Shop sales and try to prepare some inexpensive recipes for a few meals a week. Even if you are not big on coupon shopping (I&#8217;m Not!), you can save a lot of money by replacing some items on your list with in-store specials and produce that is in-season.  In addition, instead of buying prepared meals, it is not that hard to boil your own rice and cut up your own chicken. Money Saved &#8211; About $100+.</li>
<li><strong>Find Better Deals on Monthly Bills</strong> &#8211; I have posted before about how I got a better <a href="http://www.bestquoteus.com/bestrateshomeowners.html">deal on homeowners insurance </a>and car insurance by finding another insurer who gave me a good discount for both. I was surprised that shopping around saved me $200 a month on this type of coverage.  It depends upon the services you need, but many people also save money on internet, phone, or tv sercies by switching plans or companies. Also, make sure you have the best cell phone plan for the way your family uses them. Money Saved &#8211; $200.</li>
<li><strong>Eating Out</strong> &#8211; I love to eat out, and so does everybody in my extended family. It is just something we really enjoy. But we have tried to limit our weekly trips out lately. I can grill steaks at home, and prepare side dishes, for $30 or less (I look for meat on special).  I can take my family out to a steak restaurant for $80 or more. I can also prepare fajitas at home, with fixings, for about $20. The bill in a restaurant would probably tip over $50. If I can replace one restaurant meal a week with a dinner at home, even if I invite other family members, I can save a lot of money! Money Saved &#8211; About $150.</li>
</ul>
<p>Wow, I have saved over $500 without really cutting out anything I love. My family still endulges ourself with some restaurant meals and trips to the book store. We still eat well and put gas in the car. I am not sure if every family can save this much, but I&#8217;ll bet if you challenged yourself to trip a hundred bucks every month, you could do it!</p>


<p>Related posts:<ol><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/finance/cd-vs-fixed-annuity-for-retirement-savings/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: CD vs. Fixed Annuity For Retirement Savings'>CD vs. Fixed Annuity For Retirement Savings</a> <small>Bank CD or Annuity for Retirement Savings? Well, a lot...</small></li><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/finance/free-family-budget-worksheets-and-help/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Free Family Budget Worksheets and Help'>Free Family Budget Worksheets and Help</a> <small>Is the Out-Go More than the In-Go? As we get...</small></li><li><a href='http://www.over50web.net/finance/annuities-for-retirement-planning/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Annuities For Retirement Planning'>Annuities For Retirement Planning</a> <small>What are Annuities? It is not easy to explain annuities...</small></li></ol></p>
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		<title>Free Credit Reports &#8211; Good Deals?</title>
		<link>http://www.over50web.net/finance/free-credit-reports-good-deals/</link>
		<comments>http://www.over50web.net/finance/free-credit-reports-good-deals/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:46:34 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Finance & Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit report]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[free credit report]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Are Free Credit Reports a Good Deal?
Hello, helloo, hello&#8230;. Can anybody hear me&#8230;.?
Yes, it is a very catchy jingle, and it is sung by a baby faced rocker and his group. But despite the engaging commercials for websites like FreeCreditReports.com, are they a good deal? Of course, free sounds like a good deal. But those [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Are Free Credit Reports a Good Deal?</h3>
<p>Hello, helloo, hello&#8230;. Can anybody hear me&#8230;.?</p>
<p>Yes, it is a very catchy jingle, and it is sung by a baby faced rocker and his group. But despite the engaging <img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-371" title="zerodollar" src="http://www.over50web.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/zerodollar-150x108.jpg" alt="zerodollar" width="150" height="108" />commercials for websites like FreeCreditReports.com, are they a good deal? Of course<em>, free</em> sounds like a good deal. But those of us over 50 know that no company spends all of that money on ads just to give away things for free.</p>
<p>Actually the Better Business Bureau has heard over 11,000 complaints about this credit bureau owned service. It works like this. You sign up for the free information, but you must give them your credit card number. You have 9 days to cancel, or you will be charged $14.00 a month for Triple Advantage Credit Monitoring.</p>
<p>Experian, the credit bureau who owns FreeCreditReport.com says these terms are made clear to the consumer, but those terms must have missed the notice of at least 11,000 (and we&#8217;re betting more) of the people who wanted a free credit report.</p>
<h3>How to Get A Free Credit Report for Real</h3>
<p>If you want a free credit report, you can always use the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) website, <a href="https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp">AnnualCreditReport.com</a>. You can get a truly free credit report from each of the big 3 credit reporting agencies. These are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.</p>
<h3>Should You Get A Free Credit Report?</h3>
<p>It is not a bad idea to check your credit report periodically. There is no other way to find errors and to get a handle on the way that potential lenders will view your finances.  I havet found mistakes on mine. It was fairly simple to follow the instructions to get them removed. And my credit score improved. A higher credit score can save a lot of money in the long run.</p>
<p>People with better credit reports will pay less when they borrow money. Potential employers may ask to see a credit report too. And you can bet they will be more likely to hire an employee who manages their own budget well. Even insurance companies use scores these days. Some insurers will never offer their best rates to consumers with credit problems.</p>
<p>As they say&#8230; It is not always good news, but it is good to know.</p>


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		<title>Term Life Insurance After Age 50</title>
		<link>http://www.over50web.net/finance/term-life-insurance-after-age-50/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:05:42 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Finance & Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[term life insurance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Affordable Term Life Insurance Over Age 50
Somehow we seem to slide through our younger years without really feeling the need for life insurance. But then we hit 50 or 60, and somehow we start to feel our mortality. By the time we have hit middle age, we have actually had adult relationships with people who [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Affordable Term Life Insurance Over Age 50</h3>
<p>Somehow we seem to slide through our younger years without really feeling the need for life insurance. But then we <img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-373" title="piggybank" src="http://www.over50web.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/piggybank-150x150.jpg" alt="piggybank" width="150" height="150" />hit 50 or 60, and somehow we start to feel our mortality. By the time we have hit middle age, we have actually had adult relationships with people who have died without warning. Most of us also still have obligations, and we know that we would probably leave our loved ones with a mess if we suddenly exited the scene.</p>
<p>So the question comes up more often. <em>Can people over 50 still find affordable term life insurance?</em></p>
<h4><em>Well, Can People Over 50 Find Affordable Term Life Insurance Policies?</em></h4>
<p><a href="http://www.insureme.com?refby=703631"><img src="http://www.insureme.com/content/images/banners/InsureMeIcons-234x60.gif" border="0" alt="" width="234" height="60" align="right" /></a><br />
I have good news. Most people, in reasonable good health, can find term policies into late middle age and early retirement years. US statistics, at least, tell insurance company actuaries are living longer than they did a decade ago. This means that rates have dropped over the last 10 years. This also means that <a href="http://theinsurancerate.com/life-insurance/top-life-insurance-companies-list/">top life insurance companies </a>are more willing to extend coverage to older people.</p>
<p>Of course, you also want an affordable life insurance policy. You are probably aware that rates will be higher for older people, other things being equal, than they are for younger people. But a 50 year old non-smoking female in reasonably good health can still buy a $100,000 30 year term policy for around $75 a month.  At 60, a non-smoking woman in good health could buy a 15 year term, $100k policy for about $85 a month.  It gets tougher to find term over 65, but I have seen an insurer offer quotes up to age 75.</p>
<p><em><strong>NOTE:</strong> You understand that those  figures are educated estimates, and they will vary by state, insurance company, and other factors.</em> You can compare free quotes with no obligation : <a href="http://www.bestquoteus.com/term-life-old.html"><strong>term life insurance for older people</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p>
<h4>What Do You Want Out of Life Insurance?</h4>
<p>Your best bet is to decide what you want your policy to do for you.</p>
<p> Do you want lower rates? Can you accept a temporary policy, even if has a term of a few decades? Do you just want coverage without needed any &#8220;savings&#8221; out of your policy? Then your best bet is probably term life.</p>
<p>If you want to make sure you are covered for your entire life, and you understand that you will pay more for less coverage than you should consider whole life insurance. A whole life policy is usually also sold to older people, up to 80 or 85. So that may make a <a href="http://nomedical.net/seniorlifeinsurance.html">seniors life insurance policy </a>your best bet. Don&#8217;t be offended, but they usually sell senior&#8217;s life to 50 year olds too.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.insureme.com?refby=703631">Fast and Free Life Insurance Quotes</a></h3>


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		<title>Free Family Budget Worksheets and Help</title>
		<link>http://www.over50web.net/finance/free-family-budget-worksheets-and-help/</link>
		<comments>http://www.over50web.net/finance/free-family-budget-worksheets-and-help/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:35:15 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Finance & Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[budgets]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Is the Out-Go More than the In-Go?
As we get older, thoughts about retirement pop into our heads more often. It is easy to start worrying about missed opportunities, fiancial problems, and bad planning. But this is no time to panic! It is time to analyze your budget and see how you can fix it. In [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Is the Out-Go More than the In-Go?</h3>
<p><img class="alignright" src="http://silvervalueus.com/silverrobot.jpg" alt="" width="74" height="140" />As we get older, thoughts about retirement pop into our heads more often. It is easy to start worrying about missed opportunities, fiancial problems, and bad planning. But this is no time to panic! It is time to analyze your budget and see how you can fix it. In an idea world, we would all be spending less than we make, save money, and keeping our expenses at a minimum. But managing a budget is a task like washing dishes or getting the car washed. We do not expect our sink to empty itself of dishes or the family car to clean itself. Likewise, just a little bit of effort can help clean your own family budget!</p>
<h3>Online Family Budget Worksheets</h3>
<p>We&#8217;d like to thank the <a href="http://www.frugalpig.com/frugallife/">Frugal Living Blog</a> for publishing a couple of handy tools to help. Visit this article for an <a href="http://www.frugalpig.com/frugallife/budgets/family-budget-worksheet-online/">online family budget worksheet</a> you can download or print. It is a fairly simple form that should make it fairly quick to complete even if you have some variable income and bills. The idea behind this budget worksheet is that you cannot fix your budget if you do not even know what it is! I am not being critical, but I just understand from personal experience how easy it is for expenses to get out of control!</p>
<h3>The Family Budget Attack Plan</h3>
<p>The other thing I like about this budget attack plan is that is emphasizes saving money will still living well. An example might be cutting out gym memberships that you seldom even use in favor of a stationary bike or brisk walk. You only have to pay for a stationary bike once. A brisk walk is free.</p>
<p>Another budget reduction strategy relies upon shopping for prices for things you already buy. This may seem obvous, but we seem to miss this opportunity all the time. I always urge people to compare car insurance every so often. Even a $50 a month reduction saves us $600 year! Wouldn&#8217;t it be better to stick that $600 in a savings account so we do not have to rely on our credit cards for car repairs? You are only five minutes away from <a href="http://www.bestquoteus.com/internet-car-insurance.html">internet car insurance quotes. </a></p>
<h3>Why Prepare a Family Budget?</h3>
<p>You don&#8217;t have to keep your budget up every day, but it will serve you well to work with it every month or so. As Google says in the ads, <em>it may not be good news, but it is good to know!</em> If you don&#8217;t know where you own money leaks are, you will not know how to fix them</p>


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		<title>CD vs. Fixed Annuity For Retirement Savings</title>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:06:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Finance & Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[annuity]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Bank CD or Annuity for Retirement Savings?

Well, a lot of us have been struggling with our retirement accounts lately. I know that it was discouraging for me to watch my stock based IRA take a huge hit last year. And even though it is creeping back up, I have not recovered my retirement savings to [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Bank CD or Annuity for Retirement Savings?</h3>
<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://www.silvervalueus.com/silverdollar.jpg" alt="" width="130" height="130" /></p>
<p>Well, a lot of us have been struggling with our retirement accounts lately. I know that it was discouraging for me to watch my stock based IRA take a huge hit last year. And even though it is creeping back up, I have not recovered my retirement savings to pre-2009 levels. It is hard to watch money evaporate when it was such a tough battle to sock it away in the first place.</p>
<h3>Safe Money?</h3>
<p>So let&#8217;s take a look at some <em>safe money investments</em>. This is what bank CDs and fixed annuities are usually called because they have guarantees from banks or insurance compaies that no money will be lost when the market goes down. But is this really true? Well, you really have to consider inflation and the affect of taxes before you can actually say you did not lose any money.</p>
<h3>Are Fixed Interest Rate Savings Products Like Bank CDs Really Making Money?</h3>
<p>In 2009, the inflation rate was considered low at less than 2%. But if your CD was only paying 2%, you only broke even there. Even if you earned a bit more, you could have been taxed upon your interest, and this lowers your effective return. Since tax rates vary by income, you will have to figure this out for yourself. But you understand that if you paid the governnment 1%, and you lost 2% to inflation, you need to make more than 3% to break even.</p>
<p>And right now, as I skim over internet information on bank cd rates, I see that it would be tough to even find a CD that pays 3%! It looks like 2% is more realistic. Tough times for savers.</p>
<p>Add in a devalued dollar with less purchasing power, and it is easy to see that many of us also lost value when we saved with a fixed product like a CD. On the other hand, we probably did not lose as much value as we did on some stocks that dropped 0% or more.</p>
<p>It seems like it is just an effort to hold on. But stiill, bank CDs are considered safe money investments. Savings, up to a federal limit, are protected. While we may still lose some value, we probably won&#8217;t lose everything, or at least we will lose value at a slow enough rate (hopefully) to be able to recover.</p>
<h3>What About Fixed Annuities for Retirement Savings?</h3>
<p>Well if you had locked in a <em>fixed interest rate annuity</em> in previous years, you might have done ok. You can ignore the glossy ads that promise 2 percent returns from a bank because you locked in a six percent interest rate 2 years ago.</p>
<p> And your savings can grow in a tax deferred manner. That means you do not need to worry about gains until you start withdrawing. And when you do withdraw, in the future, you can often control the rate to minimize your tax liablity. The theory behind all of this is that when you retire, you will be in a lower tax bracket, and you won&#8217;t have as big of a tax bill anyway.</p>
<p>The problem is your money is probably locked away, or it will be penalized for early withdrawals. So deferred fixed annuities really work out well if you can live without the money for years.</p>
<p>Also understand that annuities are not federally insured or backed by the govenment. Fixed annuity contracts do come with guarantees from insurance companies. And even though several large insurers have been in financial hot water lately, that was with investors. The insurance industry is highly regulated, and we have not heard any news of actual policy or contract holders losing anything.</p>
<h3>Learn More About Fixed Annuities</h3>
<p>If you would like to learn more about annuities in your market, you can run some<a href="http://www.bestquoteus.com/online-annuity-quotes.html"> free online annuity quotes</a>. This will give you local products and rates.  Also read more about <a href="http://seniorslifesolutions.com/finances/retirement-annuities-whats-to-like-about-safe-money/">safe money retirement annuities</a>.</p>


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		<title>Post-Holiday Credit Card Balance Blues Cures</title>
		<link>http://www.over50web.net/finance/post-holiday-credit-card-balance-blues-cures/</link>
		<comments>http://www.over50web.net/finance/post-holiday-credit-card-balance-blues-cures/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:53:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Finance & Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance transfers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
Need Some Credit Card Balance Cures?
We all made our New Year&#8217;s resolutions last year to minimize debt. But there is no doubt that January, coming right after the holidays, has got to be a tough time for most of us. It was so tempting to use our cards for gifts, parties, or travel, and now [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-283" src="http://www.over50web.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/zerodollar-150x108.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="108" /></p>
<h3>Need Some Credit Card Balance Cures?</h3>
<p>We all made our New Year&#8217;s resolutions last year to minimize debt. But there is no doubt that January, coming right after the holidays, has got to be a tough time for most of us. It was so tempting to use our cards for gifts, parties, or travel, and now we get to enjoy our New Year&#8217;s credit card statements. For many of us those come complete with higher interest rates too. So how do we plan our attack?</p>
<h3>Vote NO to Higher Interest Rates on Credit Cards</h3>
<p>If you&#8217;ve managed your credit well, paid bills on time, etc., but still been hit with interest rate hikes, it is time to do some shopping around for lower rates. If your credit is decent, you can still find <a href="http://www.badcreditblues.com/credit-news/featured/0-credit-card-balance-transfers-can-help/">zero interest rate balance transfers. </a></p>
<h3>Does Credit Card Interest Rate Matter on Smaller Balances?</h3>
<p>I&#8217;m not sure what you consider a small credit card balance. But let&#8217;s say you owe $1,000 on your credit card, which is probably a pretty moderate sized debt for an American family. If your interest rate is 23%, you can make a payment of about $100 a month, it will take you 12 months to pay it off. You would have paid about $120 in interest charges too. So your $1,000 balance will really cost you over $1,100. It is pretty likely, in fact, that you will still be looking at your 2009 debt as the 2010 holiday season approaches. We don&#8217;t want that.</p>
<p>But what if you had a 0% balance transfer offer that was good for 6 months? Then let&#8217;s say that rate got adjusted up to only 11% after the six months ended. Within 6 months, that same $100 payment would have eroded your debt down to only $400. Within 5 more months (4 if you can stick another $10 in your month 4 payment), you will have paid off the balance and only paid about $10 in interest! Your credit card can be clean by fall, and you may even have some time to divert that $100 into a savings account for a few months before the holidays hit.</p>
<p>In addition, having lower balance limits should also improve your credit scores. This means you have the opportunity to pay less for all sorts of loans.</p>
<p>We&#8217;d like to thank our friends at Credit Land for a list of 0% balance transfers!</p>
<h3>Follow the Link Below for Current 0% Balance Transfer Offers<!-- APN code begins --></h3>
<h3><a href="http://track.acclaimnetwork.com/apn_work/scripts/sclick.php?b2s=64482&amp;SUBID=PARAM">0% on Balance Transfers<br />
</a><br />
<img src="http://track.acclaimnetwork.com/apn_work/scripts/sshow.php?b2s=64482" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></h3>
<p><!-- APN code ends --></p>


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		<title>Over 50 Car Insurance &#8212; Is it Really Cheaper?</title>
		<link>http://www.over50web.net/finance/over-50-car-insurance-is-it-really-cheaper/</link>
		<comments>http://www.over50web.net/finance/over-50-car-insurance-is-it-really-cheaper/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:29:36 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[Finance & Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[auto insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[car insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[insurance discounts]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Are Over 50 Car Insurance Discounts Real?
We have all seen a lot of marketing that targets people our age. The latest trend seems to come from major car insurance companies, like AARP and The Hartford, who suggest that we will be rewarded for our age, and all of the wisdom and maturity that may be linked [...]


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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Are Over 50 Car Insurance Discounts Real?</h3>
<p>We have all seen a lot of marketing that targets people our age. The latest trend seems to come from major car insurance companies, like AARP and The Hartford, who suggest that we will be rewarded for our age, and all of the wisdom and maturity that may be linked to living this long. I have even seen internet ads for <em><strong>Obama car insurance discounts</strong></em> for older people! What we need to know, before rushing off, is how real these ads are. Is this just targeted marketing, or is there really something to it?</p>
<p>One of our sister sites ran this article &#8211; <a href="http://bestquoteus.com/bestquotes/uncategorized/over-50-car-insurance-in-the-us/">over 50 car insurance discounts</a>- to examine that issue. They really could not conclude that there was any particular benefit to using an insurer who marketed to boomers over any other insurer that would offer a car insurance discount for having a long driving record with few accidents and claims.  It is doubtful that a middle aged driver, with recent DUIs, would be able to get cheap premiums. And another middle aged driver, with a long and clean driving record, would probably get a good deal from most insurers.</p>
<p>So go ahead and get a premium quote from a company that markets to middle aged people, but also get competitive quotes from other companies too. Since so many factors go into determining rates, it is impossible to tell everybody if The Hartford, State Farm, <a href="http://www.badcreditblues.com/esurrance.html">Essurance</a>, or somebody else will give you the best deal!</p>
<h3>Tips to Save Money On Car Insurance at Any Age</h3>
<p>We polled some auto insurance agents to come up with a list of tips to help almost any driver save some money on an insurance policy. Most of these came from independent agents who were able to shop the market. They admit that there is no one company that is the best choice for everybody!</p>
<ul>
<li>Compare insurance quotes and plans. The easiest way to do this is to use an <a href="http://www.bestquoteus.com/internet-car-insurance.html">internet insurance quote </a>form. You can enter your information, or your family info, one time. Then get competitive quotes from multiple insurers who are competitive in your own local area. After I did this myself, the best deal for my family actually came from a captive agent who only sold for one company. But there is no way I could have known this before I got quotes. And the <em>best auto insurer</em> for me changed dramatically after I added my own teen son to my policy. The company who gave me the best deal raised my rates to almost double of what another company would charge when I added my kid!</li>
<li>A defensive driving course may save you money, even if you have not had a recent accident. I know that my own company offers a 10 percent discount. You can take this online or at an establishment these days. It may seem inconvenient, but it can save you hundreds of dollars every year.</li>
<li>Consider other discounts. Not all insurers offer the same discounts. For example, many major companies only offer auto insurance policies. A company that covers homes and cars is likely to offer a discount for covering both things with the. These can also be substantial and save you hundreds of dollars a year.</li>
<li>Do not assumme that the so-called discount insurer will be the cheapest one for you. It did not work out that way for me after I added my teen to my policy. Just because you are over 50 doesn&#8217;t mean that you don&#8217;t need to cover other people!</li>
<li>Does loyalty run both ways? You also cannot assume that your old insurer will give you the best deal. Experts advise us to shop around for competitive premiums every year or so. Your own circumstances change in ways you may not realize affect your premiums, and market conditions with insurers change too.</li>
<li>Consider one of the <a href="http://theinsurancerate.com/auto-insurance/top-rated-auto-insurance-companies-in-the-united-states/">top car insurance companies</a>. You want to find an insurer who is financially stable and offers great customer service. Saving a few dollars on premiums will not profit you if your company does not have your back when you need to make a claim!</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Do You Have Any Tips for Getting a Good Deal on Auto Insurance?</strong></p>
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