A Little on the Side…Or Not? Your Guide to Supplemental Insurance

Published on: 24 November 2018 Last Updated on: 30 October 2024

Have you ever experienced something you didn’t expect?

It might have been something good, like bumping into an old friend on vacation or being taken to a surprise party.

Or it could have been something not so favorable: a car accident, the loss of a job, a sudden illness…

The world is an unpredictable place. Each new day brings its own surprises – both good and bad.

We can’t plan for those surprises, but we can protect ourselves. In 2017, Americans spent $1.2 trillion on health insurance premiums. Having a good health insurance plan can protect you in the event of an unforeseen injury or illness.

But it’s not always enough. Some people go to make a claim only to find that it isn’t covered. Others can afford to make their monthly premiums, but when they need medical assistance, they can’t afford to pay their copays.

Even with health insurance, medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy in the US.

Supplemental insurance may help cover those costs so you don’t need to add a financial emergency along to your medical emergency.

What Is Supplemental Insurance?

As the name might suggest, supplemental insurance is a type of insurance that supplements your existing healthcare coverage.

There is a wide variety of health insurance plans, but most plans give you a choice between a low monthly premium and a high deductible or a high monthly payment with a low deductible.

Most people choose to go with a low monthly premium-especially if they’re generally in good health. But since 61% of Americans don’t have enough savings to cover a $1,000 emergency, that high deductible could ruin them.

Supplemental insurance is a separate health insurance policy that can be used to cover additional expenses that you may be unable to cover on your own.

You might use it to pay for a deductible, copays, or care that your regular insurance does not cover.

Some supplemental insurance companies will even cover lost wages for time off due to illness.

Supplemental insurance carries its own monthly premium. However, this premium is often lower than the difference between your current insurance plan and a plan that would cover everything else you need.

Types of Supplemental Insurance:

Just like every health insurance plan is different, there are several different kinds of supplemental insurance. You can mix and match these plans as needed.

Dental Insurance:

It’s likely that you already have supplemental insurance without realizing it.

Most health insurance plans do not cover dental work. And since regular visits to the dentist are an important way to fight dental problems, that could leave you on the hook for expensive out of pocket costs.

To cover your dental care costs, you must have a supplemental plan.

This supplemental is often provided in your benefits package from your employer without you even realizing it. If you manage your own insurance, your primary insurance provider may offer a separate plan to cover these.

Vision Insurance:

Like dental insurance, vision care is not typically covered by most health insurance policies.

And that’s bad news considering that 75% of Americans need some kind of vision correction.

While you could always see an optician at the cheap eye clinic in the strip mall, that’s a poor substitute for regular appointments with an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

An optician can also miss other serious problems that an optometrist or ophthalmologist would catch.

Supplementing your medical insurance with vision insurance can keep your vision care expenses from running through the roof.

Medigap:

Medicare is a state-run insurance program that covers citizens over 65 or certain individuals with disabilities. It is funded through taxes, so recipients do not pay a monthly premium.

Many people depend on Medicare to cover the cost of their ongoing healthcare. But it doesn’t cover everything.

Medigap plans can help cover out-of-pocket expenses or necessary care that is not covered by Medicare.

Travel Insurance:

If you’re traveling away from home and you are injured or become ill, you may not be able to find any healthcare providers within your network.

Purchasing supplemental travel insurance before you travel is a good way you can stay covered if the worst should happen.

Critical Illness Insurance:

While insurance exists to cover unforeseen costs that you cannot afford, every insurance plan has an annual limit or a cap on how much they will cover. If you reach that cap, you must pay for any costs beyond that.

If you become seriously ill, it can be easy to reach the cap in a hurry.

Supplemental critical illness insurance is used to cover expenses beyond your insurance policy’s annual limit.

Do I Need It?

You might be reading this thinking, “this is all well and good, but do I actually need supplemental insurance?”

Can you afford to pay your entire deductible?
Can you pay for out-of-pocket expenses like copays and prescriptions?
Can you afford to pay for additional care out of pocket?

Are you at risk of reaching your policy’s annual limit?

If you answered “yes” to most of those questions, then you might not need supplemental insurance. If you have a savings account that you can dip into to cover extra costs, you can skip it and pay less per month.

However, if you do not have a lot saved up, paying a few dollars more per month for supplemental insurance could save you if you suffer a health crisis.

Take a look at your financial situation, your current health insurance, and your overall health and make an informed decision.

Protect Yourself:

Supplemental insurance is a great way to protect yourself from uncovered medical expenses.

But as the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You can help prevent runaway medical costs by taking care of your health.

For more articles about how you can stay healthy, visit the health & fitness section of our blog!

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6 Tips for Newly-Wed Couples to Create an Effective Budget

Before entering into marriage, you and your soon-to-be lifetime partner should talk about finances. Both of you might have different ways of handling your finances. Settling down and starting to grow a family is one big responsibility that both of you will share. One may be frugal and minimalist, while the other is the opposite. Your differences, if not taken seriously, like by discussing it, might cause a collision. Just let me share one fact about what happens in marriage nowadays. Few are getting married. Many are getting divorced. And according to Forbes, one of the factors why couples end up divorcing is money issues. Unsettled issues! It's not the main factor, but somehow, it contributes tension to the couple. And we don't want to let that happen to you. This article aims to help you understand what a couple should do in creating your budget. Take this opportunity to know what couples should do in handling money. These best-picked tips will guide you in building your budget. Vital Tips For an Effective Budget- Communicate at all times: Discussing financial matters is vital, and it's the only way to know each other, especially in handling money. Let's face reality. Not all couples have the same spending habits. One might want to save more and choose to live a simple lifestyle, while the other might want the opposite. As you can see, managing your finances contrasts with the other. With that scenario, both of you might encounter some financial struggles while building your budget goals. Through proper communication, you can set things up with an open mind. But both should adjust each other's expectations. This way, you can organize everything and meet one's goal. Remember, this isn't a simple game to win. It's a real-life game that both should work together as one. Categorize your budget: If both of you feel like your goals are somewhat overwhelming, you have to remember that you can only eat an elephant one bite at a time. By simply categorizing your budget, you can have a more exact path to follow. You can see which to prioritize and which is more necessary. Do it one step at a time. As you continue to discuss things, one should jot down everything. This way, you won't miss or forget some information or idea. Identify your household needs: Both should identify your household needs. This way, it will become easy for you to categorize them. List them down. Afterward, you order them to either mandatory expenses, significant, nice, or unnecessary. Don't forget to include your existing debts on your list. May it be a mortgage loan, credit card, other outstanding debts, car loans, utility bills, food, and other different personal needs. After listing things, you can now identify which category it is. Mandatory expenses and significant ones should be your top priority. The rest will be considered as your minor focus. You might be wondering what mandatory expense is? In layman's terms, mandatory means something that obliges you to perform. That means "mandatory expenses" are something that obliges you to settle. For instance, debts that should be settled fall to mandatory expenses. Whatever type of debt it is, it will be considered mandatory spending. Settling debts might be overwhelming. Why not consider paying your debts in full using a personal loan from a licensed money lender Tampines? It's a form of debt consolidation. It merely means combining your debts into one. For example, you consolidate all your credit card debts and pay them using a loan from moneylender woodlands. You settle your debts in total, with lower interest and one monthly payment. If there's something you are paying because you need it, you can categorize it as a pressing need. Important or significant things refer to your basic needs. Foods, clothing, water, electricity, internet connection, and the likes are your basic needs. Nice things give you fun and convenience, but not that important. For example, car accessories, upgrading or changing phones, buying too many dresses. Everything's look nice but not necessary. Unnecessary things are simply those that don't have value. For instance, you purchased an online subscription that you seldom use for leisure. It's a total expense that you don't benefit anything. And it only cost you money. Spending money to buy trendy things, eat at a restaurant, and travel around is not bad. As long as you know to discipline yourself. You can never deprive your happiness in reaching your goals. But if you want to achieve your financial goals faster successfully, you have to be patient. Always remember that it takes strong commitment and determination to do it. Saving more, spending less will help you a lot. Set money goals: Setting goals means taking in-depth planning. It is about creating a path towards your goal, guiding you on how to achieve it. Achieving your money goals is not impossible as long as you make a well-thought plan. To make it happen, both of you must cooperate with your plan. Visualize what both of you want to have. Both should be specific. Let’s say you are dreaming of buying a condominium property. In what location? How big should it be? Would it be a two-bedroom or three-bedroom unit? Such questions show what particular property you dream of having. Aside from being specific, you evaluate whether it is realistic and achievable in your current state. Your partner dreams of having a sports car. The question is, is it realistic to get such a thing based on both financial capabilities? The next thing you must consider is the time-frame. Home property is expensive and needs a considerable amount of money. If you aim to buy one, you have to set a timeline. Just say, after two to three years, you will buy your dream property for your family. Within those three years, both will have to work hard and commit to saving a part of your income until you reach your specific goal. The mentioned tips above will be the most thoughtful way to start building your budget goals. Otherwise, the case can probably push you to sacrifice valuable things. You and your partner should evaluate your money flow before you decide. Determine how much you earn: The next thing you do after setting your goals is to determine how much earning you have. There are types of income that we make - gross and net income. Among these two, net income is what you are going to use in creating a budget. Gross income is a sum of money before your taxes and deductions. In contrast, the net income is your take-home pay. The question is, are both of you work as a salaried employee or not? If you are an employee paid hourly, your income would likely be stable. But if you work seasonally, or you are self-employed, that means you earn irregularly. That said, you have to track your income section monthly. Track your spendings by having a meeting: You both need to track your spendings. You can do it daily, weekly, or monthly. But for couples who have just begun to create their budget goals, it is recommended to do it every day. You can eventually do it weekly or monthly. You talk about where your progress is towards your budget goals. You check every spending you take on different categories and manage what's left. You can do less work by using some financial apps exclusively designed for couples to organize and track finances. It gives convenience and, at the same time, can make your meetings shorter and more effective. The Grand Debate – Joint or Single Account Any newlywed couple's financial choice is whether to open joint or separate accounts. Now, many might love the idea of sharing finances such closely, or while others might run away from the idea. There is not wrong or right about having a savings account. It is all about advantages and disadvantages based on your relationship with money and each other. Some like more autonomy when it comes to financial reasons! However, you should decide upon assessing both the pros and cons of the matter! When it Comes to Joint Accounts Many couples opt to open joint accounts as a way to keep their finances simple. With a joint account, each partner puts their income into one account, making it easier to manage household bills and expenses and work together to reach their financial goals. It also promotes transparency and trust, and as everything is out in the open, you and your partner will both be on the same page when it comes to spending money. Joint accounts can also make it easier to achieve long-term savings goals such as buying a house or traveling. However, you will need to communicate well because if you have different spending priorities, this could cause tension. In terms of Separate Accounts On the other hand, keeping separate accounts can help partners feel more in control of their finances. This is especially true if one tends to spend more on hobbies or interests. With separate accounts, both individuals agree on how much money they will contribute toward shared expenses (like rent, groceries, and utilities) and what they’ll keep for themselves. While this approach allows for independence, it requires open lines of communication and clearly defined expectations. Are you ready to begin your financial journey? Creating a budget has to be undergone through in-depth planning. Start-ups aren’t easy. Both of you might face financial challenges along the way. However, with concrete planning, if both are committed to achieving the goals, nothing is impossible. Follow what you should do, focus, and get it one by one. You should also consider discussing bank accounts, and other matters early on. In the end, some couples find that sharing a hybrid approach works best for them. This is where they have one joint account for shared expenses and then each maintain a separate individual account for their own personal spending. This way both individuals get some level of independence with their finances while still maintaining financial transparency. The most important part here is to communicate on a regular basis and adjust along the way to ensure both individuals’ needs are being met and goals are being achieved. Read Also: Make Your Savings Goals Come True with Gold Eight Essential Tips For Getting Out Of Debt The Importance Of Saving: The Bedrock of a Bright Financial Future

What Is NFT Art And How Does It Work

At its core, an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) is a digital asset that represents ownership or proof of authenticity of a unique item or piece of content, often an artwork, using blockchain technology. Unlike cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, NFTs are not interchangeable; each NFT has a distinct digital signature, making it unique and non-fungible. NFT art refers to digital artworks bought, sold, and traded as NFTs. These can range from digital paintings, animations, music, videos, and more. The art is usually digital, but the NFTs can also represent ownership of physical artwork. How Does NFT Art Work? Creation and Minting: Artists create digital art and then "mint" these works as NFTs on various platforms or blockchains like Ethereum. Minting involves creating a new block, validating information, and recording the art as a transaction in the blockchain. Ownership and Authenticity: Once minted, the NFT's metadata (including the artist's signature, the artwork's details, and ownership history) is securely stored in the blockchain. This ensures the authenticity and provenance of the artwork, making it easy to verify its originality and ownership. Buying and Selling: NFT art can be purchased on numerous online marketplaces. Transactions are usually made using cryptocurrencies. When an NFT is bought, the ownership is transferred to the buyer, and this transaction is recorded on the blockchain, providing a permanent record of the sale. Royalties: One of the revolutionary aspects of NFTs is the ability for artists to receive royalties automatically. Artists can program in a royalty system to receive a percentage of sales whenever their art is sold to a new owner. Benefits of NFT Art Provenance and Authenticity: NFTs provide a secure and transparent way to prove the authenticity and ownership of artwork. Global Market Access: Artists can reach a global audience, and buyers can purchase from anywhere. Royalties: Artists can benefit financially from secondary sales of their work. Innovative Art Forms: NFTs have encouraged new digital art and creativity forms. Criticisms and Challenges Environmental Concerns: The energy consumption of blockchain technology and NFT transactions has raised environmental concerns. Market Volatility: The NFT market can be volatile, with prices fluctuating dramatically. Copyright and Plagiarism Issues: There have been instances of art being tokenized without the creator's permission. Future of NFT Art The world of NFT art is still in its infancy, and its potential is vast. As technology evolves and more artists and collectors embrace NFTs, we may see new forms of art, innovative uses, and solutions to current challenges. Despite the controversies and growing pains, NFT art is paving the way for a new digital creativity and ownership era. NFT art represents a significant shift in how we perceive and handle digital ownership and art. By leveraging blockchain technology, NFTs provide a secure and transparent method to buy, sell, and collect digital art. While there are challenges to address, the NFT space's potential for growth and innovation is immense, making it an exciting frontier in the art world. As with any emerging technology, artists, collectors, and enthusiasts need to stay informed and engaged with the evolving landscape of NFT art. Read Also: How The NFT Market Is Developing In 2021 Is there a Place for Bitcoin in the Fashion World? Creating Successful Mobile Games: What You Need to Know

6 Ways to Stay Sales Tax Compliant

The United States is a country made up of many states, and each state has its own sales tax policies. It can be difficult to keep track of the various rules and regulations that apply to your business. This article will show you six ways to make sure you follow sales tax compliance so that you don't end up owing money to the government or getting into legal trouble. 1. Keep Track of Sales Tax Rates and Changes The first step to staying sales tax compliant is to keep track of the sales tax rates in your state and any changes that may occur. You can find this information on your state's department of revenue website. If you have a sales tax permit from your state, they will send out quarterly reports with the latest changes to sales taxes. It's important to be aware of any rate changes, especially if you have a business with multiple locations in different states. 2. Collect Sales Tax from Customers In most cases, you are required to collect sales tax from your customers and turn it over to the government. If you don't, this is a form of tax evasion and can result in legal penalties. However, it's important to note that not all states require sales tax to be collected. The rules for this vary by state, so it's important to check with your state revenue department. There are a few exceptions, such as for certain items like food and clothing, but in general, you should be collecting sales tax on all taxable goods and services. 3. File Sales Tax Returns on Time One of the most important aspects of staying compliant with sales taxes is to file your returns on time. Most states require sales tax returns to be filed monthly, quarterly, or annually, depending on the size of your business. You can face significant penalties if you miss the deadline, including fines and interest charges. Failing to file a return on time can result in penalties and interest charges, so adhering to systematic guide on making tax digital for your retail business, for instance, is essential. This way, you'd skip the hassles of paperwork, and you won't miss the due date for filing your sales tax. 4. Maintain Accurate Records It's important to keep accurate records of all your sales transactions so that you can accurately report them on your sales tax return. It's not enough to report your total sales. You will need to list the amount of taxable and non-taxable transactions separately to figure out your sales tax liability accurately. You may also need to keep records of certain transactions that are exempt from sales taxes, including purchases made for resale and items that are traded in. This includes recording the date of sale, the amount of tax collected, and the type of good or service sold. Taking help from experts like an accountant, and a Tax Law expert in Edmond, OK. Since they will be able to get the records much more efficiently. 5. Pay Sales Taxes on Time One of the biggest problems businesses have with sales taxes is paying them late. Not only can this lead to penalties and interest charges from the government, but it can also damage your credit score. It's important to set up a system to pay your sales taxes on time automatically. This will help ensure that you don't miss the deadline and don't have to worry about paying late fees. Make sure you have a plan in place to pay your sales taxes on time every month. 6. Educate Yourself and Your Employees about Sales Tax Compliance The final step to staying sales tax compliant is educating yourself and your employees about the rules and regulations. This includes knowing which items are taxable and understanding how to collect and report sales taxes. It's also important to understand the consequences of not complying with sales tax laws. You can find a lot of this information on your state department of revenue's website, but it's also a good idea to attend seminars and webinars offered by your state. This will help ensure that everyone in your business is aware of the latest changes to sales tax laws and that they are acting in compliance with the law. Your business must understand and follows the sales tax laws. If you feel like this blog post has been too long, we can summarize it for you in one sentence: be aware of how to stay compliant with sales tax law by following these six steps. Read Also: Benefits of a Sales Tax Consultant Things to Know Before Applying for a Vermont Mortgage Loan 2 Reasons to Invest in GoldBullion Even If You’ve Never Invested in an Asset Before What You Need to Know Before Buying Property with a Tax Lien

A Little on the Side…Or Not? Your Guide to Supplemental Insurance

What Is Supplemental Insurance?