Results for "health care"
Displaying 329 results
Medicare trust fund will be exhausted in 2026, three years earlier than expected
June 5, 2018
The main trust fund behind Medicare, the U.S. health-care program for the elderly and disabled, will be exhausted in 2026, three years earlier than was projected a year ago, the government said Tuesday. Medicare's Board of Trustees blamed the...
Death and taxes: A conversation we must have
May 30, 2018
With apologies for the dog-eared title, I had to follow up my last column about the importance of the wealth management ecosystem by calling out the importance of a really good human adviser. And there's no better place to start than with the...
Recent rule changes to boost retiree health costs
April 30, 2018
Individually, recent updates to Medicare and Social Security rules may not have seemed like a big deal. But when taken together, seven changes to Medicare means testing, Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) and Social Security...
Job satisfaction tied to benefits satisfaction, survey finds
April 27, 2018
The happier employees are with their benefits, the happier and more satisfied they are overall, according to an analysis of survey data by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. The data, from EBRI's 2017 Health and Workplace Benefits Survey,...
The rich are betting they can buy their way to a longer life
April 20, 2018
Money might not buy love, but it can buy better health. And, to live as long as possible, the world's wealthy are willing to pay up. Over the past few decades, the average person's lifespan has risen almost everywhere in the world. In China,...
DOL proposal on association health plans could help advisers
March 28, 2018
Traditionally, one of the most significant obstacles many small business owners face is finding quality, affordable healthcare solutions for themselves and their employees. This includes countless Financial Services Institute members. Recently,...
Even the strongest retirement plans can be derailed by health care costs
February 26, 2018
Rising health care costs have long been the bane of working Americans, but most people don't give enough thought to how escalating health care costs in retirement can derail even the most solid financial plan. "While the exact cost varies for...
Growth in Health Savings Accounts may have stalled, says EBRI
February 20, 2018
Growth rates in health savings account (HSA)-eligible health plan enrollment have been trending down since 2014, showing very little growth since then, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. EBRI, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research...
New tool helps advisers estimate health care costs
January 23, 2018
The cost of health care in retirement consistently ranks as a leading concern among clients, yet it is a topic on which few financial advisers can offer specific guidance. That is about to change. A new tool from HealthyCapital unveiled this...
Beware: Medicare surcharges can change throughout year based on latest tax return
January 17, 2018
It's a new year and time for another dispatch from the retirement front, an occasional series of columns where I chronicle life with my retired husband and describe our personal retirement decisions. I hope it provides some insights to advisers...
Tax bill may change your clients' health-care costs
December 29, 2017
The newly signed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will affect how much your clients pay out of pocket on health care, in several ways. The effects will be both short term and medium term: • The "Individual Mandate" will be eliminated by Jan. 1, 2019....
State of the long-term care insurance industry
November 30, 2017
Everyone, it seems, has a caregiving story. That's because the challenges of growing older affect us all. As a son and husband, I experienced this firsthand caring for my own family. My wife is now confronting the challenges of caring for her...
Trump boosts tax plan with Obamacare assist
November 28, 2017
President Donald J. Trump told Republican senators on Tuesday he supports an Obamacare market stabilization bill offered by Republican Lamar Alexander and Democrat Patty Murray, which may help bolster support for the tax-cut legislation headed...
HSAs next cash cow for 401(k) plan advisers: expert
November 16, 2017
Financial advisers who manage a company's retirement plan should try to fill the same role for the firm's health savings accounts — a move that would position them to take part in one of the fastest growing areas of wealth management, an expert...
Schwab execs sound off on Bitcoin, HSAs and Morgan Stanley exit from broker protocol
November 15, 2017
Bitcoin may be quickly gaining popularity as an emerging investment, but it's more likely to be disrupted by governments than to be a disrupter itself, a Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. executive said on Wednesday. Since the beginning of the year,...
Trump moves to undermine Obamacare
October 12, 2017
President Donald J. Trump began his own effort to undo major parts of the Affordable Care Act after Republican leaders in Congress failed to repeal and replace his predecessor's signature legislative accomplishment. Mr. Trump's directive, signed...
Retiree health care costs up 6%, new study finds
August 24, 2017
In a perfect world, the largest expenses in retirement would be for fun things like travel and entertainment. In the real world, retiree health-care costs can take an unconscionably big bite out of savings. A 65-year-old couple retiring this...
Good health is key to retirement security
August 8, 2017
The key to retirement security has traditionally focused on money. But lately, the discussion has embraced health as an increasingly important component in the retirement security equation. In fact, health status during working years and health-care...
GOP to keep Obamacare taxes on wealthy in latest health-care bill: sources
July 11, 2017
Senate Republican leaders dropped provisions that would repeal two taxes on high earners in a revised draft of their health-care bill sent to the Congressional Budget Office, according to GOP senators. Republican leaders are now planning to...
Health-insurance reform uncertainty hampers advisers' ability to counsel to clients
July 8, 2017
The failure of congressional Republicans to pass a health-insurance reform bill to replace the Obama administration's Affordable Care Act has complicated the lives of financial planners and investment advisers in many ways. The most obvious...
