When it’s time to start a family, many parents-to-be are so focused on decorating the nursery and choosing the right car seat that they can overlook the life-altering impact a baby can have on their financial life. And we’re not just talking the exorbitant cost of diapers—we’re talking nearly 4 million dollars in “potential income.”…
A report recently released by BMOW Wealth Management showed aging Americans have concerns with regard to retirement planning and the effects on their family and wealth. The report, called The Aging Economy: Improving with Age, surveyed more than 500 Americans 55 and older and reviewed the benefits of an in-depth wealth plan to help manage…
By Ted Norwood, General Counsel & Director of Representation, Integrated Benefits Inc. SSDI has poor resources for vocational rehabilitation or job placement, and no resources at all for claimants during the wait for a decision. This makes it harder for people to recover and get back to work. Because of the long wait, many claimants…
By Diane Russell, Lincoln Financial Your company’s benefit package is sending you a message about their priorities — and whether they are the same as yours. When companies get it right, it pays off in terms of your job satisfaction and desire to continue to work there. That’s because your employer is making it clear…
By Marjory Robertson, AVP & Senior Counsel and Abigail O’Connell, Senior Counsel, Sun Life Financial When employees need to step away from work — whether to welcome a new child, care for a family member, or another life event — protecting their jobs and benefits, understanding their rights, knowing whether their employers will pay part…
By Larry Alkire, Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, American Fidelity Assurance Company When Congress passed the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare), the term—”pre-existing conditions”—became a household word. The ACA prevented health insurance carriers from denying you coverage, charging you more money, or refusing to pay for essential health benefits for any…
A recent study from Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (MassMutual) revealed lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) Americans say they want to preserve their retirement savings but tend to take bigger risks when it comes to investing. Forty-two percent of LGBTQ retirees and pre-retirees said the should become more conservative with their money…
Disability insurance is one of the most important forms of insurance for working Americans. The financial expert Dave Ramsey calls it “a necessity.” It has been described as a valuable benefit by NPR while NBC News calls it “more important for singles than just about anyone.” Having a form of income protection for when you’re injured, ill…
By Andrew Melnyk, Chief Economist and Vice President of Research, American Council of Life Insurers Last week, Fred Schott of The Council for Disability Awareness outlined an approach to answering the following question: how many working Americans have (or don’t have) some form of private disability coverage? It is an important question because, as we know, Social…
Do the rewards of genetic testing of employees outweigh the possible risks it presents to their financial stability? This article by Carol Harnett, president of The Council for Disability Awareness, was recently published in Human Resource Executive. I became intrigued with genetics in sixth grade. I still recall being fascinated when Mrs. D’Amato described Gregor Mendel’s…
