Here is an article that falls a little short on health care. It briefly states the obvious and then opens up to comments (hmm…kind of like this site). The most entertaining part is reading some of the comments after the article. They range from the ridiculous to the pitiful, but neither the article NOR the comments specifically address the real problems:

1) Most health insurance (companies and plans) is not chosen or negotiated by the end user.
2) The average deductible in the U.S. is $500.

That’s it. End of story. You solve that, you solve about half the problem. And until you solve that it’s IMPOSSIBLE to solve the other half of the problem. Is this an easy problem to solve? It is for the consumer if you live in the right state (about 45 out of the 50). It’s not if you don’t.

My personal advise until the “Gubment” decides to solve all of our problems:

Take control of your health, and take control of your health insurance. Get underwritten while you’re healthy, and stay healthy.

The newest issue of the Financial Times is out. Here is a summary of some key issues:

Bill Gates got lucky (How you can get lucky too.): For the past decade, Bill Gates has been the richest person in the world. Believe it or not, one of the reasons Bill Gates achieved such financial success is because of luck. A commentary on random chance affects your chances for prosperity, and what you can do to increase the odds.

What’s at the end of your housing curve?: Should you ever want to pay off your mortgage, and own your home free and clear? What about as you approach retirement? Several perspectives on the financial and psychological benefits of life without a mortgage.

Beware of the bear in retirement: When using financial vehicles that deliver fluctuating returns, buy-and-hold may be a suitable long-term approach. But a simple mathematical discussion highlights the difference between accumulation and distribution strategies.

Social Security crisis no longer in the distance: When the first baby boomers start drawing Social Security benefits this January, the dire warnings about the demographic problems plaguing the governmental “security net” are coming closer to reality. How will this crisis be resolved? Besides the political response, what can you do as an individual?

For the full issue on PDF, click here.

The newest issue of the Financial Times is out. Here’s a summary:

Antidote to the Sub-Prime Mortgage Crisis: What impact will the sub-prime mortgage crisis have on your financial life? A brief discussion of the problem and the possible ripple effects – along with a proven approach to riding out the inevitable ups and downs in your financial life.

Disability Insurance – A Common Foundational Weakness: Even though most Americans acknowledge a single incident of disability would severely impact their financial lives, very few own disability insurance. Why? A short commentary on the realities of disability, and the financial fall-out that often follows.

What is BOLI? Find out why banks give permanent life insurance a significant place in their financial operations, and how some of the same financial principles can be applied for individuals.

The Opportunity Cost of Season Tickets. If you are a football fanatic, keep this information under wraps! Your obsession could cost you more than a million dollars!

Retirees Don’t Want A Mortgage Payment. Some financial commentators might argue that owning a home free and clear is unprofitable because all that equity is just sitting there. But most retirees see it differently.

For the full issue on PDF, click here.

An interesting article about Health Insurance from the Journal. Unfortunately, most of it seems to be tailor made only for those who have severe medical problems:

“Nine times out of 10, if you can get access to employer-sponsored group coverage, take the employer-sponsored policy,” says Karen Politz, a research professor at the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. “Dollar-for-dollar, you get a lot more protection.”

This is true especially if you have serious health issues that would eliminate you from qualifying for individual coverage. (more…)

The September issue of the Financial Times (and not that London nonsense, but the REAL Financial Times) is out. Here is a summary of some of the key issues:

PAPER ASSETS VS REAL ASSETS
Paper assets and real assets have distinct differences. Not only is it important to know and understand these differences, it’s also helpful to keep each type of asset in balance as part of your overall financial program.

A NEW TREND IN HOMEOWNERS’ DEDUCTIBLES
Could you afford a $15,000 deductible for damages to your home that were caused by natural disasters? A short explanation of why insurance companies are changing the way they price homeowners’ insurance.

ATMs IN HOUSES OF WORSHIP?
New IRS regulations on documentation for charitable giving have become much more stringent. Some charities, particularly houses of worship, have come up with might be considered an inspired response – and in some cases, actually received more donations.

RISK TOLERANCE ILLUSTRATION
If a picture is worth a thousand words, this illustration should give you plenty to talk (and think) about when the topic is your risk tolerance.

RATIONAL DECUMULATION
When it comes time to spend accumulated assets in retirement, what asset class works best? A new report from the Wharton School of Business offers some interesting opinion, including some thoughts on why many (even “financial professionals”) don’t respond rationally to the challenge of spending our savings.

For the PDF on the full issue, please click here.