The Internal Revenue Service isn’t going to fight people any longer who want to deduct the cost of gender reassignment surgery from their taxes.
Insurance
Want to Retire Early? It’s Not About Making More Money
Like happiness, retirement readiness doesn’t have all that much to do with how much you earn. It’s more about what you do with what you have.
The Tragic Bungling of a ‘Class’ Act
Long-term care insurance for the masses came and went without much notice. Last week, the Obama administration quietly abandoned the CLASS Act, a provision slipped into health care reform two years ago that would have ensured …
One More Reason It Pays To Switch Banks
Recent media focus concerning the price of brand loyalty—sparked in part by Bank of America’s decision to start charging fees for debit card users—recalls some interesting research from a few years back that suggests there’s …
Patients Prefer HMOs (And Other Healthcare Surprises)
Are health insurance plans with big brand names better than smaller insurers that most people have never heard of? “Not usually,” says Nancy Metcalf, senior program editor, at Consumer Reports. Unless, that is, the plan’s
…
Same Old Story: Health Insurance Premiums Soar, Yet Again
Haven’t we all heard this one before? The average cost of health insurance premiums rose sharply this year: Family costs are up 9%, topping $15,000 annually for the first time. Over the last 10 years, family premiums have risen …
Rethinking the Role of a Fixed Annuity
With interest rates at historic lows, retirement income has become difficult to secure and now planners and retirees are even rethinking the role of the venerable annuity, which has long been a stalwart source of monthly income.
The plain truth is that unless you have boatloads of cash simple annuities alone won’t get the job done.
Hit by Irene? Check for This Insurance Rider
Homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover floods. Flood insurance doesn’t cover basements. So what’s a homeowner to do?
5 Things to Know to Protect Your House Against Flooding
Right after the devastation of Hurricane Irene, with photos of flooded homes everywhere, comes the news that pop star Rihanna is suing over water damage to her $6.9 million Beverly Hills mansion.
How Medical Debt Sickens Your Credit Score
More Americans are struggling to pay their medical bills, a hardship that could have a detrimental effect on their credit scores. According to the 2010 Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey, a sobering 29 percent — …
Health Care Industry Growth Beginning to Slow
The health care industry has been one of the bright spots in a dark economy in the last few years. But job growth in the industry now looks as if it’s starting to slow.
Hit by the Fine Print: Three Ways the Debt Deal Could Hurt Seniors on Medicare
Medicare turned 46 last week, but instead of celebrating its major accomplishment — keeping millions of older Americans healthy — it finds itself under siege. The program appears to have squeaked through unscathed in the debt …