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Open Enrollment – Do I want any add-on insurances?

On November 5, 2021, Posted by , In Benefits,Open enrollment, With Comments Off on Open Enrollment – Do I want any add-on insurances?

Open enrollment is already a complicated decision making timeframe for many people. Especially these days, with so many people working remotely, there may not be first tier medical providers in your area. To make things more challenging, many companies are adding lots of add-on insurance options to their open enrollment…

Do you know the 2022 tax-related contribution limits?

On November 4, 2021, Posted by , In Investing,Savings, With Comments Off on Do you know the 2022 tax-related contribution limits?

More and more of the 2022 tax related numbers have been released by the IRS throughout 2021. Here are those thresholds. These numbers were released earlier this year Self HSA contribution – $3650 (up from $3600) Family coverage HSA contribution – $7300 (up from $7200) Social Security wage base –…

I’m a retiree, what does a 5.9% Social Security COLA mean to me?

On October 16, 2021, Posted by , In Social Security, With Comments Off on I’m a retiree, what does a 5.9% Social Security COLA mean to me?

Yesterday we talked about why the recently announced Social Security cost of living adjustment for 2022 is important to people who are not yet Social Security claiming retirees. Today it’s time to talk about those who are already claiming Social Security. This list has less surprises, but it isn’t any…

I’m not a retiree, what does a 5.9% Social Security COLA mean to me?

On October 15, 2021, Posted by , In Benefits,Social Security, With Comments Off on I’m not a retiree, what does a 5.9% Social Security COLA mean to me?

If you aren’t yet claiming Social Security, it may seem unlikely that you are affected by the announcement on Wednesday about the 2022 Social Security cost of living adjustment. And while that may not have a big impact on you directly, the driving force of inflation behind this COLA could…

Book review – Farewell

On October 14, 2021, Posted by , In Estate planning,Family, With Comments Off on Book review – Farewell

I just finished reading the book Farewell by Dr. Ed Creagan (also available at RPL), a Mayo Clinic palliative care doctor whose book is designed to help us all navigate end of life decisions. It’s a topic that makes many uncomfortable, but death in our country has been medicalized (with…

Do you understand how investment returns are calculated?

On October 13, 2021, Posted by , In Investing, With Comments Off on Do you understand how investment returns are calculated?

I really like it when people try to understand math. So I enjoyed when someone showed me a summary prospectus for the Vanguard Global Equity Fund, investor shares, and asked how one of the numbers was calculated. Specifically, they wanted to know how the return before taxes was calculated for…

Updates to the layout of Social Security statements

On October 12, 2021, Posted by , In Social Security, With Comments Off on Updates to the layout of Social Security statements

Your Social Security statement is a document that informs you about your prior work earnings, and lays out what that translates into for future potential benefits. These statements used to be mailed annually to everyone, but currently they are only mailed annually to those who are: 60+ years oldAND not…

In the Journal of Financial Planning – How Do You Grow?

On October 11, 2021, Posted by , In Know thyself,Tina in other media, With Comments Off on In the Journal of Financial Planning – How Do You Grow?

In the October 2021 edition of the Journal of Financial Planning, community feedback was sought for the question of how do you grow in professional development. My contribution was about understanding how humans react under stress and disruption. That by looking back at these times in the past, we can…

Make your decisions ahead of time – visualize the future

On October 10, 2021, Posted by , In Know thyself, With Comments Off on Make your decisions ahead of time – visualize the future

I mentioned my recent CPR/First Aid recertification class. The instructor may have rubbed me the wrong way with his repeatedly poor word choices, but in other respects he did an excellent job. One of the things he paused class to point out, and to make us think about, was to…

Do you have confidence? Or competence?

On October 9, 2021, Posted by , In Know thyself, With Comments Off on Do you have confidence? Or competence?

I took my first CPR and First Aid class on adults, children, and pediatrics when I was sixteen, as part of my health class in school. As a whitewater kayak instructor, I have continued to take such classes regularly, in fact when my schedule allows I join the Scouts instructor…