Insurance Planning and Risk Management

Don’t Grow Old Without It. (WSJ)

 | Long-term-care insurance: It can make the difference between living out your life the way you want and becoming a burden to your family or a ward of the state. But it is becoming significantly more expensive, more complicated and harder to get with each passing year. Average premiums on new policies—which help pay for nursing-home, assisted-living and home care—have risen some 6% to 17% in the past year alone, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, a trade group. Some insurers have even doubled their premiums on existing policies. The increases come as the industry grapples with low interest rates and policyholders who are living a lot longer than the actuaries said they would.

Do Business Owners Need Cyber Liability Insurance?

 | As a business owner, can you afford to pay thousands of dollars to notify your clients that their private information has been breached by an unknown third party? What about the costs to restore the faith your customers have with you handling their private information after it was breached? Can you afford the cost of time and money to investigate where the breach originated from and how to avoid it in the future?

Tax Changes Affecting Individuals Under the 2010 Health Care Legislation

 | The health care legislation that was passed recently by Congress will have a major impact on the nation’s health care system. Along with the better-publicized changes, the new legislation also amends the federal tax laws in ways that will affect just about every taxpayer. Below is a discussion of some of the most significant modifications that will start appearing on Form 1040 during this decade.

Prepare For Emergencies

 | Many of us contributed funds to help those who suffered great loss from hurricane Katrina. We may not be thinking, however, about taking care of ourselves in the event a disaster would strike where we live. Yet, Katrina should be a wake-up call to us to take stock of what we have to help us recover from devastating and unexpected occurrences.

Insurance Scoring, Credit Scoring and Your Insurance Rates

 | The use of credit information is a fact of life today. Whether a consumer is applying for a credit card, renting an apartment, seeking a job or asking for cable service, credit history is used in the decision-making process. Credit says a lot about an individual. It tells employers, banks, utility companies - and now insurance companies - how a consumer handles his or her financial responsibilities. Today, more than 90 percent of property and casualty insurers use insurance scoring as part of the underwriting and rating process.

What’s Your Home Worth?

 | For most of us, our home truly is our castle. It may be our most valuable - certainly our most used - investment. Protecting this investment should be a priority for any homeowner.