Yes Rag ******, health care insurance is one of the “curve balls” of which I mentioned earlier. It is perhaps the biggest curve ball.
My company went chapter 11 a few years ago and my pension was turned over to the PBGC (the Pension Benefits Guaranty Corporation...I can thank God for this small gift). This act comes with a small perk. I get HCTC (health care tax credit) for two years after I hit 65 and begin Medicare (new law Jan 2010!). With it I can protect my wife (one year younger) using a participating provider...and there in lies the rub!
Who’s participating and how good are they? And how much will supplemental insurance cost after we’re out of the loop.
I keep reading about doctors dropping Medicare patients and that scares us big time.
We have to imbed some wiggle room for these unknowns. I allocate $1000 a month for supplemental healthcare insurance alone.
To move into TV only to learn that we have to leave due to increasing costs is a failure of foresight I prided myself in anticipating.
To live below your financial situation is easy; it’s an art form to look good on a budget.
Living frugal is a challenge I actually enjoy. The Internet is a necessity as it provides items to assist in this endeavor to be frugal; online bill paying saves a fortune in stamps. I plan to pdf tax preparation to my good tax guy, etc. to say nothing of coupons and much other Internet entertainment...so that is a must. I’ve calculated for that.
Thanks again for the information...it’s better than Prozac.
|