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Posted
Jun 02 2009, 04:58 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from Jim Wang at partner blog Bargaineering.
I'm 28 and I don't have life insurance. Many people don't begin thinking about life insurance until they start a family, and I'll be no different. While we don't plan on starting a family in another year or so, it's important to learn about things before you need them -- before emotion and time pressure begin affecting judgment -- and recently I spent some time looking at life insurance.
How I chose term vs. whole life
There are four types of life insurance: term life, whole life, universal life, and variable life. (My earlier article discusses what each one is.) I want insurance to cover the catastrophic problems; I'll self-insure against the everyday and more routine problems. Some life insurance policies have a death benefit aspect and an investment/annuity aspect. But I also like clear segregation between the various aspects of my life, which is why I want to keep my life insurance simple.
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Posted
May 11 2009, 01:58 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
If you're using work e-mail to gripe about your company, its customers or your fellow employees, well, stop, if you want to keep your job, writes "Shadox" at Money and Such.
Shadox, in a post called "Career-ending e-mails," covers several common mistakes that people make, and includes this piece of sage advice: "By the way, NEVER, ever send an e-mail when you are upset."
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Posted
Nov 20 2008, 05:20 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar. Most people have financial worries in their lives: How will I pay the bills? What will happen if I'm suddenly injured and unable to work? What if I lose my job? I'm in the same boat. Although I've come a long way in the last few years, I still have a lot of concerns. What would happen if I were to pass away suddenly? What if my wife were to die? Many people bury their concerns and don't consciously think about them. They hide them deep under the surface and live life pretending such things could never happen. Under the surface, though, worry builds up -- and bursts out when they hit a bump in the road.
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Posted
Nov 11 2008, 02:13 PM
by
Karen Datko
Filed under: insurance, Consumer Affairs, home insurance, auto insurance, car insurance, insurance companies, insurance rates, homeowners insurance, life insurance, insurance claims, save money
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from Mark Huffman at partner blog ConsumerAffairs.com.
When it comes to selecting the right insurance policy, consumers need as much clear, concise information as possible. A study released by the Consumer Federation of America suggests they aren't getting it from their states.
The study also found that state insurance department Web sites in six states were "excellent," while those in 18 states were deemed to be "inadequate."
CFA is sending the report to all state insurance departments with a personal letter urging the states whose Web sites are not yet excellent to make improvements.
"At a time when consumers are under increasing financial pressure, state insurance departments can do their part by making available current information about the rates, solvency, and complaints of individual insurers as well as tips for consumers to use to secure fairer and faster claims settlements," said J. Robert Hunter, CFA's director of insurance and a former Texas insurance commissioner. "And it's essential that insurance departments widely publicize the availability of their Web sites and related information."
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Posted
Apr 24 2008, 06:46 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
"Frugal Babe" is thinking about quitting her part-time job at the library when her baby is born. That would decrease the family income by $20,000. But through hard work and good planning, she and her husband will continue to run their insurance business, put money in retirement and emergency accounts, pay for health and life insurance, make extra payments on their home, and will set up a college education fund for their child -- all after the baby arrives. "Life is all about choices," she says in this excellent post. "Lucky people tend to make their own luck by the choices they make."
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Posted
Nov 08 2007, 08:05 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from Sarah Winfrey at partner blog Wise Bread . A lady I know of died last night. It was expected; she had been diagnosed with incurable cancer last spring. I didn't know her well. I wish I had, as her friends are going to great lengths to honor her. It's been really cool to see people coming together, comforting each other, saying meaningful things to each other. One of the things friends say has comforted them is that her family is in a secure place financially. I'm not sure what plans she had in place, but her family has been able to cover her medical care and will be able to pay for her funeral without a lot of trouble. Friends are comforted that the family won't have to worry about money as they grieve the loss of this wife and mother. This has made me think hard. You can do a lot before a crisis hits to help your family when it does. Here are things I'm glad I have and ones I intend to look into. Health insurance. I have great health insurance and will have better
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Posted
Oct 23 2007, 10:48 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Credit card balance-protection insurance may sound like a good deal: It will make payments on your credit card bill if you're laid off, disabled, seriously ill or -- dead. But how much does it really pay? Blogger Nora Dunn at Wise Bread examines the fine print and informs us that the insurance will cover the minimum payment each month while interest on your balance continues to grow. You can probably do better on your own. The death benefit will pay your entire balance if a dirt nap is your fate, but term life insurance generally is a better deal.
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