Retirement Planning 101
RETIREMENT PLANNING 101
As our parents get older it’s hard to imagine them losing sight of important things. I notice important issues impacting retirement that aren’t being discussed with loved ones. If you have a loved one who is about to retire here are some items to consider.
HEALTH INSURANCE: Will my mom or dad qualify for health insurance from their employer once they retire? Will they only be eligible for Medicare? Is there an alternative available through a Medicare Advantage Plan? If they aren’t of age to be eligible for Medicare, will they be eligible for Private Health Insurance until they become Medicare eligible?
RX DRUG COVERAGE: Will the health insurance plan also include drug coverage? If eligible for Medicare be sure to choose a Part D Drug plan. If not there may be penalty fees if you decide to sign up at a later time unless you can prove that you had Creditable Coverage when you were eligible to sign up for Part D benefits.
UNION BENEFIT: Does your loved one a part of a union plan through their employer? If so what paperwork is involved to initiate the process of retirement. Additionally what potential benefits will your loved one be entitled to once they retire if any. For example, prescription coverage, monthly pension, death/survivor benefits?
LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE: Does your loved one have access to a long term care insurance policy? Long Term Care Insurance covers additional benefits not covered by health insurance such as an aide to assist with personal care needs i.e. bathing, shopping, meal prep, medication management, etc. on an ongoing basis to address a person’s long term care needs.