Insurance
Insurance is essential to any comprehensive financial security plan. If tragic events like death, disability or critical illness strike, insurance can protect you and your family from undue hardship. Some life insurance policies also provide tax-advantaged savings that you can draw on to achieve goals like buying a house or retiring comfortably.
Atlas has access to a variety of insurance products that can help meet your financial security planning needs. No matter your personal situation—if you’re single or in a family; a professional or a freelance employee; an executive or small business owner—we will work together to design a customized plan.
Life insurance
In the event of death, life insurance offers surviving loved ones increased financial security. As a tax-free lump sum payment, it can pay for final expenses and debts, as well as provide income for the deceased’s dependents.
The advantages of life insurance include:
- An instant estate for your loved ones at a time when funds are most needed
- Death benefits that are almost always non-taxable for named beneficiaries
- Avoid probate costs if you name a beneficiary other than your estate
- Potentially offer your loved ones creditor protection through some life insurance plans
- Build tax-advantaged capital for retirement purposes or provide liquid savings through some permanent life insurance policies
Atlas can help you select coverage from a variety of life insurance options to meet the needs identified in your financial security plan.
Life insurance can play a vital role in your financial security - contact us today to find out how.
Long-term Care and Disability
Help protect one of your most valuable assets – your income – from unexpected events through long-term care, disability and critical illness insurance.
Income is important for both current financial obligations (e.g. grocery bills and mortgage payments) and for future financial security (e.g. planning for your children’s education or for retirement). Just think what might happen if you suddenly lost your income stream through a long-term illness or disability.
Long-term care and disability insurance products help protect your ability to earn an income, which can be affected if you are afflicted by a disability or other condition.
Atlas can help you choose the long-term care and disability insurance products that provide advantages like:
- Helping maintain your financial independence, lifestyle and long-term financial security plan in the event your income is impacted by disability
- Assist with paying fixed expenses for your business if you become disabled
- Support the buy-out of a disabled partner’s share of a business
Atlas can help you tailor your financial security plan so it protects your income through long-term care and disability insurance. Contact us today to find out how..
Ten Tips for Choosing a Medicare Plan
There are two main ways to get Medicare:
- Choose Original Medicare (Parts A & B), which is provided by the federal government.
- Or choose a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C). These plans are offered through private insurance companies.
With Original Medicare, you’ll pay a share of the cost.
You contributed to Medicare by paying taxes. That’s why you’re eligible for Medicare when you turn 65.
- Original Medicare doesn’t pay for everything. You still pay a share of the cost in monthly premiums, deductibles, and copays.
Medicare supplement insurance helps control out-of-pocket costs.
If you need a lot of medical care, you may end up with big bills. Medicare supplement insurance plans help with some of the expenses Medicare Parts A and B don’t pay, like copays and deductibles.
Prescription drug coverage helps limit drug costs.
As a Medicare member you can get optional prescription drug coverage (Part D):
- You can enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan to go with your Original Medicare coverage.
- Or you can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage.
Know the choices in your state.
- Original Medicare (Parts A and B) is the same across the United States.
- Medicare Advantage (Part C) and prescription drug (Part D) plans are offered by private insurance companies and may be available only in certain counties, states or regions.
- Medicare supplement policies offer nationwide coverage and are available by state.
Enroll at the right time.
The Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) is your first chance to enroll in Medicare. It’s the three months before your 65th birthday month, the month of your birthday, and the three months after your birthday month.
- If you enroll before the month you turn 65, coverage starts on the first day of your birthday month.
- If you enroll during your birthday month or later, coverage starts on the first day of the month following the date you enroll.
Review your choices once a year.
After you choose your Medicare health plan coverage, you should review your coverage each year during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period (the OEP, which lasts from October 15 through December 7) to see if it still fits, or you may make changes if they are needed.
Special Election Period (SEP).
In some cases you may be able to enroll in, or switch, plans outside of the IEP and OEP. This includes changes in your life situation, such as:
- You retire and leave a health care plan through your employer or union.
- You move out of your current health plan’s service area.
Review your current coverage.
For example, if you have group coverage from your job, or retiree insurance from a former employer, you’ll want to see how it fits with Medicare.
Help is available.
Medicare can be complicated, but help is available. To learn more, visit the site medicaremadeclear.com/about for a report. You may even qualify for financial help. See the list of resources under the Financial Help section of that report. Or if you prefer, contact Atlas directly at (877) 543-5970. You can reach Christopher at extension 102 (email at christopher@atlasindicators.com) to get questions answered or to schedule an appointment to discuss the matter further.
