The Insurance Doctor

Category: family

10 Tips to Save Money on Family Theme Park Vacations
Getting ready for an upcoming exciting theme park vacation for the whole family? It can be even more fun if you can save money before and during your excursion!
1. Visit in between Seasons: Early spring and late fall are often times to score great family deals!
2. Social Media: Follow your favorite parks on social media so you don’t miss out on offers and deals.
3. Smaller Theme Parks: Smaller parks can often run $50 per person per day ($100 for large parks) and can be really fun and with smaller waiting lines for going on rides.
4. Look for Package Deals: Multi-day deals will always decrease your cost per person per day.
5. Special Brand Discounts: Look for online and store discounts from AAA, the Military, Unions, and Seniors. Avoid buying tickets on Craigslist and eBay as they are too big of a counterfeit risk.
6. Book a room with a kitchen: There’s no need to eat 3 meals out every day! It’s much easier and healthier to eat 1 or 2 meals in per day.
7. Bring water and snacks into the park: You can buy a $5 case of water for the price they will charge for 1 bottle.
8. Consider buying souvenirs in town: You pay a premium every time inside the park for impulse purchases. Try going to the town stores, Target, supermarket etc and the identical goods are often available for half price.
May 15, 2018
5 Ideas for Summer Camp Care Packages
5 Ideas for the Summer Camp Care Package

This is the time when kids are getting dropped off at camp and parents are feeling a range of emotions from separation anxiety to the euphoria of free time! A great way to stay in touch is by sending your campers a care package within the first few weeks of camp. Keep the following in mind:
1. Brain/mind games: Studies show that kids can regress mentally up to 25% during the summer. Games like masterminds, puzzles, books and playing cards can keep them sharp.
2. Glow in the dark products: Party pack glow in the dark bracelets, sticks and Frisbees are fun and can be shared with bunk mates.
3. Battery operated: Fans, radio’s if permitted and electronics are always appreciated.
4. Snacks: Some camps no longer allow food in packages or have campers open the box while supervised. Try rice crispy treats which are nut and gluten-free so easily shared.
5. Make it personal: This is a great time to communicate feelings even perhaps some that you don’t often verbalize. A time to share words of wisdom by including a card and/or hand-written note. A little note can go a long way and have an everlasting effect on their summers and through lives journeys!While the kids are away at camp contact Robert for a free financial review this summer.
May 2, 2018
10 Dirt Cheap Places to buy a Vacation Home

This article looks at places both in the USA and around the world where you can purchase a home and live in relative luxury on a poor man’s salary.

1. Argentina: Argentina has been a tourist mecca for generations and is a great producer of wine. A 1500 sq, foot home can be had for about $140,000. The cost of living is a fraction of anywhere in the US and it has the amenities that many Americans and Europeans expect.

2. Mexico: Americans have known for a long time how inexpensive Mexico is as many Americans relocate, vacation and get medical treatment there. For about $700/ month you can find a nice 1-2 bedroom home near a tourist area including internet and sightseeing.

3. Quito, Ecuador: Some great things about Quito is that it’s already an ex-pat US destination and is uses the American dollar for currency. There are places along the coast which are similar to US places. Also, food is so cheap that it costs less to eat all meals out in restaurants than it would cost to go to the supermarket and cook for yourself at home.

4. Cambodia: Cambodia is super cheap! A full-time housekeeper costs about $120/month. A 4 room villa with a pool costs about $600/month and about $7/day to eat all meals out in most areas. About $20,000 will buy you a nice 3 bedroom home on 1 or more acres.

5. Vietnam: Vietnam has become a tourist destination. You used to have to own a business to buy property however those rules have been relaxed. For $25,000-$50,000 you can find a nice home in or near a resort area. Food is very cheap as is labor so you can have a cook when there. Also, because of demand, it’s easy to rent the house out.

6. Thailand: Thailand is a legendary tourist destination for food, nightlife and amenities. Like Vietnam, it’s easier to buy property now. For $30,000 you can buy a high-rise condo with amazing views. For $60,000 you can buy a 2-3 bedroom home with a beautiful garden and pool.

7. Bulgaria: Bulgaria is stunning from the ancient architecture to the surrounding hills and countryside. For $1,000/month you can live in comfort and like a king for $1500/month. The average monthly salary is about $800 and for $20,000 you can buy a very nice home.

8. Budapest, Hungary: Hungary is one of the oldest and architecturally stunning places in the world. A $1,000 sq. foot home with some land runs about $90,000. The people are kind and hospitable and there are about 50,000 ex-pats living in Budapest alone.

9. Mississippi, USA: Mississippi offers comparable prices to Budapest and Bulgaria. A plush 3 bedroom house can be had for $80,000. The north offers music and jazz while the south has beaches and gambling. There is great weather year round and cultural diversity.

10. Louisiana: Louisiana offers a combination of southern charm and Cajun flavor. You can buy a fully renovated historic 1800’s home for under $100,000. There is fantastic wildlife and you can hire a cook for half the price of eating out.

November 15, 2017
5 Tourist Traps to Avoid
There are so many fabulous places in the world to visit. Avoid the hype as these 5 tourists traps that are a waste of time!
1. Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England: This mysterious site may date as far back as 3000 bc. More than 1.3 million visited in 2014. It takes hours to get there and you can longer go into the central ring of stones. It’s a ton of tour buses with tourists walking in circles aimlessly!
2. Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota: Receives over 40 million visitors from around the globe each year. Expect heavy crowds and over-priced goods. Unless you are going on rides it’s a waste of time!
3. La Boca, Buenas Aires, Argentina: It’s a brightly painted neighborhood that attracts tourists looking to take tango lessons and photograph crayola-colored houses. It’s basically 1 fake-looking street painted to get tourists to visit the over-priced coffee shops, bars and restaurants.
4. Walk of Fame, Hollywood, California: It’s comprised of 15 blocks of Hollywood blvd and marked by commemorative stars in the sidewalk. Seedy sin city type crowds with hookers, dirty streets and solicitors everywhere.
5. Manneken Pis, Brussels, Belgium: Manneken Pis depicts a naked boy urinating in a fountain. For some this 17^th century sculpture is a work of art. For most this is a small statue that’s a waste of time!Are you prepared for your financial journey? Avoid the traps by contacting Robert today.
October 25, 2017
8 Family Leave Act Facts Every NY State Business Should Know
New York is the 6^th state to enact the PFL(paid family leave) act joining California, New Jersey, Washington, New Jersey and Rhode Island. We expect many other states to follow suit. To check your state’s rules go to www.NationalPartnership.org. Ignorance is expensive!!
1. It’s effective on 1/1/18: Employees can have a baby today and give 30-day notice that they are taking (50%) paid time off the first 8 weeks of 2018 to bond with their baby.
2. All employers with payroll must comply: All business owners with 1 or more employees on payroll must comply. As of 7/1/17, owners can deduct up to 0.126% of employee weekly pay to partially cover the expense,
3. There is a 4-year phase in: In NYS 2018 the maximums are 8 weeks of pay at 50% of the employee wage base max of $1,305.92 meaning $652.96/week. 2019 it goes to 10 weeks at 55%, 2020 it’s 10 weeks at 60% and in 2021 it caps out at 12 weeks at 67%.
4. A notice must be given in 2 of 3 ways: NYS will create a poster that “must be displayed in plain view where all employees and/or applicants can readily see it”. Employee handbooks must be updated to explain rights, obligations and how to file a claim. If you have no handbook, written materials must provide written guidance on the above.
5. Reasons for paid leave include: Bonding with a new child (birth, adoption or foster), care for a “family member with a serious health condition”, caring for one’s own disability and qualifying if a spouse, domestic partner or child are called to active duty!
6. Family members include: A child, foster child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, spouse, domestic partner, child of domestic partner, parent-in-law and step-parent.
7. Part-time and Full-time workers may qualify: Full-time employees who work 20 or more hours/week are eligible for PFL after 26 consecutive weeks of employment regardless of how many days/week worked. Part-time under 20 hours/week qualify after working a total of 175 days.
8. Employers face fines for failure to provide coverage: Employers face fines up to .5% of weekly payroll for the period without coverage, plus an additional sum of $500. If employers don’t continue health coverage for an employee while on leave, the employer will be responsible for medical costs incurred by the employee while on leave.
These facts are only a part of the new PFL law. Feel free to reach out to me or download a copy of our 8-page white paper on these rules and NYS DBL rate quotes.
September 26, 2017
Ten last minute Mother’s day gifts on a budget under $100

Ten last minute Mother’s day gifts on a budget under $100

Mothers usually appreciate the little things that are thoughtful and lasting so most of these ideas will have that theme and some are do-it-yourselfers.

1. The store “things remembered” will do custom engraving on short notice. They are located in most malls and their “custom couture jewelry” is drawing rave reviews.

2. Things Remembered will also do a custom “music box” so mom can think of you when she’s home doing chores listening to her favorite tunes.

3. Her favorite plant. Some folks will print out family pictures and wrap them around the plant pot so she can look at the family in addition to the plant.

4. A yoga mat and/or towel. For the yoga mom, these gifts are available and reasonably priced on amazon.com with overnight or 2-day shipping.

5. A VHS to DVD format converter is available new and used online at amazon.

6. A gift basket. This can be customized yourself and include some of your mom’s favorite oils, bath salts, perfume, a book, candles and a relaxing CD.

7. A family scrapbook or montage. This can also be framed and hung up. Mom’s love this stuff and appreciate the effort putting it together.

8. A certificate for a home cleaning. Give mom a day off and either hire somebody to clean the house or better yet do it yourself.

9. A dinner gift card. You can go to restaurant.com and get discounted gift cards either in general or to mom’s favorite restaurant for half price.

10. If you can’t afford the “day of beauty” a mani/Pedi gift card will go over very well as moms deserve to be spoiled.

11. Bonus belated gift idea. Mom’s usually have a special feeling for the grandchildren so get pictures of them put onto coffee mugs.

Cheers to my mom and all the fabulous moms out there that do so many things they don’t always get acknowledged for!!

May 9, 2017
5 Planning Issues for Same-Sex Couples
Five Planning Issues Same-Sex Couples Should Discuss

All couples in long-term relationships should discuss finances however gay and lesbian couples need to even more because of unclear and ever-changing rules.
1. What is our current situation? Partners need to get on the same page as to their debt, how much and to whom do they owe money. How much do you spend and how much do they save?
2. What does retirement look like? Both partners should go to socialsecurity.gov to see what type of benefits are available to them and based on ages when to elect income benefits to start.
3. Should we get married? This is a critical decision. First take a look at wages earned. If both are high wage earners then they would be paying more taxes by remaining unmarried. Also if one partner has a college-bound student remaining unmarried is the better choice as the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) would only include one person’s wages.
4. What happens to assets when we die? A will, power of attorney and health care proxy are recommended to give clear directives on the wishes of each partner. If unmarried with no will etc, the states laws of intestacy come into play and odds are a blood relative will inherit the estate.
5. What happens if we break up? Unmarried same-sex couples in it for the long haul may want to draft a cohabitation agreement. Divorce actually provides an orderly system with protections that unmarried same-sex couples cannot take advantage of.Contact Rob here today for a free financial consultation today
April 18, 2017
Summer Travel Tips
Having set foot on five of the world’s seven continents I have learned much. With solid planning I was able to do 3 weeks in Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia this January with one carry-on bag and one computer bag.

My top travel tips are:
1. Call your credit card companies in advance: and tell them where you are going and what dates. I have had cards frozen because companies see a string of out of town charges and they think your cards were stolen.
2. Think in body sections when packing: I do this in the morning while getting work ready and start from feet to head. It can be stressful the last days before a trip so you don’t want to forget anything so do the same with the kids.
3. Pack a change of clothes in your carry-on bag: 29 million bags are lost/delayed each year. Be ready when it happens to you!
4. Buy a guide book if going overseas: I cannot stress this enough. Advanced research prevents issues which can ruin a trip. For example my research told me that in Myanmar and Cambodia they accept US dollars however not with folds or wrinkles. I went to the bank in advance and withdrew $500 of new bills in 1’s, 5’s, 10’s and 20’s. I like “lonely planet” and “rough guides” the best. Look for the most recent edition.
1. Read negative reviews on hotels: I prefer Trip Advisor and Agoda for international travel.
1. If touring by car get a tune-up and GPS: Nothing worse than getting lost or having your car break down. GPS your destinations in advance for proper time planning.
  
  Contact Robert here today for a free consultation.
July 15, 2015
The Belmont Stakes: 5 Lessons Learned
Saturday I had the privilege to watch history in the making at the Belmont Stakes. Here are five lessons I learned in the process.
1. Dress to impress and with comfortable shoes: Lots of walking and fantastic people watching. Best variety of hats and sundresses that you will ever see!
2. Leave the kids at home: It’s a long day, not much for kids to do and because of the heavy foot traffic it’s easy to lose somebody.
3. If driving get there before 10am: First come first serve with parking and it takes forever to get out. They booked the Goo Goo Dolls to play after the race so people wouldn’t all leave at the same time. Taking the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) is a better option especially if arriving after 10am. Wait an hour before leaving either way.
4. Walk both inside and outside: Regardless of where your seats are take a walk outside also. Great vibe and more room. You can even bring a blanket and picnic on the lawn while race watching.
5. Get your tickets either very early or last minute: There was ticket chaos on race day as it was announced that no tickets were being sold at the track and on-line ticket sales ended at 11:30am. That changed to a 4:00pm deadline and $1,000 tickets were available for $250 from noon-3:00pm. At 3:00pm it imploded and the system crashed with so many people using internet on their cell phones at the same time.
  Contact Robert today to learn how to win in the horse race of retirement and personal finance.
June 8, 2015
5 Reasons to Fire Yourself

Most working professionals fear one thing: being fired. Typical reasons for being fired center on downsizing, restructuring, market changes, personal conflicts and more. However, when should one consider firing themself? That’s right, themself. Sound strange? Perhaps. Examine each of these five reasons and see if any or all apply to you.

1. You’ve lost the passion. The late Apple founder Steve Jobs said…

” The only way to do great work is to love what you do”.

If you no longer have any passion left for your chosen career your quality of work will suffer. Our passion for our chosen profession is our wellspring of energy, ideas and enthusiasm and should be guarded closely.

2. You talk about quitting. If you find yourself regularly telling your spouse or close friends you’re thinking about quitting or should be quitting, stop. Take inventory of your statement and ask the question ‘why am I seriously considering leaving?’. Write down the reasons you want to quit. Then look at your list and right down next to each what you can or cannot do to address each. If your list presents no possible solutions it may be time to move on.

3. You know you’ve settled for less. If you have that nagging feeling that your present job is well below your potential and talents you have some decisions to make. Can you move into another position more well suited for your talents? Can you find ways to improve your value within your current position? Are you settling and only staying for the company health benefits or 401(k) plan? Staying for benefits alone is a poor reason to keep working for a company. Remember you can find similar benefits for you and your family at another job that you are passionate about.

4. Your job doesn’t fit your long term goals. Look at your personal and financial long-term goals and see if your present job aligns with them. If your job will never afford you the income to retire by age 70 for example you may want to find a better paying job that you still have passion for. If you are seeking independence or self-employment, each month you continue working for your company pushes your realized goal further down the road. Know your goals first and then see if your job is in alignment.

5. You are convinced you can no longer add value to the company. If you are fully convinced you can no longer add value to the company it is time to fire yourself. Quit, leave, resign. If you don’t your employer will eventually see that you are no longer adding value to the company and save you the trouble of firing yourself. Be honest with yourself and give your company the opportunity to fill the position with someone who will help them grow and yourself the opportunity to improve your professional and financial situation.

These are just a few reasons you may want to fire yourself. Also each of these reasons may give you the opportunity to retool, expand and improve your professional situation. **If you have a 401(k) from a company you’ve left or you will need to move one in the future contact Rob today for a free no-obligation consultation.

May 20, 2015