Book Description
The Encyclopedia of Trading Strategies is for traders who want to take the next step to consistently profitable trading. The authors--themselves seasoned veterans of the futures trading arena--pinpoint the trading methods and strategies that have been shown to produce market-beating returns. Their rigorous and systematic backtesting of each method, using the same sets of markets and analytic techniques, provides a scientific, system-based approach to system development...to help you assemble the trading system that will put you on the road to becoming a more consistently profitable trader.
Customer Reviews:
I liked, but it could be better.......2007-03-25
I liked this book.
it presented many ideas and a right pragmatic approach to test a trading system.
I found tough the statistics part, but it's not an author's fault: it's statistics.
in the final part I found many repetition (many pages might be saved just writing: " hey, for this system we apply the same said at pag. xyz..").
Only two things remained a mistery to me (but I'm not much intellingent..): why didn't the author make any test for longer horizons? in the end, the strategies never approached a longer term trading strategy: usually the trades last few days.
maybe it's not worth? the author doesn't tell us
ah, and it's not an encyclopedia: why did he choose this name?
this is the second mistery...
Too Technical for Me.......2006-11-05
The Encyclopedia of Trading Strategies is well written and is a good book if you are looking for something very technical and mechanical. I was disappointed with the book. I thought it would offer chart set ups or set ups per technical indicators. Instead, it offered codes, etc for setting up mechanical systems.
Research oriented traders, read this one!!.......2005-12-27
Wow! For the research oriented person, this book is great! Not
only does it go over large variety of different approaches
to the commodities market, but the authors let you know the
pitfalls and traps to various methods of evaluating the markets.
The book is written in a concise manner that allows quick naviagation
and further study of any desired topics. The authors have
documented their sources well and really covered a lot of ground!
A *must* read for traders! *AND* I was interested in
the companion CD, called the number listed on the web site
and got to speak with one of the authors! He was very helpful
and answered all my questions right away! You can't beat
that for service with a book!
Best Book on Building Trading Strategies.......2005-12-19
This is by far the most complete and advanced work I've read on the subject. However, read Robert Pardo's "Design, Testing, and Optimization of Trading Systems" first if you are new to backtesting.
A must read for strategy traders.......2005-09-07
This is a good book. Everyone who is thinking about trading and/or is trading already should get a copy of the book. There isn't any "holy grail" strategy in this book, by the way. Rather, this book is about teaching how all these different indicators have performed under strict test conditions and unveils some of the mysteries about different strategies that people have talked about over the years. IMO, the author's work can be the basis of a great system. The first step has already been taken by the author, and you just have to elaborate it to add your flair and style. Happy trading!
Book Description
Insurance For Dummies introduces readers to the basics — as well as the more complicated issues — of every kind of insurance. Packed with expert advice and step-by-step guidance, it shows you how to find the right amount of protection at the best possible price, for your life, health, car, home, and anything else you can think of.
Thinking about insurance makes many people cringe with fear; this handy guide makes insurance make sense. It demystifies complicated policies and points out all the traps and pitfalls you need to avoid when buying coverage. Whether you’re a homeowner or a small business owner or you just need a basic policy for your car, you’ll find all the advice you need on:
- Managing your risk
- Reducing your liability
- Insuring a home business
- Buying an umbrella policy
- Dealing with insurers and filing claims
- Assessing your life insurance needs
- Decidin g between group and individual policies
Author Jack Hungelmann uses his twenty-five years of experience in the insurance industry to make buying insurance as simple as possible — even for those who’ve never bought a policy in their lives. Armed with the kind of straightforward, commonsense knowledge and advice you’ll find here, you’ll be able to handle any insurance question that comes up. Keep it on your reference shelf for quick-and-easy answers for all your insurance-related questions:
- Everything you should know about auto insurance
- Choosing cost-effective deductibles
- Picking the right property coverage for your home
- Estimating the value of your assets
- Insuring valuable portable items and collectibles
- Special advice on insuring condos and townhouses
- Getting the most coverage at the best price
- Filing claims and getting back the most
- Plus, online insurance resources
Knowing what kind of coverage you need for yourself and your possessions is a complicated process. With more competition than ever in the insurance business, finding a great deal on the coverage you need can be a challenge. Insurance For Dummies is the fun and friendly guide that gives you with all the essential knowledge it takes to get the maximum coverage at the minimum price.
Customer Reviews:
Essential reading.......2006-12-10
This book is worth its weight in gold. I originally picked it up while doing research on life insurance options. But after reading the first chapter on auto insurance, we called our agent, raised our libability limits and deductibles, got rid of unnecessary coverage and ended up saving ourselves $250 a year! The author, who has worked in the insurance industry for years, makes things plain and simple and illustrates his points with easy-to-understand charts. Now I feel like we actually have a clue about what we're buying, and I feel much more secure knowing we'll likely be well covered in the event of a catastrophe. This should be on every homeowner's bookshelf.
Invaluable..........2006-11-26
I know I'm getting older when I start reading and writing reviews about insurance books.
I'm not a big fan of the "dummies" books for a few reasons: (1) First my ego...I have to admit I don't want a book on my shelf that is a dummy guide for anything, and (2) I don't want to buy another reference book that is going to sit on my shelf and collect dust.
I purchased this book b/c I had big questions about car insurance, life insurance, and umbrella policies. No concerns about house insurance, which seemed to be the biggest complaint about the book.
Quite frankly, it answered all of my questions. Before reading this book, I didn't even know the difference between collision, liability, and comprehensive insurance; and I had no clue how much insurance I should carry for that "break glass in case of emergency" type accident. And like all of the dummy books, the text is informative while remaining engaging , and actually entertaining-even though the subject is insurance.
I actually feel empowered after reading this book. It led me to purchase an inexpensive umbrella policy (if you don' t have one, you need it) that will certainly make me sleep better at night.
This is one of those books that after you read/reference it, you'll wonder how you ever operated in the past without the knowledge it contains.
Don't put too much trust in earthly treasures, but you should certainly protect what you do have!
Recommended.
Not as Good as I Expected.......2006-11-08
My house was a total loss after a fire. I needed info on home insurance so I got this book. BIG disappointment. No help at all.
I then got another book on Amazon titled "Mold, Fire, Flood & Other Topics: Homeowners Insurance Explained." Great book--I recommend it.
Disappointing.......2006-03-22
I thought this book would give objective advice on how much insurance someone should buy. It told me a few things I didn't know but I wouldn't have paid the price for the book for two or three pages of useful advice.
Lacks Depth in Homeowners Insurance Discussion.......2005-04-05
I was looking for a book that discussed IN DETAIL homeowners insurance, and I didn't find it in thisone.
Claims, how to appeal a denied claim, mold, how to avoid being under-insured and/or cancelled--these subjects are ignored, even though they're important to me and most people I know.
This book is a WASTE OF MONEY if what you're looking for is in-depth info on homeowners insurance.
Book Description
"For anyone who needs to understand different types of life insurance, as well as considerations for purchasing and managing policies, this book should be on your nearby reference shelf. If you’ve frequently found yourself fumbling around with terminology, such as the differences between variable, universal, and variable universal life (VUL) policies, you’ll finally see some light through the haze." - MorningstarAdvisor.com
Life insurance doesn't have to be complex or intimidating. Ben Baldwin's completely revised and updated guidebook makes it clear and logical, discussing how to analyze insurance products based on their investment merits and best overall financial returns. This clear, authoritative resource for consumer insurance information covers the pros and cons of Internet purchases, techniques to use capital within a policy, the fixed premium feature, insurance for different stages of life, and the new emergence of "immediate annuities."
Download Description
This clear, authoritative resource for consumer insurance information covers the pros and cons of Internet purchases, techniques to use capital within a policy, the fixed premium feature, insurance for different stages of life, and the new emergence of "immediate annuities."
Customer Reviews:
An excellent resource.......2007-06-27
This is the best source I have come across for dissecting and analyzing VUL. Most insurance professionals shy away from this product because of its risks. My feeling has been that this reaction is born out of a lack of understanding. This book is very clear about the risks and the rewards, teaching both with depth and candor. Knowledge is power and this book provides both.
good info, but too biased towards VUL.......2007-03-17
The book is very informative, entertaining, and instructive. It gives the benefits and drawbacks of each type of life insurance. It's a good reference book. It's easy to read and understand.
However, it is very biased towards variable universal life (VUL). In fact, the author states that this type of policy is the reason why the book exists. He even goes so far as to say that VUL is one of the best investment vehicles of the century! He's a good cheerleader for VUL and even though he is honest and does point out the pitfalls of VUL, he sort of skims over the probability of problems with these policies in later years.
This book inspired me to check VUL policies and get some illustrations. I was shocked at the high probability of lapse in these policies if the expected return in the investments was average, say expected 8% return. You really need to get over 10% annualized return in the policies to be assured that the policy will not lapse. Anything less than that and you are running a grave risk of having to fund the policy dramatically or see it lapse just at a time when you need it most, after age 70. The trick is to adequately fund the policy from the start, and the funding can be quite expensive. And even after all of that, the insurance company makes YOU assume the risk of generating enough return to keep the policy in force. Even if you don't take any loans, the policy can lapse if the returns are just a little bit less than expected. That's very high risk to me. There are no affordable guarantees of minimum death benefit or cash values in a VUL, regardless of loans or premiums paid on time. I was shocked to learn this in reality.
So don't fall for the hype in this book about VUL. The author greatly under-estimates the risk inherent in VUL policies.
Ultimately, I'd say there are better books on insurance if you just want to learn about the basics.
Excellent User's Guide in Clear Language.......2006-11-10
Ben Baldwin has always been one of the clearest writers about life insurance from a financial planning perspective. The explanations of what the insurance industry would call "Advanced Underwriting" uses of life insurance in this book are clear, concise and free of jargon. Although this is a consumer book, I would recommend it to financial planning professionals to enhance their own understanding and to see how to explain complex financial topics to clients.
Great way to learn about insurance.......2006-07-27
The author did a geat job in explaining life insurance products. Those that have panned the book have a built in bias against insurance companies and their salesmen/woman. Fine, but I am waiting for one to write a cogent critique of why the author is wrong in his analysis. Frankly, I haven't found one financial services professional that can, even those that don't sale insurance products. Bottom line, the strategy makes sense for a many if not most folks who are trying to accumulate retirement $$. And yes the insurance industry makes good fees selling their products just like the securities companies make great fees with their products whether they are indexed mutual funds or stocks and bonds. I simply consider this the cost of doing business and move on. So what if someone makes some money helping you have a more comfortable retirement. Read it, take the ideas seriously, and incorporate the ideas into your plan. I have.
So far, so good..........2005-10-20
I'm an avid reader and have ordered dozens of books through Amazon, but this is the first one I've taken the time to write a review for, because I believe this book can help others in the same situation I was.
I ordered this book when I was applying for Life Insurance, based on the investment strategy in Douglas Andrew's book, "Missed Fortune 101". I wanted to review another reference on life insurance to learn more about it, and to corroborate Andrews' strategy. This is the only other book I could find that discussed LI from a financial investment perspective. This is a very comprehensive book about LI. It's a large book, and so far I've only read portions, skipping around to the areas I needed to understand the type of policy I was applying for, and to justify in my mind that indeed it was the right one for me (I'm working with a financial planner who recommended a particular plan, and has largely focused his practice on Doug Andrews' strategy). This book gave me a lot of the information I needed to ask my agent questions about my policy. In fact, he was impressed with my questions and wanted the name of this book.
This is a very easy to read book, with plenty of *understandable* tables as examples. I have also found it to be very objective, discussing the tradeoffs of the different types of policies, and discussing in what personal situations a particular policy might be best. The intent of this book is clearly educational - there's no hidden agenda or bias that I can detect. The author has CFP, CLU, and CHFC credentials.
Finally, and very importantly, this author stresses the need to manage your life insurance policy over time, as you would any other investment - especially the flexible aspects of policies, and including, where necessary, 1035 transfers to a more appropriate policy.
Book Description
Suze Orman, America’s trusted personal-finance expert, has created this one-of-a-kind program in order to provide you and your family with an unbiased on-line evaluation of your insurance needs. Suze’s Insurance kit provides easy to understand, step-by-step advice to help you determine if you have the right coverage in place for all the important areas of your life:
Ø Home Insurance
Ø Automobile Insurance
Ø Life Insurance
Ø Disability Insurance
Ø Long-Term Care Insurance
Customer Reviews:
Great Guidance .......2007-08-08
Excellent way to evaluate one's insurance coverage!!
I used it and also took care of my sister's coverage, it's a must have !!
Low-level, Knee-jerk, Amatuerish and Self-Promoting Advice.......2007-08-01
I own a variety of life insurance, disability, long term care, liability, and property insurance and wanted to get Suze's take on whether my 30 years of experience was in line with that of the self-proclaimed "America's trusted personal-finance expert".
My first impression upon receiving the package was at how light-weight it is.... it's a mostly empty box with CD-ROM and links to a website. There's no guide or workbook. Glossy packaging, lots of pictures of Suze (including toothy desktop icons) but completely low-level, knee-jerk, amatuerish, self-promoting advice. It functions like the kind of software that would come bundled with a PC -- 15 years ago. It's a simple "logic-tree" program with some links to commercial insurance websites.
If you are serious about this topic, this ain't gonna do it for you. There are far better books, but my advice is to find a person locally who to review your situation, ask in-depth questions and evaluate your desires and needs and do the work to get your program in place.
Very helpful.......2007-03-23
I purchased this product to get advice on life insurance, disability insurance, and to see if our homeowners insurance is sufficient. The information I received from using Suze Orman's Insurance Kit helped me know which questions to ask as I purchased insurance. I think this product is great.
Suze Orman's Insurance Kit.......2007-03-09
Once again, Suze comes through. Her products are affordably priced and educational. She makes everything so easy. I would highly recommend this product.
Book Description
Eight out of ten Americans will have an accident in the next seven years. Baldyga delivers over three decades of personal injury, insurance claim experience in this easy-to-read book. Learn how to settle your "pain and suffering" for top dollar.
Customer Reviews:
Base Formula was successful.......2006-07-02
I am 50 years old and until my accident I have never had a wreck. I bought this book on Amazon.com about a year ago and followed it religiously to settle my claim. It worked. Thought I'd share this with others.
Also, the book helped me see additional damages that I didn't recognize previously. Just that alone would have been worth the price of the book. But the author's Base Formula showed me how to figure out how much my claim was worth, and that saved me thousands. This is one book I won't be loaning out, just in case I have another wreck.
I'm so grateful to have this book.......2005-12-26
I just finished reading this book which my mother got me for Christmas. I had an accident a few weeks ago and was beside myself with worry over it. I didn't get hurt badly but my neck and back hurt a lot the next morning. My car wasn't so fortunate, though.
I did lose time from work and had to rent a car. The worse part was not knowing what I had to do next. After reading this book it answered so many of the questions I had. There's no way I would have known about some of them since I never had an accident before.
The only thing I didn't see in the book, unless I missed it, is whether I should include my medical bills in the formula since they are going to be paid by the insurance company. The accident was the fault of the driver behind me.
I don't know how anybody can ever begin to try and settle their own claim without a book like this. There's SO many things you need to know.
Someone in a review below said that the book is only 50 pages. My book is 140 pages! And there's a ton of information in it that tells me exactly what I need to do. I'm so grateful for this book.
Recommend book highly.......2005-12-24
My wife and I purchased this book some time ago as we prepared to settle our claim.
She had also bought a few others online and we spent quite a bit of time reading them all.
Each one had some helpful information, however, we both felt this book was the most concise and had everything we needed to know. I especially liked the fact that this particular author did not talk down to the readers, nor did he use the difficult to understand legal terms that some of the others did.
He took us step by step through the process, explaining what we needed to do at every turn.
Neither my wife or I had ever been through this wrenching process before. When we met with our adjuster we both felt a lot more confident thanks to this book.
I'm pleased to report that we just settled our claim for the amount we figured out with this book. It took some haggling, both on the phone and in person, but we held fast as the author said to do and we persevered.
For the benefit of others who find themselves like we did, struggling to learn the in's and out's of a claims process, I would recommend this book highly.
Book was great help to me.......2005-12-09
Understanding how the injury-insurance-settlement process works has been central to making the right decision's in dealing with both our own insurance company, and the one who insured the person who hit my husband. The book was a great help to me.
Excellent reference book that works!.......2005-11-24
After my son and I had an accident I didn't have a clue where to begin, or what had to be done. I read this book, followed instructions, and feel I successfully negotiated the claim on my own.
I noticed an article below that complained about the cost of the book. I figure I saved about $2,500 by doing it myself. That's the 33% a lawyer would have taken to do what the book showed me how to do myself. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the $30.00 cost was a small price to spend to save $2,500. Anyone who can read and follow instructions will also be able to save a lot of money like I did. And I'm not always good at following instructions, but I did it!
Book Description
The book introduces and develops the basic actuarial models and underlying pricing of life-contingent pension annuities and life insurance from a unique financial perspective. The ideas and techniques are then applied to the real-world problem of generating sustainable retirement income towards the end of the human life-cycle. The role of lifetime income, longevity insurance, and systematic withdrawal plans are investigated in a parsimonious framework. The underlying technology and terminology of the book are based on continuous-time financial economics by merging analytic laws of mortality with the dynamics of equity markets and interest rates. Nonetheless, the book requires a minimal background in mathematics and emphasizes applications and examples more than proofs and theorems. It can serve as an ideal textbook for an applied course on wealth management and retirement planning in addition to being a reference for quantitatively-inclined financial planners.
Customer Reviews:
living and dying is so complicated to model!.......2006-06-06
To many people, the book's topic is an inherently dreary and offputting one. How to estimate retirement income for a group of people, who typically are still in the workplace?
To do so, the book invokes such common ideas as numerical simulations. Here, of a general diffusion process, specialising to Brownian motion. Who could have imagined, decades ago, when such ideas were introduced in physics, that they would one day have use to actuaries and the like? A neat side note is that one of the book's problems involves using Excel's ability to simulate Brownian processes.
A key chapter compares defined benefit and defined contribution pensions. From the vantage of the pension provider. Who needs to understand as accurately as possible the ultimate costs of both, in order to determine what to offer employees.
Where is the additional material?.......2006-05-08
I purchased this book over a month ago. I expected to receive additional supporting materials which would greatly aid my understanding of the various formulas used throughout the book. The additional supporting material has yet to be posted. As such, currently, i feel i have been overpromised and underdelivered.
Customer Reviews:
Great book, but out-of-date.......2007-05-28
I actually worked with Alex Bove on updating a book on estate planning, when I practiced law in Boston many years ago. I purchased this book back in 1996 (the date of the current edition), but since then the laws have changed several times, most notably in February 2006, with the enactment of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. As a result of those changes, many of the examples and planning suggestions discussed in Bove's book no longer work. For example, all rules relating to gifting, penalty periods, look-back periods, "half-a-loaf" planning, and annuities, have been radically changed. Do not rely on the examples in the book!
That being said, his material on durable powers of attorney, trusts (other than the Convertible Trust, which no longer works), gift taxes, general eligibility requirements, and ethics of Medicaid planning, is still worth reading.
For an example of a book that incorporates all the latest changes in the law, together with case studies and numerous cutting edge planning ideas, take a look at How to Protect Your Family's Assets from Devastating Nursing Home Costs: Medicaid Secrets. It's pricey, but well worth it when you consider all the information and ideas packed into it!
Woefully out of date........2007-04-28
While I own this book (I bought it ten years ago) it is now very much out-of-date. The law of Medicaid is one that is constantly in flux, changing just about every year. Recent changes to Medicaid law have made every book on the subject of Medicaid published before January 2007 obsolete. While this book and its author, Mr. Bove provided a great overview of the Medicaid planning process and for many years was the go to book to learn about Medicaid and the nursing home, today it is woefully out-of-date. For an example of an up-to-date book with information for all 50 states see: The Medicaid Handbook 2007
Not Topical.......2006-11-11
The book fairly explains the complexities of Medicare. However, many changes have been made in Medicare since the date this publication was printed. The book should be updated to reflect the recent changes.
Worthless after Feb 8, 2006.......2006-08-24
Dear Worried Reader,
On February 8, 2006, President Bush signed a law called the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. This law makes sweeping changes to the ability of seniors to transfer (gift) any assets to their children and grandchildren. Following the advice of any book written before that date can cause a catastrophic loss of Medicaid privileges when a senior citizen is most vulnerable..when they actually enter a nursing home. Do not use this book as a reliable guide to current law. elder law attorney Chicago, IL
Thanks to Mr. Bove.......2005-09-21
The information in this book is easy to understand and extremely valuable. It saved my family thousands of dollars by helping me get Medicaid for my father.
Average customer rating:
- Lasser covers the issues of buying LTC
- A Book for all health care Professionals
- There has to be a better reference
- J. K. Lasser's Choosing the Right Long-Term Care Insurance
- A must have.
|
J.K. Lasser's Choosing the Right Long-Term Care Insurance
Ben Lipson
Manufacturer: Wiley
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Similar Items:
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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Long-Term Care Planning
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The Consumers' Guide To Long Term Care Insurance
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Long-Term Care: How to Plan & Pay for It
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Long-Term Care Insurance Made Simple
ASIN: 0471152056 |
Book Description
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE COMPLICATED ISSUE OF LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE
"Next to buying the right long-term care insurance, buying and reading J.K. Lasser's Choosing the Right Long-Term Care Insurance is the best investment seniors and their families can make to help insure independence and dignity in their golden years."
-Scott Harshbarger, President and CEO, Common Cause
"An indispensable book for all those concerned that the cost of health care will rob their old age of dignity and independence. The author, Ben Lipson, an articulate advocate of patient rights and an authority on health insurance, provides a lucid road map in a terrain mined with hokum."
-Bernard Lown, MD, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize
"Long-term care insurance is a much-needed and valuable insurance concept, marketed in a maze filled with smoke and mirrors. Most of what passes for consumer guidance is just general information and superficial advice. But Ben Lipson's book takes you by the hand, leads you through the insurance labyrinth, and shines a much-needed light on the product."
-Charlie Sabatino, President, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Critical coverage will help you:
- Decide whether you are among the 40 percent of people who do not need to buy long-term care insurance
- Receive the benefits you purchased when you have to make a claim
- Distinguish between fact and fiction during a sales pitch
J.K. Lasser--Practical Guides for All Your Financial Needs
Please visit our Web site at www.jklasser.com
Customer Reviews:
Lasser covers the issues of buying LTC.......2007-04-10
This is a very thorough review of the details of understanding and buying Long Term Care insurance. You will understand what you are buying.
But this book does not make any case for not buying LTC and how to analyze that situation. It is strictly why to buy it and what to buy and how to understand what you may be buying. But SHOULD YOU. That is not covered, they just assume you are a buyer and help you in that mode. And for that mode it is one of the best. Take a look at the Idiot's Guide to LTC, some additional angles worth understandig if you like to read two books on every subject.
A Book for all health care Professionals.......2002-06-04
I found the book to be very readable and informative. It took the mystery out of long term care insurance, by explaining in detail who would benefit from it and process of applying for the insurance. I also liked the book because it was written from the conumer's perspective. It can serve as an invaluable resource for all health care workers.
There has to be a better reference.......2002-05-22
While Lipson's book identifies many important factors in idntifying the benefit options of long term care insurance policies, he does little to compare companies. He brings up key questions like comparison of claim rates, lapse ratios, and loss ratios, but does not provide the answers or identify where to get this information. He talks about misleading risk statistics but does not identify the actual statistics. While I have a better understanding of benefit options, I would be unable to "Choose the Right Long Term Care Insurance" without researching this subject further.
J. K. Lasser's Choosing the Right Long-Term Care Insurance.......2002-03-26
People over 50 and their adult children should read this book. It answers the important questions about long-term care insurance and it helps people plan for their future. Among the many surprises: 40 percent of people don't need long-term car insurance. Using the back of the book as a key, you can pretty well determine if you or your parents will or won't need it.
The book is easy to understand, many of the brief examples are sad but true, and there's also some humor.
I think this book can help many people stay independent, remaining at home rather than going into nursing homes.
A must have........2002-03-25
My parents are getting to the age where long term care is an issue. I bought this book to help break the ice on our conversations and I am so glad I did. I now know about the different options available to us, but perhaps more importantly, what to expect from the insurance companies during the application process. That is invaluable. My parents loved the overriding goal of the book which is how to keep your dignity and independence. If you're considering long term care insurance, get this book first.
Book Description
You no longer need a traditional employer plan to get good, affordable health insurance. The New Health Insurance Solution can help you cut your health insurance costs in half if:
- You're self-employed, an independent contractor, or your employer doesn't provide health insurance (you can probably get coverage on your own for about $94/month—a fraction of what an employer would have to pay for the same coverage)
- You are employed and pay extra to cover your spouse or children under your employer-sponsored plan—you may save 50% by taking them off your employer plan
- You own a small business and are getting killed by double-digit premium increases—you can now give employees tax-free money to buy their own plans and get your company out of the health insurance business
The book also explains in detail the best solutions for you if:
- You can't find affordable health insurance because you or a child have an expensive preexisting medical problem (your state has a program to provide you with guaranteed coverage )
- You're currently putting money into an IRA or a 401(k)—because you don't realize that an HSA is always a better option
- You're unsure how you or your parents will be able to afford health insurance during retirement, or how to maximize benefits from Medicare—including the new Part D prescription drug plan
The New Health Insurance Solution is the definitive guide to the new ways every American can now get affordable health care—without an employer.
PAUL ZANE PILZER is a world-renowned economist, a former advisor in two White House administrations, an entrepreneur/employer, an award-winning adjunct professor at NYU, and a New York Times bestselling author.
Download Description
You no longer need a traditional employer plan to get good, affordable health insurance. The New Health Insurance Solution can help you cut your health insurance costs in half if: You're self-employed, an independent contractor, or your employer doesn't provide health insurance (you can probably get coverage on your own for about $94/month a fraction of what an employer would have to pay for the same coverage) You are employed and pay extra to cover your spouse or children under your employer-sponsored plan you may save 50% by taking them off your employer plan You own a small business and are getting killed by double-digit premium increases you can now give employees tax-free money to buy their own plans and get your company out of the health insurance business
Customer Reviews:
Must-have for RVers.......2007-04-19
This book is a must-have for people who are thinking about or planning to travel full-time in an RV who are not yet eligible for Medicare. The New Health Care Solution walks you through the process of selecting health insurance. Since full-time RVers can choose a new domicile, the charts in Appendix A will help you make that decision, expecially if you have a preexisting condition.
There is a lot of information packed in this book. It is great to have it all in one reference book. In addition to explaining the laws relating to COBRA, HIPPA and Medicare (plus loopholes you can take advantage of), he covers ways to reduce your costs and find low-cost health care and prescription drugs. For those who have no health insurance or a high deductible, this can make a significant difference. It is definitely a keeper.
Invaluable help in navigating the health insurance maze.......2007-02-12
An excellent,indeed invaluable book with concrete, thorough information and advice on how to get good health insurance coverage, especially aimed at those not covered or unsatisfactorily covered by group health insurance plans. The author has done an immense service by writing this book. It is the best book I have found on this subject, by far!
Not so hot for those with chronic illness.......2006-09-22
I found the book mostly informative and was excited to get the chapter for those with chronic illness, until I read the first paragraph... in which the author basically says have a job with some big corporation is his best advice for health insurance with a chronic illness. I am a Type 1 diabetic, young and healthy other than that. As a nonprofit director and consultant I thought I would get some helpful advice... However, the constant jabs at those with chronic illness and unhealthy lifestyles being the cause of such high healthcare were a little unbearable. The author used the words drug addicted, unhealthy, and chronic illnesses such as diabetes in conjunction with each other constantly. As someone who is is diabetic by no "fault" of my own... Diagnosed at age 4, not because I was overweight or ate the wrong foods, I found this lumping together insensitive and offensive. This book is a great resource if you are healthy, well-educated, and have a lot of time to do your own research... It's good to get educated about how best to use the system as is, but does little to look at or address the inequities and injustice of our current healthcare system in the U.S. It's a mess that deserves our creative attention! In the meantime, I'll keep paying over $580 a month for my health insurance plan without much hope of relief for something more affordable...
The must have health insurance guide.......2006-08-04
This book fills in all the wholes in the health insurance market that allows you to make informative decission on the direction for your health insurance needs for the family and being self employed.
Very Practical Advice.......2006-06-30
The author tries to resolve many common problems revolving around the high costs of health insurance. His ideas are practical and, in fact, they will work for the majority of people who are trying to lower health insurance costs. Unfortunately, there will always be those who are uninsurable in the individual and family market and who cannot afford risk pool coverage, and this is not a problem that can be solved immediately. However, the author is urging people to obtain individual coverage at a young age when they can qualify, and while it is still affordable. If most people did this, and if people did not depend soley on employer sponsored plans in their younger years, the author asserts that it would not be as difficult to have and keep good coverage in the older years. That is the concept behind this book.
In the reviews below, many complain that the author tries to simplify the problem and make it sound like anyone can obtain an individual policy at an affordable price. I don't think that is the overall message he is trying to get across. Rather, I think his message is intended to try to help change the mentality of the average consumer as far as "entitlement" goes, and he really tries to help people understand that personal responsibility in obtaining an individual policy is important AND can result in huge savings as well as protect against the possibility of losing coverage because of the inability to work due to illness.
Contrary to what some of the other reviewers say, the author does not contradict himself when he says on page 10 "premiums on most individual/family policies cannot be increased". If you read the rest of the sentence it says..."cannot be increased, ... if you become ill". That comment is true. Individual and Family Health Insurance Carriers typically only increase premiums annually or semi-annually based on overall inflation in the market and overall claims experience and utilization of the entire group of it's members.
I don't necessarily agree with the author's suggestion to small employers to establish an HRA to pay for employees to obtain their own individual policies. This is dangerous ground, as it could lead to discrimination if there is an employee who can't qualify for individual coverage. Also, what if someone didn't purchase maternity benefits, and then gets pregnant or has a family member that becomes pregnant? In essence, by paying for employee's individual policies, the employer has committed to a "group" benefit, which by state law requires "guaranteed issue of coverage" and maternity coverage. Therefore, the employer may put himself at risk with crafty "ERISA" attorneys who may find a legal way to make the employer responsible for claims of sick employees who can't qualify for their own coverage or for maternity claims for pregnant women. (This is just my humble opinion). Colorado residents....You may be interested in www.efsbenefits.com as a reputable place to purchase health insurance online.
Book Description
Everything you need to know about personal finance -- whether you're just starting out or starting over.
The hardest part of attaining personal financial freedom is getting started. Ilyce R. Glink makes it a snap. The smart, simple strategies presented in
50 Simple Things You Can Do to Improve Your Personal Finances let you take immediate control of your money. With her trademark wit, friendly style, and crystal-clear examples, Ilyce Glink helps you set financial goals and reach them. Topics include:
* Starting Out * Budgets and Savings * Credit, Credit Reports, and Debt * Investing Yourself in Investments * Big Purchases * The Ins and Outs of Insurance * Taxes * Marriage, Partnerships, Children * Planning for Your Retirement
Customer Reviews:
Common Sense but Not Simply Laid Out.......2006-12-24
With all the reports in the news about high rates of bankruptcy, high credit card debt, and lack of understanding in the general population about how to manage their finances, certainly everybody would love simple steps that help them make their finances better.
The first three steps all seem to involve *spending* money. She wants you to set up a home office area with office supplies and filing cabinets. She wants you to buy a computer, and Quicken. Next, you tally up your finances, calculate your net worth and plan out your goals. So far, none of these things seem to natively improve your financial situation. Yes, they're good planning steps.
OK we get on to #7 - a tip! "Spend less than you earn." Yes, that qualifies as a good tip. She actually provides 10 sub-tips here, things like "don't go out to movies" and "eat at home" (twice).
And on it goes. Don't smoke. Buy with cash, not credit. Use the web for directory assistance, not the phone company. Check your credit report. Consolidate your insurance bills.
The glossary in the back of the book is actually quite helpful, with a number of terms that come up in financial discussions. However, using her own tips, I could easily get that information from dictionary.com :)
Obviously this book *told* you they were "simple steps", not complicated ones. Still, I think that the book could have covered a wider range of information, and provided tips that were much more thorough. She could have created tip 1 as "set up a useful home office environment" that included the filing cabinets, computers, software, etc and warned you that it'd be over $500 to get this step done. There could be tip 2 about "get a handle on where you are now" and explaining in detail how to do that. Too many of the tips are redundant.
I also think, if this book is aimed at the very-beginning-market of people just out of college who are hoping to get their lives in order, that they could have done a better job of making this step by step. Provide checklists. Give simple examples. They do that in one or two places, but it could have been very helpful to do that with each tip.
There are many other books I'd recommend before this one, for people who are in this situation and need this kind of knowledge.
Sound Advice.......2006-07-29
This book presents good sound advice for people who want to manage and balance their finances properly.
The advice is not far fetched and outlandish..., like some other financial books.
Good for the common middle class person who wants to strive for better.
Personal Finance 101.......2005-08-19
This easy-to-read book gives very basic information on personal finance. It is a great start if you really don't know anything about managing your personal finances. If you have an average knowledge of the topic, you probably will not learn a lot. However, I did find it useful to reiterate things I already knew.
A very good book.......2005-04-03
I have read this book and feel it is a very good book to start building a solid financial foundation. This is not a book for the advanced, but for people like myself in their twenties (I'm 28) trying to figure out how they can be smarter with their finances. As I read through the book, I wrote down the "things" on a list and checked them off as I completed them. One of the interesting "things" was to check my property tax statement to ensure I wasn't be taxed for more property than I owned.
Again, this book isn't for the advanced financial planner; but I found it very helpful.
Good or lousy, depends on who you are..........2004-12-16
I have both purchased this book for someone and recommended some people to bypass it.
If you are just coming into the work force and aren't sure the right things to do to start you out on the right foot, I would recommend this book. I would also recommend this book if you are unsure of what good habits to get into, or are looking for a larger picture overview of personal finance.
If you are already down with the basics, or have a good idea of what you are doing and are looking for some more advanced help, skip this book and go to something more detailed.
I believe this book is meant to be an overview which cannot help but glance over some major points for the greater flow of the book. If you are looking for a cross-section of personal finance, you will never be satisfied with too many details and if you are looking for advanced help, you shouldn't purchase a high-level book. Do your research and know what you are looking for and this book can be exactly what you are looking for.
I particularly think this is a good gift for those just making their way on their own.
Books:
- The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 6)
- The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate
- The Giver
- The Gloom Looms: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 10-12 (The Slippery Slope; The Grim Grotto; The Penultimate Peril)
- The Gnostic Gospels
- The Going-To-Bed Book
- The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)
- The Gospel of Mary Magdalene
- The Greatest Generation
- The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club)
Books Index
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