Insurance companies make mistakes. No one is perfect. If your health insurance company isn’t paying claims it should, you cannot just keep sending documentation to the claims department. It won’t do any good. Before going (or threatening to go) to your state’s Insurance Commissioner, you should follow the process your insurance company has set up to fix mistakes. Look at the denial you were sent. There should be information on how to file an appeal. If you don’t still have that paperwork, call customer service and ask for appeals. Insurance companies make mistakes. Appeals departments are how they fix them.
Posts Tagged ‘personal finance’
Blog Feature: Beating Broke
02
Mar
My favorite thing about Beating Broke is the honesty. The thing I love most about personal finance blogs is the “personal” part. If I wanted just straight finance, I’d go to the library. I love this personal part because it reminds me that we are all in very different situations and just because something is not right for me, or goes against prevailing advice, doesn’t mean it isn’t the right choice for someone.
BB reminds us of that this week, telling us Why I’m Withdrawing Money from an IRA. It goes against traditional advice, but it’s still a smart move.
Your Money Friday: Mortgage Payments
01
Mar
A reminder today that everything about personal finances is relative. A poster with a mortgage currently of under $700/month is considering one that is $2000/month. It is a huge jump, but it is for their dream home, and it is a jump the poster can afford.
When asking if she was “crazy” for considering it, most people reacted based on what housing costs are like where they live. Those in low cost of living areas cannot imagine a mortgage that high, whereas those who live in high COLAs dream about getting that kind of house for a mortgage that low.
Your Money Friday: Are You Happy with Your Finances?
22
Feb
The question this week: Are you happy where you are at financially? Most people answered “yes but…”. The people on this board are almost certainly better off than the majority of people in this country for no other reason than they are paying attention. But because they are paying attention, they are also thinking about all the things that could go wrong, and feeling like they aren’t there yet.
My favorite response: I’m doing better than I ever thought I would. Overall though, no I’m not completely happy. It always seems like another $50k a year would make everything perfect.
Blog Feature: Live the New Economy
16
Feb
Live the New Economy is a blog about a family preparing for the father’s transition from military service into the civilian world , and what they need to do to be comfortable financially without the guarantee of a government paycheck. Or at least that’s what it started out to be about. Like most personal finance blogs it’s grown and changed a bit as the writer has grown and changed.
That’s not to say they aren’t still prepping for the transition to civilian life, just that the blog has become about more than that. I love this post on Finding Balance.
Tax Frustration
06
Feb
Last night, I gathered all of our paperwork, including a year’s worth of receipts, and sat down to do our taxes. It was a long and complicated process due to inheriting a rental property, earning royalties on my book- all the things that add one more form.
We buy TurboTax to walk us through the process. It took a while, but we got it all done and were ready to push the button to e-file. Except that we can’t- not for a few more weeks. The IRS doesn’t have all their paperwork together yet, including paperwork needed for our return.
Your Money Friday: What Can’t Your Money Do For You
01
Feb
Let’s talk about what online money message boards can do for you and what they cannot.
Your Money is really great at helping you figure out a budget or understanding the differences between a traditional IRA and a Roth. As a group, we have a lot of random knowledge.
What we cannot help with is legal situations. Yes, some posters are lawyers, but state laws vary and every case is different. We can give you emotional support during a divorce, and ideas you can follow up on with your lawyer, but we can never be a substitute for that lawyer.
Your Money Friday: No Kids = More Money?
25
Jan
The question this week is why is it assumed that people without kids have more disposable income than people with kids? Everyone knows that kids cost money. No one is arguing that. What is being argued is that people with no kids have bills, too, and you really have no way of knowing what their disposable income is. I agree.
The problem comes down to my soap box issue- we do not talk about money with the real people in our lives. People make assumptions about how much money others make because they don’t know, because no one tells them.
Your Money Friday: Parents, Adult Children, and Money
11
Jan
Today we look at the question of how parents help their children financially, both as adult children, how have our parents helped us, and as parents of adult children, how are we helping our kids.
Every family is different. Some parents pay for school; some help you pack your bags. Some parents gift down payments on first houses. Others make you get a job and pay rent at 16.
As parents, we want to be able to do more for our kids than our parents did for us (or at least as much), even if it is not always possible.
Blog Feature: Add Vodka
05
Jan
You know the old saying- When life gives you lemons…Add Vodka. I absolutely love the title of this blog, and it really is a reason in and of itself to read, but it’s not the only reason. Daisy has a great sense of humor and just a fun take on life and finances. But she also loves having a plan, and today lays out 2013: The Plan. She had an amazing 2012, and if she can stick with this plan, I think 2013 might be even better. Her plans are ambitious, but all the good ones are. Best of luck!