Orange County Public Schools’ Post

Empowering Futures: The Synergy of RESPs and Critical Illness Insurance with a Unique Safety Net In the pursuit of securing our children’s future, Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) are the stalwarts. Current projections estimate a four year University Degree in Ontario could be as high as $50000 per child between tuition and living costs. But what if we told you there’s an additional layer of protection that not only ensures educational dreams but also offers a unique financial safety net? Enter critical illness insurance, a strategic complement to RESPs, now with a game-changing twist – the Return of Premium option. While RESPs diligently pave the way for educational pursuits, critical illness insurance adds a crucial dimension to your financial planning. Picture the peace of mind in knowing that, in the face of unforeseen health challenges, your child’s educational dreams remain financially within reach. Critical illness insurance provides a lump sum payment upon the diagnosis of a covered condition, offering flexibility in addressing medical expenses, lifestyle adjustments, and educational needs. This dual approach ensures that your child’s aspirations are not derailed by unexpected health issues. Now, with the Return of Premium option, every penny invested comes with a safety net. If your child doesn’t require the critical illness coverage, the premiums paid are returned, making it a unique and financially savvy choice. This feature ensures that, regardless of the outcome, your investment remains a wise and secure one. In a world of uncertainties, the synergy between RESPs and critical illness insurance, coupled with the Return of Premium option, paints a comprehensive picture of financial preparedness. It’s not just about saving for education; it’s about shielding those aspirations from life’s unpredictable twists. Consider this dynamic trio as you chart the course for your child’s future – a resilient plan that navigates both the academic and health landscapes with equal vigor. #FinancialPlanning #EducationSavings #CriticalIllnessInsurance #ParentingWisdom #ReturnOfPremium

Every year on the bird site, I would remind new faculty that it is #openenrollment time! My campus deadline is this coming Friday, & I am happy that a friend nudged me to get it together! As a #firstgen faculty, I had no idea what I was doing with benefits, but trial & error have taught me a couple of things! Standard Benefits 1) *Health Care Reimbursement Account: in 2024, it's about $3050 max that you can get reimbursed for Co-pays, glasses, contacts, Lasik, hearing aids, braces, approved over-the-counter purchases. (*this might not be standard but ask!) 2) Pick your Health Insurance based on your needs/preferences: HMOs may be super affordable one-stop shops of convenience, but they may not be right for your needs. If you're healthy and/or have children, maybe it's a great pick. If you're planning to have a baby, an HMO might also be more cost-effective, according to some of my friends. If you like to pick your doctors, or specialists a PPO might be better. 3) Dental & Vision: I like the ability to select my own doctor & they've been my doctors for years. I love a PPO for vision and dental. I find I get more time & attention with both docs & they address my concerns. I've been with them longer than I've been married! It works for me. But some folks don't like/need that and are fine with an HMO. The point is, this open enrollment is the time to pick! If you don't like the HMO and can switch to PPO, do it. If you don't need a PPO and want to save money on this expense, now is the time. Optional Benefits 4) Life Insurance: Most folks in their first jobs are not too worried about life insurance, BUT I like to tell people one thing--if you're #firstgen & the main breadwinner in your family & something happened to you. That might be financially devastating to your family--on top of the devastation of losing you. So, you can plan for that. a) Life insurance is cheaper when you're younger, so get as much as you can afford. b) Include what you might need to pay any debt you might leave behind (e.g. home). c) Include costs for a funeral service. d) Include an additional amount that you think will be needed to lessen the financial loss of your earnings to your family over a certain period of time. 5) Disability Insurance: Sometimes we plan for our deaths, but we forget, what would happen if I couldn't work anymore? What if there was a major health issue that you developed & you couldn't work? Your job might offer a benefit to cover 60% of your salary. If that is enough, great. IF not, it might be time to look for something to cover the "gap." This insurance, just like life, is often cheaper when you are younger, in some cases, younger is <55! SO ask & see how much it might cost you. Don't be afraid to experiment this year, then reassess/adjust next year! Make this a routine part of your year. Make this a group activity w/ a friend & they'll remind you next year! #AcademicCents

When I was 18, living with diabetes, I lost health insurance for a year. Before this, I went into a diabetic coma due to stress. I was saved a day and a half later, rushed to the hospital to bring me back. I didn't realize how lucky I was that my sister had found me. Just a few more hours in the coma, and I would have been gone. 😞 Though I was brought back to life, my troubles just began. I couldn't afford hospital expenses and another semester of school, so I dropped out and lost health insurance. At 18, I didn't realize how much insulin cost. It was $500 per medication then (and today, it's $1,000 ). I paid for what I could on my first credit card, living paycheck-to-paycheck, sometimes not taking medication for days. I started to fall into debt and depression. At that moment, there was nothing else I could do but ask for help. I went to community health centers, waiting hours for free insulin samples. They gave me insulin I had never used before, so I went to the library to learn how to use it. Then, I met people who wanted to help me. Doctors, librarians, nurses, and others with similar experiences emerged to provide guidance. In my time of great pain, beautiful strangers met me with great love. Though I would never want anyone else to experience what I went through, this is what I learned: 💔 ❤️ You are transformed in moments of great suffering and great love. * Through this pain and love, I learned problem-solving, self-learning, asking for help, and receiving help. Today, I’ve completed my Master’s in Nonprofit Management, performed and traveled as a percussionist, and currently teach mindfulness and leadership programs for college students. This story is important because I know others are in great pain and suffering. Maybe you're living with diabetes or going through a major life transition. Just know this one thing: 🏔You must be willing to let go of the life you planned to live the life that's calling you.** *Got this quote from Richar Rohr. Wonderful author. **This is a play on a quote from Joseph Campbell. #mindfulness #mindful #diabetes #type1diabetes #learning #love #personaldevelopment

When I was 20 years old, I drank the Kool Aid. I was an intern at a forward thinking brokerage firm, with a well established internship program. I learned about property casualty, captives, health insurance, and 401ks. I did a project on COBRA. I did a project on charter schools. One night, I wondered why we didn’t have captives for health insurance, like they did for liability (Turns out they were just starting up!). I learned early on you could be a consumer of the healthcare system. About the difference in cost between facility contracts, even if you used the same insurance, same surgeon, same operation. I later experienced it. Big injuries, big medical bills, and how little you care about cost when you’re in the middle of it. How the bills kept coming in, and how you could choose to barter them down, or how you could just pay them to make it all go away. I’d been fortunate to have chosen the cheapest HDHP plan since the beginning, and contributed the difference of premium between that and the buy up plan, into an hsa. I’m a chronic saver. If I find a good deal, you’re going to hear about it soon! Don’t get me started on HVAC & Freon cost per pound! Most people are spenders, and most people sideline their health. Feeling fine isn’t the same as being well. I worry about how people will be able to afford a medical emergency, A car breaking down, House problems and daycare. The way I see it, you’re doing your employees a disservice if you’re offering them an overpriced and inefficient health plan. Where it saves you $$$ to tell a doctor or pharmacist you don’t have insurance. I’ve been there. Let’s fix it together. Send me a quick note and I will reach out! #EPIC #EPICness #charterschools #charterschoolleaders #hrleaders #cfo

Check these FOUR REASONS why employees need Supplemental insurance and are willing to pay for them. If not you - then who - is offering these valuable voluntary benefits?

Teachers! 🍎 If you live in Texas you could save hundreds of $$$, by simply switching your dependents to a private healthcare plan. https://revolt.health/2p2 Why would you want to move your kids or spouse off your district sponsored plan?  Well, many school districts don’t pay anything toward your dependent’s premiums – that means that you end up having your family’s full premium payment deducted from your paycheck every month. This could literally be costing you hundreds of dollars every month! 💸💸💸 Take Sarah* for example: she’s a teacher working in Carrolton, Texas, who was paying nearly $1,300 per month for her family of 5 to have health insurance. Her district didn’t contribute to her kid’s or husband’s premium payments, so we helped her switch them to their own healthcare plan! Today they are paying only $521 per month for her husband and their 3 children to have healthcare coverage outside of Sarah’s Teachers health plan. 💰 This simple switch saved her family OVER $700 per month – that’s over $8,400 in yearly savings! 💰 So give yourself a raise this school year and get an instant quote to see what you could be saving: https://revolt.health/95s *This teacher’s name was changed to protect her privacy. #teachers #TeacherLife #TeacherResources #jointhealliance #healthinsurance

Teachers! 🍎 If you live in Texas you could save hundreds of $$$, by simply switching your dependents to a private healthcare plan. https://revolt.health/2p2 Why would you want to move your kids or spouse off your district sponsored plan?  Well, many school districts don’t pay anything toward your dependent’s premiums – that means that you end up having your family’s full premium payment deducted from your paycheck every month. This could literally be costing you hundreds of dollars every month! 💸💸💸 Take Sarah* for example: she’s a teacher working in Carrolton, Texas, who was paying nearly $1,300 per month for her family of 5 to have health insurance. Her district didn’t contribute to her kid’s or husband’s premium payments, so we helped her switch them to their own healthcare plan! Today they are paying only $521 per month for her husband and their 3 children to have healthcare coverage outside of Sarah’s Teachers health plan. 💰 This simple switch saved her family OVER $700 per month – that’s over $8,400 in yearly savings! 💰 So give yourself a raise this school year and get an instant quote to see what you could be saving: https://revolt.health/2p2 *This teacher’s name was changed to protect her privacy. #teachers #TeacherLife #TeacherResources #jointhealliance #healthinsurance

🎻 Feeling Fit as a Fiddle Today? Fantastic! But Let's Safeguard That Tune for All Your Tomorrows.🎶🌅 📅 It's Day 29, and we're looking beyond the present moment. Our health is precious, and while we may be in peak condition today, the future holds its own mysteries. 💪 🎶Long-Term Care Insurance is that crucial verse in the song of our wellness plan, ensuring that if our health's rhythm ever changes, the melody of our lives continues harmoniously. 🌐 LTC insurance isn't just a safety net—it's a proactive step in a lifelong wellness strategy, ensuring that no matter what changes may come, you're prepared and protected.📈 🎵 Let's compose a plan that resonates with your life's melody. DM 'HarmonyPlan' for a consultation to integrate LTC insurance into your retirement strategy. #LongTermCareInsurance #WealthManagement #RetirementHome #RetirementPlan #CaregiverSupport #HomeHealth #AlzheimersCare #Aging #Dementia #PersonalFinance #SkilledNursing #MoneyManagement #BuildWealth #FinancialEducation

Teachers! 🍎 If you live in Texas you could save hundreds of $$$, by simply switching your dependents to a private healthcare plan. https://revolt.health/2p2 Why would you want to move your kids or spouse off your district sponsored plan? Well, many school districts don’t pay anything toward your dependent’s premiums – that means that you end up having your family’s full premium payment deducted from your paycheck every month. This could literally be costing you hundreds of dollars every month! 💸💸💸 Take Sarah* for example: she’s a teacher working in Carrolton, Texas, who was paying nearly $1,300 per month for her family of 5 to have health insurance. Her district didn’t contribute to her kid’s or husband’s premium payments, so we helped her switch them to their own healthcare plan! Today they are paying only $521 per month for her husband and their 3 children to have healthcare coverage outside of Sarah’s Teachers health plan. 💰 This simple switch saved her family OVER $700 per month – that’s over $8,400 in yearly savings! 💰 So give yourself a raise this school year and get an instant quote to see what you could be saving: https://revolt.health/2p2 *This teacher’s name was changed to protect her privacy. hashtag #teachers hashtag #TeacherLife hashtag #TeacherResources hashtag #jointhealliance hashtag #healthinsurance