There’s a lot of inspiration in a slice of pie. Much like retirement planning, it all starts with a seed. If you plant the seed early enough and water it just right, it grows into a tree with apples plump enough to sustain you when you need to harvest them. You have to time the apple harvest carefully to maximize the flavor of the apples and their ability to sustain their nutritional value. And then there’s the dough, a perfect blend of two very common ingredients – butter and flour. But, you need to cut that butter into the sifted flour exactly right for the flakiest dough, and only the best bakers can manage that. Most people need a little help. Just like life, you’ll want to add sugar and spice to your pie, and everyone’s preference is different. You have to figure out what proportions best suit you before you seal the crust. Sometimes you need to tweak the recipe to suit your own needs. We can help with that. We’ve been helping people bake their perfect slice of retirement pie for more than 40 years. Happy Pi Day from all of us at Winch Financial. We hope your pie is extra delicious today.
General
#ValentinesforVeterans on #SendaCardtoaFriendDay
We are celebrating National Send a Card to a Friend Day by putting together some Valentine’s Day cards for our military servicemembers. We are excited to participate in the Soldier’s Angels Valentines for Veterans program, which facilitates the distribution of holiday cards to deployed service members around the world or hand-delivers them to veterans in VA Hospitals across the country. Charity Navigator rates Soldier’s Angels a four-star charity, which is another reason we feel good about participating in this program. They are asking for a donation of $1 per card to defray the cost of mailing them. If you’d like to join us in sending a little love to our veterans, you can either drop your cards off at our office by Friday and we’ll make sure they get to Soldier’s Angels in time to be distributed, or you can send them directly to this address: Soldiers’ Angels Valentines for Veterans 2895 NE Loop 410, Suite 107 San Antonio, Texas 78218 Before sending your Valentine’s Day cards, please keep these tips in mind: The deadline is Feb. 14. Cards can be store-bought or handmade. Individually wrapped candy can be included if it is attached to the card. Include $1 per card, cash or check. You can include an envelope if you want, but not necessary. If you include an envelope, do not seal it. At your discretion, you are welcome to include your return address in the event the recipient may write back to you. However, it is also OK if you do not include any personal information.
Giving Tuesday calls for both generosity and vigilance
By both design and calendar placement, Giving Tuesday is meant to be the palate cleanser that allows us all to digest and breathe a little easier following the ominously titled Black Friday and frenetic Cyber Monday. Meant to call attention to charities in need of support, Giving Tuesday began here in the United States and has since spread across more than 709 countries. The timing of the day also allows tax savvy adults aged 72 and over to donate their Required Minimum Distributions directly to the charity of their choice. (Of course, they can do this throughout the year, but the deadline to withdraw your RMD is Dec. 31 and many people do this in December.) In addition to altruism, Giving Tuesday also inspires a call to vigilance. We encourage everyone to research their charities carefully and to choose their donation method wisely. An international day of giving presents the perfect opportunity for people with nefarious intent as well. Here are five tips to keep you safe as you make your donations and shop online this holiday season: Hover your cursor over a link before you click it so you know exactly where that link will take you. When you look for something in Google or any other search engine, make sure you sift through the results carefully. Many companies intentionally mimic others and pay to be listed above them in search responses. If you are intrigued by something you see on social media, exit the app and initiate a fresh search for information about the company. Avoid clicking directly on links you see on social media. Before you input your credit card information, make sure the address includes an https:// at the beginning. HTTPS is an indication that a company or nonprofit’s website encrypts data to protect the information you give it from cybercrime. Be very wary of public Wi-Fi when you are making a monetary transaction. If you… | Read More »
Four things to consider when you plan your retirement healthcare coverage
Insurance coverage can be one of the most important pillars of your retirement plan. It is also one of the most personal. Policies vary as widely as the people who purchase them, and coverage requirements can change dramatically as we age. In the United States, anyone aged 65 or older qualifies for Medicare, a federal health insurance program. In addition, certain disabilities and illnesses qualify an individual for Medicare. Transitioning from a private, marketplace or company-sponsored insurance plan can be confusing. We always recommend checking with a licensed insurance professional before making such an important decision. Beyond that, here are four things to consider as you plan your coverage: Can you keep your current insurance coverage when you retire? Read the fine print of any policy you choose. Check the cost of your premiums, deductibles and any hidden costs. What will you pay out-of-pocket for hospital stays or doctor visits? Is there a yearly limit on what you could pay out-of-pocket for medical services? Make sure you understand any coverage rules that may affect your costs. Does your plan include your preferred provider? Will you need additional coverage for costs associated with vision, dental and/or hearing? Are the doctors in your plan or network accepting new patients? Prescription drugs. Do you have prescription drug coverage? You may face a penalty if there is a gap between your eligibility date and application for coverage. How much coverage will your prescription drug plan offer for the medicine you require? Are you eligible for a free Medication Therapy Management program? People with Medicare can get their health coverage through either Original Medicare plus supplements or a Medicare Advantage Plan (also known as a Medicare private health plan or Part C). The following chart from the Medicare Rights Center illustrates the differences between the two plans: If you have any questions regarding your Medicare options, please contact us. Our in-house insurance department would… | Read More »
Fostering a charitable (and fun!) work environment
One key factor in a positive foster parenting experience is an empathic employer. I am grateful every day for mine. In the four plus years my husband and I have been full-time foster parents, we worked through a whole host of challenges among the young people living in our home, including logistical, behavioral, emotional, medical, educational and physical. Through it all (and a global pandemic!) my employer Winch Financial and my co-workers have been unfailingly supportive. At one point, a young person in our care was leaving school and showing up at my office. My co-workers gave us the space we needed to talk and my boss allowed me to leave in the middle of the day to walk him back each time it happened. Periodically, I need to drop everything and leave the office. I’ll be called to school for an emergency or need to take a child to an appointment that can’t be scheduled at any other time. No one has ever even questioned my absences in these situations. Our office supports the foster care system in other ways too. My co-worker Tanya is a music mentor to children in the Austin Texas foster care system, and Winch Financial donates funds and event tickets to various foster care programs as well. When the pandemic hit, our Winch Financial administrative staff made sure we were well equipped to work from home and, thanks to that logistical and financial effort, we are all able to work from home should the need arise. Our founder, Christina Winch supported many altruistic endeavors in her personal life. She and her husband Tim worked as house parents at a group home and volunteered as host parents for the ABC (A Better Chance) program. She has always encouraged her employees to support a wide range of charities as well. As a group we have walked for Down’s Syndrome, prepared and served meals at an emergency… | Read More »