Editors note: This is a new feature where our readers can submit their investing or economic questions to author and investment guru Natalie Pace.
Save thousands annually with this simple trick
Column By Natalie Pace
Most people are trying to earn more to make ends meet. However, there is a lot of gold in your budget that can help too.
Today let’s focus on how to stop making the health insurance company rich.
According to the New York Federal Reserve, the majority of collections actions every year (and bankruptcies) are due to medical and utility bills. Health is the best health insurance, so be sure to exercise and eat right. In addition to staying as healthy as you can physically, there is also a better way to get healthy fiscally. Most people are spending thousands annually on medical insurance – even healthy people who never go to the doctor. There is a simple, effective cost-saving strategy that will save you thousands on your health insurance while setting you up far better to deal with any medical emergency in the future.
https://www.newyorkfed.org/medialibrary/interactives/householdcredit/data/pdf/HHDC_2017Q4.pdf
Health Savings Accounts Reward You When You Stay Healthy.
That is the value proposition of Health Savings Accounts. (Get the details requirements and annual contributions at IRS.gov.) If you are healthy, you can purchase catastrophic health insurance, which reduces your monthly insurance premiums dramatically, and you can deposit those savings into a Health Savings Account. There the HSA money can be invested as you wish (after you have built up your deductible amount in cash, in case you need it). You also receive a tax credit for your HSA contributions. So, the health insurance savings go to building up your own assets (reducing the interest rates on all of your borrowing, including your home mortgage) and lowering your tax bill. And the more you save in your HSA, the more you have when you retire for medical costs – which are often the biggest and most devastating bill in the golden years of life. Any capital gains you make on investments in your HSA may be tax exempt. This plan works great if you are healthy and rarely visit the doctor.
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p969#en_US_publink1000204020
Healthcare costs alone make up 18 percent of the United States’ budget, totaling $3.2 trillion in 2017. So, staying healthy can go a long way to improving the bottom line of our nation.
Remember to shop around before you set up your health savings account. Some brokerages offer you stocks, bonds, and funds to invest in, with low trading fees, while banks and insurance companies may offer very limited choices of investments that might be far are more expensive, to boot! You do not have to purchase your HSA from the insurance company that sells you your high deductible medical care plan.
Natalie Wynne Pace is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude project and the author of the Amazon bestsellers The Gratitude Game, The ABCs of Money and Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (aka You Vs. Wall Street). She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical). Natalie Pace is a repeat guest on national TV and radio shows such as CNBC, Good Morning America, Fox, ABC-TV, Forbes.com, NPR and more and a popular, engaging speaker at major conferences.
At my investor educational retreats, I teach you a few more very important tricks of the trade to fine-tune your investments. Call 310-430-2397 or email info @ NataliePace.com if you are interested in learning more about our Investor Educational Retreats.
