4 Life Insurance Tips Everyone Should Know

Life insurance is an important investment for you and the loved ones who depend on you. Securing the proper life insurance is the foundation of solid personal finances. Knowing that your loved ones are financially secure, should something happen to you prematurely, is usually the reason most people invest in life insurance. This article offers four core principles to consider before choosing your life insurance.

Understanding the potential needs of your beneficiaries can also help you decide how much insurance you should have. Don’t follow any “rule of thumb” guidelines you may read. Your needs are specific to you. Your decision will depend on the math. How much money do your dependents need each year and for how long? Because your children are likely different ages, that number is different for each beneficiary. Calculate the needs of each dependent annually, multiple times the number of years support is needed and then add those numbers together so all dependents have what they need.

— 4 Core Life Insurance Tips

Does Medicare Pay Doctors Less?

This article breaks down the true cost of Medicare and exactly where those dollars are being spent. For years it was believed that doctors pocketed big bucks from the inflated costs of Medicare but this article challenges that belief. Read more to learn the behind the scenes details of health insurance.

Medicare has the bad rap of being a big, bloated government program, but it's not because it's overpaying doctors. CNNMoney analyzed the "allowed charges" for five common procedures, using data provided the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Truven Health Analytics, a research firm. The differences can be stark. Private insurers allow an average of $1,226 for low-back disc surgery, while Medicare will only permit $654, for instance. And the gap can grow wider depending on where the patient is. In New York, insurers allow $1,352 for a gall bladder removal, compared to $580 for Medicare. Some services are more comparable. For office visits by established patients, for instance, Medicare will allow 92% of what insurers do. Overall, Medicare's allowed charges are roughly 80% of the charges allowed by private insurers - about the same as they have been since 1999.

— Medicare Pays Doctors Less

All Types of Insurance Under One Roof

You need insurance coverage, be it to protect your home, auto, business, the future of your loved ones, or a variety of other needs. We offer all types of insurance under one roof.

Most insurance companies will offer you similar services. But as a customer, you must know how the services are offered, and what value you’re getting. Because these things can make a big difference later on. B & B Insurance Agency has been providing services that are dependable, world-class, and extend well beyond the sale of an insurance policy.

10 Practical Steps to Personal Finances

Personal finance is a huge topic of discussion across dinner tables and coffee shops around the world. It's a topic that touches every generation, class and ethnicity. With all of the finance gurus on tv and online sorting out the right information can be challenging. Here are 10 practical  steps to getting your finances on track.

Top 10 things to know when budgeting your money and setting financial priorities. 

1. Narrow your objectives. You probably won't be able to achieve every financial goal you've ever dreamed of. So identify your goals clearly and why they matter to you, and decide which are most important. By concentrating your efforts, you have a better chance of achieving what matters most. 

2. Focus first on the goals that matter. To accomplish primary goals, you will often need to put desirable but less important ones on the back burner. 

3. Be prepared for conflicts. Even worthy goals often conflict with one another. When faced with such a conflict, you should ask yourself questions like: Will one of the conflicting goals benefit more people than the other? Which goal will cause the greater harm if it is deferred? 

4. Put time on your side. The most important ally you have in reaching your goals is time. Money stashed in interest-earning savings accounts or invested in stocks and bonds grows and compounds. The more time you have, the more chance you have of success. Your age is a big factor - younger people (who have more time to build their nest egg) can invest differently than older ones. Generally, younger people can take greater risks than older people, given their longer investment horizon. 

5. Choose carefully. In drawing up your list of goals, you should look for things that will help you feel financially secure, happy or fulfilled. Some of the items that wind up on such lists include building an emergency fund, getting out of debt and paying kids' tuitions. Once you have your list together, you need to rank the items in order of importance (if you have trouble doing so, use the CNNMoney.com Prioritizer for help).

— Top 10 Things to Know When Budgeting

Do You Have Enough Health Insurance?

Do you have enough Health Insurance?Many employers provide health insurance to their employees. But for others, it is up to them to provide their own health insurance. In either case, you may not have enough coverage for costly medical expenses. Ideally, you should make the effort to examine your health insurance plan to determine if you need to purchase more, change your policy, or even reduce what you have. If you have any questions or need more information contact our office today.

New Highs for National Home Prices

 Say hello to higher home prices in these seven metro areas. The house market has taken a pretty wild roller coaster ride over the last decade, with unbelievable peak points and plummeting price points. While some cities are experiencing a stagnant trend in the housing market, others are noticing the complete opposite. This article highlights seven cities and their recent rise in home prices.

While home values nationwide are still down 13.5% from their pre-housing bust peaks, prices in these major housing markets have recovered -- and then some, according to Zillow. Home value now*: $143,200 Housing boom peak: $146,300 Big Oil, and the big money it has brought with it, has kept Dallas' economy running on all cylinders. Low building costs and plenty of cheap land to build on, helped to keep home prices from overheating during the boom years. Yet, they still fell rather dramatically during the bust, said Stan Humphries, the chief economist for Zillow. Related: Buy vs. rent: What you'll pay in 10 cities Median home values were just above $146,000 at the market peak in early 2007, and fell 13% to just below $127,000 by late 2011. An influx of jobs has helped prices recover. Zillow expects home values in Dallas to hit a new high by next spring, if not sooner.

— Home Prices Hit New Highs

2 Things to Know Before Purchasing Health Insurance

Pre-existing conditions and time limits on policies can greatly impact the overall cost of health insurance. Be sure you're equipped with the proper information regarding your coverage. Some insurance policies put a time limit on illnesses and injuries. In that case, after the benefit period for a condition has expired, you must pay for continuing the treatment of the illness on actual cost basis, even if you are still insured by the company. Many insurance policies do not cover pre-existing conditions. If you arrive with a condition that will require medical attention, verify the pre-existing aspect of the policy that you are reviewing.