Life events are complex. Some are planned and joyous, like marriage and retirement, while others are surprising and difficult, like illness or injury. Whatever the experience, there is one unifying factor that can help: planning. Planning for the known and unknown is possible – and hugely helpful. Use this checklist to kick start important conversations and identify your needs.
Read Up on Qualifying Life Events
First things first: Gain an understanding of what a life event is and, more importantly, what a “qualifying life event” means in terms of the insurance coverages you have. Familiarize yourself with what your supplemental or voluntary policies can help with and what may be available to you for those life events.
Prepare for a Baby
Welcoming a new baby, whether through birth or adoption, is one of life’s most incredible experiences. It can also radically change your life personally and professionally. Employers must navigate state law, federal laws and compliance, while employees will likely face a host of questions about their benefits. To better understand different types of work absences, check out this piece on 9 Things to Know About PFML.
Learn About Voluntary Insurance
Life insurance, critical illness insurance, hospital indemnity insurance – these types of coverages fall under what’s known as supplemental or voluntary insurance. These voluntary additional benefits can help address the need for financial protection should someone face a severe health threat by providing cash benefits that can be used to help cover deductibles, co-pays and other expenses that medical insurance may not. Life insurance sometimes offers additional value-added services as well. Don’t wait for another pandemic to understand what’s available.
Ready for Retirement
If reported rates hold, an estimated 3 million Baby Boomers will retire next year.1 If that includes you, use this retirement planning checklist to ensure a smooth, stress-free transition for the next chapter of your life.
Prioritize Disaster Preparedness
Admittedly, disaster preparedness is not technically a life event, but it has the power to shape your decisions and personal and professional trajectory – especially at mature ages. Understand what’s at stake, particularly for your regional location, and prepare accordingly with this useful guide.
1 “The Pace of Boomer Retirements Has Accelerated in the Past Year,” Pew Research Center, January 17, 2019
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