Miller's Insurance Solutions

10/09/2026

https://apple.news/Ab1uVbFjzSySP0mgNmk_3kA

Millions of Americans who buy cheap drugs from Canada could soon lose access due to a new customs rule.

09/28/2026

https://apple.news/AFrThLZgGRI2-ln5J2QaMrg

You NEED to read this!!!!!

ENROLLING IN MEDICARE PART D isn’t a “one-and-done” decision. Leaving your plan on autopilot during Open Enrollment (Oct. 15-Dec. 7) could cost you hundreds in unexpected premiums and out-of-pocket fees. A different plan might offer a much better deal—especially if you’ve started new medic...

09/24/2026

Part D classes are filling quickly! Call soon to reserve your spot!

09/24/2026

If you earn more than your spouse, the age you claim Social Security can set the check they live on after you are gone.

When one spouse dies, the survivor can switch to the deceased spouse's benefit if it is larger than their own.

With a $2,000 full retirement age benefit and an FRA of 67, a higher earner who claimed at 70 leaves a survivor $2,480 a month. Claiming at 62 leaves $1,650.

That $1,650 is more than the $1,400 the worker was paid. When a worker claims early, Social Security sets a survivor floor of 82.5% of the full benefit.

The survivor gets these amounts by waiting until their own survivor full retirement age, which is 67 for anyone born in 1962 or later. Survivor benefits can start as early as 60 at a reduced amount.

This is why break-even age alone can mislead a married couple. The higher benefit keeps paying as long as either spouse is alive.

Claiming early can still be the right call when both spouses have serious health concerns, when the income is needed now, or when the two benefits are close in size.

P.S. Once a week, I email the best money article I read, with my take on this week's top Facebook posts and what's new on the Ways to Wealth blog. It's free, and you can sign up on the Ways to Wealth home page.

R.J. Weiss, CFP®



The content shared here is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not personalized investment, tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult a licensed professional before making decisions based on your specific situation.

09/24/2026

📅 Your Social Security payday was assigned by a birthday, and for many spouses and survivors it isn't their own.

For benefits that started in May 1997 or later, Social Security pays on a Wednesday. Born the 1st through the 10th means the second Wednesday, the 11th through the 20th means the third, and the 21st or later means the fourth.

The birthday that counts belongs to the worker whose record pays the benefit. If you collect as a spouse, survivor, or child, your payment follows that worker's birth date, which is why everyone paid on one record usually gets paid on the same day.

Some people are paid on the 3rd no matter whose birthday it is. That includes benefits on a record that began before May 1997, people who also receive SSI, people whose state pays their Medicare premium, and people living outside the U.S. SSI by itself arrives on the 1st.

When a payment date lands on a weekend or holiday, the money arrives the business day before.

Which Wednesday is yours?

P.S. Once a week, I email the best money article I read, with my take on this week's top Facebook posts and what's new on the Ways to Wealth blog. It's free, and you can sign up on the Ways to Wealth home page.

R.J. Weiss, CFP®



The content shared here is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not personalized investment, tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult a licensed professional before making decisions based on your specific situation.

09/23/2026

🏥 Qualifying for Medicaid to cover nursing home care means your countable savings have to drop to a very low limit, $2,000 for a single person in most states.

Not everything counts. Your home, one car, a funeral trust, personal belongings, and small life insurance policies are generally set aside. Bank accounts, investments, second homes, and often retirement accounts count.

Spending down means paying for real things: your care, debts, home repairs, or a prepaid funeral. It does not mean giving money to family. Gifts or below-value sales in the five years before you apply can make you ineligible for a period of time.

Married couples have more room. When only one spouse needs care, the spouse at home can keep up to $162,660 in 2026, depending on the state.

The home deserves its own plan. It is often protected while you are alive, but after death the state may seek repayment from the estate unless a spouse or another exception applies. An irrevocable trust can help, but only if it is set up correctly and funded more than five years before you apply.

Rules vary by state, so an elder law attorney is worth a call before you move any money.



P.S. Once a week, I email the best money article I read, with my take on this week's top Facebook posts and what's new on the Ways to Wealth blog. It's free, and you can sign up on the Ways to Wealth home page.

R.J. Weiss, CFP®

The content shared here is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not personalized investment, tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult a licensed professional before making decisions based on your specific situation.

09/22/2026

https://finance.yahoo.com/healthcare/articles/440-000-forced-advantage-bought-233303903.html

This is an interesting read!

09/21/2026

Outdated form beats your will 👉💡

💰 56% of Americans think probate costs $1,000 or less. The real bill on a $750,000 estate runs $22,500 to $52,500.

But there is a mistake that arrives faster and costs more: an outdated beneficiary form.

IRAs, 401(k)s, and life insurance pass directly to whoever is named on that form, regardless of what your will says. A form naming an ex-spouse from 2003 beats a will written in 2022. Every time.

Most custodians let you update it online in under 10 minutes.

Rule of thumb: update beneficiary forms after every major life change, not just when you write a will.

The form is the will, in the accounts that matter most.

09/21/2026

Are you turning 65 soon? Or getting Ready for Medicare Open Enrollment?

Choosing between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage can feel overwhelming, but understanding your options now can help you avoid costly surprises later.

✅ Compare costs
✅ Understand provider access
✅ Review prescription coverage
✅ Know your out-of-pocket limits

Take a look at this quick comparison chart and ask yourself: "Which Medicare option fits my healthcare needs best?"

🔍 Looking for more answers? Visit Medicare.gov or shiphelp.org/Medicare-FAQ for trusted information to help you make a confident, informed decision.

09/17/2026

📌 Social Security has a handful of rules that trip up even people who've studied it.

Deemed filing: if you were born January 2, 1954 or later, filing for your own retirement benefit also files for any spousal benefit you qualify for. You can't take the spousal benefit now and let your own grow.

Survivor benefits are different. Deemed filing generally doesn't apply, so a widow or widower may be able to take one benefit first and switch to the other later.

The 10-year rule: if your marriage lasted at least 10 years and you're unmarried, you may be able to claim on your ex's record. Your ex doesn't have to agree, and it doesn't reduce their benefit.

If your ex has died, stop using the divorced-spouse rules and check the survivor rules instead. They're different, and they can pay more.

Remarriage: remarrying before 60 generally ends survivor eligibility on a late spouse's record. Remarrying at 60 or later doesn't.

Age 70: delayed credits stop, so there's generally no reason to wait longer to file for your own benefit.

Taxes: the $25,000 and $32,000 combined-income thresholds that make benefits taxable aren't adjusted for inflation, so more retirees cross them over time.

P.S. Once a week, I email the best money article I read, with my take on this week's top Facebook posts and what's new on the Ways to Wealth blog. It's free, and you can sign up on the Ways to Wealth home page.

R.J. Weiss, CFP®



The content shared here is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not personalized investment, tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult a licensed professional before making decisions based on your specific situation.