Plan IV Blog
We get the facts & get informed for a better, smarter, health experience!
The best two seasons for vacations are fast approaching. Going on a vacation is supposed to be a time when you’re most relaxed, but when you’re traveling there are a lot of factors that can throw off your trip. If you don’t have travel insurance, these issues can even ruin your trip completely. But with travel insurance, you’ll be covered for unexpected expenses and delays that would otherwise put a damper on your good time. With this peace of mind, you can fully relax and enjoy your vacation.
Read More The new year is a great time to set new financial goals for yourself, but as it happens with many people, those goals aren’t always met. It’s not for lack of effort, but it could be the way you’re going about it. If you want to stick to your financial goals in this new year, follow these tips for reaching them.
Read More Being left without the income or services the family member provided can add financial hardship to an already difficult grieving process.
Read More In the internet age, if you use a smartphone or laptop regularly, chances are that information about your identity is everywhere. It seems like every company wants you to make a profile with your email and password, as well as your date of birth and home state. If you shop online, consider how many different websites you’ve given your credit card info and home address to in addition to the profile you made to use their online shopping services. While these companies take strong measures to protect their customers’ information, no company is 100% safe from hackers.
Read More For the large number of benefits that it affords, travel insurance isn’t as commonly used as you would expect. It makes sense to not want to add extra costs onto trips, especially expensive ones, but that’s also why travel insurance is most beneficial. Without travel insurance coverage, you could be stuck with unexpected extra costs or the consequences of delays and cancellations. Here are the many ways that travel insurance can save you money and keep your trip on track.
Read More The best time to start saving for retirement is always right now, no matter what age you are. With all of the different ways to save, it can be overwhelming to choose where to put your money. Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are a common choice as they aren’t tied to your job and give you more freedom in your choices.
Read More Planning for retirement can be tricky, as unforeseen costs can come up. Many people assume that they’ll be spending much less on the cost of living when they retire, but that’s not always true and that assumption can come back to bite you. The best way to ensure you can live comfortably in retirement without worry is to get the advice of a professional financial planner, like the ones at Plan IV.
Read More With waves of COVID-19 sending millions of Americans to doctors, urgent care, and pharmacies for COVID-19 testing, you may be wondering what insurance companies are required to cover when it comes to COVID-19-related services.
Read More Whether it’s a result of aging, a chronic health condition, or an injury, many people end up needing long-term care at some point in their lives to live comfortably and stay healthy. Long-term care generally refers to help with everyday tasks, and this help can be given to you in your home, at a nursing facility, or at a daycare facility.
Read More There are a few different plans for Medicare, so it can be confusing to tell which ones cover what services. To make sure that you get the coverage you need, it’s important to understand what coverage you’ll get from each plan. Medicare plans are broken into Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D. The original Medicare plans are Part A and Part B, while the supplemental plans are Part C and Part D.
Read More If you’re looking to make your company’s benefits package more competitive and offer your employees more value, then Group Life Insurance is a good choice. It sends the message that you care about your employees’ and their families’ wellbeing, and it can help to attract better job candidates.
Read More If you’re looking to add a new healthcare benefit for your employees, you may have run into some confusion over the choice between FSA, HSA, and HRA. They are all similar, but there are important differences that will affect you and your employees. Each of these accounts are tax-free savings accounts which employees can use to pay medical, dental, and vision fees. FSAs and HSAs each have annual limits on how much can be contributed, while HRAs do not. The kind of account you can offer depends on the healthcare plans you offer employees. Let’s break down what makes each kind of account unique.
Read More For all that your employees give you on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis, they deserve a reward. Of course, a paycheck and a pat on the back for a job well done helps, but in many industries, benefits like health insurance and paid time off are expected.
Read More Whole life insurance is the most commonly bought kind of permanent life insurance. Permanent life insurance means that you’re covered for the rest of your life, given that you continually pay your premium on time.
Read More If you were in an accident or suffered an illness that made work impossible for you, would you be able to cover your daily living expenses for an extended period of time without a weekly paycheck? Not many people could go months without work and stay financially stable. That’s why disability insurance exists.
Read More For those who want to be covered by health insurance or change their coverage, open enrollment is an important period each year. Missing your chance to enroll during open enrollment could mean that you’re denied coverage for the next year, or else you’ll have to pay extra fees.
Read More If you have a Medicare plan, you have likely noticed that it doesn’t cover every cost. For those gaps in Medicare coverage, there are Medicare Supplement Insurance plans that can fill in your coverage and relieve some of the financial burdens of your medical care. These are insurance plans that are provided by private firms to supplement your Medicare.
Read More Traditional medical insurance and Medicare plans provide you and your family with health-care coverage. Traditional plans, on the other hand, may contain coverage gaps that leave you vulnerable. Supplemental health insurance plans are now available to help fill in some of those gaps.
Read More It is helpful to have options in today's ever-changing workplace. Plan IV understands the importance of flexibility and how that directly relates to an established employee performance in the workplace. This is why we provide our business clients with such a wide range of plans and programs that help to offset human resources and other administrative duties. Our objective is to give you the HR outsourcing assistance and planning you need to efficiently manage all of your personnel.
Read More In certain circumstances, short-term health insurance can provide you with temporary medical coverage. Many aspects of these short-term health care policies vary significantly from those of conventional health insurance plans. So, what is short term health insurance, and why do you need it?
Read More We are already a quarter way through 2021! That means it’s time to get organized for the big things to come. There are so many activities that keep us busy during the year, and life tends to throw us curveballs a few times while we’re at it. In fact, many of us might not be aware that tax identity theft is a common crime, and anyone is at risk, not just those with bigger returns in April.
Read More Insurance is one of those key components in life that allows our lives to move forward and to remain secure for the future. Whether that involves health insurance or life insurance, there is an old proverb that says, “Health is not valued until sickness comes.” Here at Plan IV, we know first-hand that it is better to be safe today than sorry tomorrow.
Read More So you just had a baby! Congratulations! Babies bring so much joy to people’s lives and having a new baby is such an exciting time in a parent’s life – especially for new parents. It can also be scary when entering parenthood for the first time, and its understandable! Your life is about to change forever. There are so many things that need to happen before your baby comes, and one of those things is making the change to your health insurance policy.
Read More One of the best ways to ensure your loved ones are taken care of is to take out a life insurance policy with beneficiaries. It can be an emotional thought for many to consider what might happen to them. As hard as it might be, life is filled with unexpected occurrences, and in case the worst of it might happen, it is better to prepare now.
Read More It’s true: We’re almost there! With approved vaccines circulating in the news, we can only hope that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic will be upon us in the next year. However, in the meantime, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has not lifted any of its recommendations to stay safe during the home stretch.
Read More As if we haven’t had enough to worry about over the last 8 months with COVID-19, flu season is here! In the United States, flu season falls during fall and winter. For the states that have colder winter temperatures, flu season can hit a lot harder than more southern states that see warmer weather.
Read More Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, health care in America has been a progressively sought out topic among people filing for health care coverage. Thankfully, amidst all the chaos, Medicare and healthcare open enrollment are still remaining within the same windows as years past. From October 15 to December 7, Medicare holds its open enrollment; from November 1 to December 15, all other healthcare coverage will be available for open enrollment 2021.
Read More Plan IV Corp. achieves Elite status for enrolling over 100 consumers during Open Enrollment
Read More Going back to school has never been like it is in the age of the Coronavirus pandemic. As schools begin to reopen and classes resume this fall, institutions must balance the social, emotional, and educational needs of students in addition to the health and safety of teachers and staff as the pandemic continues to affect our everyday lives.
Read More In the age of COVID-19 and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it is safe to say that there are still many uncertainties to how to continue with business as usual.
Read More The pandemic has caused people to put non-medical appointments on hold. Since March, both patients and physicians have canceled routine checkups, postponed preventive screenings and put off elective surgeries to protect the health and safety of all parties involved.
Read More Governor Whitmer signed historic bipartisan auto no-fault legislation to lower costs for Michigan drivers, maintain the highest coverage options in the country, and strengthen consumer protections. These changes will apply to policies issued or renewed after July 1, 2020.
Read More While the curve is flattening and the economy is opening back up, the risks of COVID-19 still remain. With the threat of a second wave possibly overcoming our communities, many businesses are acting cautiously as we progress further into 2020.
Read More During this time of uncertainty we understand there is a lot of concern about if or how to pay your employees and how or if to continue to offer health insurance .
Read More Winter is coming to a close and that means spring and summer are upon us! It might be hopeful thinking, but Plan IV wants to help you be mindful during this season of heavy travel. With so many people traveling for spring break, we have protective measures, such as purchasing travel insurance, that make sure your plans are safe and secured.
Read More Insure your love: How do you show your love?
Read More It’s 2020, and with the new year in full swing, it’s time to get organized for the big things to come. Whether it’s all those appointments, birthdays, or trips out of town, the year is filled with many different events, causing us to overlook all the other tasks we need to get done. Since we know how difficult it can be to remember or plan for everything, Plan IV has made it easy. Check out this list of monthly tasks to remember through the end of the year:
Read More The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was signed into law on December 20, 2019 and is the most significant retirement reform legislation in more than a decade. It was created to encourage individuals to save more for retirement and motivate businesses to offer retirement plans.
Read More The main cause for tax identity theft occurs when someone files a tax return using your Social Security Number (SSN). Many times, criminals will pursue someone else’s personalized tax returns in order to claim a fraudulent tax refund. Additionally, criminals may have used your SSN to obtain employment records, information on credit and other confidential information.
Read More Here it comes Season’s Greetings! We made it to the end of the year, and it’s time for families and friends to celebrate the long year together. With the season’s greetings comes a big influx of people traveling all over the world to go home for the holidays. With that in mind, purchasing travel insurance is a protective measure to make sure your plans don’t go south, as well. Plan IV is here to help you decide the best travel insurance plan is fit for you.
Read More With the end of the year fast approaching, Michigan residents ought to know there is only a short window of opportunity to enroll in healthcare coverage for the 2020 calendar year. Open enrollment for health insurance begins November 1, 2019 and will conclude on December 15, 2019. But don’t wait! Residents seeking insurance coverage should act before the end of the enrollment period, unless you will qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Residents in Troy, Rochester and the surrounding southeast Michigan area can trust us at Plan IV to navigate through insurance options fit for your needs.
Read More Open enrollment for Medicare 2020 will start on October 15 and will run through December 7, 2019. Senior residents of Michigan ages 65 years and older seeking insurance coverage should act quickly. You must sign up for your Medicare Supplement or Advantage plan during this period to obtain coverage. Residents in the metro Detroit area can trust Plan IV to help them navigate options for the best health insurance in Michigan.
Read More The best way to protect your loved ones is by purchasing life insurance. Of course, every one envisions their future and how it will transpire but many times unexpected things happen in your life that was not expected. Life’s events and happenings are sometimes out of your control.
Read More Back-to-school time is not only a great time to plan a scholastic budget, but also reviewing and reassessing your financial plan.
Read More As the calendar flips from July to August, the thoughts of back-to-school begin. The carefree days of Summer start to fill with appointments, practices and last-minute vacations. Before you get too busy, don’t forget to make those dental cleanings and eye exams for the kids!
Read More Give Yourself The Gift Of Peace Of Mind With Life Insurance
Read More Long-term care involves a variety of services designed to meet a person's health or personal care needs during a short or long period of time. When people can no longer perform everyday activities on their own, these services can help them live as independently and safely as possible.
Read More President Issues Healthcare Transparency Executive Order
Read More The official start of Summer – June 21st – is right around the corner. As we cruise into part two or our Sizzlin’ Summer Series, we will make a splash with the best cities to retire in 2019.
Read More Of course, one of the most common reasons to buy life insurance is to replace your income that your family depended on in the event you die.
Read More This last Winter was one for the books. With record snowfall, rain, and cold temperatures, it’s
safe to say that most of us are ready for warmer weather. What better way to celebrate the onset of sunshine and warm temps than with a three-part newsletter series to help you enjoy Summer!
In this month’s newsletter, we will dive into the top 3 places to travel, based on the Summer months:
Read More If you get sick or injured and are unable to work, the last thing you want to worry about is paying your bills or wondering where money will come from for gas, groceries and living expenses. You can think of Disability Insurance as income protection because it can help replace a portion of your paycheck.
Read More Do you consider yourself financially literate? According to a study by S&P Global, 57% of American adults are financially literate, ranking the U.S. 14th in the world. As a way to increase financial understanding, April is considered Financially Literacy month!
Whether you’re a financial guru or consider yourself a newbie, here’s 3 ways to make a difference in your finances this April!
Read More Small business owners like to pride themselves in knowing all aspects of their organization. They are independent and successful but are also smart enough to know they cannot possibly handle everything. They are great at putting the right people in charge to oversee the various aspects of their business. They are also not afraid to outsource when it comes to their human resource department.
Read More There are 12 Months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 525,949 minutes in a year. From holidays, to appointments and birthdays, a lot can happen and even more can be forgotten.
To help you worry about less and focus on more; here’s 5 important dates you should remember when it comes to planning your financial journey.
Read More While every wellness visit is different, there are some things you can expect your physician will check every year.
Read More Tax season is here, and though you technically have until April 15 to file your returns, you might want to submit yours sooner than that — at least if you want to avoid potential identity theft (and a whole lot of hassle).
Tax-related identity theft is a growing problem in America, and the more security breaches, information hacks and digital business we do as a society, the more consumers who fall victim to it. In fact, in 2016 alone, thieves stole more than $21 billion in tax refunds as a result of this simple, yet clever, form of identity theft.
Have you fallen victim to Tax ID Theft and need help dealing with the financial ramifications? Or just want to know ways to prevent it from happening to you? This guide can help.
Read More Your 2019 Financial Calendar
There are 12 Months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 525,949 minutes in a year. From holidays, to appointments and birthdays, a lot can happen and even more can be forgotten. To help you worry about less and focus on more; here’s 5 important dates you should remember when it comes to planning your financial journey:
Read More The holidays are in the rear view and the New Year is just over the horizon. As everyone starts the New Year off with positive changes and new annual goals, make sure your finances are one of them! Don’t let your financial dreams fall out of reach by checking out these 4 financial changes you should promise yourself as you head into 2019.
Read More Your new Medicare card should have arrived in the mail by now. If you didn’t get it, here’s what to do:
Read More It’s the start of tax season and cyber criminals may be posing as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), a tax accounting service or preparer, client, or an employe
Watch out for phishing emails, texts, letters or phone calls asking for personal information such as Social Security Numbers, W2 forms, or banking information, etc. It is always best to call the IRS directly to verify any request. The IRS will never email, text or call you.
Read More Twas a few weeks before Christmas, and all through the house, not a person was over-spending, not even on decorations for the house.
Receipts and bills were paid and filed away with care, in hopes of a fresh financial start to the New Year. Retirement funds were nestled all snug in their accounts, while payments and savings would grow that amount.
And while taxes can be less with charitable giving, also pull an annual, free credit report to make sure my 2019 finances are winning.
When out from my phone arose such a clatter, I look at the caller ID and see it’s my Financial Planner!
Away from work I flew like a flash, into Christmas break, time to meet with my advisor, fast!
The meeting was scheduled, for the day after the snow and while it might be cold, my Advisor says my end-of-year finances were looking bold!
When, what to my wondering eyes did appear, but my advisor with 8 tips for an amazing end to the year!
Read More Open enrollment for 2018 ended on December 15. However, many Michigan residents who have not yet applied are still eligible for health insurance coverage in 2019.
Read More Open Enrollment for 2019 Health Insurance Plans ends December 15th!
Read More The holidays are upon us! And with the holidays comes the fun tradition of holiday shopping! Just as you should plan when shopping, you should also plan of when dealing with finances. Although Financial Literacy month isn’t until next year, we wanted to get a head start by celebrating Canada’s Financial Literacy month, November! Before meeting with your financial planner, check out these 4 must know financial terms:
Read More Whether you need short term coverage, a long-term policy, disability insurance, supplemental insurance, or any other type of coverage, Plan IV can find a plan that perfectly fits your budget, needs, and lifestyle.
Read More The insurance professionals at Plan IV keep up with changes in the healthcare industry, and we are here to help Millennials find the best and most affordable healthcare coverage.
Read More You are nearing the average retirement age and each day it becomes closer and closer. The question is, are you ready to retire? Check out these 5 signs you’re ready to retire.
Read More Your journey to financial fitness begins with just one step ...
Read More Those last few years, months, and weeks before retirement can be both exciting and terrifying. You’ve worked all this time to prepare, and now it’s finally time to make it happen. We call it “go time” when talking with our clients. Among other things, it’s time to stop focusing on taking care of your children and everybody else and instead make sure you have everything in place for yourself.
Read More TradeFirst can help you get the best dental and vision insurance plans possible for YOUR family. Trust us with your insurance selection, and we can save you money while giving you the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your family’s needs are covered.
Read More Although it’s just mid August , storefronts and businesses are beginning to advertise what some kids dread, and others cherish, back to school time. In a report from Huntington Bank Backpack Index, school supplies have increased a whopping 88% since 2007. With this statistic, here are 3 tips to consider for this back to school season.
Read More Plan IV can provide you with the best, most comprehensive, and most affordable travel insurance on the market. In addition to temporary health insurance, health insurance, supplemental health insurance, and Medicare supplement plans, this is just one more convenient service that we offer Michigan residents.
Read More For the 3rd year in a row we've been given the Best of Troy Award for Insurance Agency!
Read More Happy Half Year! Time flies and first 6 months of 2018 are already here and gone! With the second half of the year fast approaching, it’s important to know how your finances are stacking up compared to your goals when the year began. What better way to that then to check out these quick tips for a mid-year financial check-up:
Read More The one incident that could change your entire future.
Provided by Thomas Miszcak
Read More So, what are Millennials looking for when choosing their perfect companies? Studies indicate that they want flexibility, competitive salaries, and insurance packages that are tailored to their unique needs. Get the most competitive and affordable employee benefits packages from Plan IV Health.
Read More Retirement on your mind? Whether you are on the brink of retiring or already there, you want to make sure you saved and protected your assets to ensure you’ll have income to exceed your retirement dreams. 65 years of hard work should not go to waste which is why it is crucial you make sure you are planning for retirement that may be 30 years or longer!
Read More New Medicare cards are in the mail. Medicare is removing Social Security numbers to
help protect cardholders’ identities. The new cards are being mailed in phases
beginning this month, with all new cards issued by April 2019. Visit medicare.gov to find
out when you can expect to receive your new card.
Read More Are you on the verge of retirement? Then you are probably asking yourself when you should stop working and how long after that do you take Social Security benefits? While your first thought may be to take both as soon as you are able, the reality is a little more complicated.
Read More Many Americans look forward to their retirement years; however, if you’re not prepared, it can also be financially stressful. When it comes to retirement, most Baby Boomers are unsure if they’ve saved enough and are concerned about running out of money.
Read More You may already be retired or you’re just starting to plan for it; either way, this is the time for making New Year’s resolutions toward your financial goals.
Read More One of the biggest stressors of the holiday season can be money or more specifically, not having enough to purchase the presents we think we should..
Read More Plan IV has won a Best of Troy Award for 2017 for Insurance Agency! That's 2 years in a row!!
Read More National Association of Health Underwriters' Statement on Today's Executive Order
Read More As you near retirement, you’re probably looking forward to the laid-back lifestyle it can offer. But there can also be some snags that could cause you to run into financial trouble later in life. Here are three retirement pitfalls you should try to avoid.
Read More When you need immediate answers to tough HR questions, where do you go? The web? Business Colleagues? Your attorney or HR consultant?
Read More Plan IV Corporation is proud to meet your organization’s health insurance needs and we’re continually seeking new ways to deliver even greater value to you. With that in mind, Plan IV Corporation has partnered with PrimePay – one of the nation’s leading payroll and business service firms – to offer a suite of integrated HR, benefits and payroll processes to our clients.
With these services, Plan IV Corporation can become your one-stop source for a full range of insurance, HR, benefits and payroll needs. By working with Plan IV Corporation and PrimePay, you can optimize the speed, efficiency and accuracy of your HR, payroll and benefits administration processes.
Read More The most important part of buying life insurance is determining how much you need. Since everyone’s financial circumstances and goals are different, there is no rule of thumb to tell you how much to buy.
Read More One of the biggest concerns of preretirees and retirees is income. This makes a lot of sense when you consider that all your savings essentially breaks down to an annual income you need to have to live comfortably during your retirement years. One of the options many seniors explore when trying to secure their retirement income is a fixed index annuity.
Read More Life after retirement is full of changes and challenges, not the least of which is trying to understand how taxes will impact your income and deductions in retirement. Many wonder how big their tax bill will be in retirement and how long their retirement will last.
Read More Here is a quick summary of the key provisions of the American Health Care Act, that has been introduced to replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
Read More Why do people really buy life insurance? For most it comes down to love. They love someone and want to make sure their family or loved ones wouldn’t suffer financially if something happened to them.
A life insurance policy is the ultimate gift of love. It’s less expensive than many other standard gifts like jewelry, yet provides a tremendous value that your family will need, should they lose you.
Read More Information on President Trump's executive order regarding the Affordable Care Act.
Read More Obamacare Jan. 1st effective date extended!
Read More Don't forget Thursday (Dec. 15) is the last day to get a January 1st effective date for ALL individual health insurance plans. If you haven't enrolled for next year yet, give us a call (248) 689-4910.
Read More 5 Things You Need To Know About Long-Term Care Insurance
Read More Our Office will be closed for the holiday: Thursday Nov. 24th and Friday Nov. 25th.
We will be back for normal office hours on Monday!
Have a great holiday!
Read More Open Enrollment is in full swing!
Begins November 1st and remains open through January 31st .
Read More Obamacare Open Enrollment Starts on Tuesday!
Read More If you currently don't have a health insruance plan, keep an eye out for this letter from the IRS (see article below)...
Read More Plan IV has been selected for the 2016 Best of Troy Awards for Insurance Agency. 🎉🏆
Read More Special Enrollment Period for Individual Health Insurance
Read More The Newsletter is written to help you with retirement matters. If you have questions or would like to review your retirement plans, please get in touch if I can be of assistance.
Read More June is Annuity Awareness Month: the age-old question and worry from our clients never stops: "what happens if I live longer than my money lasts?" Below is a simplistic way to explain these insurance products and their functionality inside of a retirement income strategy.
Read More Learn how life insurance can help protect against market downturns! Click the link to watch a quick YouTube Video
Read More Retirement Planning at Every Age:
What should you be doing right now?
Read More In case you missed the email.. check out this months newsletter!
Read More February's Safe Money Advisory Newsletter- "What you Need to Know About Your Income Taxes"
Read More This month's newsletter, "What you need to know about changes to your Social Security Benefits" is now available. Just click the link below to access.
Read More Six Essential End-of-Year Financial Planning Moves
Read More Four Surprising Retirement Income Strategies
Read More Safe Money Advisory Newsletter - The value of Life Insurance through the years
Read More This month's newsletter touches on the five essentials of social security benefits.
Read More July's Safe Money Advisory Newsletter
Read More The Newsletter is written to help you with retirement matters. If you have questions or would like to review your retirement plans, please get in touch if I can be of assistance.
Read More Here’s this month's issue of our Safe Money Advisory Newsletter. Just click on the link to access.
Read More Here's April's issue of Safe Money Advisory Newsletter: 2014 Tax Changes You Should Know
Read More The Obamacare open enrollment period comes to a close at Midnight on Sunday, February 15th.
Read More February 15th is the deadline to enroll in an Individual Health Insurance plan. It's not to late to get health coverage for 2015.
Read More
