insurance | Stash Learn Fri, 18 Aug 2023 21:50:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 https://stashlearn.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/android-chrome-192x192-1.png insurance | Stash Learn 32 32 What Is FDIC Insurance? https://www.stash.com/learn/federal-deposit-insurance-corporation/ Mon, 10 Jul 2023 19:59:29 +0000 https://www.stash.com/learn/?p=19615 “What is the FDIC?” is a common question when people open a bank account. The FDIC, or Federal Deposit Insurance…

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“What is the FDIC?” is a common question when people open a bank account. The FDIC, or Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, is a U.S. government agency that plays a crucial role in the economy by maintaining the stability of the banking system and protecting individuals and their deposits. Perhaps most notably, the agency protects your money by providing deposit insurance to member financial institutions. This FDIC insurance backs the deposits of account holders, up to $250,000 per depositor. If your bank were to face difficulties or even closure, your money up to that amount would still be safe and accessible to you. 

What is the FDIC’s purpose?

The FDIC’s primary purpose is to ensure the integrity of the banking system and maintain public confidence in financial institutions. The agency was created in 1933 in response to the Great Depression, when thousands of banks failed and people lost all of the money they’d deposited; millions even lost their entire life’s savings. Congress created the agency to prevent such a profound crisis from happening again.  

The FDIC is responsible for preventing financial institutions from engaging in high-risk activities that put depositors’ money at risk. To accomplish this, the agency inspects and closely monitors banks to prevent risky behavior. The FDIC also has the power to liquidate and close down failing financial institutions in order to safeguard the economy.

The FDIC stands as a critical safeguard for individual account holders by protecting deposits from loss in the event of a bank failure or widespread financial crisis. In simple terms, this gives you as an account holder the peace of mind that you won’t lose your money if your bank goes under. 

What accounts are insured by the FDIC?

FDIC insurance covers a range of bank accounts that allow you to deposit and withdraw your money. These accounts include:

How is the FDIC funded?

The FDIC is the rare federal government entity which draws no funding from the federal budget. Instead, the agency and any countermeasures it takes in case of financial emergency are supported by the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF). Financial institutions covered by the FDIC are required to pay into the DIF on a sliding scale, based on their size and the riskiness of their investments. If and when the FDIC needs to rebuild its funds after a bank failure or economic crisis, the agency also has the power to raise money by increasing fees for all members, or to sue officers from the failed banks to recoup its deficit. Finally, the FDIC can borrow up to $100 billion from the U.S. Treasury or the Federal Financing Bank (FFB). 

What is the FDIC’s role in case of bank failure?

If a bank begins to falter, the FDIC has the power to step in and institute corrective measures, even up to the point of forcibly taking over the institution. This notably occurred during the 2008 financial crisis, at which time the FDIC liquidated and shut down some failing institutions. 

As a depositor, you have protection from the FDIC during such a crisis, ensuring that you are able to retrieve your money as long as it has been deposited into an account at an insured institution. In such circumstances, your insured funds either moved to another member bank that has agreed to take over your former account, or the FDIC issues you a check for your account balance, up to the $250,000 maximum covered by FDIC insurance. If depositors hold more than the insured limit, the FDIC may still be able to help, as approved and willing financial institutions might be able to buy the additional uninsured amount and return your remaining deposits. However, this process can take years, and there’s no guarantee of retrieving your lost money beyond the $250,000 covered by FDIC insurance.

What is the FDIC’s importance to you?

The security of your money is paramount, so making sure your checking and savings accounts are protected is important. You’ve likely seen the phrase “Member FDIC” on bank websites or your account statements; that lets you know your money is covered by FDIC insurance. This assurance can help you bank more confidently, especially in times of economic uncertainty.

The FDIC plays a crucial role in upholding the stability of the banking system by overseeing major financial institutions and providing insurance for depositors like you. When you bank with Stash, your deposits are covered by FDIC insurance, and you can count on robust security measures to keep your account secure. 

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Congrats, Grad! Here are Six Financial Goals Now That You Have That Degree https://www.stash.com/learn/congrats-grad-here-are-six-financial-goals-now-that-you-have-that-degree/ Thu, 19 May 2022 14:18:00 +0000 https://www.stash.com/learn/?p=16654 Make a budget for your new paycheck and expenses, and plan to repay debt.

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There’s nothing more gratifying than graduating from college after four years of hard work. 

But getting a degree and entering the next phase of your life comes with a whole new set of expectations and responsibilities. Graduation often means starting your first full-time job and getting your first significant paycheck. That paycheck also comes with more financial responsibilities, like budgeting to pay your bills on time, saving, and even planning for retirement. 

New grads are entering a hot job market. There were a record 11.55 million available jobs as of March 2022, with the number of job openings outweighing the number of available workers. Still, inflation at its highest level in decades, which could eat into your pay once you get your first job.

Stash put together a checklist of six things new college graduates should know as they enter the “real world:”

#1 Create a budget

You might already have a budget from college. But if you don’t, and  you’re starting a full-time job or have a summer gig, the first thing you should do is make one, or alter the one you have to fit your post-graduate circumstances. 

One good template to follow is the 50-30-20 budget. First, you need to calculate how much money you have coming in each month. If you get two regular paychecks per month, their total is your monthly income. If you’re waiting tables or working a gig where your income varies, monitor how much you make in a month and use that as your benchmark. 

Then, you need to tabulate your monthly expenses. Maybe you just rented your first apartment or leased a car. Figure out how much you’ll spend each month on necessary, fixed expenses and include that in your budget. Under the 50-30-20 framework, your fixed expenses should be 50% of your income. You will also need to know how much you spend on nonessential, variable expenses like going out to eat or shopping. These expenses should make up 30% of your budget. The remaining 20% of your budget should be saved, for whatever your long-term goals may be. 

You can adjust the percentages as you see fit. Maybe you’re living with your parents and can afford to put a little more than 20% in savings.

#2 Start a rainy day and emergency fund 

You may be tempted to spend that first adult paycheck on a pair of sneakers you’ve always wanted or a big screen TV for the new apartment. While it’s fine to splurge from time to time (as long as it’s in your budget), you should also try to start saving small amounts of money for short-term and long-term goals. 

You’ll want to have a rainy day fund where you keep $500 to $1,000 in case you get hit with an unexpected expense, like a car repair or broken iPhone. Your rainy day fund should be liquid so that you can use it at a moment’s notice. You’ll also want to consider having an emergency fund, with three to six months’ worth of expenses, in case of something more serious like a layoff or medical emergency. This money can be kept somewhere that it can earn a return, such as in a high-yield savings account or a brokerage account. 

#3 Make a plan for repaying student loans

As of April 2022, 46 million Americans owed federal student loan debt, amounting to a total debt of $1.75 trillion. So if you graduated with some student loan debt, you’re not alone. While you probably don’t want to think about your student debt immediately after graduation, it’s best to start planning early.

Depending on what kind of federal student loans you have, you likely don’t need to start making payments towards your debt for six months. People with Direct Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized, or a Federal Family Education Loan have a six-month grace period during which they don’t have to make payments. 

However, you should know when your first payment is due, and how you’ll make those payments. You’ll need to set up a repayment plan with your loan servicer. You may consider setting up your loan payments in advance so that you make them automatically. You should also include those payments in your budget when it comes time to make them.

#4 Start saving for retirement 

When you’re just leaving college, you’re probably not worried about your retirement savings. But the earlier you start putting away money, the better off you may be when it comes time to retire.

The sooner you start investing, the more money can work for you through the power of compounding. Compounding is any return earned on your principle, or your initial investment, plus your past returns. 

For example, say you start with $100 and put $50 a month away for 20 years, with an annual return of 8%.1 You’d have just under slightly more than $30,000, but you’d only have put away a little more than $12,000. In this scenario compounding could add about $18,000 to what you save. 

Using the same example above, the person who starts saving in his or her 20s may be able to put away almost twice as much as the person who starts in his or her 30s, which could set you up for a more financially sound retirement. (Find out more about how saving early for retirement can help here.)

If you have a full-time job, your employer might offer you a retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or, if you’re a teacher or government worker, a 403(b). Know what your options are, and start putting a percentage of your paycheck into your retirement account. Your employer may even match up to a certain percentage of your retirement contribution. 

If your employer doesn’t offer you a retirement plan, you can still start saving by opening an individual retirement account (IRA). IRAs allow people to save for retirement independently, without having to rely on an employer. There are two different types of IRAs: traditional and Roth IRAs. The main difference between these two types is that you pay taxes on the money you contribute to a Roth IRA, so that you don’t have to pay taxes when you withdraw from the account during retirement. You contribute to a traditional IRA with pre-tax income, so you have to pay taxes when you withdraw during retirement. 

You can set up a traditional or Roth IRA with a Stash Growth plan ($3/month).  

#5 Start building credit

Your credit history is the sum of all the transactions that have been reported to credit bureaus in your name over the years; these are all recorded in your credit report. Your credit score is a point-based rating system that assesses how responsible you are with loans and debt over time. Having a credit score can give you access to things you might want later in life, like a mortgage, student loans for graduate school, and even a mortgage for a house. 

Credit scores run from a low of 300 to a high of 850, which is considered perfect credit. A score of 670 or above is considered good credit.  Paying your student loans, credit card bills, and others each month can help you maintain a strong credit score. Another general rule of thumb is to never use more than 30% of the total credit you have on all of your cards or credit lines.

When you’re just starting off after college, you might not have a credit history or score. So depending on your situation, now may be a good time to sign up for a credit card, if you haven’t yet. Something to consider is that you may only want to get a credit card if you’re absolutely certain you can pay your credit card bill in full each month.

Debit cards are an alternative to credit cards. They draw money directly from your checking account, rather than a credit line, and they can help you stay on top of spending while keeping you out of debt. They may not help you develop a credit history, however. You can learn more about the difference between credit and debit here.

#6 Consider insurance coverage

This new chapter in your adult life often comes with things like getting a first apartment, a car, or if you’re lucky a house, all of which you may want to protect with renters, auto, and homeowners insurance.  Apartment insurance will protect things like your furniture, clothes, headphones, and computer, as well as offer liability  protection in case someone injures themself in your home. Auto insurance, which is required in most states, can help cover medical costs, repairs, property damage, even the replacement cost of your car if you get into an accident, or if your vehicle is stolen. Having renters and auto insurance can protect you and your things in the case of accidents, theft, and more. 

You should also consider signing up for health and life insurance. If you’re on your parent or guardian’s health insurance plan, you may be able to stay on that plan until you’re 26. Or you may be able to enroll for health insurance through your employer. (Just make sure you don’t miss the enrollment deadline.) If neither option is available to you, you can get insured through HealthCare.gov, the health insurance marketplace established by the Affordable Care Act. You may also be able to get life insurance through your employer, but there are other ways to get a plan as well. 

#7 Start investing small amounts

No matter where you stand in your post-graduation life, you can start investing small amounts of money to save for your future with Stash. Stash allows you to invest regularly in stocks, bonds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Just remember to follow the Stash Way® , our investing strategy which includes regular investing, investing for the long term, and creating a diversified portfolio. 

If you want to take the guesswork out of investing, another option is to consider Smart Portfolio. You can find this in the Stash app, or upgrade your subscription to our Growth or Stash+ plans. It’s a discretionary managed portfolio that Stash’s investment team of financial experts developed and recommends for you based on your risk profile. Smart Portfolios also align with the Stash Way®, to minimize risk.

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How to Plan Financially for a Mental Health Leave https://www.stash.com/learn/how-to-plan-financially-for-a-mental-health-leave/ Thu, 05 Aug 2021 17:17:17 +0000 https://www.stash.com/learn/?p=16878 Build savings, tap leave benefits, and consider short-term disability.

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Working hard to advance your career can be great, but not if it comes at the cost of your mental health. 

That’s why, for many, hearing the recent news that tennis champion Naomi Osaka and gold-medal Olympic gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from their respective sporting competitions this summer may be a reason to pause and consider their own states of mind. And it’s possible the news will open up more conversations for those who want, and need, to take time off to tend to their mental health. 

Whether it’s generalized anxiety, depression, or burnout, mental health challenges cost the global economy approximately $1 trillion each year in lost productivity, according to recent research by medical journal The Lancet. What’s more, Covid-19 has compounded psychological challenges for many since 2020, and led to more financial challenges, as people grapple with fear, anxiety, emotional distress related to illness, bereavement, loss of income, not to mention loneliness and social isolation, the journal reports.

Personally, I know what this looks like. I suffered an intense period of burnout back in 2019, and I didn’t work for a month. Not only did I spend more on counseling in the months after trying to scramble to create some semblance of a work life balance, I spent more during those weeks off on items including takeout and babysitters for my son. Luckily, I was able to afford those expenses thanks to my emergency fund

In hindsight, I saw the burnout coming and wish I had taken proactive steps to take time off, instead of being forced to. If you’re in a similar situation and want to take time off, here are some ways you can make it work financially.

Budgeting for mental health

Whether you’ll receive partial pay or need to take unpaid leave, you should budget for time off. it’s likely you’ll be living on a reduced income, which may require you to adjust how you allocate your money. Ideally, you should also have a rainy day fund in place, which you may have to tap to pay for unexpected expenses. 

If you’re planning to take time off a few months from now, you should consider setting aside money for a larger rainy day fund. It could help you avoid spending on personal loans or credit cards, which can get you into debt.

You’ll also want to look at which parts of your budget you can temporarily cut out or reduce when tending to your mental health. Consider looking into benefits your employer or health insurance may provide, such as free counselling sessions under your Employee Assistance Program (EAP). These are confidential, short-term counseling sessions for employees that may also include referrals and follow-up services for personal or work-related problems. There are also non-profit programs that can offer reduced fees for counseling, such as the Open Path Psychotherapy Collective.

Negotiating with your employer

For your next step, consider talking to your employer. Aside from filing for short term disability insurance (more on this later), it’s a good idea to start the dialogue early when it comes to taking time off. 

Rich Jones, host of the podcast Paychecks & Balances, says that mental health and career are hot topics currently, so companies may be more flexible than ever. It could be a great time to speak to your supervisor or human resources department.  And in case you’re scared to start a conversation, Jones suggests thinking about yourself as a valuable company asset.

“Companies don’t want to lose top talent because they didn’t give them the space needed,” he says. “Be thoughtful about why you’re requesting the break, how it will help you and the potential coverage plan for when you’re away.”

Jones also suggests familiarizing yourself with company benefits, including any policies for leave. If not, try to come up with a plan and then approach the right people. You should be open to what happens and how to respond, though you may be pleasantly surprised at what happens.

Filing for short-term disability or FMLA 

There are several options when it comes to filing a short-term disability claim, though specifics will depend on the laws in your state, and your employer’s policy. Short-term disability can offer you income protection by replacing part of your paycheck if you are injured or if you become too sick to work.  You may want to consult an attorney specializing in these matters to see where you stand.

In general, you may be able to file for short-term disability through your employer if you’re diagnosed with a mental condition, which stems from workplace stress. This diagnosis needs to come from a medical professional. And you may be able to take several months of leave, and in some instances may receive up to 80% of your gross income if your employer provides short term disability benefits.  

You may also be able to apply for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which allows covered employees to take time off for specified family and medical reasons. However, you’ll only receive up to 12 weeks off and it’s usually unpaid. Your job is protected during your MLA leave, and after your 3 months is up, your company must put you back in the same job or an equivalent, with equivalent benefits and conditions of employment.  Whereas with short-term disability, you may not be protected. However,  employers with 15 or more workers must offer to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities.

Using Your FSA or HSA Funds

Your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) are tax-favored accounts that can help you pay for various health care expenses, which can include your mental health. Since many mental health needs aren’t covered under a typical health insurance plan, you’ll probably need to pay out of pocket for them. An HSA or FSA account may let you pay for qualified medical expenses related to mental health.You may be able to save money since these accounts are funded with pre-tax dollars. 

Reaching out

Don’t forget to ask friends and family if you know you’ll need support. It might feel overwhelming to deal with mental health concerns or worry about whether your job will be there if you take time off. Your health should be your top priority.

“It’s better to take the leave than to let your performance slip,” Jones says. “You could get a low job performance rating and find yourself fighting an uphill battle.”

Remember the Stash Way

At Stash, we recommend following the Stash Way. It’s our philosophy for financial wellness, which includes budgeting, creating emergency savings, and investing on a regular basis, as well as protecting your loved ones and assets with insurance. Stash also offers goal-setting tools such as Partitions, which can help you set money aside in an emergency fund that can support you through a leave of absence.

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If You Don’t Have Health Coverage, Stride Can Help https://www.stash.com/learn/if-you-dont-have-health-coverage-stride-can-help/ Tue, 01 Dec 2020 17:06:48 +0000 https://www.stash.com/learn/?p=16035 Find coverage that fits your needs and your budget.

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When you’re experiencing a medical emergency such as a broken bone or the need for surgery, the last thing you want to worry about is whether you can afford treatment. 

Having coverage from health insurance can ease your cost worries, whether you need to go to a routine appointment, or you have a more serious, unexpected health expense. That can be especially true if you work part time, or for yourself. If you’re a freelance worker, or your employer doesn’t offer you insurance, you can have access to health insurance too, and the following guide can help you navigate the open enrollment period.

Why do you need health insurance?

Health insurance can pay for your care and your dependents’ care in the event of emergencies, and also provide for routine care. 

Having health insurance can protect you from incurring massive, unplanned costs. For example, without health insurance a three-day stay in the hospital costs $30,000 on average and treating a broken arm can cost up to $7,500, and while the average annual premium for one person is $7,188 and $20,576 for a family. Having healthcare can defray those costs.

When you have health insurance, you’ll pay a monthly premium. In exchange, depending on your policy, you can typically get preventative care like annual physicals, cancer screenings, and vaccines without any additional cost. And, again, depending on your policy, you can go see doctors, typically at a fixed copay, or fee, for the visit. You may want to make sure that you go to doctors that are in your network to keep your costs down. (More on that below.)

What could your costs be? 

In addition to paying a monthly premium, many plans will have something called a deductible, which is the amount of money you’re responsible for in healthcare costs before your insurance provider takes on the remaining costs. For example, you might have a $2,000 deductible. As a hypothetical example, let’s say you need to get surgery that costs $20,000. You might have to pay up to that $2,000 before your insurer will cover the remaining cost. (But keep in mind that some things might be covered by your insurance whether you’ve met the deductible or not. This is typically true of something like annual physicals.)

Your plan might also require you to pay coinsurance, or a percentage of your healthcare costs, after you’ve hit your deductible. Typically plans have an out-of-pocket maximum for your coinsurance, which is the most you’ll pay for health coverage in a given year.

Your health insurance can also help you avoid paying the full ticket price for some prescription drugs, which can be very expensive upfront. Some prescription drugs are entirely covered by your insurance, so you may not have out-of-pocket costs for them.

Good to know: Some plans may offer only in-network coverage, which means you must use a pre-approved network of providers, otherwise your care may not be covered and you may have to pay the full cost for treatment. Some plans may also allow you to seek out-of-the network care in addition to in-network care, but at a higher cost to you.  

What’s an open enrollment period?

Health care insurance isn’t like car insurance, which you can purchase at any time.  You generally have to apply for it during something called an open enrollment period (OEP), which is the annual period of time during which you can sign up for major healthcare plan coverage. Remember though, you have to re-enroll for coverage every year, whether you want to make changes to your plan or not. 

If your employer offers you health insurance, you’ll probably hear from your human resources department. But if you’re unemployed, a contractor or freelancer, or your employer doesn’t offer you health insurance, you should be aware of the general deadlines for the Health Insurance Marketplace established by the Affordable Care Act, where anyone can get a plan.

Open enrollment for the 2021 Health Insurance Marketplace starts on November 1, 2020, and runs through December 15, 2020. (Some states may extend the deadline, though. You can learn more about deadlines here.)

What is a qualifying life event?

You can often adjust your coverage outside of the OEP if you experience a qualifying life event. Qualifying life events include life changes that can make you eligible for a special enrollment period outside of the OEP. 

Losing your health coverage, or experiencing a change in residence or household might qualify you for a special enrollment period. For example, if you turn 26 and are no longer on your parent’s insurance, or you get married, you may need to enroll outside of the OEP.

What to look for when signing up for health insurance

It’s important to know what to look for in a health insurance policy if you need to shop for a plan on your own. If you already have a doctor or doctors that you like, you may want to check if those doctors would be in-network or covered under certain plans. This is also true of any specialists you might visit. For example, if you go to therapy, you should check that your plan has mental health coverage. Additionally, if you take certain prescriptions, you should check if the plan covers those prescriptions, and how much of the cost it covers. 

When comparing different plans that meet your needs, you can also compare costs. Find out the monthly premium for each plan. Make sure there’s room in your budget for monthly costs. And know what you’re getting with each plan. For example, a lower premium might give you less coverage than you want, and cost you more in the end if you need care. 

Take a look at the deductibles and the coinsurance of the plans you’re considering. Remember, the deductible is the amount of money that you’ll be obligated to pay before your insurer starts paying, and coinsurance can also add another layer of cost. You’ll also want to see what your copays will be for in-network and out-of-network doctors. You may want to find a policy with extra coverage if you go to the doctors, or to specialists, often. If you have dependents who’ll also rely on your health coverage, make sure you find a plan that works for your entire family. 

Stash and Stride

Stash partners with Stride* to help you find health insurance coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Stride works with major health insurance providers, and can help you navigate the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Marketplace, providing you with competitively-priced options for health care coverage. If you work part-time for a company such as Uber or Etsy, your company might even work with Stride to make insurance more accessible. 

The deadline to enroll in health coverage is December 15th** and your coverage will start as soon as January 1, 2021. 

Get started with Stride and enroll today.

Get started with Stride

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Learn the Basics of Disability Insurance https://www.stash.com/learn/stash-learn-the-basics-of-disability-insurance/ Tue, 01 Sep 2020 15:32:56 +0000 https://www.stash.com/learn/?p=15709 Consider a long-term plan that can replace valuable income if you can’t work because of illness or injury.

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Life can hand us all kinds of unexpected challenges. Sometimes that can be an illness or injury that prevents us from working.

In fact, approximately 61 million people in the U.S. live with some form of disability, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control. What’s more, approximately one quarter of 20-year-olds can expect to be out of work at some point before they reach retirement age because of a disabling condition, such as a muscle or bone injury, cancer, mental illness, or even stroke. 

Missing work can especially be a problem because about 40% of U.S. consumers say they wouldn’t be able to come up with $400 in an emergency, according to the Council for Disability Awareness.

Fortunately there’s disability insurance, which can offer you income protection by replacing part of your paycheck if you are injured or become too sick to work. 

Your employer might offer either short-term or long-term disability insurance. And five states and Puerto Rico offer Temporary Disability Insurance programs for workers. So you check what coverage might already be available to you. But since the majority of private sector workers lack access to either short-term or long-term disability insurance, know that you don’t have to depend on your employer to get it. You can purchase disability insurance on your own, which can help protect your finances by replacing some of your income in the event of an illness or accident.

Disability insurance, the basics

Disability insurance can be for either short-term or long-term needs.

  • Short term disability insurance can replace a portion of your income for a period of weeks or months.
  • Long-term disability insurance can replace a portion of your income for a period of years, or even decades. 

Most commonly, disability insurance can cover approximately 50% to 60% of your income. But there is a wide range of coverage options depending on your policy, and some plans may pay up to 80% of your income, according to the Consumer Federation of America

Because it’s for a longer period of time, long term disability insurance will typically cover less of your income (usually between 40% and 60%), and monthly payouts are typically capped at a specific dollar amount, typically ranging from a few thousand dollars to as much as $25,000

Keep in mind that the more disability coverage you have, the higher your monthly premium for that coverage will likely be. 

Disability insurance, factors to consider

When you choose a disability insurance policy the insurer will conduct a process called underwriting, to assess the risk of insuring you. Among the things the insurer will consider:

  • The type of work you do. It can be more risky to do manual labor than it is to do an office job, and insurers may assign a risk score to the type of work you do.
  • Your gender. Women often pay more for disability insurance than men do since the cost of claims for women are usually higher. Men and women who are under the same group policy usually pay the same amount though.
  • Your age. Your policy is likely to cost more the older you are.
  • Your health. If you have underlying health conditions, underwriters will factor that into premium costs and coverage amounts.
  • Your income. Policy underwriting will take into account how much money you make to come up with a coverage amount.

Also, if you are unemployed and not currently earning an income, or are currently disabled, you will not be able to apply for disability insurance in most cases.

You can get disability insurance if you are self-employed

You don’t have to work a 9-to 5-office job in order to get disability insurance. And if you work for yourself, it may be even more important to get disability insurance to protect your income and your financial well being. Underwriting requirements vary, but in order to qualify you typically need to prove you have income from self-employment by showing tax forms.

Stash and Breeze

Stash’s partner Breeze offers long-term disability insurance coverage. Breeze doesn’t use commissioned sales agents so you don’t have to worry about someone pushing a policy on you that you might not need. And Breeze has policies that can fit all lifestyles and requirements. Also, its costs and fees are transparent, so you won’t be surprised by costs.

Breeze’s underwriting process is fast and 100% online. You can find out about coverage options and get a quote within minutes, and plans can cost as little as $9 a month.

You can find out more about long-term disability from Breeze here.

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The Stash Way: Stash’s Guide to Financial Wellness https://www.stash.com/learn/the-stash-way-stashs-guide-to-financial-wellness/ Mon, 31 Aug 2020 22:21:13 +0000 https://www.stash.com/learn/?p=15684 Learn about budgeting, saving, and investing

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The Stash Way is our guide to helping you achieve financial health, encompassing smarter budgeting and saving, a diversified approach to investing, as well as planning for the future with retirement accounts and insurance. 

It translates into six financial objectives:

✅ Spend less than you earn.

✅ Pay bills on time.

✅ Save cash for emergencies.

✅ Invest regularly.

✅ Diversify and think long-term.

✅ Insure your assets and yourself.

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The Stash Way: Consider Insurance for Your Long-term Financial Plan https://www.stash.com/learn/the-stash-way-consider-insurance-for-your-long-term-financial-plan/ Mon, 31 Aug 2020 21:41:26 +0000 https://www.stash.com/learn/?p=15678 You can protect yourself and your assets from unexpected events and financial shocks.

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Budgeting, saving, and investing are building blocks that can help you tackle the final goal of the Stash Way, which is about protecting yourself, your family, and your assets against sudden loss.

Having the right insurance can help you stay on track financially, and it can be crucial to making sure you, your loved ones, and your property are protected if the unexpected happens, such as death, an accident, an injury, or theft. 

Stash has partnered with providers that offer access to life insurance, renters and homeowners insurance, disability insurance, and auto insurance.

Life insurance 

Life insurance can help protect your loved ones against loss of income and other financial uncertainties in the event of your death. In fact, purchasing life insurance can be an essential part of a smart financial plan, which should also include regular saving and investing.

Here are four reasons why getting life insurance may be a good idea for you.

  1. It can help replace lost income. Your wages and salary can be essential to your family. Life insurance can help your spouse, partner, or children replace the income you contributed when you were alive. That can include day-to-day expenses, monthly bills, and other common financial obligations.
  1. It can help with burial costs. It may be unpleasant to think about, but the average funeral costs up to $10,000 today.Life insurance can help offset some of those costs.
  1. Paying for educational expenses. If you have children, you’ll want the best for them, especially after you’re gone. If your beneficiary puts your life insurance payout in a custodial account, or some other educational account, such as a 529, it can help fund their educational expenses. The money can also help your beneficiary cover the cost of your remaining student loans.
  1. Paying outstanding debts. You and your spouse or partner may have a mortgage or other debts, such as credit card or other loans you co-signed together. Life insurance could help your beneficiary with paying off the balance of those debts.

Renters and homeowners insurance 

If you’re a renter or a homeowner, insurance can help cover your home and your personal property (both inside and outside of your home) in the event of theft or other qualifying loss. Renters and homeowners insurance provides financial protection for your home and your belongings in case of certain incidents such as fire, windstorms, or vandalism. These policies can also protect you from liability claims, including medical bills, when someone tries to sue you for damage or injury on your property.

Disability Insurance

Disability insurance can give you paycheck protection by replacing part of your income if you are injured or become too sick to work. You can get short-term disability insurance, which can typically replace approximately 50% to 60% of your income for a period of weeks or months. Or you can get long-term disability insurance, which typically can cover slightly less of your income (usually between 40% and 60%) for a period of years, or even decades. 

Auto Insurance 

If you own a car, you most likely need car insurance. It is required in almost every state in the U.S. and can help cover medical costs, repairs, property damage, even the replacement cost of your car if you get into an accident, or your vehicle is stolen. If you plan on buying or leasing a car, you need auto insurance. 

Stash and insurance

You don’t grow wealth in a day, and you want to make sure you protect yourself and your assets as you grow your wealth. You can find out more about insurance from some of Stash’s insurance partners here

We’ve built a home for all your money needs in one app, uniting investing, spending, saving, and guidance under a single roof.1 Stash offers you access to the essential building blocks for achieving financial security. 

Remember, as you’re building the financial future you want, Stash wants to be with you every step of the way to help you achieve your goals. 

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The Stash Way: Stash’s Complete Framework to Help You Achieve Financial Wellness https://www.stash.com/learn/the-stash-way-stashs-complete-framework-to-help-you-achieve-financial-wellness/ Mon, 31 Aug 2020 20:36:15 +0000 https://www.stash.com/learn/?p=15661 Spend less than you earn, invest, and make a financial plan.

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Getting smart about money can feel like a big task, but Stash is here to help!

Life hands us daily challenges that require spending our hard-earned cash. Meanwhile, the financial world is filled with so many confusing terms and concepts. And today, more than ever, there’s a lot of uncertainty about the future. Nearly 140 million people in the U.S. struggle with at least some of the financial basics, meaning they may not have access to the education, resources, and planning tools that can make them financially healthy.

That’s why we’ve created something called the Stash Way. It’s our guide to helping you achieve financial wellness, encompassing smarter budgeting and saving, a diversified approach to investing, as well as planning for the future with retirement accounts and insurance. 

It translates into six financial objectives :  

✅ Spend less than you earn.

✅ Pay bills on time.

✅ Save cash for emergencies.

✅ Invest regularly.

✅ Diversify and think long-term.

✅ Insure your assets and yourself.

Each step of the Stash Way is designed to help you manage some of the biggest pain points that consumers face when it comes to their finances, based on research from the Financial Health Network (FHN). FHN, a not-for-profit association of more than 160 financial services, policy, and consumer advocacy organizations, including Stash, is dedicated to helping ordinary and underserved people build a strong financial foundation and achieve financial wellness.

We’ll do a deeper dive into each topic in other articles, but briefly here’s a bit more about each component of the Stash Way: 

Spend less than you earn

At Stash, we believe the first step to taking control of your finances is having a clear picture of how much money you have coming in as income, and what you have going out as expenses each month. A budget can help you make sure you’re not spending more than you earn. There are numerous types of budget you can try, or you can feel free to create your own. 

And you need to get a handle on what you spend, because probably the most important financial goal for everyone when they start planning their financial lives is saving. 

Pay your bills on time

Paying your bills on time goes hand-in-hand with building a budget. Make sure you include your bills as part of your monthly essential expenses so that you’ll pay them on time each month and not get behind on payments.

Staying on top of your bills can insure that you maintain a good credit score, which measures how well you manage your debt. 

Save for the unexpected

You’ve probably heard the expression, “pay yourself first.” That simply means saving a portion of your income as you receive it. For most of us, that’s through weekly or bi-weekly paychecks. For many others, for example those who work in the gig economy, pay may be more sporadic, but you can still think about taking a portion of each paycheck and devoting it to savings. 

Saving for the unexpected requires different saving strategies and different plans for your money. At Stash we encourage users to create two different kinds of funds. One is called your rainy day fund, and it can be used for short-term unexpected things as they arise. The other is your emergency fund, and it’s for bigger unexpected expenses, such as loss of a job, large medical expenses, or something else of that nature.

Invest regularly, diversify, and invest for the long-term

If you can, start to invest in the stock market. Investing for the long term can help you take advantage of something called compounding, which is an echo effect that saving and investment earnings can both have. And regular investing can help you get a better price experience when purchasing securities such as stocks and bonds. 

Diversification means you’re not putting all of your eggs in one basket, so you can better weather the stock market’s ups and downs. That means you won’t put all of your money in too few stocks, bonds, or funds.

When thinking about long-term investing, it’s also important to consider retirement planning, which can include putting money into accounts such as a Roth or traditional IRA.

Insure your yourself and your assets

Budgeting, saving, and investing are building blocks that let you tackle the final goal of the Stash Way, which is insuring yourself and your family. 

Having the right insurance can help you stay on track financially, and it can be crucial to making sure you, your loved ones, and your property are protected from the impact of unexpected events like death, an accident, or an injury.

Investing made easy.

Start today with any dollar amount.
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Get $5 for every friend you refer to Stash.
Refer friends

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It’s Parent’s Day! Consider Getting Life Insurance If You’re a Parent. https://www.stash.com/learn/its-parents-day-consider-getting-life-insurance-if-youre-a-parent/ Thu, 23 Jul 2020 14:14:00 +0000 https://www.stash.com/learn/?p=15417 Life insurance can help protect your spouse and children.

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Parents’ Day falls on July 26, 2020. You might think of celebrating by giving your family the gift of life insurance this Parents’ Day.

Life insurance may be important for everyone, but it can be especially important for people with families who depend on them. No one wants to think about what their spouse or kids would do without them, but it’s something every parent should keep in mind. 

This Parents’ Day, reflect on what your loved ones may need should something happen to you. Life insurance can be one way to secure your family’s future. 

What is life insurance?

Life insurance is a type of insurance that can pay out when you die, providing your dependents with resources they may need1. It can be especially important for parents who are the primary earners in the family to have life insurance. 

There are two major types of life insurance: term and whole life insurance. Term life insurance is a life insurance policy that offers a specific time period of protection, or for a set “term”. Most commonly, you can purchase policies that last for 5, 10, 20, or 30 years. If you pass away during the term, your beneficiaries can receive a payout from your insurance policy.1 

Whole life insurance, on the other hand, can provide a cash payout to your beneficiaries regardless of when you die.1 Whole life policy monthly premiums are typically more expensive than those of term life policies.

Why parents should consider life insurance

If you’re on the fence about whether or not you need life insurance, think of all the ways in which your kids could need insurance if something happened to you or your spouse. Life insurance isn’t just for covering funeral expenses. 

A loss of income(s). Think about how your family would manage should they lose you or your spouse. Having insurance can make it possible for your family to maintain their standard of living—from getting groceries to paying off a mortgage—should they lose you and your income. 

Healthcare and emergency expenses. Consider how your family will cover unexpected expenses and emergencies without you. Emergencies happen. And while you might have money set aside for those instances in a rainy day fund, insurance can add extra financial protection for your family. A payout from life insurance can be a safety net for your family after you’re gone, for instance if your child breaks a bone or your home needs a sudden repair.

Childcare and education. You want the best for your children and their future. The average cost of childcare in the U.S. is $11,666 per year. Plus, the cost of a college education has increased by more than 25% in the last decade and as of 2019, 43 million Americans owed federal student loan debt, amounting to a total debt of $1.5 trillion.

If you get life insurance, you can help make sure that your child will get the education they deserve affordably. 

How parents can get life insurance with Bestow2

If you don’t have life insurance yet, you might be wondering how quickly you can fix that. With Bestow, you can sign up for term life insurance easily. Bestow has partnered with two of the biggest life insurance companies so that you can get a policy from a trustworthy source. 

This Parents’ Day, you can get a quote from Bestow, and help stabilize your family’s financial future.

Protect your people in minutes.

Learn more from our partner Bestow*.
Get a quote

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How Buying Life Insurance When Young Can Help You Plan Your Future https://www.stash.com/learn/buying-life-insurance-when-young-plan-your-future/ Wed, 26 Feb 2020 16:18:00 +0000 https://learn.stashinvest.com/?p=10437 The earlier you purchase a policy, the cheaper it’s likely to be.

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A wise man once said, two things in life are certain—death and taxes. And while there’s not much you can do about taxes, there is something you can do about death: Consider buying life insurance.

Life insurance can help protect your loved ones against loss of income and other financial uncertainties in the event of your death. In fact, purchasing life insurance can be an essential part of a smart financial plan, according to some experts, which should also include regular saving and investing.

And purchasing life insurance while you’re young can have particular cost benefits.

Here are five reasons why looking into life insurance is likely to be a good idea.

1. Your premiums can be lower.

The younger you are when you purchase life insurance, the lower your monthly premiums are likely to be. When considering term life insurance, your monthly premium is a fixed amount that stays the same for the term of the policy.

2. It can help replace lost income.

Your wages and salary are essential to your family. Life insurance can help your spouse, partner, or children replace the income you contributed when you were alive. That can include day-to-day expenses, monthly bills, and other common financial obligations.

3. It can help with burial costs.

It may be unpleasant to think about, but the average funeral costs up to $10,000 today. Life insurance can help offset some of those costs.

4. Paying for educational expenses.

If you have children, you’ll want the best for them, especially after you’re gone. A life insurance policy can help fund their educational expenses, whether that’s in a custodial account, or some other educational account, such as a 529. The money can also cover the cost of your remaining student loans, which can be really helpful if you had a cosigner.

5. Paying outstanding debts.

You and your spouse or partner may have a mortgage or other debts, such as credit card or other loans you co-signed together. Life insurance could help with those loans.

Planning your financial future is always a challenge, and the future is filled with unknowns. Life insurance could help your family manage their expenses without you. And the sooner you consider a policy, the cheaper it’s likely to be.

Ready to get covered? Click here to learn more from our partner Bestow

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Life Insurance: A New Year’s Goal Worth Having https://www.stash.com/learn/bestow-january/ Fri, 17 Jan 2020 22:55:04 +0000 https://learn.stashinvest.com/?p=14212 A Bestow policy can be a quick, affordable way to protect your loved ones

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Did you know that most people break their New Year’s resolutions by the third week in January?

Regardless of the progress you’ve made (or haven’t made—we’re not judging!) on the goals you set for the new year, we think there’s one more goal to consider adding to your list: getting life insurance. It’s easy, affordable, and could be an important part of your financial plan.

Term life insurance can help protect your family from financial loss and can supplement lost income, as well as provide funding for education and everyday living expenses in the event you’re no longer around to provide for your loved ones.

Here’s why you should consider buying life insurance this year:

1. If you have debt

If you have a cosigner on your loans, whether it’s student or personal loans, they could be liable to pay off the outstanding balance.

2. If you’re buying a home (or you currently own one)

Don’t forget your home! If you have a mortgage, a life insurance policy can help pay off the remaining amount you owe so your family can continue living in their home.

3. If you’re making a major life change

Did you recently get engaged? Are you planning on getting married? Starting a family? Regardless of your family situation, if your loved ones depend on your income, your loss could cause financial hardship.

If you are a one-income family, your family would lose its income without the primary breadwinner. Even in a two-income family, the loss of one income source can make it difficult to maintain your current standard of living.

4. If you’re hitting a milestone birthday

The younger (and healthier) you are, the more affordable it can be to buy insurance.

In life insurance underwriting (the process that determines whether you’re eligible for coverage and at what cost), your age is a major factor. Generally speaking, the younger and healthier you are, the less you’ll pay for life insurance premiums.

Consider getting insurance now, so you can lock in better monthly pricing on a life insurance policy that lasts ten to twenty years and save money on the cost of your monthly premium.

Bestow*, our life insurance partner, makes it easy to apply for coverage in minutes. That way you can check this item off your list for this year, the next, and the years after that.

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5 Ways to Reduce Your Medical Costs https://www.stash.com/learn/reduce-medical-costs/ Mon, 13 Jan 2020 14:00:44 +0000 https://learn.stashinvest.com/?p=14162 Check out these tips for cutting health care expenses

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The medical bills come fast and furious in my house—$538 for the monthly insurance premium, $390 for an MRI to diagnose a running injury to my knee, $150 for a recent trip to urgent care.

My 6-year-old son and I both have pre-existing conditions, including asthma. The steroid inhaler my son needs to use every day has a $250 co-pay until our deductible is paid. That $150 urgent care visit last month found I was in the earliest stages of pneumonia. We don’t have a choice to forgo medical care due to cost, because it could literally cost us our lives.

In 2016, I filed my taxes and claimed an affordable-for-me $6,790 in medical expenses with insurance through the Affordable Healthcare Act (AHA). In 2018, I filed taxes in a state of near panic, claiming a whopping $24,365 in medical expenses through the AHA—same insurance company with no major illnesses, surgeries or hospitalizations that year. It’s an increase of nearly 259 percent.

And I’m not alone. In 2018, Americans spend a collective $3.6 trillion on healthcare or about $11,172 per person. About 20 percent of  working-age, insured Americans reported having a hard time paying their medical bills to the point it caused serious financial challenges, according to a 2016 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the New York Times. (The survey is Kaiser’s most recent on the subject.) Challenges include being able to pay for food, clothing, and basic household items, or being forced to work additional hours or take on additional jobs. For the uninsured, that number spikes to 53 percent.

“The biggest barrier is that things cost too much,” says Caitlin Donovan, a medical billing expert and spokesperson for the National Patient Advocate Foundation, a non-profit that advocates for affordable, quality healthcare for people with chronic, debilitating or life-threatening illnesses.

“What’s hard about health care is that it’s unpredictable,” she says. “Nobody is saying I’m going to get cancer next year so I’m going to make sure my preferred oncologist is in network.”

But there are several things you can do to avoid or reduce massive medical bills, and potentially save yourself hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars without sacrificing necessary medical care.

Here are five things Donovan recommends:

1. Carefully consider your health insurance options

Whether you are insured through an employer or the AHA, carefully compare your options to make sure you aren’t consigning yourself to a year’s worth of financial headaches.

The cost of your premium, or the amount you pay each month for your insurance, should be weighed against the plan’s deductible, or the amount you pay out of pocket before the insurance company pays. So a low monthly premium with a high deductible could cost you more in the long run.

If you have pre-existing conditions, do your homework before signing up with a plan to ensure that your doctors and specialists are in that plan’s network, which will save you money, and that the plan’s prescription drug benefits cover the medications you take regularly.

Most major insurance companies have a website that lets you look up whether a certain doctor is in network, but Donovan recommends calling the provider directly to double check, especially if it’s a specialist you see throughout the year.

2. Stay in network for medical care whenever possible

All health insurance plans, including Medicaid, have a network of providers and facilities included in their coverage. If you see a doctor in that network, they bill the insurance company and you are left paying a smaller amount, such as a co-pay. But if you are treated by a doctor not in your network, you could be on the hook for the full cost, including the doctor’s office visit fee and any tests or medications you received.

That includes hospitals and the providers that work there.

Even if the hospital is in your network, their providers might not be, meaning your insurance coverage may not extend to the bills charged by the doctors who treat you, which could include out-of-network physicians, anesthesiologists or surgeons. It’s a practice called “balance billing” or “surprise billing”and it costs Americans thousands of dollars.

You can try to avoid using out-of-network providers in a hospital setting by making it clear to every doctor and nurse that you see that you only want to be treated by an in-network provider.

Some patients, Donovan says, even resort to putting up a homemade sign outside their emergency room area or hospital room saying “Do not enter this room unless you are in network.”

While it’s not a guarantee, Donovan says, “it’s been effective for some people I’ve talked to.”

3. Watch your medical bills closely for errors

Donovan kept close track of her medical expenses during her third pregnancy.

“One of the things I stumbled across was figuring out how much mistakes would have cost if I hadn’t have caught them,” she says. “It was over $500.”

For example, after the birth of her son three months ago, Donovan says she was charged $250 by one provider. She paid the bill, but upon closer examination realized that provider, who was in her insurance network, never even tried to bill the insurance company. She shouldn’t have been charged at all and it took her eight months to correct the error and get a refund.

“I’m a medical billing expert and I still made this mistake,” she says, adding that she caught another bill that didn’t line up with the explanation of benefits, which would have added $100 more in overcharges.

“If you’re not paying attention to it…you’re going to end up paying more money,” she says. “I’ve never seen a mistake work out in favor of the patient.”

4. Negotiate everything

While you can never be sure if the person on the other end of the phone will have a sympathetic ear, it is worth calling your healthcare provider if you get an unexpected or larger-than-expected bill. First, make sure your insurance has paid for everything they are responsible for, Donovan says, then check the Healthcare Bluebook, an online medical care guidebook that lists reasonable rates for a multitude of medical services.

“Then start working directly with your [healthcare] provider. They have an incentive to work with you because they need to get paid,” she says. “No one is crazy enough to think someone could get a $30,000 bill and pay it in full within 10 days in cash.”

Things to ask for include:

  • If they will take the reduced rate paid by Medicare or Medicaid
  • If they will take the rate quoted by the Healthcare Bluebook
  • If they will give you a cash discount
  • If they will set up a payment plan to spread out payments

Also talk to your healthcare providers about your financial situation and any concerns you have about medical bills, even if it makes you feel uncomfortable.

“It’s hard to talk about healthcare, it’s hard to talk about you finances, but you should do it with you provider because they can help you,” Donovan says. That help can include giving you samples of expensive medications or altering your treatment plans with a lower cost option that still gives you the treatment you need.

5. Don’t pay the collections agencies right away

“When you’re dealing with collections the first thing to do is to not pay the bill,” Donovan says. “If you pay a bill to collections, if something is in collections, that means you are claiming it and owning as yours.”

This may sound counterintuitive, but it can buy you time and save you money to avoid paying a bill even after it goes to collections. You may still have to pay your bill in the end, but there are some things you can do to avoid paying a large lump sum.

First, know that the three major credit bureaus have agreed to give consumers 180 days to resolve medical debt before it goes on your credit report. That doesn’t stop your bill from going to collections, but gives you time to resolve it, or at least delay it, before your credit takes a hit.

You can  validate the bill by telling the collection agency the collection agency you want to dispute the debt. They then have 30 days to mail you documents verifying your medical bill and what the bill is for. If they can’t or won’t do that, they have to stop trying to collect.

You can also try to negotiate payments with the collections agency by asking if they will set up a smaller payment plan or even reduced payment plans.”

Donovan has some additional tips for people looking to lower or avoid paying large medical bills:

Understand medical billing jargon, including co-insurance, deductible and copay, so you are clear on what you are billed and what you are responsible. Check out the HealthCare.gov glossary for more information on these topics.

Shop around for prescription drugs. Work directly with the drug manufacturer or pharmacy for a discount or consult GoodRx.com to see which pharmacy in your area sells your prescriptions for the lowest cost.

Use a primary care physician as your first line of defense. Donovan says there is a trend for patients to skip the primary care provider and head straight to a specialist, but the latter may charge hundreds of dollars more for care your PCP could also give.

Avoid potentially unnecessary testing. Ask your provider if it’s really necessary for X-rays, bloodwork, ultrasounds, or other testing. These services might not be medically necessary and can add significantly to your bill.

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Get $5 for every friend you refer to Stash.
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Get $5 for every friend you refer to Stash.
Refer friends

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Easy Money Moves to Make https://www.stash.com/learn/easy-money-moves-to-make/ Fri, 20 Sep 2019 20:24:43 +0000 https://learn.stashinvest.com/?p=13613 We’ve rounded up a few partners that can help you save and can make sure you’re covered, no matter what comes your way this year.

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Fall has officially begun 🍂. And with the changing season and the start of school, it can feel like September is the start of a new year. With that in mind, it’s time to look over your finances and see if you can make some smarter money moves.

We’ve rounded up a few partners that can help you save and can make sure you’re covered, no matter what comes your way this year.

Protect your loved ones

We get it. Buying life insurance seems like a really big decision, but term life insurance policies are cheaper and easier to qualify for than you think. Check out Bestow.

Life insurance can provide a financial safety net for your partner and children in case anything happens to you, giving them income to meet expenses.

For example, life insurance can help your family pay the bills, deal with outstanding student loans, medical debt, or other everyday expenses. Getting life insurance could be one of the most important financial decisions you make for your family and the ones you love.

Don’t have kids or a spouse? If you have a cosigner on your loans they could be stuck paying off your unpaid debt.

Protect your home and your belongings

Renters insurance allows you to rest easy, knowing your stuff is covered and giving you financial protection in the case of unexpected events. Check out Lemonade for quick and affordable policies.

Renters insurance is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect your belongings. In addition to fire and theft, most policies also cover damage from vandalism, windstorms, lightning, and certain types of water damage.

Here’s something else you may not know: your renter’s policy can also help protect you outside the home. Did your bike get stolen? Renters insurance can cover that. Phone was snatched at the coffee shop? Renters insurance can cover that. Did someone injure themselves on your property? Renters insurance can cover that.

Protect your car

Car insurance is something you have to have if you own a car, but did you know that switching your policy provider could help you save money?

These days, some companies, like Root, are using mobile technology to help you save even more than you would with a traditional insurance company. See how much you could save with Root.

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5 Responsible Money Moves You Can Make in Less Than 1 Day https://www.stash.com/learn/responsible-money-moves/ Thu, 14 Feb 2019 15:00:07 +0000 https://learn.stashinvest.com/?p=10048 Can you get your financial life in order in under 24 hours? Yes, yes, you can.

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Can you get your financial life in order in under 24 hours? Yes, yes, you can.

This handy checklist can help you achieve short and long-term money goals, help protect your loved ones from the unexpected, and start the next generation off on the right path to financial success.

Consider making these money moves now.

Make saving and investing automatic

Whether you want to save for a rainy day or for a longer term goal (like a down payment on a home), automatic beats manual. By automating money from your checking account toward your goals, you’ll take the pain out of saving and get into the habit of putting money away.

Turn on “Set Schedule” from the Auto-Stash tile and save automatically.

Take care of the ones you love

Don’t stay up nights worrying about what could happen to your family if something should happen to you. A term life insurance policy, which covers you for a set period of time, is generally more affordable than a permanent life insurance policy, which covers you for your entire life. A bonus: The younger you are when you get a life insurance policy, the more affordable it is likely to be.

Start saving for retirement

Did you know that one in three Americans has less than $5,000 put aside for retirement? You can break away from the trend by opening an IRA today. And best of all, your money will grow tax-efficiently until you’re 59 1⁄2.

Got a 401K through your work? You can open a Roth or traditional IRA in addition to your workplace retirement account. All you need is $5 to start. The best time to start saving for retirement is today.

Want to learn more about what you expect to have saved by retirement? Check out our retirement calculator, then get Stash Retire.

Help your favorite kid

Wouldn’t it have been nice if someone had handed you money when you were first starting out?
Now you can do it for a child you love.

A custodial account lets you open an investment account that you can contribute to (while teaching your child about how compounding works along the way). Best of all, when the child grows up, he or she can use the money for just about anything.

Open a custodial account on Stash.

Congratulations! Take a victory lap, you deserve it.

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Start today with as little as $5
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Want to Have a Happy New Year? Do These 10 Things https://www.stash.com/learn/end-of-year-financial-check-list-2018/ Thu, 27 Dec 2018 15:00:04 +0000 https://learn.stashinvest.com/?p=12166 Whether it’s using your FSA or contributing to a retirement account, get your financial house in order before the 2019 calendar begins.

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As 2018 winds down, it’s easy to get lost in the fun, the parties, and the celebrations. It’s also a great time to consider getting your financial house in order before the start of the new year.

Here’s a checklist of ten things to consider doing before you ring in the new year.

1. Automate your savings

Automatic beats manual every time.

You can use the Set-Schedule feature as part of the upcoming new and improved Recurring Transactions tools to make it easier to put your savings and your investing goals on autopilot. Just program how much money you want to put aside toward your investments and how often (say $20 toward your preferred investment mix every week). No need to remember to do it. It’s a great way to build great habits, week in and week out.

2. Set financial goals for 2019 calendar year

Create a budget and stick to it. Aim to set aside money from each paycheck to build an emergency fund, which should have three to six months of expenses in an account you can access easily.

Then, think about your longer-term goals. Are you thinking of buying a house or a new car? Just “saving money for the future” can be sort of vague (and not that inspiring). Be more concrete about what you’re saving or investing for and you’ll be more excited to get there.

3. Get inspired to save for retirement

Whether you have a 401(k) or a Stash Retire account, think about how you can start to contribute as much as you can.

An IRA or 401(k) can help lower your tax bill as you save for retirement. You can put away $6,000 in IRA and Roth IRA each year. (In 2019, the maximum contribution increases to $6,000.) A 401(k) will let you contribute $18,500 annually, and $24,500 once you hit 50.

Can you try to hit the maximum contribution in 2019? It’s definitely worth trying.

4. Review your insurance policies

Whether you rent an apartment or own a home, you’ll want to get covered. It can protect you against theft and many of other catastrophes, potentially saving you both time and agony. And if you’re a homeowner, your home or apartment may have increased in value, thanks to climbing property values, your renovations, or other updates. You may need to insure for a higher value.

Same goes for your term-life insurance policies. If you’ve had a child or grandchild, or are caring for an elderly or ill parent, you may need a higher value policy. Don’t have life insurance? Now’s the time to figure out if you need it–before you need it.

5. Check your credit report

Don’t just swipe and pray. Find out what’s in your credit report. It contains all of the information about your loans and credit accounts, in addition to personal information about you, including your name, address, Social Security number, and employment information.

Each of the three credit reporting bureaus—Experian, Transunion, and Equifax—collect this information and provides it to lenders when they perform a credit check on you. They also use it to compile your credit score.

Start 2019 on a good note. You are entitled to a free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus every year. Many other sites also offer you insights about your credit, without dinging your credit score.

6. Contribute to a custodial account

Got a kid in your life that deserves a head start? A custodial account is just like an investment account, except it’s for your kids or any child for that matter. Stash lets you create a portfolio in a custodial account using any combination of the individual stocks or funds on the Stash platform.

There’s no limit to how much a custodian can put into an account each year, and no maximum lifetime limit. Opening one is easy, just start here.

7. Make the most of your Flexible Spending Accounts

You may have a Flexible Spending Account or FSA through your workplace. Your FSA lets you put money away on a pre-tax basis, which can lower your tax bill while giving you access to funds to pay for many of your medical charges.

An FSA is primarily a use-it-or-lose-it account. That means you don’t get to keep any unused money you’ve put away for the year.

8. Schedule year-end health care appointments

There’s nothing more important than staying healthy. Next year is a fresh year, and most health plans will reset the clock on your annual deductible, which can mean you’ll pay hundreds or thousands of dollars before your health charges are fully reimbursed (minus your copays.) Consider scheduling medical appointments before 2019 starts.

9. Give to charity

Your gifts to charity can be tax-deductible, and there are hundreds of worthy charities out there, from disaster relief to helping fight childhood hunger. Also, your donations don’t have to be cash. Some charities will allow you to donate used clothing and furniture, among other common household items.

10. Get Stash

Stash makes it easy to get started investing and saving for all the things you want to do in life. You can start with just $5.

Investing, simplified

Start today with as little as $5
Get the App

The post Want to Have a Happy New Year? Do These 10 Things appeared first on Stash Learn.

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