Recent content by prubin

I think that folks seeking quiet in 55+ communities may be disappointed when some of the early metal heads turn 55.

Florida allows Medicaid recipients to keep to keep their home -- they are 70%ers. I suspect the article refers to folks with limited savings, IRA and 401k money with some home equity. Small denominator, high percentage.

As a former Californian I wonder if you mean % of assets rather than % of net worth. Most of my neighbors had a huge mortgage liability on their personal balance sheet and little net worth.

We sold our home in San Francisco and moved to Asheville, NC. This flipped us from our home equity being in excess of 50% of net worth to less than 20%. We viewed it as an asset diversification decision. We have to live somewhere and decided that we were no longer willing to pay the premium to...

IMHO you are putting the cart in front of the horse. Do you want to live in a 55+ community? This is the primary consideration. If the answer is yes the next step is determining location. Then make an informed purchase. Full disclosure: My answer to the first question is a resounding NO!

Scott Admams worked for Pacfic Bell for many years. After he left PacBell he spoke at internal meeting at the company I was working for. He said each time he was reorged and worked for a new boss he confirmed that he was the Scott Adams he authored Dilbert. He would ask the manager if that mad...

When my last employer's stock price was regularly splitting 2:1 and the price rising to pre-split level many co-workers griped that they couldn't put 401k money in company. The CEO was adamantly against it. When the stock tumbled from 60 to less than 3 folks were grateful. Of course many got...

Oops I do mean maxillofacial. I agree recommendations from general dentist is a good starting point. In my wife's situation her periodontist does not do implant work and he recommended someone. This dentist did the extractions and then decided that a combination of implants and a removable...

My wife had 5 teeth requiring replacement due to periodontal disease. She also had bone loss in her jaw. She was advised that dentures provide 20-25% of functionality of 'real' teeth vs. in excess of 80% for implants. She opted for implants and 10 years later she is please with her 'bionic'...

I collected twice. I recall that I collected $75/week in 1972 after my discharge from the Air Force. It was a kick going to the California EDD in Santa Monica. Lots of actors between gigs driving up in luxury cars. The 2nd time was 1991 and I collected approx $250/week and actually increased my...

IMHO the doctors and insurance companies have set the bar so low that we are thrilled with the pursuit of mediocrity. When I left California I had to give up my Kaiser coverage and I miss it. The medical care and the patient experience were excellent. No trickling of statements from doctors and...

Thanks to REW and Rich for your speedy replies. Paul

When I start Medicare next February I will have had 4 health insurance providers in 9 months: Kaiser (COBRA coverage) United Healthcare (also COBRA), because we moved out Kaiser's coverage area Golden Rule, end of COBRA -- I actually had to terminate 21 days early because I could not obtain...

We just signed up with Golden Rule. If you are familiar with the mechanics of GR claim processing perhaps you can help me. I am assuming that I ask the service provider to submit a claim even if we have not satisfied our deductible and this how to track charges. The same for filling...

In what state do you live? I just moved from CA (community property state) to NC and the titling instructions differ. I would consult with an attorney. If you were implying that you did and s/he could not answer the question to your satisfaction find another attorney.