Category: Wisdom

How to Avoid High Healthcare Costs While Traveling

May 25, 2023
Health Insurance, Travel, Wisdom

It’s summertime, which means we’re seeing “out of office” messages galore and an influx of requests from family and friends to “water the plants” or “feed the cat” while they’re traveling and vacationing. Whether you’re taking a well-deserved vacation or visiting family, there are some important pieces of advice we’d like to share. Although it’s not a thrilling topic and certainly not at the top of things anyone thinks about when vacationing, it is important to know the answers to questions like:

“How does my healthcare coverage work if I’m out of state? Or out of the country?”
“I’m not familiar with the area, how do I find a pediatrician for my toddler’s earache?”
“I forgot to pack my prescription medication, how do I get a refill if I’m not anywhere near my pharmacy? Or if I’m not technically due for a refill?”

If you’re not prepared for the healthcare issues that could arise during your vacation, you may find yourself paying an expensive medical bill and dealing with a lot more stress than needed. So, bookmark this blog for when you might need it, and let’s dive in.

Proactive steps to take before your vacation to avoid unnecessary medical costs.

It’s always better to be proactive than reactive. You can’t prepare for every single possible medical situation that may or may not arise before traveling, but there are a few simple and common things you can do before your trip to avoid unnecessary medical costs.

Medications

This is a big one! In the midst of packing, it can be easy to forget medications. Try creating a list of all the medications and/or medical equipment you need to pack so you’re less likely to forget. If you do forget to bring an over-the-counter medication, that’s a pretty easy fix. Just go to the nearest store that sells the medication you need. Forgetting a prescription medication isn’t quite as simple. A proactive step you can take is to request a vacation override or travel supply for your prescription. It’s best to request a vacation override on a prescription at least two weeks before your trip. This is a form you can fill out at your pharmacy that allows you to have a prescription filled early or for more than a 30 or 90-day supply. Exact rules and coverage vary depending on your insurer, pharmacy, and state.

Research

Another way to avoid unnecessary medical costs if you need healthcare while traveling is to research if your pharmacy has locations in the area you’re traveling to. It can also be helpful to do a quick search on your health insurer’s website or member platform to see in-network providers, pharmacies, and clinics that exist in your travel destination. You can also check what your health insurer’s policies are on covering healthcare expenses incurred outside of your home state.

Travel medical insurance

If you’re someone who travels outside of the U.S. for extended periods of time or frequently throughout the year, it might make sense to look into travel medical insurance. This is because many health insurers, like Medicare, do not cover medical expenses that you incur outside of the U.S. Make sure to discuss this with your insurer, financial advisor, and travel agent. If you don’t travel often or for long periods of time, you may decide paying for this additional insurance isn’t worth the money. It will depend on your unique situation.

Where to go depending on your medical situation.

Let’s say you’re at a beach with your family and one of your kids goes sideways under the water. They get a painful earache, and you can’t seem to fix it on your own. They need medical attention, and since you’re not at home, you might feel tempted to rush them to the nearest hospital. Or, maybe you and your spouse are on a hiking trip and you fall. Your ankle hurts pretty bad, but you’re not sure if it’s a sprain or something more serious. Again, you might be tempted to go to the nearest hospital. However, a surefire way to get an expensive medical bill is to go to the E.R. Even if you’re medical situation isn’t an emergency and you only receive minor medical care, the hospital may charge you a high amount for simply being in the E.R.

Generally, taking yourself or someone else to the E.R. is necessary if one or more of the following is present:

Uncontrolled bleeding
Chest pain
Acute respiratory distress
Medication overdose
Large, open wounds
Severe head injury
Loss of normal function (e.g. inability to move an arm, unable to speak)

This is not an exhaustive list of E.R. scenarios, but it gives you an idea of what is an emergency and what isn’t. And of course, if someone’s life is in danger, call 911.

The two examples we gave earlier, an earache and a potentially sprained ankle, are situations where it would be more appropriate to receive care at an urgent care clinic or a walk-in clinic. These facilities are generally much more affordable than E.R.s and large hospital systems. The following are some medical situations that urgent care clinics can take care of:

‍Common illnesses (e.g. colds, the flu, earaches, sore throats, migraines, and low-grade fevers)

Rashes
Minor injuries (e.g., sprains, back pain)
Minor cuts and burns
Minor broken bones
Minor eye injuries

‍Knowing where to go for different types of medical care can mean the difference between a $75 co-pay and a $3,000 medical bill.

‍A quick recap before you jet off to your next destination!

Before you take some much-needed R&R this summer, bookmark this blog so you can access it quickly in case you need it for yourself or someone you’re traveling with. The hope, of course, is that you’ll be perfectly safe and healthy while vacationing and won’t need these tips, but having this information on hand can give you some peace of mind during a potentially stressful event and may save you money in the long run.

‍If you’d like to further discuss this article, please reach out to an advisor at CapSouth Wealth Management at 800.929.1001. To learn more about CapSouth and how we can serve you, visit our website at https://capsouthwm.com/what-we-do/

Happy travels!

CapSouth Partners, Inc, dba CapSouth Wealth Management, is an independent registered Investment Advisory firm. Information provided by sources deemed to be reliable. CapSouth does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information. CapSouth does not offer tax, accounting or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisors for all issues that may have tax or legal consequences. This information has been prepared solely for informational purposes, is general in nature and is not intended as specific advice. This article contains external links to third party content (content hosted on sites unaffiliated with CapSouth Partners). CapSouth makes no representations whatsoever regarding any third party content/sites that may be accessible directly or indirectly from this article. Linking to these third party sites in no way implies an endorsement or affiliation of any kind between CapSouth and any third party, including legal authorization to use any trademark, trade name, logo, or copyrighted materials belonging to either entity.

Big Hat and No Cattle – 5 Financial Lessons from Cowboys

August 11, 2022
Finances, Financial Lessons, Financial Planning, Wisdom

Those that know me, know that I love horses…I might have always been a bit obsessed with them. Life in western times seems idyllic to me in many ways. There were hard times, but there are financial lessons we can learn from the ponderosa. Here are five financial lessons:

Don’t be afraid to fall

Few things in life are accomplished without taking some risk. If we sit back and coast easy through life, we will miss those moments of thrill with achievement. “Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” – John Wayne

In investing, I believe this risk should be considered within the context of a solid financial plan. I often refer to the terms “risk capacity” and “risk appetite”.

Risk capacity refers to the range between the minimum amount of risk you must take to have a reasonable chance of meeting your goals and objectives, and the maximum amount of risk you should take to still have that reasonable likelihood of success. Some clients would love to take all of their money and stuff it under their mattress, and others would love to take it all to the casino and bet on black; neither of those is likely a good option, nor is either of those likely to help them accomplish their goals.

Within that range of risk capacity falls a client’s risk appetite. Once the financial plan has been established, it should be stress tested at varying risk levels to evaluate the risk/reward trade-off of varying allocations. How much potential growth are we giving up if we maintain a lower equity allocation? How much sleep are we going to lose if we go after that extra return? There is a place on that spectrum for each individual, and it is part of the advisor’s job to help guide you to finding yours.

Get back on the horse

Unfortunately in life, things do not always go as we plan. We set off in the morning with hopeful expectations of the ride ahead of us…the glow of the sunrise, the breeze in the air, the sounds of the birds. However, as we gallop around the next corner of the trail, we (and our horse) might’ve forgotten about that rain shower from yesterday…and the resulting water puddle showing our reflection back to us. Your noble steed balks…does he run through it, jump it, go around it? As he fast approaches the puddle, he decides to jump around it in a quick maneuver fashion that you were not prepared for…and off you go into the mud. Yes, I’m writing that one from experience. My horse, Apache, actually loves water and would’ve done just fine. However, that day I decided to ride a different horse with a bit more “spunk”. I can say, though, that I did get back on.

In our financial lives, some endeavors will not play out in the manner we intended. That business venture, that career position, or even that stock purchase – not every idea is a winner. However, the important thing is to dust off your boots, learn from your mistakes, and go again…in maybe a more prudent fashion the next time.

Don’t squat with spurs on

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy. We know our vices and weaknesses, and yet we put ourselves in the same positions. It could be as simple as going to the grocery store while hungry and ending up with loads of junk food and nothing of substance. Or maybe we think we will just go test drive that new truck to see the new features, but not buy one. Or maybe we have had a bad day, and it’s too easy to escape to the shopping mall or Amazon for some retail therapy. In either case, we know better; we just get careless and set ourselves up for failure.

A little self-discipline can go a long way. Take time to know yourself and to create a budget and calendar to help set some guardrails. You will be glad you did.

Big hat and no cattle

Ever seen that “cowboy” that is dressed to impressed…he has the Stetson hat, the pearl snap shirt, the boots, the Wranglers…he is styling. But have you ever seen him even ride a horse? Or is it all just show?

I would liken this to the family with the designer clothes, the newest of luxury cars, that new house on the corner…are they really doing well? Or are their banks and credit card companies doing well off them and their debt? Don’t be so quick to judge the book by its cover and be too easily impressed. That neighbor down the street with the classic chevy may be debt free, have substantial savings for retirement, and fewer concerns. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate nice things. We just need to make sure we aren’t sacrificing our long-term success for short-term luxuries.

Always drink upstream from the herd

Everyone seems to have ideas about everything. Turn on any news channel, ask any friend, and they likely have at least a few suggestions for you on any given topic. Change the topic, and all the sudden they go from an engineer to a chef to an investment expert to an estate planner. And of course, they have all taken time to consider your values, your goals, your particular assets, and how they all fit into your financial plan, right?

Seek wise, qualified, and appropriate guidance. I wouldn’t want my financial advisor diagnosing my medical needs, and I wouldn’t look to my physician for financial lessons and direction on my investments.

Most of us don’t wear spurs on a daily basis, or maybe ever. However, these are timeless financial lessons that apply to everyone. If these premises generate any thoughts for you about your personal situation and you would like to discuss further, please reach out to a CapSouth advisor.

By: Scott McDowall, CFP®/Wealth Advisor

To learn more about CapSouth Wealth Management, visit our website at www.capsouthwm.com or https://capsouthwm.com/what-we-do/financial-planning/ or call 800.929.1001 Click to Schedule a Discovery Call.

Investment advisory services are offered through CapSouth Partners, Inc, dba CapSouth Wealth Management, an independent registered Investment Advisory firm. Information provided by sources deemed to be reliable. CapSouth does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information. CapSouth does not offer tax, accounting, or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisors for all issues that may have tax or legal consequences. This information has been prepared solely for informational purposes, is general in nature and is not intended as specific advice.

Women and Money: Taking Control of Finances

August 11, 2022
Finances, Financial Planning, Wealth Management, Wisdom

As a woman, you have financial needs that are unique to your situation in life. Perhaps you would like to buy your first home. Maybe you need to start saving for your child’s college education. Or you might be concerned about planning for retirement. Whatever your circumstances may be, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your overall financial position.

That means constructing and implementing a plan. With a financial plan in place, you’ll be better able to focus on your financial goals and understand what it will take to reach them. The three main steps in creating and implementing an effective financial plan involve:

Developing a clear picture of your current financial situation
Setting and prioritizing financial goals and time frames
Implementing appropriate saving and investment strategies

Developing a clear picture of your current financial situation

The first step to creating and implementing a financial plan is to develop a clear picture of your current financial situation. If you don’t already have one, consider establishing a budget or a spending plan. Creating a budget requires you to:

Identify your current monthly income and expenses
Evaluate your spending habits
Monitor your overall spending

To develop a budget, you’ll need to identify your current monthly income and expenses. Start out by adding up all of your income. In addition to your regular salary and wages, be sure to include other types of income, such as dividends, interest, and child support.

Next, add up all of your expenses. If it makes it easier, you can divide your expenses into two categories: fixed and discretionary. Fixed expenses include things that are necessities, such as housing, food, transportation, and clothing. Discretionary expenses include things like entertainment, vacations, and hobbies. You’ll want to be sure to include out-of-pattern expenses (e.g., holiday gifts, car maintenance) in your budget as well.

To help you stay on track with your budget:

Get in the habit of saving–try to make budgeting a part of your daily routine
Build occasional rewards into your budget
Examine your budget regularly and adjust/make changes as needed

Setting and prioritizing financial goals

The second step to creating and implementing a financial plan is to set and prioritize financial goals. Start out by making a list of things that you would like to achieve. It may help to separate the list into two parts: short-term financial goals and long-term financial goals.

Short-term goals may include making sure that your cash reserve is adequately funded or paying off outstanding credit card debt. As for long-term goals, you can ask yourself: Would you like to purchase a new home? Do you want to retire early? Would you like to start saving for your child’s college education?

Once you have established your financial goals, you’ll want to prioritize them. Setting priorities is important, since it may not be possible for you to pursue all of your goals at once. You will have to decide which of your financial goals are most important to you (e.g., sending your child to college) and which goals you may have to place on the back burner (e.g., the beachfront vacation home you’ve always wanted).

Implementing saving and investment strategies

After you have determined your financial goals, you’ll want to know how much it will take to fund each goal. And if you’ve already started saving towards a goal, you’ll want to know how much further you’ll need to go.

Next, you can focus on implementing appropriate investment strategies. To help determine which investments are suitable for your financial goals, you should ask yourself the following questions:

What is my time horizon?
What is my emotional and financial tolerance for investment risk?
What are my liquidity needs?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be able to tailor your investments to help you target specific financial goals, such as retirement, education, a large purchase (e.g., home or car), starting a business, or increasing your net worth.

Managing your debt and credit

Whether it is debt from student loans, a mortgage, or credit cards, it is important to avoid the financial pitfalls that can sometimes go hand in hand with borrowing. Any sound financial plan should effectively manage both debt and credit. The following are some tips to help you manage your debt/credit:

Make sure that you know exactly how much you owe by keeping track of balances and interest rates
Develop a short-term plan to manage your payments and avoid late fees
Optimize your repayments by paying off high-interest debt first or take advantage of debt consolidation/refinancing

Understanding what’s on your credit report

An important part of managing debt and credit is to understand the information contained in your credit report. Not only does a credit report contain information about past and present credit transactions, but it is also used by potential lenders to evaluate your creditworthiness.

What information are lenders typically looking for in a credit report? For the most part, a lender will assume that you can be trusted to make timely monthly payments against your debts in the future if you have always done so in the past. As a result, a history of late payments or bad debts will hurt your credit. Based on your track record, if your credit report indicates that you are a poor risk, a new lender is likely to turn you down for credit or extend it to you at a higher interest rate. In addition, too many inquiries on your credit report in a short time period can make lenders suspicious.

Today, good credit is even sometimes viewed by potential employers as a prerequisite for employment–something to think about if you’re in the market for a new job or plan on changing jobs in the near future.

Because a credit report affects so many different aspects of one’s financial situation, it’s important to establish and maintain a good credit history in your own name. You should review your credit report regularly and be sure to correct any errors on it. You’re entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies once every 12 months. You can go to www.annualcreditreport.com for more information.

Working with a financial professional

Although you can certainly do it alone, you may find it helpful to work with a financial professional to assist you in creating and implementing a financial plan.

A financial professional can help you accomplish the following:

Determine the state of your current affairs by reviewing income, assets, and liabilities
Develop a plan and help you identify your financial goals
Make recommendations about specific products/services
Monitor your plan
Adjust your plan as needed

Keep in mind that unless you authorize a financial professional to make investment choices for you, a financial professional is solely there to make financial recommendations to you. Ultimately, you have responsibility for your finances and the decisions surrounding them. There is no assurance that working with a financial professional will improve investment results.

To discuss this article further or to learn more about CapSouth Wealth Management, visit our website at www.capsouthwm.com or call 800.929.1001 or click to Schedule a Discovery Call

CapSouth Partners, Inc, dba CapSouth Wealth Management, is an independent registered Investment Advisory firm. This material is from an unaffiliated, third-party and is used by permission. Any opinions expressed in the material are those of the author and/or contributors to the material; they are not necessarily the opinions of CapSouth. Information provided by sources deemed to be reliable. CapSouth does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information. CapSouth does not offer tax, accounting or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisors for all issues that may have tax or legal consequences. This information has been prepared solely for informational purposes, is general in nature and is not intended as specific advice. Any performance data quoted represents past performance; past performance is no guarantee of future results.