On A Personal Note – Sacramento, Cincinnati and Cake Wars!

July seemed to be a quiet month. Everyone’s on vacation. However, there were a couple of special things that went on with our family in July and August. As you know, my daughter’s Cupcake Business, Hapa Cupcakes has been growing over the past 3 years. There was something special I was not supposed to tell […]

Medicare Mistakes…Part 3

In the April and June I wrote about four Medicare mistakes to avoid. Here are mistakes 5 and 6 that can trip you up. #5 Misunderstanding Enrollment Periods: You may have read about ‘Open Enrollment’ and gotten the idea that this is the only time you can sign up for Medicare. Not True! In Medicare, […]

On A Personal Note – New Puppy and a Cake!

This past month my daughter has added a new member to the family. This one is BIG, I mean really big…such as in Massive. Yes, my daughter, Hanayo, adopted a Bullmastiff puppy. His name is Bulloney. My first response was… “Really? That dog will be huge! How big does it get?” My second question was… […]

Medicare Maze…Part 1

When you think about retiring, where will you get health insurance? “Simple,” you might reply, “I’ll go on Medicare.” Well, welcome to an intricate decision, especially if you (or your spouse) keep working past the usual retirement age. Medicare is for people 65 and up and comes in 4 parts. Part A, covers you if […]

On A Personal Note – Best Friends Forever!

As you may remember, last month I told you about my recent trip to Florida Disney Resorts with my sons, Mohan, Elliott and Joseph. My daughter, Hanayo, had to stay behind to run her Cupcake store but that didn’t stop her from taking off a day for fun with her Best Friends Forever. I always wondered what the abbreviation BFF meant as […]

Medicare Mistakes…Part 2

Back in April, I introduced two Medicare mistakes that you should be sure to avoid. As I explained, there are some pitfalls and traps that can cost plenty. Below are mistakes 3 and 4. 3. Failing to enroll in Part B when you should: Signing up at the time that’s right for you is critical. […]

Medigap Premiums Vary Widely

Costs for Medicare Supplement insurance, also called “Medigap”, vary significantly for men and women, says Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance (AAMSI), which released the first phase of the study. A 65-year old male purchasing Medicare Supplement insurance will pay anywhere from a low of $126 per-month to $444 per-month, […]

On A Personal Note – Our Business is a Family Affair!

As you may know, Martin and Associates Insurance has been a family run business for 27 years. My wife Nobuko and I had always hoped our sons would decide to join Dad to make the business even better and to serve our clients for future generations. I’m proud to announce that our two oldest sons, […]

Two Common Medicare Mistakes To Avoid

Medicare is uncharted territory for most of the 10,000 people who become eligible for the program each day. There are some pitfalls lurking in the undergrowth and traps that can cost plenty unless people take care to avoid them.. Mistake #1: Believing you don’t need Medicare Part B if you have retiree or COBRA health […]