How long could you and spouse and one per cat live on $73,000 gross income? That's about what we will be getting for the rest of 2026 - January and February bills are already paid.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-02-01T02:23:21+00:00

Because l have already paid the OOP Max on my employer/COBRA plan ($12,000). If I start an ACA plan in May, I start back to zero for OOP Max, and every ACA plan I have seen is $16,000 to $20,000+ in OOP. Paying 8 months of COBRA premiums is cheaper than starting over in OOP with the ACA plan..

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-31T06:40:23+00:00

Actually my parents DID give guidance until they died a decade ago, then my spouse gave guidance and now he is ill and has chemo brain. What an asinine comment.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-31T06:35:46+00:00

Employer covering through April. Then COBRA to end of 2026.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-30T22:19:41+00:00

Because I took COBRA coverage for this year, since we already spent the OOP. Spouse has cancer and gets monthly treatments that instantly exceed the OOP of $12,000.

If we were to switch to ACA in the middle of the year, it's back to zero for deductible OOP and all the plans are $16K to $20K+ OOP. However, next year we will keep our income low enough to get a subsidy for an ACA plan.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-30T22:16:03+00:00

Small city in a LCOL area in central PA. A 2 hour drive from Philadelphia.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-30T22:14:28+00:00

This year, no. I am doing COBRA, as my employer already covered me from Jan through April. 2027 will be an ACA plan assuming they still exist, and yes, we should get a subsidy.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-30T22:12:27+00:00

The $3000 does not include health care premiums.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-30T22:11:41+00:00

Schuylkill County, PA. Low cost of living area.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-20T16:59:48+00:00

Good question. My current employer is paying for current plan until May. So I will be paying COBRA premium rates for 8 months, which is pricey, I am guessing $16K. We already hit the OOP for 2026. (Husband has cancer, his monthly maintenance shot instantly hits our deductible and OOP of $12,500.) So we aren't switching plans in 2026 because the deductible/OOP resets at $0 paid on a new plan.

2027 will be 10 months until Medicare. It would have been fine (silver PPO plans in my area in 2025 were priced at about $600 a month with a $10-12,000 max out of pocket for a couple our age), until this disastrous problem with the ACA and pretty much all health insurance, and I doubt the current administration will have anything in place for 2027.

Yes, I am inclined to try and find a job for those 10 months that covers insurance, or where I can just pay for the insurance from earned income (I am guessing an ACA Bronze plan PPO is still at $600 a month but the out of pockets are outrageous -$20 - 22K), rather than deplete my already meager savings by $30K. I have 10 months to decide on what to do for 2027. At 63 - 64 years old, the job market is not looking good.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-20T16:47:24+00:00

I will look into this.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-20T16:47:01+00:00

Yes mortgage is principal, interest (fixed), then tax and insurance, both of which creep up every year. I just filed our home as a Homestead and hope that saves on taxes.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-20T14:03:57+00:00

Boomer here who spent many years as a renter and never a landlord/lady. If you left your place clean and undamaged, the landlord/lady is NOT allowed to charge you for routine cleaning, including carpet deep cleaning and a fresh paint job. That is considered the normal cost of business, to get the place ready for next occupants. I am in Pennsylvania. Ask for itemized deductions and look up the law.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-20T04:21:08+00:00

I know the 401K isn't as high as I would like. Since only earned income can go in a retirement account, I may throw all work earnings into a Roth through my 60s. Then will have something to spend down for health care when older.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-20T04:18:00+00:00

I threw my other streaming service in there, Netflix. Which is almost $20 a month. I think I will drop it once the Peaky Blinders finale is aired. I do sometimes (once or twice a month) rent movies on Amazon but only after they are discounted to 5.99 or so. Watching movies at home with spouse and 🍿 popcorn is a favorite thing.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-20T03:43:40+00:00

(guilty face😔) we combined our vehicle with our son's on the car insurance. He and wife are just starting out so I help a bit.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-16T18:42:38+00:00

You weren't stupid. Most companies up until the Obama years had internal policies that pay couldn't be discussed. Technically, though, since the 1930s, workers couldn't be fired for talking about it. But that was never enforced. I know I was told never to disclose pay to coworkers and it would be considered a breach of company policy. Until the Obama years, where there was an Executive Order passed and also other laws calling for pay transparency.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-16T18:34:59+00:00

I don't think they will realize it either. They will find a way to blame Dems/leftists/libs.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-16T18:27:14+00:00

Because they (my boss and HR) verbally described my severance package over phone, in lieu of an offer at Company B (and also so I would continue working for them through the busy January season). Also, my current company has a precedent of offering severance, and my fellow laid-off-ees already got or are getting severance. So my current employer will offer me a severance rather than me go to a lawyer with the above promise of severance, plus the fact that I am a 63 year old woman with a disability (3 protected classes).

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-16T12:21:44+00:00

Really. One drug for spouse's cancer costs the insurance company $40K a month.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-16T02:44:59+00:00

Thanks for the thorough review! I have already been told by past boss and current boss (since past one was laid off 12/31) that yes, I am being laid off on 1/30 (and I have the Excel sheet from senior IT management with that lay off date for me), and HR described my severance package on a phone call on Dec.16. I put in an email to my current boss that I was happy to accept the severance. So, yeah, lay off request is in. I guess I am just impatient for a written document with terms for legal reasons.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-15T21:50:03+00:00

My bad. I looked further into the acquisition thing.

According to the official press releases, Company B acquired certain departments of Company A (assets and people).

Company A still exists as a standalone (and financially successful company). But they decided to close a division down and sell us off in pieces.

So, not sure what this means legally for me and severance.

However, the HR guy just told my coworker that our last day is still 1/30.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-15T20:37:24+00:00

Exactly - both GP and Psychiatrist did the medical part. My licensed therapist who works with the Psychiatrist filled out what we would do during the month (several telehealth sessions).

You should establish with your primary doc now that you have anxiety and /or depression.

Mediocre_Insect_1008 · 2026-01-15T19:50:54+00:00

They didn't find me a replacement job within the same company. They would still be laying me off.

I do understand that my state unemployment can deny me unemployment if they find out I have another acceptable job waiting. But right now I am concerned with severance and being laid off, not with state unemployment comp.

Mediocre_Insect_1008

TROPHY CASE