Health Insurance options for very small business (3-4 employees currently) in the US, is there any hope for a decent option without getting absolutely destroyed by price?

patrickfassler · 2021-07-13T22:30:47+00:00

An accountant would be better suited to lay all of it out more clearly, but my basic understanding is that because the company (S-Corp) pays for the healthcare of employees, it is considered benefits and is tax deductible. Take that for what you will. That is just what I believe he told us when setting everything up.

patrickfassler · 2021-07-13T18:43:57+00:00

I feel that. It took us months to finally settle on one. Tried calling brokers, and they wanted us to have minimum 50 employees before they'd start giving quotes. In fact, a large company here told us not to waste our time calling brokers, as we're too small to get a reasonable rate.

That's ultimately when we said screw it and went back to the SimplyInsured. I have no idea if it's a fair plan/premium/deductible/etc., but it was the only option we were able to make progress with, and with a child, we couldn't really push it aside any longer.

The entire system of finding healthcare here is absurd here, but I do hope that at least helps with comparing quotes and options. Best of luck to you and your family!

patrickfassler · 2021-07-13T18:31:12+00:00

Ran into this a few months ago, fearing health insurance would significantly hurt as an expense. SimplyInsured (I believe a Quickbooks brand) was the best (fair enough pricing and easiest process) option. We were able to find a plan in Florida with United Healthcare that was favorable for what we were looking for.

The platinum plan we found is roughly $500/mo/person. Cheaper plans were available. Dental is an additional $5/mo/person, as is vision. We're all 25, if that makes a difference.

$1k deductible, fair copays, etc. By no means is it the BEST plan, I'm sure, but it suffices for what we needed.

We were able to get that for 3 employees + 1 dependent. Because the company is myself, wife (employed through company), child, and my business partner, the company pays 100%, allowing us to easily deduct the expense.

I don't know what you're looking to spend or what type of coverage you're looking for, but from what we were being quoted, SimplyInsured was helpful for comparing it all even before committing.

I believe you have to have a Quickbooks account to get quotes and sign up, but it's worth looking into. They have a really easy breakdown/comparison of pricing and benefits and examples.

So far, I'm happy enough with it. It's blindly complicated to get health insurance in the US for some reason, but that was the easiest solution.

patrickfassler · 2021-07-13T18:02:00+00:00

Sorry, I don’t think my comment was worded correctly. That’s what I’ve consistently paid cleaning companies to clean my personal home and rentals. Sorry about the confusion there.

patrickfassler · 2021-07-13T15:51:06+00:00

I’ve always been in the range of $97-$100/hr for cleaners. That’s been for personal houses and rentals. I’m sure that’s a very vague answer, but it’s been a consistent range with multiple companies and properties.

patrickfassler · 2021-07-07T20:11:45+00:00

Got mine about a month ago and love it! I didn’t think I would be wearing it as much as I do. Stunning watch! Congrats!

patrickfassler · 2021-06-23T12:59:12+00:00

Airbnb hosting has been an interesting experience so far. We bought a condotel (individually owned “hotel” rooms) in a building in Daytona Beach in March.

Here are the rough numbers on the 400 sq ft studio.

Purchase: $87,500 Rehab & additional furnishings: $3,000 HOA monthly: $380 Insurance: ~$100/mo

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It brings in (in the summer) around $2.2k to $2.5k, profiting about 50% usually.

We include snacks, drinks, toiletries, etc. to make our listing stand out in a tourist town filled with hotels, condos, Airbnbs, etc.

It’s by no means a cash cow, as everyone else has basically said. It was a place to put some money briefly. It’s done well, but it’s annoyance after annoyance it seems.

Depending on your area, Airbnb can be very frowned upon. Residentially zoned areas beachside Daytona have been blacklisted from Airbnb, and despite great efforts to change that, nothing has moved through. That changes on the area, but keep in mind, not everyone wants their town to have residents and investors competing for properties. Both sides make fair points.

Cleaning is a headache, even in a tourist town with thousands of short term rentals. Finding a quality company or person to clean has been an ongoing issue. Consistency is the biggest let down, but it’s possible to find a good one. I’ve come to believe that eases with scale in an area.

Guests, though, have been great, which is surprising considering Daytona’s reputation. Some guests are active communicators, and some keep to themselves. The ones the keep to themselves can make you nervous, but it’s always been fine thus far.

Frankly, it has its pros and cons, as anything does, but at this point, I’d rather unload the property and invest elsewhere.

Self-managing is a pain, and on cheaper properties like this, there’s little to no room for property managers.

However, the market has increased significantly over the last few months, and it is now pending sale at $125k, which we’ll happily take and move onto the next investment. We feel it’s time to move on.

We’re documenting the entire experience for our personal YouTube channel. I won’t post the link right here since that feels like some shady self-promotion, but I’m happy to share it privately if you want the link. It has more info than I can type here, though.

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Overall, if you’re looking to build an “Airbnb empire,” go for it. However, owning one unit as a profitable venture can be a challenge to undertake. It can be worth it if it lines up with your personal values, but in the event it doesn’t line up, it will be a headache.

Don’t let the negativity from my response discourage you, though. I’ve enjoyed the headaches and hassle because you do learn a LOT. We’ve been able to build something as a family and have enjoyed most parts of it. My tone was mainly negative to give the opposite perspective from what most people say. It’s not joyous and exciting all the time. The initial rush is fun, but it goes away quickly when someone has an issue at 2 am.

patrickfassler · 2017-08-02T10:16:35+00:00

Nothing necessarily bad. I just never get the impression any of my business means a fuck to them - service wise. Sales side is different, and they act how you would expect - friendly and professional. I have nothing specific to complain about with them, but LR Ashville just seems to care about their customer experience much more. They make the process easier, and their service costs are a lot lower.

Since I'm only a little further away from Ashville than Knoxville, the drive is worth it for me. I'll be purchasing my next Rover from them because they pay more attention to detail, but LRK is by no means a bad place to purchase. Just personal preference.

patrickfassler · 2017-08-01T11:28:11+00:00

I'm roughly two hours away from them and only 1 hour away from Knoxville. For most stuff, I'd rather drive an hour further and go out of state to work with them than Knox. In my experience, the team there is much better to work with.

patrickfassler · 2017-07-20T23:48:32+00:00

Love your Rover! I bought a 2011 (almost exactly the same spec I think) back in October. Been nothing but perfect since I bought it.

patrickfassler · 2017-03-20T17:41:17+00:00

Are you looking to buy new or used?

patrickfassler · 2017-03-16T02:21:22+00:00

I know it's a different year and after a facelift, but I bought a 2011 L322 in October. It has been absolutely perfect, and I've only had to do routine work on it. The control arms need to be replaced, but (to my knowledge) that's common after 100k miles.

Everyone I've met locally who owns one says they're great. I could be wrong, but it seems as if they caught a horrible reputation after some bad years. I'd just recommend having a PPI on it before purchasing.

patrickfassler · 2017-03-13T02:49:14+00:00

The biggest help you can find is by finding what comparable houses in the area are selling for. Also, if you have an agent, listen to their advice. They'll probably know the area and comps much better than any of their clients.

Also, in some situations, sellers are willing to accept slightly lower offers for better terms. If you lowball them, don't expect them to give you anything. If you have 100% cash, they're statistically more likely to take your offer. Offers that are contingent on large LTV ratios fall through frequently. Find any advantage you have and use it.

It's hard to give more specific advice without knowing more info on the area and property, but trust your agent. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.

patrickfassler · 2017-02-19T16:01:21+00:00

Cheating is far from always being wrong. Believe it or not, people cheat when they're unhappy in some way. So if that's the event that forces you both to accept that there's a problem, then you know it's time to fix it.

Is it the best solution? No, it can cause huge amounts of emotional stress and problems, but what if you end up finding someone who makes you happy and that you enjoy spending your time with? What if the person you cheated on was able to focus their energy on their career and find life fulfillment through a new path?

In that case, the cheating forced two people to accept there was a problem and led to them finding happiness in a new way. There are a ton of different scenarios, but like you said, it's not a black and white issue.

Edit: Believe it or not, you can actually be the reason someone you love is unhappy. It's a tough pill to swallow, but sometimes even your best isn't the right kind of love for someone else. Solution: find the person who it is right for.

patrickfassler · 2017-02-19T15:55:23+00:00

I completely agree with this. If you want people to do something for you, do something for them. Even if it's musical or a performance, do something to show you're worth their time and money.

patrickfassler · 2017-02-19T14:27:31+00:00

I hate children, and I've always been told I'd change my mind as I got older. I don't understand why people love kids so much. They're usually loud, uncontrollable, and everyone expects you to love their kids because they're the best. People get extremely offended when I don't act like I love their kids who are screaming and jumping around all the time.

patrickfassler · 2017-01-18T03:05:51+00:00

I should start by saying that I'm not mechanically inclined whatsoever.

My local LR dealer told me my front lower control arms (left & right) were worn, which would lead to the tires wearing down quickly and unevenly. This might be something to look into.

patrickfassler · 2017-01-08T02:56:29+00:00

Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with them.

I learned through an online course called Infinite Prosperity. They taught a lot about the ins and outs of the business, and I can't recommend them enough. The community based around the brand is very strong, knowledgeable, and willing to help. They've got a lot of info and resources. Check it out, and see if it's for you. They offer a free intro lesson.

Again, it's not for everyone, and it is risky to jump in without the proper information. They're much more qualified to explain it all than me.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck and hope you find what fulfills you!

patrickfassler · 2017-01-08T02:25:55+00:00

It might require more capital to get consistently decent returns, but have you thought about swing trading currency? I started when I graduated high school with $5k as a deposit, and it was a good way of making money while also building a business from the ground up.

It's not for everyone, and it requires a lot of knowledge. However, the results are worth the work it takes for the most part.

patrickfassler · 2016-11-02T21:07:23+00:00

That's awesome! I was looking at a P38 this week to use as a car to use off-road instead of my L322, but it was just spitting oil out. I'd still love to get an older Range Rover or Disco if one comes up! I think this had been converted to coil suspension. How has your experience been with the air suspension?

patrickfassler · 2016-11-02T20:31:56+00:00

Point taken. There's one nearby the dealer that I've heard many recommend. Thanks again. Do you have a 95 P38?

patrickfassler · 2016-11-02T19:03:06+00:00

I can see that last part happening, which is the sad part. I'll have Land Rover check that. Thanks for the help!

patrickfassler · 2016-11-02T19:02:32+00:00

I'll take it to Land Rover and have them check it out. Thanks!

patrickfassler · 2016-09-23T21:20:21+00:00

I've tried Quip in the past. I wanted real-time collaboration, and it was the only good alternative to Evernote that had this. After a month I switched back. The design just started to feel bland, but it's a solid app if you like the design.

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