How New Grads Can Buy Health Insurance
New college graduates can stay on their parent's health insurance plans, but they should check out a few other options before they do so.
Question:
My daughter just graduated from college and doesn’t yet have a job that offers health insurance. She’s going to be moving to a different state. Can she stay on my insurance?
Answer: She can stay on your policy until age 26, but check whether your plan has in-network providers in her new state. If she goes out of network, she may pay a higher deductible and co-payments, or she may have no coverage except in emergencies. She could also buy a policy through her new state’s insurance exchange. (Healthcare.gov has links to exchanges.) If she’s not financially dependent on you, she may qualify for a government subsidy to help pay premiums. Subsidies are available to singles earning up to $48,240 in 2018.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Or she could get a “catastrophic plan,” available to people younger than 30, which offers low premiums but higher deductibles and no subsidy. Catastrophic policies sold on eHealthInsurance.com last year cost an average of $201 per month, says Lisa Zamosky, of eHealthInsurance.
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
As the "Ask Kim" columnist for Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Lankford receives hundreds of personal finance questions from readers every month. She is the author of Rescue Your Financial Life (McGraw-Hill, 2003), The Insurance Maze: How You Can Save Money on Insurance -- and Still Get the Coverage You Need (Kaplan, 2006), Kiplinger's Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions (Kaplan, 2007) and The Kiplinger/BBB Personal Finance Guide for Military Families. She is frequently featured as a financial expert on television and radio, including NBC's Today Show, CNN, CNBC and National Public Radio.
-
BJ's Wholesale Pops on Membership Fee Hike, Stock Buybacks
BJ's stock is rallying Thursday after the warehouse club raised its membership fee for the first time in seven years and unveiled a big stock buyback program. Here's what you need to know.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
Why Snowflake Stock Is Still a Buy After Earnings
Snowflake stock is surging Thursday after cloud company beat expectations for its third quarter and raised its full-year outlook. Here's what you need to know.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
Credit Report Error? They All Matter
credit & debt Don't dismiss a minor error. It could be the sign of something more serious.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
Insurance for a Learning Driver
insurance Adding a teen driver to your plan will raise premiums, but there are things you can do to help reduce them.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
529 Plans Aren’t Just for Kids
529 Plans You don’t have to be college-age to use the money tax-free, but there are stipulations.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
When to Transfer Ownership of a Custodial Account
savings Before your child turns 18, you should check with your broker about the account's age of majority and termination.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
Borrowers Get More Time to Repay 401(k) Loans
retirement If you leave your job while you have an outstanding 401(k) loan, Uncle Sam now gives you extra time to repay it -- thanks to the new tax law.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
When It Pays to Buy Travel Insurance
Travel Investing in travel insurance can help recover some costs when your vacation gets ruined by a natural disaster, medical emergency or other catastrophe.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
What Travel Insurance Covers When Planes Are Grounded
Travel Your travel insurance might help with some costs if your trip was delayed because of the recent grounding of Boeing 737 Max planes.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
Ways to Spend Your Flexible Spending Account Money by March 15 Deadline
spending Many workers will be hitting the drugstore in the next few days to use up leftover flexible spending account money from 2018 so they don’t lose it.
By Kimberly Lankford Published