I travel a lot and protecting myself while I am on the road is a major part of my asset protection plan.  If you are in a foreign country, your medical care is not guaranteed.  In fact, medical hospitalization will often be denied.  Most countries will require cash up front before you are admitted to a hospital.  Even in the US, it’s awkward to get into a hospital that isn’t in your insurance network.

I have a good friend who had a heart attack while on a cruise down the Western Mexican Coast.  His wife got him off the boat and to a hospital.  That didn’t help much, because the hospital required cash upfront.  They didn’t have that much cash.  They did have an American Express card, which saved his life. (more…)

It’s tax time.  So much fun:-)  Lots of folks are filing on the internet.  There’s no question the net is the way to communicate.  HOWEVER, you need to know that the IRS is not going to communicate with you about your return or refunds over the internet.  According to Terry Lemons, IRS spokesman, the IRS isn’t going to notify you about your returns or refunds using email.  If you get an email from the IRS about your refund, NO MATTER HOW OFFICIAL IT LOOKS, it is not real.  Don’t open it or give any information.  It is just an attempt by ID thieves to phish for your personal information or slide a spy into your computer.  BEWARE!!  And don’t forget to sign up for Lee’s “Tip of the Week” newsletter for other good ideas on estate planning and asset protection.

By Lee R. Phillips

I don’t usually comment on personal situations, but I think there is a lesson to be learned here.  If I can help a couple of my students in their personal situations, it will be worth the comment.  Kristy, my wife, had oral surgery Friday.  She had had a root canal a year ago, and it just always pained her.  She kept going back in, and the dentist said that the occlusion (bite) wasn’t right on the crown.  So he would grind on the crown and then tell her to give it several weeks to “settle down.”

About two months ago a neighbor, who is a chiropractor, suddenly had a sore shoulder, which is not good for chiropractors.  It felt warm to him one night, so he ordered an MRI.  There turned out to be a massive infection in the shoulder.  He spent over two weeks in the hospital and had surgery to remove the infection.  Nobody could figure out why he had an infection there.  He had no prior surgery or anything.  Finally, the infectious disease guys asked him if he had any teeth work done.  He had had a root canal done a year earlier at about the same time Kristy had had hers done.  His tooth was bad.  They had missed one of the roots.  The tooth had caused the infection in his shoulder. (more…)