DiamondDave2005

I don't know about your area, Jonas, but around here the IT world seems to be staging a bit of a recovery. Some of the big Job Fairs are back for the first time in years, and consulting rates are a lot higher than they were last year.

Back in the early '90s, when SAP was the next big thing, my brother-in-law worked as a consultant. He made $500-600k/yr. His friend decided to be the person who handled all the paperwork and scout out new contracts. A year later, he had 20-25 people working in the SAP world, and charged clients a lot of money for them. He was pulling in $40-50,000 a week at that point.

paS2K

Unlike the usual VSA comment, this one was very politely phrased. You either deal with all the bs of starting a business and growing it the first 2-3 years.....or you do not.

JonasM

Well, after meeting with my financial advisers, I've got them working on stuff like what to do with the severance pay for the short term before I need to access it, rollover of the 401K, finding me health insurance so I don't have to pay the exhorbitant COBRA rates, and how I will pay for the new Honda Fit later this summer (that's non-negotiable - when I start work, whatever/wherever it is, unless it's at home I need reliable transportation).

Back to packing up the PCs, printer, scanner, etc.......

JonasM

Lainey

Jonas I know you are a responsible family guy, and you probably already know this, so it's just a reminder from a friend, Make sure you don't cancel whatever insurance you have before signing up with a new carrier, even if it means you need to pay for COBRA for a short time.

Often, a lapse of insurance for only a week or two will allow the new carrier to determine many things a 'Pre-existing condition" creating many headaches.

JonasM

I'm well aware of that, Lainey, but thanks for looking out for me.

JonasM

Lainey

For you, I'm happy to put in my .02 any time.

valentine

^^ We discovered that our 21 yr old daughter was very inexpensive to insure with the same company under which we had our group plan through a private policy. The rates are lower than her share of the group rate and she has a very good plan. She plans to keep it until she finds out what/where her career goals may be.

paS2K

I can second Lainey's comments about health insurance. After my 3 month severance (which included continution of health ins) ended in 5/04, I used COBRA to continue my IBX coverage; downgraded from a PPO to an HMO (save ~200/mon on family coverage); and continued even beyond the 18 months (which is a min....not a max....subject to OK from prior employer). After we returned from NZ, Kathy started coverage at her job as the primary member and I became the spouse; this covered me for the 2-3 month 'gap' until the new job covered me @ 3/1/06. SURE ENOUGH....Kathy's insurer rejected a claim related to a $250 xray procedure in mid-January....during that 'gap' period. I had to put up with a couple months of dunning letters from the Imaging Company until I got a Certificate of Continuing Coverage from IBX; sent it to Aetna; and waited until they processed the payment on 6-8-06.....almost 4 months and +10 phone calls later.

Morale of story: If your current provider has been acceptable, your best bet may be to bite the bullet $$ and keep your coverage thru Merritt.....at least for a few months. You might also be able to downgrade the plan....as I did. Health insurers would to have an interruption in your coverage.....giving them a chance to play the Pre-Existing Condition game

paS2K

Unless your 401-k is invested solely in company stock or some mutual funds that you don't like, you might consider KEEPING the 401-k with your company (I think most companies allow that....strange as it may sound). When I left my old company in mid 2004, I left the 401-k there (Vangurd funds).

Not only has it grown nicely, but the old company has continued to kick in more $$ every year! Apparently, they have to make the same % contribution to all accounts....whether or not there has been an employee contribution

In any event, there is no rush b/c you can have the funds directly transferred AT ANY TIME to an IRA, etc. If your 'financial advisor' works on commi$$ion (rather than fee-based), she may have a $elf-interest in getting you to tran$fer to a load-mutual fund IRA for which she is an agent

Matt_in_VA

Lately, espeacially on the SF06 related threads, I have been sitting here biting my tonque. I am beginning to wonder what it takes to become a VSA?