I remember when I started working for Medtronic, my Dad looked over my benefit information and advised me to make sure I invested in my retirement. We have a couple of options and the company takes very good care of me. As a CFO, he recognized this benefit and told me this was a great job. He was right- it is.
Over the past 18 months we have spent an unbelievable amount of money on medical bills. While America may still have insured health care, mess that it is, there are copays if you want to get things done- especially if you have to make a trip to the ER. So, I have a fairly finite salary, I have two kids who are working, but for minimal wages, and one kid not quite old enough to work who is in school. There just isn't a big revenue stream - which is something LOTS of families are facing right now.
So....little by little the mortgage has slipped behind. A few hundred dollars short one month, then a couple months later the same thing- it has gone on for quite a while. Long enough in fact for the mortgage company to notice, unfortunately. Three weeks ago I got a notice about foreclosure - and I have been sick about it ever since. How will I come up with the back money- will they even let me- will I be packing over Christmas instead of celebrating???? Super fun questions for this season, let me tell you.
I talked to God about this. I always feel a little uncomfortable asking God to help me out of a mess that to some degree, I created, but considering it meant losing or keeping the house, I didn't think I had much choice- so I asked Him to take pity on us- and on Nicole and Charlie who have already lost one home this year. He told me to pay attention- which He says quite often in response to my prayers. So.... I got all of the letters from the mortgage company and the lawyer's office and read through them. Then I filled out every last worksheet I could find from teh lawyer's office and sent it all in - followed up by several phone calls- and I got a dollar figure to work with. Honestly, once the problem is defined, it is a WHOLE lot easier to deal with!
I called a friend who does financial planning- since I can't call my Dad anymore about this stuff, and he suggested that I let the Church help me back- that is still in process. Then I called my mom, and asked her to loan me part of the money- but it is only a loan, meaning I still need to come up with cash to pay her back as I am borrowing from her retirement funds. Then it struck me: I have a retirement fund as well. Dad encouraged me to put a nice chunk of each check in that fund so that I would have "a little something put away". And amazingly enough, we are allowed to take a loan out from that money. Unbelievable. What I thought was a hopeless situation has resolved itself with 8 days to go before Christmas. Hoorah!
I am trying to use the refinancing options- trying to make a long-term fix, though I anticipate that with three months seizureless for us, our days of rampant medical bills should be over. Anyway, I just wanted to express my thanks for my Mom and my dad and my Father in Heaven for watching over me and being there when I needed their help the most. Thanks
3 comments:
I am really sorry that things are so difficult for you, but you seem to have a plan. I hope the medical bills stay away for a long time. All the best.
I am glad you worked out a solution. Your situation is not your fault. It is the fault of your government not supporting an adequate universal health insurance program. In Canada it is unheard of for people to lose their home because of medical bills. Our health plan gets better results than the health plan in the US at half the price. I am reading these days Vermont, which has a good health plan is seriously considering a universal single payer system similar to Canada, which would be an even better plan, perhaps a model for other states.
I just spent an hour catching up on your blog! You're delightful, thoughtful and open...
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