We post blog articles here regularly about financial, physical, and emotional wellness, and the steps working Americans can take to protect their income and strengthen their resilience, at home and in the workplace.
Launching a small business can feel overwhelming — and for parents with disabilities, it often requires additional planning and problem-solving. Still, entrepreneurship can offer a flexible, meaningful way to work when it’s designed around real life rather than traditional expectations,…
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Six months ago, I wrote a blog titled “Joining the Sisterhood” that described my experience with the routines, exhaustion, fear, and strange sense of structure that cancer brought into my life. Over a month ago, I finished my treatment successfully, but I didn’t realize it would come with its own set of challenges, surprises, emotions,…
When your paycheck is your most valuable asset, you’d assume your employer-provided disability insurance coverage is enough. For many professionals earning six or seven figures, however, the truth is quite different. Standard group long-term disability (GLTD) insurance plans may offer protection, but they often leave high-income earners more exposed than others. Here’s why, and what…
Consider this: If you couldn’t work starting tomorrow, how long would your savings last? Unexpected events, like an injury or extended recovery, can drain resources quickly. That’s why Open Enrollment is a smart time to consider how your workplace benefits can help protect your income. Disability insurance benefits from your employer replace a portion of…
Thoughts on the term “disability” When most people hear the word disability, they often picture a wheelchair, a cane, or a designated handicap parking space. These visible markers have long shaped public perception of what it means to be disabled. But what if the challenges someone faces aren’t immediately apparent? Invisible disabilities encompass a broad and diverse…
When we talk about “benefits,” we usually mean financial ones—medical insurance, retirement security, and, of course, income protection. But there’s another kind of benefit that often goes overlooked: the health benefit of work itself. That was the focus of our recent CDIA webinar, Beyond the Paycheck: The Health Benefits of Work, which brought together voices from across…
My mom needed a lung transplant. Our family nearly faced the unthinkable: cutting off financial support to someone we loved most, at the hardest moment of her life. Almost — because she had a plan. And that made all the difference. What happened to us isn’t rare — it’s just rarely talked about. America’s financial…
Turning 60 felt like no big deal. I was in great shape and looking forward to a long, full future. Then everything changed overnight. After I saw my doctor for back pain and fatigue, blood tests revealed the awful truth: incurable cancer. When the call came, my wife and I sat in stunned silence. Me?…
An Introduction by Bob Herum, President, CDIA: The Fall Campaign and its theme reminded me of a recent blog written by Rick Cordaro, a peerless disability income sales representative. I met Rick at the first IDIS meeting in 2004 and was instantly drawn to his energy and ‘can-do’ attitude. He later served with me on…
It’s been more than 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law — and what a journey it’s been. The ADA transformed how our nation views access, inclusion, and equality. We’ve made tremendous progress, yet there’s still more work to do. Looking Back: What the ADA Changed The ADA was a game-changer.…
Esther has been a certified secondary math teacher at Memphis Shelby County School District for over 20 years. She enjoys traveling, eating good food, attending church, and shopping during school breaks. However, during one shopping trip in 2022, she received some news that changed her life. From Shopping to Survival During Esther’s Spring break trip…
When you work in the benefits business, you’re focused on big numbers. How do we get the most people the protections they need? What’s changing in the relationships between employees and employers? What’s the latest in office-versus-remote work? What health trends are emerging? We ask these questions constantly. We want to understand the macro trends…
In conversations around mental health and disability, it’s easy to assume that rest is synonymous with recovery. We often default to believing that stepping away from responsibilities—especially work—is inherently healing. However, we think this well-meaning instinct can inadvertently hinder recovery. Why Work Matters in Mental Health Recovery Work is more than just a source of…