marriage Archives - EZ.Insure

Are There Lessons to Be Learned from Bennifer’s Nuptials?

She’s still Jenny from the Block… but with a brand new last name. On Saturday, July 16, 2022 Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck tied the knot at a little white chapel in Las Vegas. This is not Jennifer and Ben’s first try at love: not only have they both been married and divorced in the past (this is Lopez’s 4th marriage and Affleck’s 2nd), but they were a serious couple back in the early 2000s.

couple getting married — Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck said “I Do” after over 20 years of an on and off relationship on July 16, 2022.

Now they seem ready for the next chapter in their lives, but will it stick this time? And what lessons can those of us who are divorced and considering remarriage learn from Bennifer’s on again, off again love story?

A Love Story 20 Years In The Making

Lopez, 53, and Affleck, 49, met in early 2002 on the set of the movie Gigli and announced their engagement in November of the same year. They had a wedding planned for September 14, 2003, but postponed it just days before they were set to tie the knot. In a joint statement released at the time, they announced that “Due to the excessive media attention surrounding our wedding, we have decided to postpone the date.” Ultimately, they broke up in 2004 and were never married – at least not to each other.

Past Relationships

Jennifer and Ben both moved on and were in different relationships for many years. In fact, they both got married and had children with other people after their breakup. Lopez married Marc Anthony in June 2004. She gave birth to twins Max and Emme on February 22, 2008, but the couple divorced in July 2011. Affleck married Jennifer Garner in June 2005. They had 3 children (Violet in 2005, Seraphina in 2009, and Samuel in 2012) together. Unfortunately they got divorced in 2015.

Throughout the time that Lopez and Affleck were in different relationships, it was clear that they had remained friends and still cared about one another. In a 2010 appearance on the Graham Norton Show, Lopez said “I love Ben, he’s a great guy, but it was a lot for both of us to be under that type of siege for two years straight.” Not only that, but they were very public in their ongoing support of each other. For example, in 2020, Affleck responded to Lopez’s Oscar snub for her role in Hustlers by saying, “She should have been nominated. She’s the real thing. I keep in touch periodically with her and have a lot of respect for her. How awesome is it that she had her biggest hit movie at 50? That’s f——- baller.” So, despite being broken up, they still had two of the factors that help sustain a successful marriage: friendship and support.

What Are The Odds?

It is estimated that in 2022 approximately 50% of all marriages will end in divorce. Not the most comforting statistic, but there is a silver lining. Statistics show that 70% of people who get a divorce will get married again at some point in their lives, much like Jennifer and Ben. If you’re among the 70% of people who will remarry, there is sure to be some skepticism that things will work out this time. But it’s important to stay optimistic and go into a second marriage with a level head and positive attitude, so that the second time can be the charm for you!

wedding ring — The average cost of a divorce is $12,900.

It’s about more than just staying optimistic and hoping things will work out, though. You have to work at it. Consider the following tips:

Learn from your mistakes. Whatever reason your first marriage didn’t work out, go into your second one using your first as a lesson. How can you better communicate with your new partner? What are deal breakers that you couldn’t live with if you said “I do” a second time? In a second marriage, you are definitely older and hopefully wiser, so use your experiences to thrive this time around.
Take your time. People often rush into their first marriage because their biological clocks are ticking, but if you’re like Jennifer and Ben, your baby making days are behind you, so there’s really no need to rush into marriage. Take a step back and enjoy your new relationship. Use this time to really assess whether marriage would be the right move this time around.
According to the CDC, the US has a total of 782,038 divorces.
Get a prenup. Prenups have a bad reputation of taking the romance out of a marriage, but if this is your second marriage, you’re not laboring under any false illusions that marriages always last forever, or are all about starry-eyed romance. So, since money is one of the most cited reasons for divorce, it might be wise to eliminate that factor so you can focus on your relationship. If your partner doesn’t want a prenup and won’t even consider one, that should really make you think twice about whether they’re going into your marriage for the right reasons.
Seek marriage therapy. This isn’t your first rodeo, so you know marriage isn’t always rainbows and unicorns. Get ahead of potential arguments or points of contention by trying couple’s therapy. There are even remarriage counselors who are trained in helping couples who have been married before. Remarriage counselors help couples who want to develop healthy and realistic expectations. They lay a firm foundation for the couples’ new relationship.

If you’re curious if a new relationship, be it an old flame or a new one, could lead to a second marriage, just look at Jennifer and Ben’s story. Taking that leap of faith and tying the knot again, despite a previous divorce, is courageous! Hopefully that courage and faith will mean it’s more likely to work this time. You will have the experience, and will know what to look for (and avoid) so you can make your next marriage successful. Everyone deserves to be happy, and if marriage the 2nd or 4th time around will make you happy, go for it!

Fertility Treatments: What Are Your Options Under Different Insurance Plans?

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes…infertility? While infertility affects 1 in 8 couples, unless it happens to you, it’s hard to imagine how you’ll handle it. With so many options for fertility treatment it can be discouraging, overwhelming, and downright stressful. Let’s see what your options are available to get you on the road to the family of your dreams.

pregnant woman's belly with an ultrasound projecting on it — Infertility may be caused by a number of different factors, in either the male or female reproductive systems.

What is infertility?

Infertility is a disease of the male or female reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse. The 2 most common fertility treatments are IUI (intrauterine insemination) and IVF (in vitro fertilization).

Intrauterine insemination

The first treatment doctors usually suggest if you’re facing infertility is intrauterine insemination (IUI). IUI is a type of artificial insemination that helps healthy sperm get closer to an egg when it’s released by an ovary. IUI coupled with ovulation-inducing medication is usually the first treatment for unexplained infertility. It’s also the fertility treatment option that is generally tried first if a woman needs to use donor sperm, has endometriosis-related infertility, or if the woman’s cervix is preventing sperm from reaching the egg. IUI is relatively safe, straightforward, and quick. From start to finish, one cycle lasts about 28 days (the same as a menstrual cycle). The procedure itself only takes about 10 minutes and once it’s over you can go about your day without any restrictions. While the total price varies, one IUI cycle costs between $500 and $4000. It can take multiple attempts and depending on the type of insurance you have, some, not all costs may be covered. IUI is often required to have been attempted for insurance companies to cover in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

In-vitro fertilization

needles — Quadruplets and higher-orders of multiples are rarely the result of IVF.

IVF is another type of fertility treatment and while it’s the most effective, it is very time-consuming, expensive, and invasive. In most cases this is why other fertility treatments are often tried first. IVF involves a lot of blood tests, ultrasounds, and hormone injections before eggs are collected and fertilized with sperm to create embryos. Once fertilized the embryos are transplanted and then 9-12 days after a pregnancy test is given. There is a 20-35% success rate per cycle and three full cycles increases success to 45-53%. On average, a cycle costs between $12,000-$15,000. As mentioned before, insurance companies may only cover IVF if a certain number of IUI’s have proven unsuccessful so be sure to get all the details of your plan. If IVF is covered by insurance, different insurance companies may have policies in place regarding the preferred number of embryo transfers at one time. While the intricacies are difficult to navigate, rest assured there are options available to cover the costs associated with these 2 common treatments.

We can help!

If you find yourself struggling with infertility it is smart to make sure you have the best insurance plan for your needs first. Speak to an EZ agent to see what plans are available in your area and what coverage options they have for different levels of infertility treatments. Next, talk to your gynecologist and see if they can refer you to a specialist who can get you started on a fertility plan that works best with your insurance coverage to minimize the out of pocket costs. Starting a family is an exciting journey, but you shouldn’t have to dampen the mood with overwhelming bills. Make sure you have the best coverage for your fertility journey by speaking to an EZ agent today. To get free instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to a local agent, call 888-350-1890.

Happy Unmarried? You Can Still Get Life Insurance!

Oprah and Stedman. Goldie and Kurt. You and your partner.

Some people don’t want to get married and that’s fine, but don’t toss the idea of buying life insurance on the backburner just because of your marital status – or lack thereof. You want to protect you and your loved ones in the event you pass away prematurely so looking into life insurance is a common next step, especially once you have children. If you’re unmarried this could get hairy but it’s completely doable and something you should explore together.

wedding — Marital status should not be a factor when deciding if you should get a life insurance plan.

Insurable interest

computer — Life insurance protects your loved ones financially. Find out how to prove you have insurable interest to get a policy as soon as possible.

If a couple is married, getting life insurance is a pretty standard procedure. In order to get a life insurance policy for someone you have to prove that you have ‘insurable interest’ Insurable interest is proof that you would have a financial loss or hardship if anything were to happen to the person you are trying to insure. For married couples there is legal documentation that inherently proves you have insurable interest. If you are a couple that does not want to be married you have to submit your own proof of insurable interest. Married or not, once you and your significant other share assets, either of you can take out an insurance policy and have your partner named as your beneficiary with the help of a little bit of documentation.

Different couple categories

If you are unmarried, there are 4 categories life insurance companies put you in when determining if you can get a life insurance policy:

Registered domestic partners: In order to fall under this category you must have a legal domestic partnership document, usually drafted with the help of a lawyer. Check your local regulations as not all states offer this.
Couples living together that are not domestic partners: A good example of this could be if you and your sibling bought a house 50/50. If they died, you would suffer financial loss and need a way to cover their half of the bills.
Couples not engaged and not living together: Sometimes a couple’s assets begin to intertwine before living together. An example of this would be taking out a loan together. These financial ties are proof of insurable interest and will allow a couple to take out a life insurance policy.
Engaged couples: If you have a date set, life insurance companies generally view you as a married couple which automatically gives you the right to take out a life insurance policy for one another.

insurance sign — There are many options for affordable life insurance. Find an agent who specializes in life insurance to get multiple quotes.

Not wanting to be married does not disqualify you from being able to get a life insurance policy. Life insurance policies are there to protect you in the event of a loss that would cause you a financial burden. As long as you have proof that your finances are connected to the person you are trying to insure, you can get a policy. The first thing you should do is speak to a life insurance agent that can make sure all of your insurable interest is documented and ready to go. These agents will make sure you have the right amount of coverage and that the plan is within your budget. Below we have provided top insurance companies in the nation that offer life insurance policies for unmarried couples; each can give you hassle-free assistance and the most competitive rates in the nation. Always check multiple quotes to make sure you have bargaining power and know the advantages of each company.

Tag: marriage