Learning Center
Insurance Learning Center: Medicare, Health & Life
Answers first, in plain English. These guides explain how Medicare, Marketplace health insurance, life insurance and annuities work, with every figure dated and sourced, so you can walk into any decision knowing the basics.
Guide topics
11 guides
Medicare
Eleven plain-English guides that walk through Medicare from the first sign-up window to choosing a plan, with 2026 figures and the 2027 numbers CMS has already published.
Who Is Eligible for Medicare? A Plain-English Guide
Age 65, disability, ALS and kidney failure — who qualifies, and who pays a Part A premium.
Read the guide MedicareMedicare Enrollment Periods: When You Can Sign Up
Initial, Open, General, Special and Medigap windows — what you can do in each, and when coverage starts.
Read the guide MedicareMedicare Costs in 2026: Premiums, Deductibles, Copays
2026 premiums, deductibles and hospital coinsurance, plus the 2027 Part D numbers already published.
Read the guide MedicareMedicare Advantage vs. Medigap: How to Choose
Networks, premiums, out-of-pocket limits and the switching rules that make this choice hard to undo.
Read the guide MedicareMedicare Part D Explained: 2026 and 2027 Drug Costs
Formularies, tiers, deductibles and the yearly cap — with the 2027 limits CMS has published.
Read the guide MedicareIRMAA: Medicare’s Income Surcharge in 2026
The 2026 income brackets, the two-year look-back, and how to ask Social Security to use newer income.
Read the guide MedicareMedicare Late Enrollment Penalties: Part A, B and D
How each penalty is calculated, how long it lasts, and the coverage that protects you from one.
Read the guide MedicareTurning 65: Your Medicare Checklist, Month by Month
What to do six months out, three months out, in your birthday month and after.
Read the guide MedicareWorking Past 65: How Medicare Works With Job Coverage
The 20-employee rule, the 8-month window, COBRA, retiree plans and Health Savings Accounts.
Read the guide MedicareMedicaid, Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help
2026 income and resource limits, what each program pays, and how to apply in Ohio.
Read the guide MedicareHow to Check Your Doctors and Drugs in a Medicare Plan
A step-by-step check of networks, drug lists, tiers, pharmacies and the rules that trip people up.
Read the guide1 guide
Health Insurance
For Ohioans under 65 buying their own coverage on Federal marketplace (CMS): how premium tax credits and metal levels work for 2026 and 2027.
2 guides
Life Insurance & Final Expense
How life insurance works, how to think about the amount you need, and how small final expense policies fit with planning a funeral.
Life Insurance Basics: Types, Amounts and How to Buy
Term, whole and universal life, how much coverage to consider, and what happens after you apply.
Read the guide Life Insurance & Final ExpenseFinal Expense Insurance and Planning Funeral Costs
How small whole life policies work, how they compare with prepaying, and your Funeral Rule rights.
Read the guide1 guide
Annuities & Retirement
What fixed and fixed-indexed annuities are, what surrender charges and taxes mean for you, and the questions to ask before you sign.
More ways to learn
Kris also keeps answers to common Medicare questions, short Medicare videos, Medicare enrollment help, Medicare calculators and the Kryder Cares blog.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 14 organizations which offer 119 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. This is a proprietary website and is not associated, endorsed or authorized by the Social Security Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services or the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This site contains decision-support content and information about Medicare, services related to Medicare and services for people with Medicare. If you would like to find more information about the Medicare program please visit the Official U.S. Government Site for People with Medicare located at www.medicare.gov.
FAQ
About the Learning Center
Who writes the Kryder Cares guides?
The guides are written by the Kryder Cares Data Desk and reviewed by Kris Kryder, a licensed insurance agent in Perrysburg, Ohio. Every figure is labeled with its year and linked to the official source it came from, such as CMS and the IRS.
How often are the guides updated?
Each guide shows the date it was last updated. Medicare and Marketplace amounts change every year, so the guides are reviewed when CMS, Social Security or the IRS publish new figures — usually in the fall. Amounts not yet announced are marked that way. Kris Kryder walks you through this at no cost. Call (419) 277-8097.
Are these guides a recommendation for a specific plan?
No. The guides are general education. Which plan fits depends on your doctors, prescriptions, budget and where you live. Kris can compare options from the companies she represents, but she doesn’t offer every plan available in your area.
Can I talk with someone about what I read?
Yes. Kris offers no-cost, no-obligation consultations in person at her Perrysburg office or by phone and video anywhere she’s licensed: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Florida. Call (419) 277-8097 or schedule online.
Talk with Kris today — no cost, no obligation, no pressure
Meet in person at the Perrysburg office, or by phone or video. Bring your questions; Kris brings the side-by-side comparisons.