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Most Americans spend more time planning for vacations and holidays than planning for their retirement.1
1 Employee Benefit Research Insitute, 2007

Will you outlive your retirement income?  How much liability insurance should you have? Should you add stocks to your portfolio?  Are your financial expectations for the coming year realistic?

Our financial newsletters are designed to provide helpful information on a wide variety of financial topics.  Simply click on one of the newsletter topics below to read the article in its entirety.

Before implementing any strategy discussed herein, you should consult with your own financial, tax, and/or legal advisors to determine its applicability in light of your own situation.

Most insurance policies and annuity contracts contain exclusions, limitations, reductions of benefits, surrender charges and terms for keeping them in force. Your representative can provide you with costs and complete details.

The information contained in this article is not intended to (and cannot) be used by anyone to avoid IRS penalties. These articles supports the promotion and marketing of this [life insurance, annuity, long term care, disability, pension, etc. You should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.


  • July

    Take It Year by Year
    The Federal Reserve has been cutting interest rates fast and deep. Although not all consumers rates are directly affected by the cuts, they highlight turmoil in the credit markets, rising inflation, and the possibility of slower economic growth.

    Get Schooled on Saving for College
    One way to be prepared for the possibility that the tab for higher education may be higher than expected is to own take advantage of the tax benefits of 529 plans.

    Surviving the Estate Tax with Survivorship Life
    People who never imagined they would have enough assets to trigger estate taxes could be in for a surprise. One way to help plan for this possibility is by purchasing a survivorship life insurance policy.

  • June

    What Does the Dollar Do for You?
    Which is preferable, a strong dollar or a weak one?

    No Better Time Than Now
    You may not associate this time of year with reviewing the beneficiaries on your life insurance policy — nonetheless, it can be a good time to take this important step.

    For Income, Pick Up This Split
    A split-annuity strategy can help you begin receiving an income stream that has the potential to last well into the future.

    Heir-Tight Estate Conservation
    An incentive trust can help reinforce the lessons you taught your children during your life.

    Population Boomer
    The nearly 80 million boomers, who have reinvented so many aspects of American life, appear poised to leave their unique mark on retirement and possibly transform the economy in the process.

    Quick Facts - June 2008
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • May

    Where Will You Roll?
    An IRA is not really an investment in itself, but rather a special type of account that can be invested in thousands of ways.

    In a Category All Its Own
    Since exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were first introduced in 1993, interest in them has grown steadily.

    New Lease on Life
    Can your risk-protection strategy benefit from a whole-life insurance policy?

  • April

    Manage Your Tax Burden
    If tax season has you searching for ways to lighten your tax load, here are two options to consider.

    Conserve Your Estate
    Are your estate strategies up-to-date and ready for whatever legislative changes lie ahead?

    More Reasons to Convert
    Thanks to tax law changes, converting traditional IRA assets to a Roth IRA, or rolling over employer-sponsored retirement plans to a Roth, has become more attractive.

    The Cost of Care
    When preparing for life in retirement, you should consider the possibility that you may need long-term care at some point.

    Fuel for the Economy
    The world has become so dependent on oil that most economies simply could not exist in their present forms without it.

  • March

    Should Your Portfolio Have a Conscience?
    Socially responsible investing has been around at least since the 1960s, but it seems to be getting more attention lately.

    Six Times More Likely
    It may be uncomfortable to consider the possibility that you could become disabled; however, preparing for the possibility now could help you avoid some more serious discomfort later.

    The World Is Your Oyster
    If you want to expand your portfolio’s geographic boundaries, international mutual funds may be a good option.

    The Consumer Price Index and You
    Inflation is a long-term, sustained rise in the general level of prices, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

    Weather: It Matters
    Weather is common fare for small talk, but it’s difficult to think of many topics that can have a bigger effect on economic activity.

    Quick Facts - March 2008
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • February

    A Grand New Contribution
    If you were waiting for the day when you could sock away some serious dough in your individual retirement account, the time has arrived.

    Mutual Fund Mastery
    Test how much you know about one of the most popular investment vehicles.

    Living Comes with Guarantees
    Several types of living benefit guarantees are available that can provide valuable protection for variable annuity owners.

    The Trouble with Timing
    The speculation that drives market timing can often cause investors to get in right before a downturn or to flee before realizing potential gains.

    Election Year Antics
    As we enter a campaign cycle that is already unlike others we’ve seen, we can expect to see out-of-the-ordinary behavior by everyone from policymakers to Wall Street traders.

    Quick Facts - February 2008
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • January

    The Coming Retirement Boom
    In 2008, a new era will dawn that economists and policymakers have been anticipating for years with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation: baby boomers will begin turning 62, ushering in an unprecedented long-term shift in the balance between working and retired Americans.

    Happy Birthdays?
    The road to retirement winds through several birthdays that affect most Americans’ retirement benefits and tax circumstances.

    Betting Your Life on Low Coverage
    If you are close to retiring or have already retired, you may be wondering whether your life insurance policy meets your current needs.

    Regain Your Individuality
    When employees leave their jobs, they have a choice to make: they can withdraw the money, leave the money in their former employers’ retirement accounts, or roll the money into another retirement plan.

    You’ve Sold It: What’s Next?
    If you are a business owner who is considering selling your enterprise soon, you may be able to reap even greater rewards by doing a little prep work now.

    Quick Facts - January 2008
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • December

    Life Insurance Goes to College
    Life insurance is usually thought of in terms of tragic outcomes, but if life goes as planned, you may still be able to use it to send your kids to college.

    World of Opportunity
    It may be tempting to think that investing at home is enough, but that kind of thinking misses opportunities that may be available through foreign investments.

    Money and the Battle of the Sexes
    When both spouses are informed about the household finances, it can reduce the potential for mistakes, misunderstandings, and lost opportunities.

    Giving for the Greater Good
    When you utilize a structured giving strategy, your efforts can help reap greater benefits for you, your heirs, and your favorite charity.

  • November

    Free to Retire
    A variable annuity might provide a way to help you pursue your retirement goals if you don’t have the time required to develop a winning retirement strategy.

    Diversify and Conquer
    If you dream of doing more in retirement than sipping lemonade in a rocking chair on the porch, you may want to consider the advantages of diversifying your portfolio.

    Develop a Life Plan
    An out-of-date estate conservation strategy is about as useful as none at all, but by updating your estate documents periodically, you can help protect the assets you wish to pass on to your heirs.

    Poverty and the Modern Millionaire
    Being a millionaire retiree has never really been the status quo – but now this amount may not be nearly enough to maintain even a modest retirement lifestyle.

  • October

    Quick Facts - October 2007
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • September

    Tolerating Risk
    Whether you are a conservative investor or an aggressive one, it’s likely there are mutual funds that match your risk tolerance.

    Score Your Credit Knowledge
    Creditworthiness is an inseparable part of financial health, therefore it’s important to know how to maintain good credit.

    Join the Millionaire Club
    The burden of funding retirement now rests squarely on the shoulders of workers, many of whom are finding that they may need much more than $1 million to provide a comfortable retirement lifestyle.

    IPO Trends
    Though experts are expecting 2007 to be another big year for initial public offerings, or IPOs, the U.S. IPO market may not be the same as in years past.

    Quick Facts - September 2007
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets

  • August

    Reasons to Roll
    An IRA rollover is one way to give you the maximum control over your retirement assets.

    Social Security Quiz
    Test your knowledge about Social Security with this short quiz.

    Chasing Hot Performers
    As hype builds, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement, but chasing the latest investment trends may just as easily leave an investor with a big loss.

    Afraid of Outliving Your Income?
    A split-annuity strategy is one way to help ensure a steady retirement income stream.

    Dow Know-How
    The Dow has been on a tear for many months, recently breaking 14,000. This article looks at the Dow and explains this benchmark.

    Quick Facts - August 2007
    Information about Retirement, Long Term Care and the Mature Markets