Guaranty Association Benefits Company

As I contemplated a post for this blog, my thoughts returned to the tragedy that the Japanese have suffered after the tsunami that swept the towns and cities, taking with it countless lives. And while talking about death is no stranger to this blog, given the nature of the subject that we cover, it seems that the only suitable position is one that expresses its sincere sadness for all those who were unable to escape the way to consume water. We send condolences to the people of Japan for their loss and offer our support

If you want to help, here is an immediate step you can take :. REDCROSS text to 0999 to make a $ 10 donation. For a more complete list of charities that you can donate to here.

What's your excuse for not having life insurance

If your excuse is :? I'm young and healthy, so I do not need to think about it, but ...

... then Tara Newby would probably disagree with you. Her husband, Preston, was just 24 when he died, leaving a widow with two small children. Watch her story here

If your excuse is :. I am a parent who stays at home, so we better just to buy insurance on my working spouse ...

... then Nicolas Virgen has a message for you. He said that buying life insurance for his wife, Teresa, a housewife, was the best decision they ever made. Watch her story here

If your excuse is :. I am a single parent, I can not afford ...

... then history Tracy Basden being orphaned and having to raise his brother will change your mind. Look here.

There are a million reasons not to buy life insurance and one of the reasons you should ... because you love someone and want to make sure they are financially protected. To find out how much life insurance you may need, spend a few minutes with life easy to use life insurance needs calculator.

It, AOS not often that we get to help a person in need with a click of a mouse, Aiso here, AOS your chance. The three young students profiled here have had to struggle financially and put dreams on hold because of the death of a relative who had inadequate or no life insurance.

The nonprofit LIFE Foundation is sponsoring an online vote to help determine which three students will receive $ 5,000 to help pay for college. The two finalists in the vote will receive scholarships amounting to $ 2,500

Joshua Gleim. Altoona, Pa. aÌ Joshua, AOS stepfather was his family, AOS sole breadwinner. When he died, the only life insurance he had was a policy purchased through his company to keep it in case of his untimely death. His family was left with nothing, not even afford to pay for his funeral. Joshua immediately started working to help her family. During his high school years, he worked full-time in addition to studying and pursuing extracurricular activities. Today, he attended Penn State University and works in a fast food restaurant to help get to school

Skyler Baird. Draper, Utah aÌ When Skyler, AOS father died, he left behind his wife and three children, but no life insurance to cushion the financial blow to his family. His company died when he did, further exacerbating the financial difficulties family, OSA. Skyler isn, AOT let that get in the way of his college aspirations, even though he knows that to pay for his education will be difficult. He plans to attend the University of Utah, this fall. He, AOS also committed to publicly share her story of father, AOS to inspire other families to plan more wisely

Mahogany Fleming. Cincinnati, Ohio Mahogany aÌ was aged only one year when his father was killed, leaving his mother to raise Mahogany itself. Without the financial support of a life insurance policy, his mother was forced to work three jobs sometimes, and still struggling to make ends meet. Despite the financial difficulties his family has faced, Mahogany is determined to get a college degree in musical theater and business. She, OSA currently attending high school career where she will receive her cosmetology license so that, having obtained, it can provide a regular income to help cover the costs of his college education at the University of Toledo.

Cast your vote here: www.lifehappens.org/vote.

Every year, the LIFE Foundation facilitates the course students like these through the LIFE scholarship program . This year it awarded 60 grants totaling more than $ 115,000, which was funded in part by generous contributions from the NAILBA Charitable Foundation and the Foundation Table Million Dollar Round.

The winner of the online vote, as well as 2011 other beneficiaries of scholarships will be announced in September 2011 to make a donation to the scholarship fund life lessons, go to www .lifehappens.org / donate.

How many of you have legal and financial documents stashed in various drawers in different places? Maybe you have some in your home safely, some in drawers in the bedroom, others in the den and in the office. What happens when you get sick or die? Does anyone know where all the documents? Probably not, including you.

The Wall Street Journal published a very interesting article, The 25 documents you need before dying, just answer this problem. The article was two pages, very detailed and well written, so let me give you a summary of what he said

According to the WSJ, there are six categories of documents that must be maintained . Marriage and divorce, life insurance and retirement, health care, bank accounts, proof of ownership and "essential". Here is what should be included in these categories.

Marriage and Divorce
o Marriage license
o divorce papers
life insurance and retirement of
o fonts life insurance
o individual retirement accounts
o 401 (k) accounts
o retirement papers
o annuity contracts
health care
o personal and family medical history
o sustainable health food proxy
o authorization to disclose health information
o Living will be
o Do-not-resuscitate for
o pre declaration -Need of guardianship (not required in all states, but an excellent idea)
bank accounts
o List of bank accounts
o List of investment accounts
o list of all the usernames and passwords
o list of safes
evidence property
o housing, land and acts cemetery
o Escrow mortgage accounts
o evidence of granted loans and debts
o tracks vehicles
o stock certificates, savings bonds and brokerage accounts
o partnership and operating company agreements
returns o tax
the Essentials
o Will
o Letter of instruction
o other business documents such as purchase and sale agreements or share buyback

My list includes over 25 mentioned by the WSJ, and your list may include other. Here is another indication of someone who lives in an area prone to severe storms and flooding. Put your papers in watertight containers with water to prevent loss or damage due to water.

Now you have your list. Start organization!

Workers who start today are projected to have about three in 10 chance of suffering a long-term disability during their working years. Yet despite these odds size, nearly 70% of the workforce of America has no private disability insurance.

As part of a consumer research project recently published entitled "The fracture of disability," the awareness of Disability Council found some interesting facts:

employees believe that "disability can happen to anyone at any time" ... but they deny it can happen to them

when asked to choose which of several statements. on disability was more reflective of their beliefs, an overwhelming 83% of respondents chose "it can happen to anyone at any time." other choices like "it rarely happens" (5%) and "most disabilities can be prevented through healthier lifestyles" (6%) were the mostly ignored.

survey participants estimated their chances of suffering a disability during their working life to 1% or 2% ... while the actual odds are more than 10 times higher.

when asked about their chances of becoming disabled during their career, 64% pegged their own chances at 1% or 2%. most thought their chances were below average. so while they recognize that disability can happen, they think it will happen to "the other guy" and not very often about it.

the employees believe essentially disabilities are usually caused by serious accidents ... but the most data show 0% or more disability resulting from disease.

When asked to evaluate the different possible causes of disability, 71% found "serious accident" as or very likely. The next most highly ranked cause was "AVC", 45% second distant, which was followed by "cancer" with 43% choosing it as a probable cause or very likely. In general, the expected causes most often picked disability were bright once, catastrophic events (stroke, stroke, heart attack, cancer, paralysis) while other more chronic conditions like such as muscle or bone pain (26%) and depression / anxiety (14%), which actually cause a high percentage of disability, were considered less likely.

Employees perceive the unrest last long ... but less than a third of America's workforce is. covered by adequate protection of long-term disability income

Nearly 70% of respondents believed that a person had a disability would miss work for a year or more; Surprisingly, 31% said that the person would never return to work. The "catastrophic perception" of disability mentioned above is reflected in the response. Yet about 70% of the US workforce has no private disability insurance.

Where is the money?

Here are some questions you should answer that you consider your disability insurance needs:

• How much are your monthly living expenses that continue or even increase if your income stopped? Have you considered a disease or accident typically increases "out of pocket" expenses such as medical deductibles and co-pays, and hosting fees or custodial care?
• How do you pay your necessary monthly living expenses if your paycheck stopped? How long can you keep paying your bills?
• Do you know that the long-term average disability lasts two and a half years?
• Have you sick plan or paid long-term disability program work? When would it start? How much to pay and for how long? Is there a gap between what the payroll program, and what your monthly expenses will be provided?
• What if you exhaust your personal savings and retirement? How will this affect your long-term financial situation and your dreams for the future?

Enjoy disability related to educational tools that the awareness Council Disability and LIFE Foundation make available and make sure that you get the disability insurance coverage you need.

Barry Lundquist, CLU, is chairman of the disability awareness.

is August, so just about everywhere you look there are ads for back-to-sales school. He is nostalgic for me. I loved going to school, and especially loved the storage of school supplies. Nothing like the smell of new sharpened # 2s. (Do kids even have to translate the most at school?)

But because of the life lessons fellowship program of the LIFE Foundation, I am also very aware of these students will not go to school to college, even high school because their parents or parents died without life insurance. Instead of hitting the books, they punch clocks. Recently I was talking with a young woman who got up at 4 am to unload trucks at a store in large surface just to keep a roof over the head of his family after his father died without life insurance. When school returns in a scenario like this? He does not do.

A common theme in these stories of losing a parent without life insurance is that kids talk about how their parents loved them. At the same time, they also talk about the fact that, without life insurance the fight after the parent is gone is sometimes unimaginable.

graduated early from high school, tutoring every night up to 21 hours to earn money, scrounging for food stamps at the end of the month. This was the reality for Esther Kim after his father died suddenly. You can watch his story here.

Esther was lucky enough to be awarded one of the scholarships life lessons to help him realize his dream of a college education. But there were thousands who applied who do not receive money, which may not be going to school. That's why it's so important for parents to make sure they have life insurance and enough. To learn more about your life insurance needs, start here.

You just celebrated your 65th birthday. It's time for you to include in the insurance, but do you understand the different components of the Medicare program? Here are some guidelines issue of July / August Journal of NYSBA.

Medicare Part A is hospital insurance. It helps cover inpatient care in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities, hospice and home health care.

Medicare Part B is medical insurance. It helps cover services of doctors, outpatient hospital and home health care and prevention services to help you maintain your health and keep certain diseases worse. If you are currently employed and covered by your health plan group insurance, you should sign up for Part B now.

Medicare Advantage Plans (also known as Medicare Part C) are health plans run by private insurance companies approved Medicare. These plans are similar to health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and preferred provider organizations (PPOs). They include Part A, Part B coverage, and usually other coverage such as coverage of Medicare prescription drug (Part D), sometimes for an additional cost.

Medicare Part D is run prescription drug option by private insurance companies approved Medicare. It helps to cover the cost of prescription drugs and may help lower the costs of prescription drugs and help protect against higher costs in the future.

So if you are a top job, what should you do when you turn 65? If you maintain a private health insurance or switch to Medicare? The decision is not easy, especially for those enrolled in the PPO plans because their doctors are not the decision is complicated by many factors, including analysis and comparison of the following costs "in network."

employer Board:
• cost of employee premiums
• deductible policy
• the annual reasonable costs insurance company
• Co-insurance (reimbursement is generally 80% reasonable costs, but reduce the cost of employer plans now allow only 70% or 60%)

Medicare
• Part B (physician) and D (drug) cost of the premium prescription
• Medicare part A, B & D annual deductibles and the "gap" for part D
• Medicare reasonable costs
• Co-insurance (Medicare reimbursement is 80% of reasonable costs)
• Medigap policy premiums

seem confused? I turned 65 last year and had to go to my health insurance agent group to determine what works best for me. This is a very complex and important decision, and you do not want to make mistakes that can have unwelcome repercussions.

Contact your agent, financial advisor or Benefits Administrator to work for proper guidance. If you do not have someone to turn to, seeking an agent or advisor on the website of life here.

Only 49% of Americans who have financial advisors and financial plans have already discussed with their advisors by adding life insurance to their plans, according to a study conducted by Saybrus Partners Inc. in collaboration with Harris interactive.

Although almost half of the study participants say they have talked to their advisors on life insurance, 15% said that the conversation took place there over 10 years. Think of how life and the need for change in a decade. Only 40% said they talked to their financial advisor about life insurance in the past year. In addition, 47% of participants reported that their advisors have never reviewed their existing life insurance coverage.

Only 24% of participants reported that their advisors have recommended adding life insurance to their financial plans, and only 10% said that their advisors have recommended adding long term care insurance .

The investigation confirmed statistically that financial advisors often do not discuss life insurance during the financial planning process. The question I is why?

Life insurance is one of the best money creation tools ever invented. With a few cents and a drop of ink, the life insurance company creates a life insurance policy with a promise to pay at a later date. If you buy whole life insurance, it comes with an annual value of guaranteed increase in cash, which in today's market, provides security and peace of mind exceptional.

If your advisor has not talked to you about life insurance, maybe it's time for you to be proactive and start the conversation. You and your family will be glad that you did.

I was diagnosed with non-invasive breast cancer in the spring of 09 and it came as a complete surprise. I have no family history and I was 41 at the time, relatively young for breast cancer diagnosis.

I was scared. As a financial professional, I often faced these intersections with customers. Now it was my turn.

Frankly, I knew I had adequate life insurance only because I am in this industry, but I'm still consumed with anxiety. One of the first thoughts that crossed my mind when I was diagnosed myself, "Have I enough coverage?" And if I did not, then what? Did my husband, Sean, and his daughter, Hannah, OK if something me now or if I'm the cancer again a few years from now?

planning your future becomes much more urgent when that future is uncertain. I know that 'there are many people who are not prepared and put off making decisions. it is something I have seen steadily over the last 20 years of my career.

I'm talking about my breast cancer because I think my story can be a wake up call. I've seen too many people facing difficult circumstances and not having enough life insurance, disability insurance or the money saved for college or retirement when the surprise diagnosis gets delivered

and this is the point :. See my story as a chance to look at your options and take action.

I should also point out that many women believe that if they have breast cancer, they are uninsurable. It can not be the case. I am very surprised that in a year of my treatment, I am able to qualify for the additional life insurance to protect my family in case of recurrence or other unforeseen event that may affect them.

If you don 't been planning or just want to make sure that your plans are in good shape, use a financial professional confidence because it is too late

Here are some tips additional :.

• Find a financial professional who you feel comfortable working with who understands your situation and needs.
• a request insurance your life never know what you qualify for, even with breast cancer history and / or other medical problems, or request an informal survey for a clear idea of ​​what you can qualify for if you were to make a formal request.
• Examine coverage for your spouse and make sure it is adequate. During this difficult period, it is important to ensure that everyone is protected.
• Work with your financial professional to apply for life insurance for your children to protect their insurability if they develop breast cancer or other health problems at some point in the to come up.

There is never an easy time to plan. But knowing that you and your family are in good financial health is one less thing to worry about, come what may.

Vlasta Duffy is a general agent with MassMutual, which supports the awareness of breast cancer, and a managing partner of Integrated Financial Strategies LLC in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Now more than ever, you must take the time to review your health plan to ensure you do not leave the money on the table. Go on "autopilot" during the open enrollment season can be an expensive mistake. A new survey from Kelton / eHealthInsurance shows that workers tend to be lethargic about selecting their benefits for next year, which can bite them in their portfolios. Here are some tips to help you save money on your health insurance.

1. review all your options. Review all plans available from your employer as soon as you receive your open enrollment packet. For good measure, check your options in the market for individual health insurance purchased too. Although the group still plans can provide a more robust coverage and will cover pre-existing medical conditions, individually purchased plans may offer a stronger alternative than they did a few years ago.

2. Shop smart If possible, enroll in a plan that covers only the services you need. This can mean a lower monthly premium. For example, a plan with robust maternity coverage may not be the best match for singles. And if you do not care for branded drugs, see if you are offered a plan that covers only generic drugs instead. Choosing a high deductible plan may be smart for some individuals and families because it typically reduces monthly premiums, but be prepared to pay the amount of the deductible in the coming year based on care needs health arise.

3. Consider a Health Savings Account . Many employers offer a high deductible with an HSA option. Some may even contribute to the HSA for you. Depending on the use of health care, this can be a good option to save because the money can be deposited before tax in your HSA to cover unexpected health expenses not covered by your health plan. Unused savings can also roll over year after year until retirement.

4. Mix and match, if any. According to your own health and your family and how an employer contributes to a charge to cover, it may be less expensive for certain family members to be on a separate, individually purchased plan of health. Do the math on separate policies if there are special needs. It's easy to price individual and family plans online. But remember that it is possible to be denied coverage purchased an individual plan based on the medical history of a candidate, do not cancel an existing line of coverage until you are approved for a new one.

5. Search innovations in the individual market. If you can not afford health insurance by the employer, or if your employer's plan does not meet your needs, look for new options in the individually purchased health insurance members market. some States carriers offer incentives to avoid too much using your coverage. For example, some may substantially reduce your deductible next year if you do not use your full deductible this year; others can encourage healthy habits by sending you gift cards and other rewards for positive health outcomes.

6. Check your medical expenses. Regardless of what plan you choose for 2012, be sure that you follow all your health care costs, including insurance premiums, co-payments and drug costs. This will give you the knowledge you need to assess your insurance choice disease in 2013.

Carrie McLean is an open registration specialist with eHealthInsurance.com.

When I wanted to have my father at 83, moved in with my husband and me, you could say that I am an idealist or being overprotective, or I bite more than I could chew.

At the time, I would have argued with you vehemently, but you would have been right!

Based on my commitment to my father, my sense of duty and my own idea of ​​what awaits you in my new role as a caregiver (and little research or actual planning), in my mind, I 'm ready.

"It will not be a problem," I reassured my husband. Daddy cool-not Alzheimer's disease, he takes care of himself and does well to move into the house. Of course, he needed limited assistance to live alone, but he was still active and robust father I had known all my life.

I can now tell you-complete with battle scars and learn as -you-go frustrations-how quickly I learned significantly a family is affected when they are not at all prepared to provide care. I did not know that

• You can not take a vacation without vis-assistance ($ 20 per hour). In my case, my father refused to go to a nursing home in the short term and I felt guilty.
• senile dementia of my father, but not very noticeable at first, deteriorate and trap us so we could not go to the store or elsewhere for more than several hours, lest he decide to cook or walking in the street alone, neither of which he could do without injury.
• many and inevitable health problems may arise with more frequency, making me miss the time critical work.
• dream of my husband to build a restaurant for a retirement income falls overboard because it would cost more to support my father while we were both working extensive hours.
• The treatment of memory loss and an associated combative cause fights, arguments and guilt.
• The progressive need of care would create a need for "sitters" more qualified if my husband and I managed to get away for a few days. This care was needed to prevent bedsores, maintenance, feeding tubes, and monitoring of dubious continence.

My father lived to be 0 years old and was near the end of his retirement savings when it passed a way. I kept my promise to have to stay with us for as long as he could, but I paid a higher price than what I could imagine all those years when I made that promise. I am more convinced than ever that the planning of my own years later with tools such as long term care insurance is a must for me and my family.

Although you can not predict everything, long term care insurance would have helped eliminate unnecessary stress and some unknown to me while I was looking after my father. In other words, it offers caregiving options that ensure that you or your family members get the care you need without depleting your savings.

long-term care insurance ensures that families should not assume the many requests for provision of care alone. In addition to nursing care in a nursing home or assisted living facility, most long-term care insurance plans cover adult day care and home care that can give caregivers a well deserved break (and well deserved!) of their caregiving responsibilities. Some plans also have flexible options that will cover the care provided by friends or family members, training for caregivers, changes in home and medical equipment.

Not everyone likes to talk about age and planning for our later years. It can be a very emotional subject. But finding a simple, hassle-free solution will give you peace of mind knowing that your financial security is protected and you receive the care you need.

I encourage you to use long term Awareness Month Care as an opportunity to learn more about the resources and products available to plan your needs for long-term care to come and start this important discussion with your loved ones.

The purpose of health insurance is to cover and reduce the cost of health-related expenses. A good insurance plan to save money and protect you from having to pay in full for high medical expenses now or in the future.

You can not be covered by your employer or are self-employed, which puts the burden to obtain health insurance coverage squarely on your shoulders . It may seem like a maze of information, but here are some tips to make it easier to find the best coverage for you.

To choose the health plan that is right for you, balance the cost of the plan (the premium , usually paid monthly) with the level of coverage and the amount it allows save on your medical expenses. Consider deductible (how much you pay expenses before coverage begins) co-plan payments (the amount or fixed percentage you pay the full cost of goods or services) and out-of-pocket limit (also called maximum out-of-pocket, the more you can pay out of pocket for health care costs in the year).

Assess Your Needs

So what is the "best" health plan? It varies for each individual. The best health care plan for you depends on your health status, medical needs, the desired level of coverage and cost of the plan.

• Examine your current health expenditures and other you expect to hire . Where are your health care dollars is now: doctors, medications, procedures, etc.? Based on this assessment, decide which areas need strong coverage, and can be low or no coverage (so you only pay for what you need).
• research plan coverage levels and costs for your specific needs. For example, someone who needs regular medication for a chronic illness may want a plan with full coverage in pharmacy and low co-payments for drugs. A person who is healthy, but intend to have knee surgery should check the policy carefully and rates for major medical procedures.
• Then consider medical contingencies , large and small. It may be worth paying a little more now for the safety of unexpected bills (and higher) future, or even peace of mind.

Your search options

different health plans and configurations can protect you and save money in varying amounts. Use online tools such as health insurance comparison sites to see a quick and easy overview of several side by side plans. You can filter the plans by the cost and the amount of copay even compare and charges for common medical expenses.

Be an informed consumer. The consequences of ill-fitting health insurance can be extreme. Based on a cross section plans, the average out-of-pocket limit is $ 4,033 family. However, in some ways, you can be on the hook for $ 30,000 before coverage takes care of the rest. Always make sure you know what is covered, what is not and how much you may have to pay in any situation.

There are many online resources to help you find the best health plans, so research thoroughly and make an informed decision about your health and future. Your family and your wallet will thank you.

A recent Guardian survey, Life Insurance Company has found that Americans are overwhelmed by the prospect of saving for retirement, and they do not know how insurance -life part of the overall planning. This survey indicates that all Americans are showing uncertainty and, at worst, complete inaction with regard to the financial decision making.

The survey also revealed the continuing uncertainty about the economy, coupled with the belief that it is headed in the wrong direction, as the main source of anxiety in every stage of life on the ability to save for a comfortable retirement.

This feeling of being overwhelmed about retirement planning further increases the distress of many Americans feel about long-term financial security. While almost all respondents (92%) surveyed say they are confident in their personal financial decision-making, almost four in 10 in the general population (39%) and over half (52%) of generation Y and a third of Gen X do not even know where to start when it comes to retirement planning.

Among factors the survey focused on perceptions were people in the direction of the economy is heading. From the perspective of generations, Generation X (82%) believes the economy is headed in the wrong direction and feels less financially (47%) of any group. Three quarters of the general population also shares a pessimistic vision of the direction of the economy, while over a third (37%) do not have a sense of financial security. Members of Generation X (59%) are most concerned that they will not have enough money saved for retirement, perhaps reflecting the sequence of economic forces that have affected their work life.

Respondents who have a whole life insurance were the most confident they have saved enough for a comfortable retirement. This sense of security may be due to their knowledge that the cash value of a whole life insurance policy is available on a tax-advantaged basis to supplement retirement income. However, among the general population, the survey found that there is a lack of understanding of how the different types of life insurance works. Americans in general are divided as to whether it is smarter to buy a term life insurance and invest the rest, or buy a whole life insurance and treat it as part of the overall financial portfolio one (40% each).

As for how their perceptions of the economy have impacted their decision global financial decision, the survey found that two-thirds of respondents from the general population (65%) are more likely to keep their money in a savings account rather than invest, despite the fact that 62% of them believe that the market down is an opportunity. However, most respondents (60%) still believe that it is important to continue to invest in their retirement funds because the economy is less stable, with skittish Gen X being the exception: 47% of respondents in this cohort believe investing in their retirement fund is actually less important during this period of economic instability.

based on the results of the survey, Generation X may have been disproportionately affected by the crisis of the economic landscape, but the Guardian survey indicates that all Americans are showing uncertainty and inaction when it comes to financial decision making.

So what do these results tell us? He says the financial services industry needs to do a better job of educating the consumer through all generations about how they can and must plan their financial future, and not just pure financial products, but insurance-life too.

This is the LIFE foundation comes in. We have been educating consumers for the past 17 years on various types of insurance and what these products do. LIFE has the resources and powers as a third party without profit to help consumers make these important insurance decisions, but the industry needs to do a better job of accessing and using these tools .

When procrastination has served you well? If you think back, you might be able to dredge once or twice when you put out an onerous task to find your laziness (I can just call a spade a spade?) Rewarded. You watched the game instead of shoveling the walk, and that it snowed again so that you have a shovel two to one in the suite. Nice, right? Although this can work with trivial things, when it comes to important areas of our lives, such as protecting the financial future of our family, should we really tempt fate by putting off important decisions?

There is a lesson many of us need to learn. Our friends Fran and Frida are a bargain.

OK, jokes aside. Get life insurance can seem like a daunting task, something to procrastinate (But I'm healthy!). The fact is, none of us know for sure if we have 20,000 days to live more or 20. What you will do your life insurance needs?

retirement. I mentioned the lack of preparation for retirement for years to baby boomers. Many baby boomers are not and will not in a financial situation where they can enjoy a secure retirement.

Financial-Planning.com published "12 Scary Facts retirement Keeping Boomers-And-Up their advisers at Night", which addresses these concerns and reinforces the urgency for boomers to work with their planners financial and professional agents to be better prepared

Here are just statistics that stand :.

• about half of American workers have less than $ 10,000 saved for retirement, and 29% have less than $ 1,000, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
• One in six older Americans live below the poverty line, according to the Office of the US Census.
• Between 1991 and 07, the number of elderly people aged 65-74 who went bankrupt rose by 178%.
• In 1991, half of all US workers planned to retire before 65, now the number is less than one quarter.
• A recent AARP survey found that 40% of baby boomers plan to work "until they drop."
• The vast majority of Americans-88% -Y concerned "to maintain a comfortable standard of living in retirement," according to a survey by Americans for Secure Retirement.

scary thoughts, and if the facts do not care about you, you are

1. in denial about your financial situation
2. Unaware of your financial situation
3. Have been smart enough to be proactive in your planning.

If you are in one of the first two categories, you should contact your agent or planner today . If you do not have someone to help you, go to the location of the LIFE agent.

When Emilia was about 6 months old, Kyle and I used to get life insurance. At the time, I joked about it: we look! We're so mature! And adult! Adult, even! GO US. I also told the story of how, in the life insurance application process, a nurse visited our house to take blood samples and I fainted. Two times. These are the things that I felt more comfortable sharing this process: it made me feel like an adult, and it also made me faint.

The thing was, though, it was much more complicated than that. He was, as they say, loaded. The reason that getting a life insurance is a grown-up thing to do, why it feels so adult, is because it requires face the kind of reality that only adults, mostly are equipped to deal with, or that we become more mature in the process of confrontation: the fact that your life is, in fact, over, and it is quite within the bounds of possibility that you could reach the horizon of its finitude before you are ready. So you better be ready. Especially if you have kids

In a word :. You could die and leave your children without parents. Say it is sobering is underestimating things to the extreme. This is the kind of thing that makes you want to crawl under the covers with his fingers in his ears. This is the kind of thing we wish we could just push and refuse. But this is also the kind of thing that speaks loudly to the full force of parental love. This is the very definition of love: it is a love that confronts the fear and do not retreat. It is a love that looks at all the scary things in the world and wondered, what should I do to protect my family from these things? And what should I do to deal with the reality that despite all my efforts to fight it, bad things can still happen? It is a love that does not wear rose-colored glasses. It is a love that looks at life and the world and time and everything and strains to see as clearly as possible. This is not the kind of love we associate with Valentine; it is not warm and fuzzy and wrapped in red satin bows. But it is the most important embodiment of love, no doubt, because it is this love that cares and gives care, and actively fulfills its promise to honor and protect.

The issue of life insurance came back recently because of all the recent changes in our lives. When we got the life insurance there nearly six years, Kyle was the main breadwinner; I was a dependent spouse. That changed - it is reversed - and there are many things about this change, the inversion, which have been difficult for us. But we had to face, and name, and sign documents that said, now, you are the main breadwinner, and you are not; You must be fully assured, while you do not. This has not been easy. We had to wade through the thicket we live a different life now, a life that is difficult to navigate at times, a life that proves difficult sometimes for us to navigate as partners because the nature of the partnership has changed . But we did.

Because we are adults. And that's how we like now.

This is how we love.

My first year managing the scholarship program life lessons, ME was presented to Giavanna Ficarra. As I watched his video submission requesting a scholarship, I remember feeling so saddened by his story. It brought tears to my eyes to hear that his father was a real estate developer, was killed, leaving behind her three daughters. To make matters worse, he did not renew his life insurance policy.

Every time I look, I remember how overwhelming life can be when a parent dies and there is no financial support those who remain. It is traumatic enough for teens to lose the most important person in their life, but having to worry about all the financial constraints before them is devastating. Gigi said that if his father had life insurance "things would have worked differently," and I agree. If he would have had coverage at the time of his untimely death, so she could not to have lost the sense of stability and security, she speaks in her video.

the life lessons scholarship program receives hundreds of these stories all year. It is a program which linked students submit an essay of 500 words or three minute video describing the emotional and financial impact of the loss of a parent at a young age, and how the lack of life insurance has played a role in the finances of their families.

program objective is to help students get a college degree, while sharing the reality of the consequences when there is not enough life insurance or not. as you can imagine, these stories are powerful and sincere, and leave an everlasting impact.

over the past seven years, the LIFE Foundation has provided scholarships to nearly 300 students. Although these young adults have faced a devastating loss, they are remarkable in their determination. They understand the importance of education and strive to graduate. If their parents had sufficient coverage of life insurance, they might not have had to struggle as much as they did. And while they learned the hard way, they also understand how important it is to protect your family should the unthinkable occur.

In the words of one of our students life lessons, Brittnee Clary, "Although the hurt and pain caused by the loss of my father can never be facilitated by a sum of money, if my father had life insurance, it would have to focus more on the other during this dark period rather than on financial matters. "All too often it is a recurring theme.

I encourage you to read some of our lessons in life stories, as Chezeria Ortiz, and think about the people you love. If something were to happen to you today, would you have the comfort of knowing that they would be supported?

For more information on the study of our life lesson Scholarship Program or for an application, click here, then please share it with people you know in your community. The deadline to submit an entry is March 12.

If you would like to donate to the program, please click here.

Greg Knoll and Melissa were in love college and married soon after graduation. Young and active, they were excited about the possibilities that the future and happy to be sharing the journey. While in their mid 20s, they began to make the future concrete buying a house and planning a family. They realized that this would be a good idea to talk to their insurance agent. It's a good thing they did, that life had an unexpected way for them to take.

Melissa tells its own story much better than me, so please watch.

Every time I look at this video, I think the sadness that must have enveloped their families. It's hard not to cry. But I also think of Melissa's words and I wonder if it is a small silver lining: "I hope a young couple sees our message and pushes the heart to make a decision that will take care of their families. "I hope so, too.

Several years, like many other women, I went through a divorce

There is a time difficult for all. involved, but as a financial professional, the experience reminded me how important it is for women to ask questions and be involved in financial decisions, large and small that affect the family now and in the future.

most people do 't enter the wedding more thinking than think they will become a widow divorce. Yet, women in this country have to clear many obstacles to a healthy financial future. They need to pay attention to simple-finance, married or not-because in one way or another there is a certain probability that they will only personal.

The reality is that women live longer than men. They need to expand their much longer retirement income and the likelihood of the need for additional dollars to help long-term care is a distinct probability. In 2010, about 40% of women over 65 were widows, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services 2011 report on older Americans. Nearly half of women aged 75 or over lived alone, and the median income'S older women is now a paltry $ 15,000, according to the report.

Is our future? This is not to what I want for my girls (Meredith Morgan on the left and right) or the daughters of someone else.

So, in addition to asking questions and taking notice, in my opinion, here is some food for thought for the next generation of women who are married or just thinking

bank accounts :. share joint accounts can help dissolve the mysteries of how and where the family income is spent. Many couples decide to split the costs evenly, but seriously consider having the employee pay more most of the bills. And consider trimming your own savings account in addition to the common responsibilities you may have

The debt before :. Does each spouse responsible for the debt of another committed before marriage and if so, to what extent? Keep the prior debt separate debtor spouse will contribute to the property of the other spouse remains out of reach of creditors

Retirement :. Saving enough for retirement should be a major financial goal for women. Women often spend more time in the labor market than men due to caregiving responsibilities, and because of this they are less likely to have pensions and social security benefits. According to the Ministry of Labour of the United States, women averaged 12 years in the paid labor market, primarily for care delivery functions. When they do work, women on average earn 80 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts

Insurance :. disability insurance can provide financial protection in case you are unable to work due to an accident or illness. The benefits of these policies can help you pay your bills. Similarly, life insurance can help provide financial security measure in case of death by providing funds for the children to go to college or keep with a mortgage payment.

Do not be stuck in the dark about your financial future. Make good choices now.

You have become disabled, but you're not worried. Why? Because you think that social security disability benefits will "take care of you." Re ally? According to statistics from the Administration of Social Security, the average person who has qualified for the Social Security benefits receives $ 1,125.10 per month.

If you make $ 50,000 per year, how long could you (and your family) survive a payment of $ 1125.10 per month disability? It is only $ 13,501 per year, or 27% of your income. This assumes that you qualify for benefits, not everyone does. And if you do, it may still be more than two years, yes, years-before starting to receive payments. What will you do in the meantime?

It's time for you to protect your paycheck.

What do I mean? You protect your home by ensuring against loss. You do the same thing for your car, boat, motorcycle, RV and personal property, but have you ensured your salary?

Yes, I speak of disability insurance. You protect your worldly goods with insurance, and you should also protect your income against loss. If you get sick or injured and are unable to work, you disability insurance pays a percentage of your income until you can return to work.

May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month, the perfect time to talk to your advisor or agent and learn how to protect your paycheck.

Yesterday The Wall Street Journal published the article "If you buy insurance Long Term Care?" Actually it was a debate between two people. Mark Meiners, professor of administration and health policy at George Mason University, argued in favor of long-term care insurance. Prescott Cole, a lawyer senior lawyers for the California nursing Home Reform, argued against. I feel compelled to respond because of the misrepresentation of the facts Mr. Cole about the long-term care insurance.

much of Mr. Cole argument seems to rest on the belief that most care is still in nursing homes. However, the facts are that over 85% of care is now provided outside houses nursing, making much of his theoretical argument. Nursing homes are a myriad of treatment options available to those with long-term care insurance, but most applicants now prefer care in settings ranging from the comfort of their own home, in day care for adults , to assisted living facilities and more.

instead of asking "If you buy long term care insurance?" a better question is "What is your long term care plan?" because this argument boils down to. It is not the risk of a long term care event; it is about the consequences if it happens. Insurance can not prevent the risk, but it can help your caregivers to manage the consequences.

Face it, when you need care, someone will provide that care, most likely a family member. So it becomes a question of how to provide your care will affect their health, finances and emotional state. Many studies have shown that family caregivers have a higher level of physical fatigue and are more prone to disease. They feel almost twice the normal rates of depression as they try to balance work, family and their own care. Caregivers also have financial difficulties because they work less, lose job opportunities, and pay out of pocket for certain expenses for your care. In addition, for a spouse, the money they spend on your care is now much less they can rely on their own future. An insurance plan may not completely eliminate one of these stresses on caregivers, but it can reduce them to a more manageable level.

M .. Cole also says that in "the game" of long-term care insurance, you play with a "stacked deck." What he fails to realize is that some of insurance options available can stack the deck your favor. for example, the shared care option with many political allows two people to share the risk by linking their benefits together. If one runs out their political advantage, they can use part or all of the joint political another option is to choose a policy linking long-term care benefits with a pension policy or life insurance. a winning proposal -win. If you ever need long-term care, the policy will pay for care, taking your premiums party several times your initial investment. If you need care, your heirs will receive a death benefit of your Plan policies. benefits related to eliminate "if I never use it, I lose" argument.

As medical advances are helping us live longer, many of us will need some form of long term care. The time to plan how you will handle this eventuality is when you are younger, are healthy and have options. Like any type of long-term strategy, you must first inform you about the options available to you, and then work with an experienced professional to make an informed decision. This way, if you choose to make with the traditional long-term care insurance or a related benefit policies, or ensure himself using your own money, you will go into this decision knowing all the pros and cons of your decision and how this will affect not only your care, but the lives of those around you.

US workers plan to continue working after age 65. If you are one of them will be your life insurance also continue?
Recent Survey Transamerica Retirement found that the majority of workers plan to work past age 65 (56%) and a majority plane (54%) continue working after retirement. Just 39% believe they are currently building a sufficient nest egg, underscoring the need to redefine "retirement readiness" in a way that is better adapted to these new realities.

Over recent years, the survey of Transamerica retirement saw an emerging trend of workers who plan to work past 65, including some workers who do not plan to retire. the survey this year revealed that these expectations are prevalent to varying degrees among workers of all ages, not only older workers.

If you are one of those workers, your insurance needs after 65 to replace income lost in the event of death becomes very important. You should review your current life insurance policies to determine if they continue after age 65, and if so, for how long and at what cost. Now can -being time to replace your term insurance to permanent insurance, which will remain in force as long as you need it at a fixed price without future increases. You can even choose a life insurance policy that includes long-term care benefits if you need extended care.

The effects of the great recession is reflected in the changing expectations of retired workers. Working past age 65 is an important opportunity to help alleviate a retirement savings shortfall. unforeseen life circumstances, such as loss or job health issues can have a devastating impact on the best plans. The "what if" scenarios are essential for US workers of any age is to be included in their long-term preparations.

Almost one in three (29%) expect to financially support family members other than spouses or partners, after their retirement, while 13% expect to receive financial support the retired family. This makes the need for insurance even more important after 65 years.

Gosh, we love our fans on Facebook. We asked a simple question: "If you had one sentence to convince someone to buy a life insurance, how about" And we had a large cargo responses

. Here are our winners:

you can always take care of your family even after you are gone -Erica Davis

Because in a blink. look right can change -Ashley Neves

But we also wanted to highlight some of our other favorites.

love is the reason we buy life insurance -Gary Cinello

life comes at you fast, and so can not. Either ready. Be prepared. -Gerry Ornelas

If life insurance were free , how would you own? -John Busch IV

life happens so get life insurance -Brittany LaRoche

What kind of position would your family if something happens to you with no life insurance? -Janice Kiker

If you had died last Friday, what kind of legacy would you have today? -Brooke DeNovel

live, love, leave well -Mario Alban Santos

Life is priceless, the insurance is affordable -Dan Wilcox

and the humor ... (life insurance can really be funny ?!)

not having life insurance is like being left in a public bathroom without toilet paper. -Kat Johnson

With this amount of life insurance, you are not going to be dead for a long time, are you? -Colin Meeks

You mean all I would get is photo albums? -Chuck Scroggs

Care to add your own in the comments?

Almost half of workers plan to block a retirement annuity. Part of the reason is that the pension benefits offered by employers are most often distributed to workers in the form of an annuity, according to a new report "Ambivalence Towards Annuities older Americans," published by the Institute public policy for AARP. The study examines the results of an AARP survey of older workers and retirees about their choices for retirement income distribution.

The survey interviewed 1,750 workers aged 50 to 75 years and 670 retirees aged 59 to 75. The survey revealed that nearly five to 10 workers (48%) plan to take a pension or purchased from a life insurer or through their pension plan provided by the employer, and nearly four in 10 (38%) expect to receive a life income annuity.

The survey also showed that nearly three in four workers (74%) receive or expect to receive income from an annuity, and six in 10 (63%) receive income from a life income annuity. Three to four 10 workers and 10 retired with a choice of income distribution options plan to choose or have already chosen an annuity.

workers with 401 (k) type plan that are able to choose, a 31% plan to elect an annuity and 24% of retirees had made a similar choice.

When respondents were asked what features of annuities are "very" or "somewhat" convincing reasons to purchase an annuity, 82% say pensions "help you manage your budget because you get a predictable amount of money every month. " Annuities provide your salary and your PlayCheck so you can never outlive your income.

Respondents also cited the fact that annuities:

• offers peace of mind because the payments will continue for as long as you live (82% of respondents)
• Make sure that your monthly income will not fall, although it is an important market decline (80%)
• can help you stay independent because the money will never run (76, 8%)
• certainty of the offer regarding the rate of return (75.5%)

we are all living longer with a lot of us look to be active in our 0s one of the best ways to preserve our independence is to provide a source of income, we can not survive, and that's what Annuities do not ensure the safety, security and safeguards.

We often see sad stories or sobering in the news or even on our Facebook feeds and feel powerless to do anything to make a difference. Well, here's your chance to make a difference in the life of a young person who is struggling financially to make the dream of a college education is realized.

Here Johana. Her father died when she was young, and his family was in financial trouble since. Despite not knowing how it will be able to pay, it is very focused on obtaining a college degree.

This is David. His mother, who was David and his brother on his own, died when they were in high school. Things are very difficult financially, but he is determined to get a college education.

You can watch their videos on the move here. Johanna and David each received $ 5,000 Scholarship Program of life lessons studies. You can help them along by voting here for the Grand Prix award Video of life studies, which will result in an additional $ 5,000 scholarship.

This year, the life lessons Scholarship Program will award 61 scholarships totaling $ 110,000 to young people like David and Johana. You can help more students by donating to the program here.

If life insurance is not a priority before it will become one if your health declines. The combination of the realization of the most important people in your life are financially dependent on you and you are no longer invincible are is a wake up call for many.

Most consumers have health problems admit that getting life insurance when they were young and healthy has always been a thought, but nothing's ever pushed the continue until now.

Nobody likes to think about their premature death, but with a condition invites the thought of "If something happened to me, my family would be okay? "The harsh reality is when these health complications occur, it becomes difficult to find affordable life insurance rates.

If you have health problems or lifestyle and you are having difficulty to get life insurance, here are 3 tips to help you in your search

Tip # 1: .. Working with a life insurance agent or agency that has experience with your risk

the truth is, every life insurance company will look at your risk differently. Some life insurance companies will look at your sole risk, more favorably than others. Just because you have been denied with one company does not mean you can not get affordable coverage with another company.

Ask your current agent if they have access to an insurance specialist -life "high risk". If they do not then just do an Internet search for your risk. For example, you can search for "life insurance with COPD" or "life insurance with congestive heart failure." There are several agents who are experts in your risks and know that life insurance companies will give you the best offer. There are many high risk for qualified life insurance agents there

Tip # 2 :. It's about control and compliance

If you have a chronic health condition (diabetes, asthma, arthritis, etc.), all you have to do is demonstrate control and compliance. Control which means there are no major complications, and that means respect that you follow your doctor's recommendations. This applies to the majority of medical issues.

In many cases, you just need to bring your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, A1C levels, triglycerides, PSA or other laboratory results within normal limits. If you have been denied or very appreciated for your lab results, work on getting those under control and re-apply when they return within normal limits

Tip 3 :. Get "trial offers"

There is a process in the life insurance industry, where we can send your risk for many life insurance companies at one time, without filling a formal application for life insurance. This means that you can know with certainty what type of offers to wait several life insurance companies before you formally apply and without taking a medical examination. Think of it as a service "prequalification"

This is what it means :.
1. Your agent collects your health information (in detail), sums to subscribers and sends it to all life insurance company that has risk.
2. life insurance companies review your health profile and answer "indicative offers" writing. This means that until everything was disclosed, and nothing has changed are the rates you can expect.
3. You choose the best offer and a formal application with this company. Your agent would join the temporary offer to your request.

The biggest misconception for people with health problems looking for life insurance is that they can not qualify for coverage. We hear all the time and in most cases affordable coverage is obtained.

Eligibility for life insurance coverage with a health deficiency takes some expertise and a little more work on your agent, but it can be done. Do not let the health problems that deter you secure this important coverage.

My advice is always to provide coverage while you're young and healthy because health tomorrow is promised to no one. However, sometimes it takes a wake up call to get life insurance off the burner.

If there is one thing the recession (and all the twists and turns that followed subsequent economic) taught us, it is the value to be proactive when it comes to our future. While you may not be able to control what happens in Washington, DC, and on Wall Street, you can take charge of your personal finances, making choices that go a long way to protecting your future and that of your loved ones.

the old saying "ignorance is bliss" was replaced with "knowledge is power", as the Americans recalculate budgets across households, review mortgage rates and credit card fees and look for ways to save at the gas pump and grocery store. and in September, which is life insurance awareness Month, you have another way to get the most out of your money and protect your future :. by assessing your life insurance coverage

But, to use another aphorism, "you can lead a horse to water, you can not make him drink. "While life or your insurance agent can tell you about the importance of life insurance, you can buy it. Unfortunately, the reasons for not buying a policy, or not to increase coverage current to meet future needs, are often based on fallacies and misinformation.

How do you know about life insurance? Read the following instructions to check your insurance IQ. Consider this life insurance 101:

I'm single, so I do not need life insurance Even singles can leave behind others who depend :. children, aging parents , or even a friend or relative who is dependent on them for financial support. Having a policy in place that will take care of them once you are gone is the last act of love you can give.

I'm covered through work. This should be enough. May be. Or maybe not. The only way you will know if the coverage is adequate is by using tools such as life insurance LIFE Calculator needs. But keep in mind that, depending on how it is written, the policy may end when your employment ends. Wear an individual policy gives you coverage and additional control, no matter what happens with your work situation.

I'm too young to worry about life insurance. In fact, there are several reasons why you should buy a policy when you are young. On one hand, the purchase of a life insurance coverage while you're young and healthy means that your premiums will be relatively low. In addition, while the young like to think they are immune against health problems and adverse life events, accidents and illnesses can occur at any age. Having a policy in place guarantees your insurability.

Life insurance is too expensive. How do you think it costs? There are opportunities, whatever you think is probably much more than reality. According to LIMRA and LIFE Insurance Barometer Study 2012 80% of consumers were unable to correctly estimate the real cost of life insurance. Most greatly overestimated her, for example, that the best available annual rate of 20, $ 250,000, political life in term for good health 30 years have a median cost of $ 400 believe prices. (Good answer $ 150 ?!) Before you decide you "can not afford insurance," be sure you know what is the real cost - and the cost of not being insured could be for you and your family

"term." "Perm." "Riders and options." it's too complicated to understand. Anyone who has tried to navigate through the pages of legal documentation and contracts may be forgiven for thinking that this is all designed to make you feel badly informed, educated and outdated.

Fortunately, we need not let lack of knowledge stand in your way to make an intelligent decision. Start by visiting online resources such as the LIFE website where you will find easy to understand information and tools. Then schedule a sit-down with your professional financial adviser or insurance, or if you do not have it, you can find one here. Take a list of questions and scenarios. For example, if you:

• quit your job and start your own business
• have another child
• take responsibility for an aging parent
• find that you have a terminal illness?

sharing your concerns and plans with your advisor is an important part of the evaluation process. This allows him to give you the best recommendations for the type and amount of coverage that will meet current and future needs decisions.

Awareness Life Insurance Using a month to increase your understanding of what life insurance can do for you and your family. And then do it!

As life insurance Month approaches, we are reminded that one of the main functions of life insurance is replace lost income. But do not stop with just life insurance, it is a good time to evaluate all of your income replacement insurance needs.

Let me explain. What Is life insurance used? Income and asset protection. What is disability insurance used? Income and asset protection! When we really understand life and disability insurance, it is easy to see that there is very little difference between the two in terms of function. In both cases, the insured no longer produces income.

What is different is spending. Although there is usually final expenses related to death, costs of disability are persistent and significant, with the potential to last for years. According to the Council for Disability Awareness, the average length of a long-term disability is two years.

People who have become disabled and are no longer able to work still need to buy what they did before they still need to eat, sleep and shelter. In addition, they usually have ongoing medical problems that must be addressed. They may have special needs that require equipment or modernization of their homes and special automobile.

So I could argue that becoming disabled is much worse than dying in terms of financial turmoil.

As a counselor, when I deal with clients who seem to be interested in life insurance, I asked simply, "OK, I'd be happy to help you buy an insurance plan -life, but how you will continue to pay the premium if you become disabled? How will you continue to pay for your car insurance, health insurance and your home insurance? "My hope is that these customers will start thinking about the financial planning disability.

Learn more about the need for income protection insurance exploring www.protectyourpaycheck.org and www.disabilitycanhappen.org

But do not take away the great efforts that lIFE is to promote the importance of life insurance during the campaign that begins in two weeks. Instead, I remind you that both life insurance and disability insurance are important considerations for anyone who has financial responsibility for a family or a business.

An editorial in my local newspaper, the Minneapolis' StarTribune, "bubbling me. You see, a man was mourning not only the death of his beloved 94-year-old aunt, but also that there was nothing more his very hard earned $ 250,000 in savings to bequeath. He was upset that all her savings went to pay for long term care and when that ran out, she "became a ward of the state."

What he does not mention is that she had a choice.

she made a choice not to use a small part of his savings each Year- $ 3000 to buy long-term care insurance, and I understand his decision not as she had modest gains. However, there was a choice. Instead, $ 250,000 complete her savings went to pay for care. If she had drawn his savings to $ 3,000 per year for long-term care insurance policy, it could have retained much of his savings, got the care she needed in an institution of their choice and the past money to his family as a legacy to his death

And his point about her being a ward of the state. This is the part that really bothered me the most, because the government took care of her aunt. After missing money, the state of Minnesota pays for it. It was not a ward of the state; she was the recipient of the state and its taxpayers. This civilized nation has taken care of her, but asked him to use his resources first. This is called accountability.

People often think that long term care insurance is too expensive. In reality, it is too expensive is to use your savings to pay for care. Your choice may come down to pay several thousand dollars a year for a long-term care policy, or to pay more than $ 87,000 per year from your savings if you were to need care. (This is the national average cost of nursing home care per year.) He is a choice.

Have you noticed the pink ribbon everywhere this month? Or holding pink athletes around the nation are door?

It is to support awareness of breast cancer. I think it's a great time to also spread the attention on progress in the life insurance underwriting for breast cancer survivors.

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we will expand the awareness that breast cancer survivors see very affordable life insurance offers many life insurance companies on the market.

There are not long when those who beat breast cancer had to wait 10 years for their last treatment even be considered for coverage of life insurance. Life insurance underwriters finally started loosening their underwriting positions against breast cancer because of advances in treatment, increased awareness and self exams.

And it's time.

Unfortunately, these advances in breast cancer subscription are known for the life insurance industry and not to the general public. There is a huge misconception by breast cancer survivors out there that cover life insurance is not an option and it could not be further from the truth. Agents around the nation secure affordable life insurance to their clients with breast cancer history.

If you are a breast cancer survivor, the first thing you need to do is collect the following information and present it to your life insurance agent:

1. What was the specific type of breast cancer?
2. What was the stage and grade of the cancer? (MOST IMPORTANT - this should come from your pathology report post)
3. When were you diagnosed? And when did your end treatment?
4. How was it treated? (Lumpectomy, mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, etc.)
5. Any metastasis or lymph node involvement? If so, provide details.
6. What was the size of the tumor?

If any of the above information is missing, an agent can not precisely "shop your case ', which means finding a company that would be a solution for you. In addition, having a copy of your pathology report will help tremendously in your prequalification risk. After providing this information to your agent, let them take it from there.

Each life insurance company will look at your history of different specific breast cancer and slightly more favorable than others. It is your life insurance agent who will use their expertise and resources to find a more affordable cover. Put your life insurance agent to work for you.

Securing life insurance for breast cancer survivors occurs daily in our industry and awareness of + 2.9 million breast cancer survivors today will help protect more families need this coverage.

If you are a breast cancer survivor and are in the market for life insurance, contact your life insurance agent. Affordable life insurance rates are in your future.

( This post originally ran in July 2011, but in the wake of Hurricane Sandy it seems appropriate to run again, especially in light of the advice in the last paragraph. )

How many of you have legal and financial documents stashed in various drawers in different places? Maybe you have some in your home safely, some in drawers in the bedroom, others in the den and in the office. What happens when you get sick or die? Does anyone know where all the documents? Probably not, including you.

The Wall Street Journal published a very interesting article, The 25 documents you need before dying, just answer this problem. The article was two pages, very detailed and well written, so let me give you a summary of what he said

According to the WSJ, there are six categories of documents that must be maintained . Marriage and divorce, life insurance and retirement, health care, bank accounts, proof of ownership and "essential". Here is what should be included in these categories.

Marriage and Divorce
o Marriage license
o divorce papers
life insurance and retirement of
o fonts life insurance
o individual retirement accounts
o 401 (k) accounts
o retirement papers
o annuity contracts
health care
o personal and family medical history
o sustainable health food proxy
o authorization to disclose health information
o Living will be
o Do-not-resuscitate for
o pre declaration -Need of guardianship (not required in all states, but an excellent idea)
bank accounts
o List of bank accounts
o List of investment accounts
o list of all the usernames and passwords
o list of safes
evidence property
o housing, land and acts cemetery
o Escrow mortgage accounts
o evidence of granted loans and debts
o tracks vehicles
o stock certificates, savings bonds and brokerage accounts
o partnership and operating company agreements
returns o tax
the Essentials
o Will
o Letter of instruction
o other business documents such as purchase and sale agreements or share buyback

My list includes over 25 mentioned by the WSJ, and your list may include other. Here is another indication of someone who lives in an area prone to severe storms and flooding. Put your papers in watertight containers with water to prevent loss or damage due to water.

Now you have your list. Start organization!

Ashlea Ebeling Forbes wrote an article that over half the people who are required by law to take money from their accounts individual retirement (IRA) at year-end failed to do so from the beginning of this month, according to a recent survey by Fidelity Investments. Maybe these people do not need the money in their IRA to cover the expenses of every day.

Why should you be concerned about the deadline for the end of the year? If you miss it, you pay the penalty is 50% the amount you should have taken in distributions, according to the tables Internal Revenue Service
Here is a summary of the basic rules :. IRA owners must normally start taking required minimum annual distributions (RMD) after they turn 70½ from their own traditional IRA or IRA inherited from a spouse, but not their Roth accounts. IRA heirs Non-spouses of any age must take RMD both traditional and Roth accounts.

The amount you have to make is not arbitrary, but calculated based on your life expectancy and your IRA balance in the end of the previous year. There are also special rules. When you turn 70½, you have until April 1 of the following year to take your first distribution. There is also a required RMD in the year of death, if the deceased is about 70½.

One reason to wait until the end of the year to take your RMD distribution is to let the money continue to grow tax deferred as long as possible. Another reason to hold off on taking distributions for the year is whether Congress will restore law Rollover IRA-charity, which expired on 31 December 2011. It allows you to direct the custodian of your pretax IRA to transfer up to $ 100,000 a year to a public charity, as the LIFE Foundation without having to count the distribution in your income. In return, you forgo the tax deduction on charitable income. But this strategy can leave you in advance whether or not you itemize deductions normally or not.

For more advice on your IRA, contact your financial advisor.

The holiday season is always special; it is a time when we gather with friends and family to celebrate long traditions and find the time to make new ones. holiday tours can also be a great opportunity to talk to your aged parents and family members about their needs for potential long-term care.

But where to start? Your overall goal should be to welcome an honest conversation about their current health status. Here are some questions to keep in mind:

Assess their ability to live independently

• Do they struggle to dress or use toilet without help?
• Are they able to give a hand in the kitchen or feed properly during dinner?
• can they get around their home safely or that the house has security problems?
• they are dealing with other daily tasks?

consider their overall health

• How are they feeling?
• Have they had any recent visits to the doctor or exams they are willing to discuss?
• Have they clearly lost weight and are they maintain their health?

observe their emotional and mental state

• are they are they a positive or often need encouragement to perform ordinary tasks?
• are they still participate in their usual Activities and hobbies?
• Are periodic memory lapses, such as forgetting names of relatives or household items, disrupt their lives?
• Do they ask the same questions repeatedly?

You can also test their memory during holiday visits by requesting dates or significant events or by giving a few key words to remember and asking them to repeat any words long your visit.

phone calls and emails are a great way to check regularly aging parents and relatives, but the holiday tours can be a valuable opportunity to get a clear picture of their well-being. As you catch up on the events of the year and relive old memories to your holiday gatherings this year, spend some time considering the future of your family. It may prove to be the right time to take the first step toward planning for long term care and discuss how solutions such as long term care insurance can help preserve their independence and ensure that their needs are satisfied.

One of the best things that the Foundation is Life offers its realLIFEstories. These are not advertisements; do not use actors pretend to be someone else. Instead, realLIFEstories tell the moving stories of how people's lives-and the lives of their families have been affected by death, disability or illness, and how insurance helped to see their way through these difficult times.

Take the case of the family Montes de Oca. Lissete lost her husband, Felipe, and Felipe Jr. and Lucas have lost their father when he was aged 47, after a harrowing battle with cancer. You can watch their story here

As shown their history, life is never, ever even after a loved one dies. However, the fact that her husband had life insurance meant Lissete not to worry about finances, in addition to the pain she and her son have to deal with. As she says, "Life insurance is something you pay for, but never expect to use. But I'm here, and I can not imagine not having this support to help me through. "

as powerful stories helps people of Montes de Oca understand what insurance really not . That's why each year of life demand that agents and advisors (and we know that 'there are some of you who read this blog!) to submit stories of their own to realLIFEstories LIFE Client services recognition Program, which demonstrate how insurance they helped set up a family makes a difference a time of need. for more information, click here

If you or your family have enjoyed life, disability or long-term care insurance and would like to share your story with the American public, send this link along your agent .: www.lifehappens.org/reallifestories-program-application.

Lately, the only consistent aspect of long-term care and long term care insurance is change. There are fifteen people could afford a long-term comprehensive health insurance coverage with relatively low premiums, and the process to obtain that coverage was pretty quick. Now the number of insurance companies offering long-term care insurance declined, premiums are significantly higher and subscription is as difficult as ever.

However, it is always possible to plan ahead for your long term care needs, because the goal should not be just to get long-term care insurance, but to create a long term care plan. Here are some steps to start

Step 1 :. Understanding what long-term care or not. Long-term care is not a place; it is an event. Long-term care is not to go into a nursing home, which is usually the reason why people are reluctant to discuss or even contemplate. Just think about this question: "Do you think the possibility of falling ill and needing care increases with age," The answer, of course, is "Yes!"

Step 2: know what levels of care are available. Most people, if given the choice, would prefer to receive care in their home, or a place that feels more like home, like an assisted living facility. Statistics confirm. Among the people who receive long-term care through their insurance, 49% at home and 24% are at an assisted living facility

Step 3 :. Learn how to care really costs long term. The national median rate for home health aide is allowed $ 19 / hour, which is $ 3,244 per month for 44 hours of care per week. The national median for a one bedroom apartment in an assisted living facility is roughly the same. When you compare these figures with the average private room in a nursing home (at $ 6,660 per month), you can easily see the difference in cost, and why home or assisted living care is much more desirable, if possible .

Step 4: Look at alternatives. Everyone is different, so each long-term care plan will be different. Keep in mind as you design a plan, and long term care insurance is a solution to fund the plan. Today, there are more alternatives than there were as recently as five years ago. For example, there are life insurance policies that have the advantages of long-term care linked to it, or life insurance policy with an LTC rider. In addition, one of the most overlooked opportunities is a pension-related benefits, which takes advantage of an unqualified benefit for long-term care. However, these policies and contracts are complex, and so it makes sense to have an insurance agent or financial advisor will guide you through the benefits they offer, and then help you understand the skills you need meet to receive benefits.

"Let us pay down $ 10 million debt-together." That's the idea kind of the LIFE Foundation is excited to get behind. And that's why we help to sponsor the Movement of debt, the brainchild of Jeff Rose GoodFinancialCents, creating a community of people focused on getting rid of their debt.

Although the main objective of this blog is to help you better understand how life insurance and related products are an important part of your financial plan, we also know that no financial plan is solid and can be built on if it is weighed down with too much debt.

We also understand how difficult it is to take that first step, look at your eyes in debt and start making changes. But that's the beauty of the Movement yourself of debt are not doing this alone. More than 2,000 people have joined the movement and repaid $ 180,000 to date

by joining the movement, you can :.

• bloggers Get expert advice from the finance and debt Squad
• access advice and tools to get out of debt
• Learn how to other ordinary-people-got rid of their debt, including a couple who paid $ 80,000 of debt in 18 months!
• Apply for a free money for debt scholarships to help you retire your debt (LIFE sponsoring a scholarship!)

take the first step and simply click to find out more.

LIFETIME We wish you good luck! And let us know how you do.

What is your "Insurance IQ"?

If you're like most, you probably do not know much about the insurance you want. According to the study of the Insurance Barometer 2012, 45% of consumers rated "knowledge" either the first or second most important factor in buying life insurance. However, one third have delayed their purchasing decisions because they do not know how and / or what type of life insurance to buy, and more than half say that they need more insurance delaying life for the same reasons. And chances are, with regard to other types of insurance, lack of knowledge is probably just as universal.

If you in the "I want to know more about the insurance, but do not know where to look" category, National Consumer Safety Week (March 3-9 ) is the perfect time to inquire. NCPW is a coordinated campaign that encourages consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their consumer rights and make better decisions.

And when it comes to insurance, while a little knowledge is not a dangerous thing, much more knowledge is better. To make the right choice in the type of coverage and amounts, you must first know what you not knowledge and get answers

Start by answering the following questions :.

life insurance

• Is someone depends on you for financial support or other form of assistance as full time parenting or babysitting?
• do you have money set aside to pay your debts in the event of your death? Have you know how your estate would be liable if you died tomorrow?
• If you leave a large estate, your heirs do have the financial means to pay the estate tax?

disability

• If you were unable to work because of a disabling illness or injury how you pay your bills?
• Do you know how to calculate your future earnings?
• Are you self-employed or otherwise not covered by workers' compensation?

long-term care insurance

• If you were to need long term care, savez- you what part of the cost, if any, would be covered by your health insurance? For Medicare?
• Do you know the average annual cost for full-time nursing home? On aid to the nursing home?
• Do you know the difference between skilled care, intermediate and custody? Between nursing homes, assisted living facilities and day care centers for adults

These are just some of the questions that the LIFE website can answer ?; Just click on the link above subject. And once you have a better understanding of the different types of insurance, and situations where they come in, you will be in a better position to make an informed decision. Finally, armed with your new knowledge, contact your local insurance professional to choose the right type and amount of insurance you need to protect your future and that of your loved ones.