THE COST OF MEDICAL CARE When uninsured people end up in the hospital, “sticker shock” can follow. Just a quick look at the current prices for medical procedures can be sobering. How much does a CT scan cost? Between $250...
Read MoreConsidering an upcoming move to Florida? Are you considering moving to our beautiful state of Florida? With our population on the rise, more homes are being developed than ever. Our office is located in the beautiful area of Trinity....
Read MoreMEDICARE ADVANTAGE 101 Medicare Advantage, sometimes known as “Part C,” is something of a catch-all choice for those who are ready to sign up for Medicare. Rather than being one plan (featuring solely government programs),...
Read MoreLIFESTYLE CHANGING UNHEALTHY BEHAVIORS Most Americans know the fundamentals of good health: exercise, proper diet, sufficient sleep, regular check-ups, and no smoking or excessive alcohol. Yet, despite this knowledge, changing existing...
Read MoreThe new year is a great time to reassess saving and spending habits and establish new goals. Developing a budget can help you succeed. You may already have one, but are you taking full advantage of it? Chances are it may need a little...
Read MoreFOUR REALLY GOOD REASONS TO INVEST Forty-six percent of Americans do not own any stocks or stock-related investments, such as mutual funds, according to a recent Gallup poll.¹ Individuals may cite different reasons for not...
Read MorePULLBACKS, CORRECTIONS, AND BEAR MARKETS The COVID-19 outbreak has put tremendous pressure on stock prices, prompting some investors to blindly and indiscriminately sell positions at a time when the entire market is trending lower....
Read MoreLESSER KNOWN PROVISIONS OF THE SECURE ACT The SECURE Act was passed into law in late 2019 and changed several aspects of retirement investing. These modifications included modifying the ability to stretch an Individual Retirement...
Read MoreGUN OWNERSHIP AND YOUR HOMEOWNERS POLICY If you own a gun, you need to consider whether you are covered in the event the gun is stolen or destroyed and protected against any potential liability should your firearm cause an injury. Gun...
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Read MoreDesigner Taste on a Dime Ever find yourself watching shows like Downton Abbey or Million Dollar Decorators and feeling like you should be living large, too? It’s okay to like expensive things (we all do it); inexpensive yet chic...
Read MoreTAX DEDUCTIONS YOU WON'T BELIEVE While Americans are entitled to take every legitimate deduction to manage their taxes, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) places limits on your creativity. Here are some examples of deductions from the...
Read MorePUTTING A PRICE TAG ON YOUR HEALTH We hear over and over again how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But being healthy for its own sake isn’t easy — especially when you’re facing down temptation or...
Read MoreVOLUNTEERING IN RETIREMENT “This generation got no destination to hold...We are volunteers of America”“Volunteers” by Jefferson Airplane¹ Those of a certain age will recall these Jefferson Airplane lyrics...
Read MoreFOUR REASONS MILLENNIALS NEED AN ESTATE STRATEGY You’re young, have little in savings, and might not have anyone relying on you, financially. So, why do you need to think about estate management?1 Here are four great reasons:...
Read MoreLIFE AND DEATH OF A TWENTY DOLLAR BILL Every year, the government prints millions of notes a day. Here’s a quick look at what goes into creating a $20 bill and what determines when a bill’s lifespan ends.1 Paper A $20 bill...
Read MoreTRENDS IN CHARITABLE GIVING According to Giving USA 2018, Americans gave an estimated $410.02 billion to charity in 2017. That’s the highest total in more than 60 years since the report was first published, and also, first-time...
Read MoreASSESS LIFE INSURANCE NEEDS If your family relies on your income, it’s critical to consider having enough life insurance to provide for them after you pass away. But too often, life insurance is an overlooked aspect of personal...
Read MoreFINANCIAL AID FOR STUDENTS 101 Preparing for college while still in high school can be difficult for even the most academically minded student. These days, you need to excel in the classroom, make sure you’re involved in...
Read MoreTHE INVESTMENT RISK NO ONE’S EVER HEARD OF Knowledgeable investors are aware that investing in the capital markets presents any number of risks—interest-rate risk, company risk, and market risk. Risk is an inseparable...
Read MoreDO YOUR KIDS KNOW THE VALUE OF A SILVER SPOON? Tip: Give Them a Look. Find a credit card calculator on the web to give your kids a real-life look at what it actually costs to “buy now, pay later.” You taught them how to...
Read MoreCERTAIN UNCERTAINTIES IN RETIREMENT The uncertainties we face in retirement can erode our sense of confidence, potentially undermining our outlook during those years. Indeed, according to the 2017 Retirement Confidence Survey by the...
Read MoreSOCIAL SECURITY: FIVE FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW Social Security can be complicated and, as a result, many individuals don’t have a full understanding of the choices they may have. Here are five facts about Social Security that are...
Read MoreMONEY DRAINING FOOD MYTHS The road to better health may sometimes involve an extra expense here and there, but you should be careful about wasting money on diet ideas with promises that are more based on myth than fact. Identified...
Read MorePUT IT IN A LETTER American actor Lee Marvin once said, “As soon as people see my face on a movie screen, they knew two things: first, I'm not going to get the girl, and second, I'll get a cheap funeral before the picture is...
Read MoreCREATIVE WAYS TO MOTIVATE YOUR EMPLOYEES The common thread that runs through all small businesses, from professional services to manufacturing, is that a motivated workforce is central to the business’s success. Here are some...
Read MoreSIX MOST OVERLOOKED TAX DEDUCTIONS Who among us wants to pay the IRS more taxes than we have to?¹ While few may raise their hands, Americans regularly overpay because they fail to take tax deductions for which they are eligible....
Read MoreTIPS FOR FINDING CARE FOR YOUR SPECIAL-NEEDS CHILD The need to care for special-needs children may continue into their adult years, and even after the passing of their parents. The care choices are wide ranging—family,...
Read MoreFINANCIAL AID FOR STUDENTS 101 Preparing for college while still in high school can be difficult for even the most academically minded student. These days, you need to excel in the classroom, make sure you’re involved in...
Read MoreDO YOU OWE THE AMT? American educational reformer Horace Mann called education “the great equalizer.”1 In football, it’s been said that turnovers are the great equalizer. And anyone who’s ever watched...
Read MoreHEALTHCARE COSTS IN RETIREMENT Tip: Medicare beneficiaries spent an average of $5,503 out of pocket on healthcare in 2013, the most recent year for which figures are available. That includes premiums and costs for things like dental...
Read MoreBEST PERFORMING ASSET CLASSES Tip: Fund Flows. In January 2017, investors added $10 billion to mutual funds, a significant shift from the $56 billion they had taken out of mutual funds the month before.Source: Investment Company...
Read MoreA BRIEF HISTORY OF ESTATE TAXES Tip: Regardless of your net worth, it’s critical to understand your choices when developing an estate strategy. Federal estate taxes have been a source of funding for the federal government almost...
Read MoreSOCIAL SECURITY: THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM For most Americans, Social Security has represented nothing more than some unavoidable payroll deduction with the positively cryptic initials of “FICA” and “OASDI”...
Read MoreTHE BUSINESS CYCLE Tip: Not Smooth. During both recessions and expansions, the economy can go through brief reversals in economic activity. A recession may include a short period of expansion followed by further decline; an expansion...
Read MoreA LOOK AT WHOLE LIFE INSURANCE Whole life insurance remains in force for your whole life, as long as you remain current with your premiums. In exchange for fixed premiums, the insurance company promises to pay a set benefit when the...
Read MoreASSESS LIFE INSURANCE NEEDS Tip: Final Cost. Paying for a funeral can be a financial burden on a family. Make sure your estate management will provide your loved ones with sufficient funds to cover this important cost. If your family...
Read MoreTHE LOWDOWN ON THOSE FREE CREDIT SCORES The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003 provided individuals with valuable rights to the credit information that companies keep on them, but did you know the credit score provided...
Read More4 REASONS FOR THE RETURN OF MARKET VOLATILITY Until early 2018, stocks were enjoying their longest period without a five percent pullback in nearly 90 years.1,2 But in early February, that calm came to a sudden and decisive end, as...
Read MoreGLOBAL VS. INTERNATIONAL: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? With international stock markets comprising nearly two-thirds of the world’s capitalization, a broad range of investment opportunities exist outside the borders of the U.S...
Read MoreCHOOSING A BUSINESS STRUCTURE In March 2015, about 679,072 new business had been created in the preceding year.¹ All individuals pursuing the dream of exercising their entrepreneurial muscles, will face the same question,...
Read MoreCHOOSING A RETIREMENT PLAN THAT FITS YOUR BUSINESS One survey found that 79% of small business owners expect at least some of their retirement income to come from tax-advantaged retirement savings accounts.¹ If you have yet to...
Read MoreDOG BITES NEIGHBOR. NOW WHAT? More than one-third of all homeowner claims involved dog bites, totaling aggregate damages of an estimated $602 million in 2016, according to the Insurance Information Institute.¹ For most homeowners...
Read MoreKEEP YOUR UMBRELLA HANDY Tip: Before the Umbrella. Before becoming eligible for umbrella insurance, you may have to maximize coverage on your homeowner’s and car insurance policies, as these become deductibles to an umbrella...
Read MoreIMPORTANT BIRTHDAYS OVER 50 Tip: Average Benefit. In March 2018, the average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker was about $1,410.Source: Social Security Administration, 2018Most children stop being...
Read MorePASSWORD PROTECTION STRATEGIES Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn—they’ve all fallen prey to hackers who exposed passwords and other personal information for hundreds of thousands of their users. If you haven’t yet had your...
Read MoreEIGHT MISTAKES THAT CAN UPEND YOUR RETIREMENT Pursuing your retirement dreams is challenging enough without making some common, and very avoidable, mistakes. Here are eight big mistakes to steer clear of, if possible. No Strategy: Yes...
Read MoreA PENNY SAVED IS TWO PENNIES EARNED This modern twist on the Ben Franklin maxim reflects the multiplicity of taxes to which earnings are subject in today’s world.¹ Finding ways to manage expenses is one of the cornerstones...
Read MoreCARING FOR AGING PARENTS Thanks to healthier lifestyles and advances in modern medicine, the worldwide population over age 60 is growing. The United Nations estimates that by 2050 the number of people aged 60 and older will have more...
Read MoreA BUCKET PLAN TO GO WITH YOUR BUCKET LIST The baby boomers have re-defined everything they’ve touched, from music to marriage to parenting and, more lately, to what “old” means—60 is the new 50! Longer,...
Read MoreBEST VACATIONS: BY CAR, BY SHIP, BY FOOT, ONCE IN A LIFETIME “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”¹ – Unknown If travel for you is less about escaping life and more about living it, then...
Read MoreA DECISION NOT MADE IS STILL A DECISION Whether through inertia or trepidation, investors who put off important investment decisions might consider the admonition offered by motivational speaker Brian Tracy, “Almost any decision...
Read MoreA LIVING TRUST PRIMER A living trust is a popular consideration in many estate strategy conversations, but its appropriateness will depend upon your individual needs and objectives. What is a living trust? A living trust is created...
Read More9 FACTS ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY Tip: How Much? Check your Social Security earnings and see an estimate of your benefits on the website, www.ssa.gov. Social Security’s been a fact of retirement life ever since it was established in...
Read MoreThe average American household with debt owes $132,158. And credit card debt accounts for $15,675 of that.¹ Little wonder that money worries are a major cause of stress. The Link Between Stress and Health Humans have an innate...
Read MoreConcerns over identity theft continue to grow, especially with news of data breaches at major companies and financial institutions. Unfortunately, you have little control over the hacking of these companies, but you do have control...
Read MoreEach month you settle down to pay bills. You pay your mortgage lender. You pay the electric company. You pay the trash collector. But do you pay yourself? One of the most basic tenets of sound investing involves the simple habit of...
Read MoreTraveling. Some of us travel a lot, and some of us travel a little. For some of us, traveling is a job. Nearly 63 million people are employed, worldwide, in air travel and related industries.¹ There’s bound to be travel...
Read MoreDriving may be a rite of passage for teenagers, but for parents, having a teenage driver can be stressful and expensive. Your child will need auto insurance coverage as soon as he or she receives his or her driver’s license....
Read MoreCarve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.¹Shannon L. Alder The desire to leave a legacy may be the height of altruism, for it is a gift to the...
Read MoreA CHEAT SHEET FOR SENDING YOUR KID TO COLLEGE College marks a great milestone in a child’s life. It may be the first time he or she will live away from home. Dropping off your child at college may be an experience loaded with...
Read MoreThe New Red Scare: Chinese Ownership of U.S. Debt Would it surprise you to hear that China owns only about 7% of the total outstanding debt of the U.S. Government?¹ This still amounts to about $1.26 trillion, but China’s...
Read MoreOne study found that 43% of cyber attacks target small business, and 60% of small companies go out of business within six months of a cyber attack.¹ Business owners are also required to protect their customers’ personal...
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