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No More 9-5

Our lives change daily and sometimes super-fast and dramatically. It isn’t as ‘easy’ as it was back in the day. The 9-5 lifestyle of the man working and the woman at home has changed. Yes, it still happens, but it is not as common as it once was. It has become more common for both parents to work outside the home, because of the increase in the cost of living and the need to cover all expenses. Trying to cover basic needs can be overwhelming. Keeping a roof over your head, gas in the car and food in the fridge is a herculean task in itself, let alone trying to afford private school tuition for your kids or paying off college loans or even simply building up the savings account so you can cover unexpected costs like repairs for your car.

Imagine if you didn’t have all the income you needed to cover all your expenses. Imagine of you were suddenly left without the second income – or worse, left without your spouse due to a sudden and unexpected death. The stress of thinking how hard that would be on your loved ones is why we talk so often about the importance of having a life insurance policy that will support your family when you die. There is a lot of comfort in knowing your family won’t have to struggle through a financial mess, that your kids will be taken care of, that your small business will still survive.

There are plenty of options when it comes to your life insurance. We offer a very personalized service – as personalized as you want. Whether you speak to use directly purchase online, we hope you get a life insurance policy sooner rather than later.

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Best Face Forward

It seems like almost every day there is another celebrity revealing an update in their look. Sometimes this update involves a little nip and tuck. Whether you care for the celebrity or not, it is hard not to have an opinion when you see the changes and updates. Sometimes opinions turn into ridicule which can turn into extreme bullying. That’s unfortunate. However, in my opinion – if you are going to be in the public eye then you have to be prepared for harsh criticism when you change the structure of your face.

This leads me to think about plastic surgery. I am not against plastic surgery in any way, but like most things, it should be used carefully and in moderation. There are significant risks associated with plastic surgery – all of which should be research prior to going through any procedure. If you are considering plastic surgery, please make sure you sign-up for a life insurance policy or update your current one. We can’t control the outcome of your physical changes, but we can make sure you are covered just in case the unthinkable happens.

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Do You Need Life Insurance

It can be very difficult to decide if you need life insurance. Life insurance can be an extremely onerous financial commitment and investment, and it will also last for a considerable period of time, so you should take careful consideration in deciding if it is the best way of achieving the financial and other goals you and your loved ones may have.

Life Insurance Policy

Basically, a life insurance policy will cause a sum to be paid to the named beneficiary upon the death of the insured. This sum will generally be paid to the beneficiary, free of income tax. So in which instances is life insurance generally used above its alternatives? Well its primary function is to provide death benefit protection in a tax efficient way. For example, if you would like to transfer wealth from your estate to your beneficiaries you can do it through life insurance.

You should now that it may still be liable to federal estate taxes. It can also be used to ensure the continuation or protection of a business and to provide financial benefits to your partners or employees who may otherwise be at risk financially. It may also be used to support your family or other dependents that rely on your income during life. It can replace this income and support them in your place for a period. It can also be used to supplement retirement income in various instances when other contributions are not possible.

Be Aware

You can access the money in your policy unless it is a Modified Endowment Contract. What’s more, it will be federal income tax free so long as you make the withdrawal by borrowing against the policy and do not exceed what you have paid into the policy. Withdrawals from an MEC are subject to federal income tax on the gains they have made. There is an additional 10% tax in certain situations.

You should be aware that all withdrawals and loans against a permanent life insurance policy would reduce the policy’s value and the amount of any pay out upon death of the insured. There may also be various fees and penalties associated with accessing the money early so you should be aware of these and if they are very onerous, you may wish to look for an alternative source of funds so that you don’t have to fall prey to these. Also, if your policy is invested on your behalf, the amount available for withdrawal or loans may be less or more than what you have paid in, depending on how your investments perform.

Choosing Life Insurance

Take your time in taking decisions, chalk out which one is best suited for you and your family from the policies made available by different insurance companies. Look into your age, condition of health, income, health habits, marital status, number of children and lifestyle.

You must always keep in mind that if you don’t need it, avoid it. No need to insure. Ask yourself how much your family is depending on your salary. If your family can’t do without your earning, you really need life insurance, otherwise no need to worry. It is difficult to say for how much money should you insure. Yes, it depends on your family’s lifestyle and debts. Generally, people keep it at between five and ten times of your annual salary.

It is recommended that if you’re under 40 and don’t have a family history of life threatening illness, try Term Insurance. It offers death benefit but no cash value. Otherwise, always go for the Whole Life Insurance, as it offers both death benefit and cash value. However, it is much more expensive than the former. As Term Insurance safeguards the policyholder only for a specified time period, it is appropriate for military and young families. It is cheaper than other policy types, but it has no savings feature.

It is also necessary to calculate your total insurance needs by examining the needs at various stages of your surviving family, and purchase insurance to cover the gaps. Don’t forget to review your life insurance plan periodically. You need to be alert when your financial responsibilities undergo a significant change. Be open to talk about the insurance plan with your spouse and let he/she underst and the gaps the current insurance are going to fill.

Some points are also needed to keep in mind while buying insurance. Make your check payable to the insurance company, but not to the agent. And don’t forget to get a receipt. Even if you have purchased a policy, have a think and rethink for around ten days. You can always ask for a cancellation and change for an appropriate one with full refund. In case an agent or company contacts you and wants you to cancel your current policy to buy a new one, always contact the original agent or company before making any decisions. And it is up to you whether you try for an expensive one or the cheaper one. But don’t forget to gather maximum information.

Until Death Do Us Part

Okay, I am contacted and asked to write an article about burial insurance. The first thing that goes through my mind is: Are they sure they want me to write this one? Those who know me underst and that I find the humor in almost everything I encounter. It is something that is as innate in me as breathing. Most people don’t find death funny at all. Neither do I. I find the humor in the things that surround situations that involve death.

Thinking about death and insurance sort of brings up one of the most consistent and enigmatic thoughts that plague me on a daily basis. Those of you that know me, know things are about to get a little crazy. My thoughts are not always the most coherent and fluid. So, it’s up to you to keep up.

I often wonder about the gravity that rests on newlyweds as they began their dissention from honeymoon bliss into the real world of matrimony. Okay, you are wondering how I got from death to marriage; if you have to ask… Back to the gravity of eternally connected to another. For you to truly grasp this, you married couples are going to have to be honest with yourselves, and you single people, oh well. There comes a point after all of the festivities and the honeymoon trip, that you wake up a look at that person and realize that you are tied to that person for the rest of your life. For some it is five years later, others 10 years later, and there are some who realize it the very next day.

Now we know in America, where the divorce rate is over 50 percent, that the definition of the term life partner is somewhat skewed, but for the sake of argument, let’s just say until death do us part actually has true significance. This means one morning you will wake up and realize that this is it. You are with this person for life.

I’m at this wedding and I am watching the groom. If you are at a wedding and you are getting bored, just watch the groom. This guy is sweating bullets. I am not quite sure what makes grooms so tense during weddings, but all I know is if I keep my eye on the groom long enough, he is going to do something significant to reveal his anxiety, and if I am really lucky, he is going to pass out. You would think that someone would tell him not to lock his knees, oh well. His loss is my gain.

Anyway, I am sitting at this wedding and I rating how long it will be before the premiums on their life insurance or burial insurance is actually put to use. Will she drive him to suicide? Will he simply get sick of her nagging exercise the “death do us part” clause in the nuptials? Personally, I don’t know if I want someone tied to me where the only option is death. I could very easily drive someone to the point of snuffing my light out. The thing is that no matter how many times I go to these weddings and how many evaluations I make I find that death has its own way of ringing the bell of finality in marriage. The key is to be prepared. The cost of a burial policy is minimal when considering the comfort that the benefit will bring one day.

You don’t get to choose when, but you have time to begin preparation.

April 11th The Date That Changed the Conway Family Forever

For most individuals birthdates and anniversaries are memorable dates that are marked on a calendar. They are memorable because they represent a number of positive changes that impacted our lives. The Conway Family has those types of dates marked on a calendar, but they also have the date April 11 mentally marked.

People die in car accidents every day. Be sure your family has life insurance to protect them.
People die in car accidents every day. Be sure your family has life insurance to protect them.

April 11th is a particularly memorable date for The Conway Family because that is the date their lives changed dramatically.

The Conway Family was a friendly, loving family. The father, James, worked full-time at the local factory, while S andy, the mother, stayed at home to raise their two children, Peter age 6 and Gina age 10. S andy was extremely active in the school’s PTA, children’s sporting events, and other organizations throughout the community. That was the general picture of The Conway Family until April 11.

One evening while James was on his way home from a late night shift the unfortunate happened. A drunk driver failed to stop at a red light and slammed into James’s car. The impact killed James instantly and forever changed the lives of The Conway Family.

After the initial shock of the incident wore off, S andy was left with a tremendous task of piecing everything together. There were bills to pay, mortgages to h andle, and food to purchase; all of which were usually purchased with the money James brought home.

James had always been the main bread winner of the family and while S andy knew the truth was she would eventually find a job; the task seemed extremely difficult with 2 children and the money needed to come in right now. Luckily, James made one very important and potentially family lifesaving decision – he purchased life insurance.

James purchased a decent life insurance policy that allowed S andy to collect a considerable amount as part of the policy’s death benefit. This single decision helped The Conway Family considerably. It allowed S andy to pay the mortgage bills that allowed her to save the house and keep a roof over the family’s head. It allowed her to purchase food and clothing, and it even allowed her to set up a small college fund for the children.

That single decision on James’s part to purchase life insurance was a true lifesaver. It prevented his family from being fatherless, homeless, and husb andless in the event of his untimely passing.

People drive drunk so I carry auto insurance

Did you ever get behind somebody on the road who looks like they’re seeing a whole different road than you are? Maybe they’re going too slow, stopping r andomly or weaving to avoid imaginary elephants in the road. In any case, you might be seeing a drunk driver–a rolling reminder of why we need auto insurance.

According to the Drinking anddriving.org, there are 900,000 drunk driving arrests each year. Those are just the ones who actually get caught–imagine how many other drunken yahoos are out there evading the police and looking to smash up your beautiful new ride?

Do not drive drunk.
Do not drive drunk.

Unfortunately, the same sort of person who lacks the good judgment to have a designated driver when they go on their drinking tour of the east coast is usually the same sort of person who thinks that liability insurance is for suckers. This means that when one of these drunken clowns runs into you, you’d better have good coverage on your vehicle, including uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, or else you may find yourself paying for your car repairs out of pocket. For me, as long as people drive drunk, I’m going to carry plenty of auto insurance.

Texting and Driving Will Kill You

When a driver tries to text and drive there can be a fatal outcome to them, and others they share the road. In fact, more states are banning h and held devices while driving. Many drivers in society are being very stubborn about these laws and will try to ignore the laws and continue to text and use h and held devices while driving. Some drivers are even going one-step further and are using their laptop computers while driving.

Texting while driving is showing inconsideration of other drivers, their passengers and innocent children on the road. How can a driver who is involved in a serious accident where people are innocently maimed or killed because they were texting and driving live with this fact for the rest of their life?

Texting and driving are against the law, and it the person is in an accident caused by texting there is heavy fines. Some states are enacting jail time for texting and driving.

The possible ramifications of texting and driving are not worth it. There is nothing so important that texting cannot wait until he or she has parked their care safely. If the driver has an emergency, he or she must pull safely off the road and then text.

Why I love Life Insurance

There are many things I love. My family and chocolate are just a few. But do you know why I love life insurance? It is true. Let me count the ways.

  1. It can provide a way for my family to pay off all of the mistakes we made in using our credit cards.
  2. It can help pay for a college education for my kids.
  3. It can help leave a legacy for my college or a favorite charity even though I don’t have lots of money.
  4. It can pay off my home, assuring my family has a place to live that they love.
  5. It can give my kids a financial headstart even though I may not be around.
  6. It is affordable and I have options of what type to buy, whole life or term.
  7. It allows me to meet new people like an insurance agent.
  8. I helped me learn a new oxymoron…"death benefits."
  9. It makes me feel better.

Oh, I’m sure there are many reasons to love life insurance but these are just a few of mine. My favorite reason for loving life insurance? It makes me feel better. I bet it will make you feel better too.

Dan Claus: Both Parents Now

[youtube]http://youtu.be/0zACYa-BdX4[/youtube]Dan and his insurance agent tell the story of Peggy Claus, a woman “fun” to be with, a businesswoman specializing in computers, the mother of two sons, and a woman of determination who happened to love an old Victorian house worthy of Atwater Village too. In 2000, when Peggy asked their agent about more life insurance for Dan, he made the point that she was the primary breadwinner in the household. Her life insurance amount was doubled to take the couples’ income contributions into account. Two year later, Peggy was diagnosed with breast cancer and treated. After a short remission, the disease returned and she died in early 2005. Her life insurance sustains her legacy and what she loved: her sons and their plans for college, her husb and’s welfare and the home she was so determined to renovate.