Finance & Planning -

Is Your Insurance Company Really Competitive on Costs?

July 28, 2012 LIVING WELL Magazine Comments Off

Is Your Insurance Company Really Competitive on Costs?
Maybe Not …
Courtesy DATCU Credit Union, Denton LIVING WELL Magazine
A little green reptile with a foreign accent, a talking duck, and other mascots certainly do a good job of generating attention for big insurance companies. They are quite clever, but the real question remains – Do these companies really save folks money on their insurance? Do you really believe a silly green animal? […]

Don’t Miss Out on Important Social Security Benefits!

July 21, 2012 LIVING WELL Magazine Comments Off

Don’t Miss Out on Important Social Security Benefits!
By Brad Haverback, Investment Advisor Representative, World Trend Financial, Linn County LIVING WELL Magazine

While the ongoing viability of Social Security is being called into question, it remains an important component of most retirement plans. Generally, participants have a basic understanding of when and how to collect Social Security retiree benefits; however, they often miss opportunities to maximize benefits. […]

Getting your stock portfolio back on track

July 11, 2012 LIVING WELL Magazine Comments Off

Getting Back on Track
Courtesy ANB Bank, Colorado Springs LIVING WELL Magazine
After experiencing a year in which the S&P 500 had its smallest change in value in history, stock investors were determined to start off 2012 in a positive manner, and boy did they succeed. The S&P 500 had its best first quarter since 1998, returning 12.58%. The S&P 500 closed the quarter at 1,408.47, which is within 10% of its all time high of 1,576 achieved in October of 2007. […]

The Benefit of Private Ownership

July 4, 2012 LIVING WELL Magazine Comments Off

The Benefit of Private Ownership
By Rick Allen, Collin LIVING WELL Magazine
In the late 60s and early 70s the funeral industry began an era of consolidation. A third generation funeral director from Houston, Texas had the idea of clustering funeral homes together for the benefit of operating efficiency. […]

Time for a Conversation…With Yourself

June 26, 2012 LIVING WELL Magazine Comments Off

Time for a Conversation…With Yourself

By Alexander W. Lippert, Colorado Springs LIVING WELL Magazine

We all know the story of the “Great Recession” and how it has changed our lives. Many people lost money. A lot of money. […]

Don’t be Scared: Reverse Mortgages Bring Great Value

June 25, 2012 LIVING WELL Magazine Comments Off

Don’t be Scared: Reverse Mortgages Bring Great Value
By Carl Benefield, Northshore LIVING WELL Magazine
Underwriting. Oh, boy! Does that mean I have to give up my first born? If you have refinanced or purchased a piece of residential property in the last five years and obtained a conventional mortgage, you know what I’m talking about. The credit market has tightened up so much that every loan is full documentation. […]

The Ward Law Firm on the Importance of Planning for the Golden Years

June 17, 2012 LIVING WELL Magazine Comments Off

Set Your Plan in Motion

By: Ronald Ward, Jr., Northshore LIVING WELL Magazine

Planning can be an enjoyable activity. When planning a trip, we often read books, magazines, and internet articles about our destination. Where will we stay? What will we eat? How will we get there? How long will we stay? Admittedly, retirement planning is less enjoyable for most people than planning a trip to Europe. Even so, this planning should bring you peace of mind. By eliminating the unknown and embracing a plan, our human nature finds comfort in moving toward our goal if we have an estate plan. […]

Family Matters talks "Don't Forget the Details of Planning Ahead" – LIVING WELL Magazine

June 16, 2012 LIVING WELL Magazine Comments Off

Don’t Forget the Details of Planning Ahead
Courtesy of Family Matters, East Denver LIVING WELL Magazine
Most people rely on industry experts to plan their estates, preparing wills, trusts, health care directives, powers of attorney and financial plans […]

Key Things to Know About Probate When a Loved One Dies

June 14, 2012 LIVING WELL Magazine Comments Off

Key Things to Know About Probate When a Loved One Dies
By Lori A. Leu & Erin W. Peirce, Texas LIVING WELL Magazines
Have you ever heard someone ask whether a Will or an estate has been “probated,” and wondered, “What is probate?” The term “probate” refers to the judicial procedure wherein a Will is proven to be valid. Over time, the term “probate” has evolved to refer to the legal process in which the estate (everything owned at the time of death) of a deceased person, called the “decedent” is administered, whether or not the person had a Will. […]

Attain your investment goals

June 9, 2012 LIVING WELL Magazine Comments Off

Attain your investment goals
Courtesy American National Bank, Colorado Springs LIVING WELL Magazine
How ironic, one of the most volatile years for the equity markets in over a generation resulted in the smallest change in value! On Dec. 31, 2010, the S&P 500 closed at a value of 1,257.64. The same market closed on Dec. 30, 2011 at a value of 1,257.60. Equity investors basically earned the dividend yield that as of Dec. 31 was 2.12%. A bit of consolation is that treasuries are yielding lower. Five-year treasuries are yielding 0.83% and 10-year treasuries are yielding 1.88%. […]