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Annuities: The Best Retirement Product No One Really Wants

Annuities: The Best Retirement Product No One Really Wants

Annuities: The Best Retirement Product No One Really Wants | October 4, 2012 | , , , ,

Written By: Jeremy Smith | Amerishield According to Fred Vettese, chief actuary of Morneau Shepell, “Annuities are not sexy. You hand over your money to an insurance company who then puts you into a seemingly stingy allowance for the rest of your life.” The simple fact is that an annuity may be a great idea, but not as many people that can benefit from it buy one; even though statistics indicate that the majority of indexed annuity owners are happy with their purchase. If you’re...

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Don’t Stop The Presses!

Don’t Stop The Presses!

Don’t Stop The Presses! | October 3, 2012 | , ,

Written By: Robert Zimmerman | H&R Advisory Service, LLC There are many folks who so dislike annuities that they almost go into a panic state at the mention of the word. They have been trained to abhor annuities by many of the ‘expert’ financial gurus that offer their opinions in the media. If the idea of annuities is so bad, you have to wonder why any of these folks would agree to accept their ‘social security’ check when it comes every month. After all, this...

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What is a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)

What is a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)

What is a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) | September 24, 2012 | , , ,

Written By: Jeremy Smith | Amerishield Qualified retirement plans offer tax benefits if you follow a few IRS rules. Retirement Plans are intended for Retirement Penalties for early withdrawal help discourage early withdraws and guides investors to withdraw their qualified funds during their retirement years. Required Minimum Distributions The government also wants to ensure that they will one day be able to tax these funds which should create a much larger collectable tax. If you have a 401(k), a Keogh, a SEP or a traditional...

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Why Fixed Indexed Annuity Owners Are Happy

Why Fixed Indexed Annuity Owners Are Happy

Why Fixed Indexed Annuity Owners Are Happy | September 11, 2012 | , , , , ,

Written By: Jeremy Smith | Amerishield A happy fixed indexed annuity owner has been properly educated and appreciates its value.  If you look at statistics and numbers written on a piece of paper, some annuities aren’t as attractive as other investments might appear to be.  Appreciation of the value of a fixed indexed annuity is based upon the individual’s personal retirement goals. Low Risk vs. High Growth potential Many people looking at products for investment purposes seem to be very optimistic about how they want...

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Have You Fallen Victim to Retirement Osmosis?

Have You Fallen Victim to Retirement Osmosis?

Have You Fallen Victim to Retirement Osmosis? | September 11, 2012 | , , , , ,

Written By: Cal Burgess | Retirement Servicing Group Today the market just announced that manufacturing activity has contracted to a 3 year high. This means that US manufacturing activity has dropped to its lowest level in 3 years. However, investors remain optimistic. They realize that the worse the economy looks the more likely the Fed is to pump another round of Quantitative Easement. This in turn will cause the market to rally which will allow investors to temporarily offset short term losses. That is, until...

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The Financial Rule of 100 Applied to the Golden Years

The Financial Rule of 100 Applied to the Golden Years

The Financial Rule of 100 Applied to the Golden Years | August 20, 2012 | , , , ,

Written By: Jeremy Smith | Amerishield If you subtract your age from 100 the difference is the suggested maximum percentage of investment savings you should permit to be at risk. Note the word maximum, not the minimum, permitted to be at risk. Risky investments are not for everyone. It could be dangerous for everyone who violates the financial rule of 100. At age 55 (100 – 55 = 45) this suggests that you permit no more than 45 percent of your investment assets to be...

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An Unanticipated Recommendation

An Unanticipated Recommendation

An Unanticipated Recommendation | August 17, 2012 | , , , ,

Written By: Cal Burgess | Retirement Servicing Group A few months ago I made a recommendation to a referral (now a client) regarding an indexed universal life policy. His financial goals were straight forward; he wanted to protect his money from rising federal income taxes while protecting as much of his money from market risk as possible. When we met, I could tell that he was frustrated with the performance of his portfolio and was skeptical about other financial vehicles that he entertained. After about...

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Permanent Life Insurance: The Financial Perks

Permanent Life Insurance: The Financial Perks

Permanent Life Insurance: The Financial Perks | August 14, 2012 | , , , ,

Written By: Cal Burgess | Retirement Servicing Group Who would have ever thought that one of the most attractive tax deferred, cash accumulating vehicles could be found inside a permanent life insurance contract? Imagine that, insurance policies that have outperformed the S & P 500 over the last 15 years with respect to cash accumulation. If you haven’t heard this concept, I strongly suggest that you educate yourself on all of the benefits that you have been missing out on. One of the ways to...

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Balancing Risk versus Growth in Retirement Plans

Balancing Risk versus Growth in Retirement Plans

Balancing Risk versus Growth in Retirement Plans | August 13, 2012 | , , , ,

Written By: Jeremy Smith | Amerishield Everyone has their own idea of what they want their lifestyle to be like when they retire, how much money they’ll need, whether they will travel, and even where they will live. If you’re approaching retirement, this stage of your life could last for 20-50 years or more! Knowing that can’t you count on an unpredictable stock market or economy to provide your income over that lengthy period of time, how will you make it through your retirement? A...

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Running out of money?

Running out of money?

Running out of money? | August 13, 2012 | ,

Written By: Robert Zimmerman | H&R Advisory Service, LLC One of the main concerns in retirement years is: ‘Will my money last me as long as I live? When you look at the low interest rates available for ‘safe money’ accounts, it is quite apparent that there is a legitimate reason for this concern. After all, if inflation runs at 3% and your savings receive 1.5%, you lose purchasing power even if you simply let the money sit in your account. How is it, then,...

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