We all know that a parent who works outside the home and brings in an income to support the family needs life insurance to protect their loved ones in case something were to happen. But just because you don't get a paycheck for what you contribute to the family, it doesn't mean that you don't need life insurance coverage also. Here are 9 reasons why. 1) To replace the value they bring to the family Stay-at-home parents are cooks, tutors, housekeepers, caretakers, chauffers

Last week we kicked off Long Term Care Awareness Month by demystifying what is an intimidating and confusing subject for many people by starting with the basics: what is it, who needs it, and why is it one of the biggest financial threats you could face in your life. This week, we're talking cost. Just how expensive is it? What kind of a dent can it put in your retirement savings? What's All the Fuss? With nearly 80 million boomers entering retirement over the course of t

This week we're kicking off the conversation about long-term care in our quest to dispel the mystery around what many find to be an intimidating subject. It doesn't have to be so scary, and we're committed to simplifying it for you. Since November is Long-Term Care Awareness month, we can't think of a better time to start the conversation. We're rolling out Part 1 of our month-long series about long-term care. THE BASICS Say the words long-term care and chances are you thi

This is a question that many people ask, but the answer is never the same for everybody. This is because there is no "one-size fits all" solution. What you need is going to be completely different than the person next to you, and so on and so on. Everyone's in a different stage of life, some have kids, some have elderly parents they're caring for, some are business owners, some aren't. Sometimes when talking with a client they say something like "I need $100,000 in life in

When talking with a client, the question of whether or not they have a trust is always part of the first conversation we have. Why is a trust so important? Plain and simply because without one, you're leaving a nightmare for your family to deal with. Someday when you pass away, your estate will automatically pass through probate court. This is a process that happens with everyone if you live in a probate state, regardless of your situation and it can be an extreme nightmare

A beneficiary is an individual, institution, trustee, or estate which receives or may become eligible to receive benefits under a will or insurance policy, retirement plan, trust, annuity or other type of contract. The entire point of naming a beneficiary is to ensure that your assets go where you want them to when you die. So whether you want to leave the proceeds from your life insurance policy to your family, surviving spouse, charity, or a trust, or you're wanting to ens

Life insurance has played a key role in either the creation or survival of some of the most iconic American institutions that we all know. If it wasn't for life insurance, many of us would have never experienced the magical world that we all loved and grew up to take our own kids to, a man's personal struggles during the Great Depression would have prevented a major store chain from coming into existence, and the golden arches would have served a few hundred thousand people

The latest Transamerica Retirement Survey in 2016 found that women save significantly less for retirement . . . a lot less, than men. The survey found women have a median of $34,000 in household retirement savings (the same as in 2012), while men boast a whopping $115,000 (up from $50,000 in 2012.) We need to change this. This gap can have a huge effect on when and how women retire, and what their quality of life will be in retirement. So why the gap? Men have prioritized

Many people confuse disability insurance with long-term care insurance, but they are actually two very different types of coverage. Today we're going to clarify the difference and run through what each one does. Disability Insurance Disability insurance is coverage that replaces up to 60% of your income during your working years, expiring at age 65, if you should become ill or have an injury that prevents you from working for an extended period of time. You can also think o

Running out of money in retirement is the #1 financial fear of Americans, and it's understandable why. With advances in medicine and technology, we're living longer than ever before which means that your money has to last you that much longer. When you hear the phrase "guaranteed income for life", you might wonder what that means or how that's possible. Simply put, it means setting up a vehicle with your own money that will act as your own "pension plan", providing you inco

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. As a small business owner, you know how important your business is not only to you and your family, but also to your employees and your community. It's more than just your family that counts on your business to continue operating. That's why including protection into your business plan is one of the most important things you can do. Life insurance can help protect you and your partners in a variety of ways, and help ensure

Looking to buy life insurance for the first time? If so, you're probably asking yourself questions, such as "How much do I need?" "What's the difference between all the different types of policies out there?" and "Which companies are the best to work with?" There's no question that buying life insurance for the first time, like any other new experience, can be more than a little overwhelming. But it doesn't have to be. Why does having the right agent in your corner make

As a parent or guardian of a child with special needs, you have unique challenges that you’re dealing with, and it can seem overwhelming. You have to find the right schools, doctors, caretakers, and other professional services that will help give your child the best possible chance of living a long, happy life. This also means that your child might outlive you, and that’s a scenario that most parents of special needs children don’t like to think about, and understandably so.

We always receive a number of questions from people about replacing or changing their life insurance policy. Whether they can no longer afford the premiums on their policy, or a recent widow is wondering whether she needs to beef up her existing coverage, or they are just unsure if they have enough coverage to suit their needs. Even though the scenarios that surround each person is different, there are specific life events that should always trigger a review of your life in

When you think of life insurance, what usually comes to mind is the death benefit -- the amount of money that is paid out to the beneficiary when someone dies. While the death benefit is the main reason most people buy life insurance, it definitely isn't the only thing it's capable of. If you get the right type of life insurance, it can provide numerous "living benefits" that you can take advantage of throughout your lifetime. (Side note: there are two main types of life i

Most people are unaware of the sheer power and benefits that life insurance products are capable of. There are reasons why the top 1%, banks, and businesses have utilized these products for over a century. These powerhouse products have many problem-solving capabilities and benefits that you can take advantage of throughout your life. 1. It's a part of every strong financial plan We all know that we should have an emergency savings, and put money away for retirement. But

Chances are you bought your life insurance policy much earlier in life, and for certain reasons. You had a young family to protect, an unpaid mortgage, future college tuition to pay for, income you needed to protect. For many people, the need to keep life insurance in place long-term, or even permanently is a no-brainer. But what about people who find themselves in another category? The reasons why someone initially purchased their life insurance policy may no longer be r

While the term estate planning may sound like it's only for the wealthy, it's really about managing and preserving the assets you have and passing them on according to your wishes after you pass away. This can and should be done, even with smaller estates as well. When this type of planning isn't done, things go through probate, and drag on through the system, which means more of your hard earned money and assets will go to the government in the process of "figuring out" wh