All About Life Insurance and Financial Planning: 2009

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Update Dec. 27 - 2009 All About "Life Insurance and Financial Planning" By Insurance Experts

Financial planning is the long-term process of wisely managing your finances so you can achieve your goals and dreams, while at the same time negotiating the financial barriers that inevitably arise in every stage of life by Creating a Sound Financial Plan
Step 1 Establish Goals
Step 2 Gather Data
Step 3 Analyze & Evaluate Your Financial Status
Step 4 Develop a Plan
Step 5 Implement the Plan
Step 6 Monitor the Plan & Make Necessary Adjustments

Recommended Reading
Insiders Tips For Reducing Spending
Money Saving Tips And Ideas Covers
Practically All Areas Of Household

Financial Planning and How to Be Smart in Spending

By Stephen Kavita

A financial psychologist once said that to make smart decisions regarding your money, you need to let the logical side of your brain rather than the emotional one to dominate. Avoid being emotionally attached to your investments. There are people who would cling to certain stocks because they inherited from their parents and their parents used to love them or because they work for the company and selling would be disloyal.

Before purchasing something evaluate whether the product or service is worth that price in enjoyment considering how you will use it and if you can get the same quality for less. Beware of retaliatory spending; do not ever go on a shopping spree because you are stressed, or you have had a fight with your partner or an argument with your boss. No matter how better you think it will make you feel, it will damage your financial health.

It is wise not to cling on to debt. For instance, there are people with money in their savings account earning less than two percent, and have debt in their credit cards that are being charged more than fourteen percent. It is good to save for a rainy day, but if you have more than enough savings you can pay your debt and save on huge debt card interests. Then rebuild the savings, not the debt. For emergency purposes; you still have the credit cards (now with zero balances), and you can tap them in.

If you make a mistake in your investments, do not go the way you anticipated or stay in denial; losses do not go away just because you did not look at them. Asses where you are and figure out what to do instead of waiting for things to get worse.

Stephen shares his experience in Self Development Tips that will definitely Add Value to your Life. (Website:) Self Improvement Tips

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Kavita

10 Questions You Should Ask a Financial Advisor Or Financial Planner

By Dan Goldie

If you are considering hiring a professional to help you with your investments and personal financial planning, you should come to the first meeting prepared with questions that will help you to evaluate if the advisor is right for you.

The questions below are intended to give you a good sense of the background, business structure, advisory style, and qualifications of a prospective advisor or planner:

1. What are your professional qualifications and designations, including formal educational degrees?

An advisor who has earned one or more professional designations has demonstrated a commitment to education and professionalism, and at least a reasonable proficiency in his or her field. Some common professional financial designations include: Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC).

Just as you might inquire about a potential employee's formal education, knowing where an advisor went to school and what they studied can help indicate their level of general intelligence, knowledge, and ability to problem solve.

2. How long have you been an advisor, how many clients do you have, and how much money do you manage?

This information will help you evaluate an advisor's level of experience and relative success. You may want to avoid an advisor with too little experience, or one who has too few or too many clients. In general, successful advisors will have more clients in assets under management than less successful ones.

3. Who are your ideal clients?

It can be helpful to understand the types of clients an advisor feels are a good fit for their practice. You don't want to be an unusual client; it is better to fit well within an advisor's client base so that you benefit from the advisor's experience with others like you.

4. How are you compensated?

Financial advisors are compensated in a variety of ways. It is important that you understand exactly how and advisor benefits financially from the advice he or she will be giving you. You may decide that you prefer one method of compensation over another, due to personal preference, potential conflicts of interest, or other reasons.

5. Who will be handling my account?

Some advisory firms assign teams of professionals and backup staff to work with clients. Smaller firms usually have just one advisor working with each client. There can be benefits and drawbacks to both models, and it is important that you understand the potential relationship so you can make a decision that you feel will be best for you.

6. How will you communicate with me and my other advisors?

It is important that you receive frequent, clear, and accurate communications from your advisor, and that they will work well with your other advisors (such as your accountant and attorney). You should also feel confident that your advisor will be available for you promptly should you have a question, or want to meet to discuss something.

7. What services do you provide?

Some advisors only offer asset management services while others will offer a more complete set of services that may include personal financial planning. You want to be sure you know exactly what services you are going to get and how they will be delivered before you become a client.

8. What is your investment and financial planning philosophy?

There are a variety of different investment philosophies and approaches to financial planning. It is important that your advisor's way of managing money is consistent with your own. This is an essential area of said for a successful long-term relationship.

9. Do you take custody of client assets?

Safety of your assets is imperative, so most independent advisors use a third-party custodian firm, such as Charles Schwab, TD Waterhouse, Vanguard, or Fidelity. Advisors who are registered representatives will likely custody your assets at the brokerage firm with which they are affiliated. Beware of advisors who don't use an outside custodian.

10. What makes you different from others?

A good advisor should be able to clearly explain to you how working with them is uniquely different from working with someone else. This question gives your advisor a chance to identify their strengths, thus giving you the opportunity to make an assessment.

Dan Goldie is an independent financial advisor and financial planner working with high net worth individuals and families.

Investment advice provided through Dan Goldie Financial Services LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Goldie

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Monday, December 7, 2009

Update Dec. 07 - 2009 All About "Life Insurance and Financial Planning" By Insurance Experts

By Cornie Herring

Financial planning is important to ensure you stay in control of your money for current and future. It covers a wide range of money topics that you must learn up if you want to continue stay health financially. We will discuss some important topics about financial planning and how each of these topics works together and affecting your financial healthiness.

Among the important topics that you should know when trying to understand about financial planning are: budgeting, expenses, debts, savings, retirement and insurance. Let's discuss them one by one.

Budgeting

The most basic level of personal finance is how to allocate your money so that your money is always in positive flow, it's called budgeting. Budgeting is a process of allocating your money so that you know how much your spending and where the money has gone. Your budgeting plan should be based on your financial condition to allocate the money according to the priority of your primary needs.

Expenses

After you have created a budget plan, you will have better control on where your money goes and what are the optional expenses that you can trim off. For many people, cutting expenses on such little things that are optional to your needs can add up to significant savings which you can use toward investment to create your future estate.

Debts

You may not be able to avoid debt totally because you may get loans for buying home, car or business investment. But, your debt should always be at controllable level. When you do your financial planning, you should take into consideration about your debts so that you have plans to get rid of them.

Savings

Allocating money into saving accounts is an important step in financial planning process. You may need money for emergency needs, as your kid's educational funds, for planning for your retirement & etc. With fewer companies offering full pension plans and the uncertainty of Social Security, it has important to plan a fund that you can put aside to be used during the emergency situation.

Retirement Planning

The quality of life you want after the retirement will depend on your current contribution. You will probably want to retire happily with financially peaceful mind. Therefore, you have to include your retirement plan when you perform the financial planning.

Insurance

Major illnesses, disaster, accidents and many other incidents may happen without warning and they may cause a sudden need of big amount of money, which our emergency fund may not be sufficient to resolve them. Here, comes the important of insurance in our financial planning. It should be included into your financial plan to provide protection to your lovely family members against the unexpected such as illness or loss of income sources due to dead.

Summary

Financial planning is a process of estimating the current & future financial needs, and making plans to achieve them. The above elements are the key elements involved in financial planning, which you need to take into consideration when planning your financial needs.

Visit Cornie Herring's website at http://www.studykiosk.com/CreditBasics to find more debt relief resources on the option available for you to get rid of debt. Learn how debt consolidation, credit counseling and other debt solutions work in helping debtors to resolve their debt issues.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cornie_Herring

Life Insurance Reality Check - Do You Have Enough?

By Denise M

Life insurance is an important component of your financial planning. If you have a young family, it could actually be the most important element of their security. A lot of people do not have affordable life insurance yet. Among those who already have life insurance, a vast majority does not have enough coverage. Could you be one of them?

What kind of insurance is best?

Life insurance policies come in two basic variants - whole life and term insurance. Whole life insurance offers death benefits plus cash value on account of which premiums are higher. On the other hand term insurance is affordable because it only concentrates on death benefits for which you pay cheaper premiums. When you are young with a lifetime of loans, expenses and mortgage payments to be paid, children's' education and upbringing to look after, you must consider the more affordable term life insurance. Since a term life policy can help you focus on just the death benefits, it makes sense to understand it better, and work out the best coverage amount possible.

What kind of expenses and financial needs should a term life policy cover?

On the event of your death, the death benefit of your term life insurance policy should be able to have your family pay off your funeral expenses and invest the rest so that they can lead a comfortable life much like the one you provide for them now.

Funeral expenses can work out to be as high as $5,000-$12,000 currently, so that's why you will need to factor that in to your life insurance planning.
Next, your death benefit should replace your current income, so that your family can carry on with life without having to make major lifestyle changes. Remember to take into account inflation and rising costs.
Thirdly, factor in your debts - unpaid mortgage, credit cards and loans could eat into the death benefit amount, leaving your family with very little to take care of other expenses.
If you were to die, your family would surely have additional expenses to replace the services you used to take care of yourself. If you handle the accounts on your own, or take care of the plumbing yourself, your family may need to hire the services of an accountant, or a plumber. If your spouse is currently a stay at home parent, your family may need the services of a nanny in case he or she decides to start working to supplement their income. It's the little details that will help you work out your family's expense requirements better.
If your kids are young, a part of the death benefit will have to be invested to pay for their college education.
Consider any hidden income that you may be currently earning, but which would be lost at death. Examples are your perks, your employer's contributions to your 401(k) plan, health insurance and your retirement fund contributions. Too many people overlook factoring this into their calculations while in actuality they could easily add up to $10,000-$12,000.

How to calculate the coverage amount

There are conflicting views on how to arrive at the perfect coverage amount for your life. Here's an alarming statistic. The average American has about $170,000 in life insurance coverage. That seems like a lot, but it is only about four times of the average annual income in the U.S. So it's going to tide your family over for four years, but remember that you're going to be dead a lot longer than four years. So how do you calculate the ideal coverage amount?

The rule of thumb in the insurance industry says that your coverage should be 10 to 20 times your annual income. However, like we discussed earlier, annual income is not the only factor that should be considered when determining your needs. How much term life insurance you need is a highly individual figure. But if you know exactly what your death benefits should help pay for, then you definitely won't make the mistake of under-insuring yourself. So the long and short of the 'how much is enough' dilemma is that the death benefit you provide your family should be more than your net worth. Use the help of online Life Insurance Tools such as a Life Insurance Needs Calculator to help you arrive at an accurate coverage for your personal situation. Then you can apply for term life insurance quotes.

How often should your policy be reviewed?

If you already own a term insurance policy, that's not enough reason to think that you have enough death benefit. If you have failed to consider the expenses and the loss of income sources that may follow your death, you will need to review your policy.

Even if you have taken everything into consideration, experts recommend that you review your policy whenever there is a life changing event such as the arrival of a baby, taking in an additional family member, changing jobs, looking after ailing parents, or the loss of a spouse. These events will increase your expenditure.

In times of recession the value your investments drastically dip, while your life insurance benefits remain the same. If you were to die in the next two years, your investments would have accrued a lower income than expected due to the present economic crunch. Have you factored this into your life insurance plan? You may need to review your term policy especially during economic downturns.

Conclusion

The best way to review your term insurance policy or work out the death benefits on a fresh term life policy is to consult with an unbiased insurance advisor, preferably one who represents a large number of life insurance companies. The advisor will ask you in-depth questions on your finances and help you arrive at term life quotes that are just right for your family's needs.

AccuQuote is a leader in providing term life insurance quotes to people across the United States. In 1986 it began operating with a single goal: to make the process of buying term life insurance as easy as possible for its customers. Their experienced professionals consistently deliver the most affordable term life insurance rates by comparing thousands of life insurance policies from dozens of top-rated carriers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Denise_M

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Thursday, November 19, 2009

Update Nov. 19, 2009 All About "Life Insurance and Financial Planning" By Insurance Experts

By Troy Pryczek

The Wall Street Journal, several months ago, printed an article reporting that retirees, some older than 70, were having to compete with young people for entry level jobs. Aged out of the career that they invested decades in, these people now have to hit the job market unprepared and in a deepening depression. How most of them could avoid their current troubles? Simply by augmenting some basic financial planning. Even though most of us forget Ben Franklin's old axiom, "money saved is money earned" the principle still applies. Here are a few easy steps and principles that will help you improve your financial position and keep you out of the job lines during your retirement.

• How is that pension holding up? How about the 401K you worked so hard to build. Honestly the only type of profit sharing that really works is when you own the business. Many seniors are looking into Internet marketing as an investment and one of their keys to financial planning. Marketing takes control of your income out of the hands of someone and puts it squarely into your hands. The success of your new business is entirely up to you. You work from home, set your own hours and structure your income goals according to your current and future needs.

• Spend less than you earn. As silly as it may sound most people have great difficulty in grasping this simple rule. If your income is $5000 a month and you spend $6000 a month you're going in the wrong direction. Instead of retiring early you will be in those lines, working for someone else, just to get out of debt. Make a budget and stick to it and cut up those credit cards.

• Set aside a certain amount a month for emergencies. If now emergencies come up rotate that amount into savings. Put this amount into your budget every month.

• Pay off at least part of the principle each month, especially for those loans with high interest rates. Clear the debts, if possible, but always pay of the loans with high interest rates first.

• Invest in a good insurance policy. This will serve as a safety net for your family if you are injured or killed and also most life insurance policies build cash value.

The keys to financial planning are in your pocket. You simply have to take them out and use them. Try not to spend your time working for someone else, living on their expectations, when you can just as easily work for yourself.

To learn more about making more money Click Here. Or to see how Troy Pryczek can mentor you to make money online, and to claim your FREE! Internet marketing Boot Camp visit http://www.PassiveCashflowOnline.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Troy_Pryczek

Final Expense Burial Insurance Policies For Senior Financial Planning

By Marilyn Katz

If you watch TV, surf the net, or open your mail, and it you are a senior citizen or a caregiver, you have certainly seen ads for a product called final expense or burial insurance. The ads usually point out that funerals average $8,000 in the US, and in some areas, can cost much more. They also point out that senior citizens may leave other expenses behind. Debts need to be settled, a funeral will probably cause many people to make unexpected travel plans in a hurry, and sometimes, a body will need to be transported.

Now nobody likes to think about a loved one passing away. And yet, it is much better to give it some thought in advance, rather than waiting until arrangements need to be made in a hurry. Even if some planning were not needed, you will still have the matter of coming up with the cash to pay for everything. Now some funerals do sell something they call pre-need funeral plans. These have a place, but are not the perfect solution for everything. For one thing, they will probably not cover all expenses associated with the funeral itself, much less debt settlement, travel, or transporting a body.

So the alternative solution, called a final expense or burial policy, is actually a smaller face value whole life insurance company. These are designed for seniors, and some can be issued up to age 85. They usually do not ask many health questions, and some do not ask any health questions at all. The face value of these plans range from $2,500 to $25,000, and the smaller amounts make them easier to obtain for an older applicant. The smaller value also makes them more affordable. However, a few thousands dollars may be just the right amount of life insurance to make sure that final expenses are covered. In the world of life insurance, a few thousand dollars is considered a small amount, but for the children or grand-children, that can be quite a bit of cash to come up with in a hurry.

With a senior life insurance policy, the beneficiary is also not tied to one particular funeral home and location. I know of many cases where elderly people moved from their homes to spend their final years closer to children who had moved away for jobs. Also, many funeral homes will accept the policy as proof of ability to pay for the funeral, and so, they will not require a large check to be written the day of the funeral. I have also heard of cases where funerals had to be delayed because the children needed time to come up with the money!

A senior citizen can purchase a policy like this for themselves. They may name their children, or whoever will make final arrangements, as the beneficiary. It would be best to select a person who lives close and will be responsible for making sure that plans are carried out. Sometimes the children of an older person will purchase a plan like this for an older person, and they will pay the premiums and name themselves as the beneficiary. In most cases, this is perfectly legitimate.

So, do you need a final expense or burial life insurance policy? Well, if there is plenty of liquid cash on hand so that all funeral arrangements can be made with no problem, then you may not need it. If the insured person already has sufficient life insurance or other assets to cover everything then, again, it may be one offer to pass up on. But for many people, even some with life insurance that is intended to provide an estate for family members, a final expense policy can be an affordable way to plan for the inevitable and give everybody peace of mind.

You can save money on life insurance by comparing rates! Use our handy online form to Compare Burial Insurance Policies from your home PC and internet connection. It is fast, safe, and without obligation.

Find No Medical Exam Life Insurance for Senior Citizens at http://www.nomedicalexam.net/seniorlifeinsurance.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marilyn_Katz

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Saturday, October 31, 2009

Update Oct. 31, 2009 All About Life Insurance and Financial Planning By Insurance Experts

By Cornie Herring

Among the important topics that you should know when trying to understand about financial planning are: budgeting, expenses, debts, savings, retirement and insurance. Let's discuss them one by one.

Budgeting

Expenses

Debts

Savings

Retirement Planning

Insurance

Summary

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cornie_Herring

How to Begin Planning Your Financial Future

By Richard Gorham

Financial planning today provides major benefits tomorrow, and for the remainder of your life.

Regardless of your current income level or personal situation, learn why you must be committed to the following personal finance strategies in order to secure your financial success.

Planning now for your financial future is, quite simply, a smart thing to do. The tools and process detailed here will pave the way for anyone who is serious about conquering their debt and taking control over their financial existence.

Financial planning is how you get from point A to point B, as well as points C, D and E. Depending on where you are financially today, you no doubt have multiple goals that you wish to accomplish. "Hoping" for your luck to finally change, or "waiting" for your ship to come in, is NOT a financial plan - it's simply a dream.

Most people get into a set routine with their finances. The longer you allow yourself to continue down the same financial road without a clear map in hand, the more you lessen your chances of realizing your financial goals.

Let's face it, most people are not known for their patience or their planning skills, and even less people are admired for their ability to save money. No one should be surprised to learn this given how the mass media is constantly teaching people in our society to "buy it now- pay later!"

To ensure financial success, people must break away from this destructive, and weak, mind-set.

Do not make the common mistake that financial planning is only for the wealthy, or that you must already have a good sized nest egg before meeting with a financial advisor. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

However, you don't need to pay out your hard earned money for a professional. The most effective financial planning occurs in the home at the dining room table or home office.

Common tools include the household checkbook, a pen, calculator and a piece of paper with a line down the middle. One column is titled, "Cash Coming In", and the other column reads "Cash Going Out".

The main goal to keep in mind is that you want to spend every dollar of your monthly income ON PAPER, before you actually spend it. This way you will plan your expenditures for the month, knowing you have set aside adequate money to cover all the fixed expenses. In addition, you will have thoughtfully allocated the remaining funds to the areas of your life that are most important to you.

Examples of important financial goals might include:

Buying a new car
Saving for a down payment on a house
Future college saving
Dream family vacation
Purchase of investment property
Planning for retirement years

Regardless of what your financial goals are, your chances of realizing those goals are highly dependant upon your decision to plan ahead and your willingness to take action - right here and right now.

There is a great tool available to anyone who is not comfortable with sitting down and creating a household budget on their own. This important tool is called a Personal Financial Statement.

If you've ever applied for a loan or credit card, you have filled out the majority of what is found on a personal financial statement. Starting immediately, you can begin using the same process that a lender uses to account for all monies coming in and going out.

Once you have completed filling out a personal financial statement, you will have all the information you need to take the financial planning process to the level - that is, creating a budget that works!

"Budgeting" gets a bum wrap. No one likes to hear the word "budget"; however, it is the process of budgeting (aka. financial planning) that will ultimately set you free and secure your financial future. Too often, people make the mistake of assuming "only broke people have to budget". The reality is that most rich folks are rich because they budget.

The decisions you've made up until now are the reason you are where you are today. The decisions you make today going forward will shape your destiny. The only real question is, "Where are you going?". Decide well.

About The Author: Richard Gorham says, "Conquer debt and increase your income!" Access a wide variety of free tools and resource information to better manage your finances at http://www.debt-to-income.com/debt-free-living.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Gorham

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Monday, October 12, 2009

Update Oct. 12, 2009 All About Life Insurance and Financial Planning By Insurance Experts

Are you one of the plain insurance agents? Agents often prefer to upgrade their title as an insurance specialist or financial advisor on their business card. Names like life advisor reflect positive experience and knowledge. Which of these different terms distinguishes you from being just one of the insurance agents? Here are 101 top choices to pick from.

There is a lot more to a name then may realize. Calling yourself an agent or sales agent makes you sound run of the mill. It also projects the sound of a salesman trying to sell you something. Few people enjoy feeling a person is selling them anything, it stinks of pressure. This is why in this list of different terms you will see how high words like specialist, expert, and professional rank. The prospect gets a completely new perspective, just by the title you give yourself! Prospects closely take notice when an agent jointly works with them in reaching a decision on what is the best plan of action. Prospective clients want to feel like they are part of the decision process.

Important internet search tip: to get an accurate count use quote marks around your term, "insurance specialist" will only give you that term in that exact order. Without the quotes you would also get all instances of people searching terms such as specialist insurance, specialist in writing insurance claims, specialist in automobile insurance sales, etc.

To give this article value, in front of each of the insurance agents distinctions is the number of current Google listings. This way you can easily see how often internet views "insurance agent " look-up terms like specialist, planner, representative, and. advisor. Please remember the Google count figures often change daily.

1. 10,600,000 = financial advisor

2. 6,690,000 = insurance agent

3. 4,280,000 = financial planner

4. 2,120,000 = investment advisor

5. 1,780,000 = insurance agents brokers

6. 1,600,000 = investment adviser

7. 999,000 = insurance guide

8. 735,000 = insurance specialist

9. 638,000 = financial expert

10. 604,000 = financial professional

11. 590,000 = financial specialist

12. 513,000 = life pro

13. 433,000 = insurance professional

14. 431,000 = health insurance agent

15. 322,000 = insurance expert

16. 271,500 = insurance salesman

17. 269,000 = life professional

18. 268,000 = life insurance agent

19. 253,000 = insurance consultant

20. 252,000 = insurance advisor

21. 244,000 = insurance sales representative

22. 219,000 = insurance manager

23. 218,000 = estate advisor

24. 217,000 = insurance executive

25. 189,000 = estate planner

26. 186,000 = independent insurance sale

27. 179,000 = insurance sales agent

28. 155,000 = insurance seller

29. 130,000 = insurance producer

30. 126,000 = investment representative

29. 120,000 = insurance authority

30. 119,000 = insurance representative

31. 112,000 = life agent

32. 107,000 = life insurance specialist

32. 104,000 = life specialist

33. 102,000 = insurance adviser

34. 89,900 = insurance sales manager

35. 86,200 = licensed insurance agent

36. 85,200 = insurance manager

37. 71,000 = health agent

38. 66,600 = insurance pro

39. 65,100 = insurance sales rep

40. 60,000 = insurance designer

41. 59,400 = insurance sales person

42. 55,600 = life consultant

43. 54,500 = group agent

44. 52,200 = ins agent

45. 50,100 = estate adviser

46. 50,000 = insurance pros

47. 46,800 = insurance counselor

48. 43,800 = financial pro

49. 43,400 = insurance salesperson

50. 40,200 = insurance sales specialist

51. 37,700 = life producer

52. 37,000 = insurance sales executive

53. 35,400 = independent insurance brokers

54. 34,700 = long term care professional

55. 34,500 = financial planning advisor

56. 33,900 = medical insurance specialist

57. 31,300 = health insurance professional

58. 29,300 = life insurance expert

59. 29,000 = insurance rep

60. 28,900 = financial planning advisor

61. 27,500 = health insurance specialist

62. 26,000 = health insurance advisor

63. 25,500 = independent insurance professional

64. 24,700 = employee benefits specialist

65. 24,000 = life advisor

66. 22,900 = life insurance advisor

67. 21,800 = life insurance sales specialist

68. 19,900 = life insurance professional

69. 19,300 = insurance producer

70. 19,200 = licensed financial planner

71. 16,200 = health insurance producer

72. 14,900 = insurance sales consultant

73. 14,000 = term life insurance broker

74. 12,800 = long term care specialist

75. 12,700 = annuity specialist

76. 12,500 = estate planning specialist

77. 12,200 = insurance marketer

78. 11,950 = life insurance representative

79. 11,900 = insurance planner

80. 10,600 = insurance sales professional

81. 10,400 = life insurance advisor

82. 10,200 = insurance writer

83. 9,650 = insurance recruiter

84. 9,480 = financial planning advisor

85. 9,030 = estate planning advisor

86. 8,570 = annuity broker

87. 7,520 = insurance general manager

88. 7,070 = insurance trainee

89. 6,800 = long term care insurance specialist

90. 6,670 = term life insurance agent

91. 6,440 = long term care insurance agent

92. 5,870 = licensed life agent

93. 5,300 = financial insurance agent

94. 5,270 = annuity agent

95. 5,080 = ins professional

96. 5,030 = medical insurance professional

97. 5,010 = disability insurance agent

98. 4,990 = employee benefits professional

99. 4,430 = mortgage insurance agent

100. 4,200 = disability insurance specialist

101. 3,900 = long term care agent

For your own sake, never tell prospective clients that you are one of 1,500,000 insurance agents licensed to sell life, health, annuities, and financial policies. The term insurance specialist or insurance professional immediately makes your prospect more confident of your abilities. However, please do not use the overused and abused terms of financial planner or estate planner unless you actually are qualified to be one.

If case, you are interested, here are more titles with over 1,000 Google entry occurrences that did not make the top 101 list. They include group health professional, ins specialist, insurance marketing representative, health insurance adviser, ins representative, term life insurance specialist, mortgage life insurance agent, insurance marketing specialist, disability insurance broker, life ins agent, term life agent, senior market specialist, life investment adviser, MDRT insurance agent, and insurance saleswoman.

Should you want to get more attention on major search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Ask, here are some tips. On the front of your website entry page, use the title and first line to put a more descriptive term about the services you provide. Rather than announcing "insurance agent for many products", try this, "medical insurance professional and disability insurance specialist." Both these titles only have about 5,000 competing entries, which could include 3,500 to 4,000 weak ones each. Now it depends on following the advice given, and internet search engine skills you possess. An internet searcher might now find you in the top 100 listings for each of the terms! On an "insurance agent" search, with well over 6,000,000 listings, it might take a 24/7 week to find you listed toward the end of the heap.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon early this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing and recruiting information.

Come and get your FREE "Think and Grow Rich" Ebook by Napoleon Hill instantly. The website address is http://www.agentsinsurancemarketing.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Yerke

How to Select the Right Financial Planner
By Tushar Mathur

There's retirement to plan for and college tuition for the kids. Insurance. Estate planning. And, oh, don't forget a wedding for your daughter. If all this sounds familiar, it may be time for you to start shopping around for a financial planner.

Certain experts, such as stock brokers or tax preparers, are there to help you deal with specific aspects of your financial life. But if you don't have an overall plan, you may well be spinning your wheels trying to get ahead. That's where financial planners come in. One who's trained and astute will typically draw up a written plan that focuses on such things as your retirement and insurance needs, the investments you need to make to reach your goals, college-funding strategies, plans to tackle debt - and finally - ways to correct any mistakes you have made in haphazardly trying to plan on your own.

Before you begin shopping for a planner, one word of caution: Unlike brain surgeons, hairdressers, and plumbers, a financial planner doesn't have to crack a book, take an exam or otherwise demonstrate competence before hanging out a shingle. In other words, anyone can claim the title - and thousands of poorly trained people do. That means finding the right planner for you and your family will take more work than researching the best new flat-screen TV. And so it should. After all, it's your financial future that's at stake.

Here's how to get started:

The old-boy network

One easy way to begin looking for a financial planner is to ask for recommendations. If you have a lawyer or an accountant you trust, ask him for the names of planners whose work he's seen and admired. Professionals like that are in the best position to judge a planner's abilities.

But don't stop with the referral. You should also look closely at credentials. A certified financial planner (CFP) or a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) must pass a rigorous set of exams and have certain experience in the financial services field. This alphabet soup is no guarantee of excellence, but the initials do show that a planner is serious about his or her work.

You get what you pay for

Many financial planners make some or all of their money in commissions by selling investments and insurance, but this system sets up an immediate conflict between the planners' interests and your own. Why? Because the products that pay the highest commissions, like whole life insurance and high-commission mutual funds, generally aren't the ones that pay off best for the clients. In general, we think the best advice is to steer clear of commission-only planners. You also should be wary of fee-based planners, who earn commissions and who also receive fees for their advice.

That leaves fee-only financial planners. They don't sell financial products, such as insurance or stocks, so their advice is not likely to be biased or influenced by their desire to earn a commission. They charge just for their advice. Fee-only planners may charge a flat fee, a percentage of your investments - usually 1 percent - under their management or hourly rates starting at about $120 an hour. Still, you can generally expect to pay $1,500 to $5,000 in the first year, when you will receive a written financial plan, plus $750 to $2,500 for ongoing advice in subsequent years.

Where to get help

If people you trust can't recommend planners in your area, or if you want to broaden the field from which you choose, you can get lists of local planners from the following trade organizations. Check out each group's website.

* National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
* Financial Planning Association
* American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Trust but verify

After putting together a list of at least three candidates, arrange face-to-face interviews. These consultations are usually free. Among the questions you'll want to ask are:

* Do you specialize? Many planners try to be jacks-of-all-trades and take any client who can pay. Some, however, work primarily with a certain type of client, such as small business owners or widows. Others tend to focus on one area of financial planning, such as retirement issues or college funding. You'll want to make sure the planner has experience working with people whose financial lives are similar to yours.

* How are you compensated? Any reputable planner won't flinch when you ask this question. It's imperative to find out ahead of time both how you'll be charged and how much.

* May I see your ADV form? This is a report the planner files with regulators. Part I of an ADV (the name stands for adviser) will tip you off to legal or regulatory problems in the planner's past. Part II outlines his or her experience, investment strategies and potential conflicts of interest. Planners are legally required to show you Part II if you ask. They can refuse to show you Part I, but that's a good reason for you to refuse to give them your business.

* May I have the names of three clients similar to me? You'll want to talk to these clients about their experience with the planner. It's also a good idea to ask to see at least one recent written plan; the planner can block out the name of the client to protect his or her privacy.

Finally, be alert for canned sales presentations, which are not uncommon in the field of financial advice. And give the highest marks to an adviser who listens closely to you and asks insightful questions. Notes Stuart Kessler, past chairman of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, "Someone who isn't able to listen carefully won't understand what you are looking for."

Tushar Mathur writes regularly about Personal Finance and Investing at Everything Finance (http://www.everythingfinanceblog.com). He also writes about Green Living at Talking About Green (http://talkingaboutgreen.com/).

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tushar_Mathur

How Much Life Insurance Do You Really Need?
By Richard Kaloust

Some people equate life insurance with tragedy and death. In truth, life insurance is for the living. Without it, the sudden demise of a key breadwinner could leave a family stranded without the resources to maintain their lifestyle - or even retain their home.

Not so long ago, experts recommended that families carry a life insurance policy with a death benefit of between five and seven times their annual household income. Today, however, in light of rising house prices in many parts of the country and spiraling college costs, most advisors now recommend eight to 10 times income.

Unfortunately, most American families are underinsured. According to statistics from industry research and consulting firm LIMRA International, the average American household carries just $126,000 in life insurance - approximately $300,000 less than they actually need - and only 61% of adult Americans have life insurance protection, a decline from 70% in 1984.(1)

A Cornerstone of Sound Financial Planning

Financial experts generally consider life insurance to be a cornerstone of sound financial planning, for two key reasons. First, it can be a cost-effective way to provide for your loved ones after you are gone. And second, life insurance can be an important tool in the following ways:

1. Income replacement -- For most people, their most valuable economic asset is their ability to earn a living. If you have dependents, then you need to consider what would happen to them if they could no longer rely on your income. A life insurance policy can also help supplement retirement income, which can be especially useful if the benefits of your surviving spouse or domestic partner will be reduced after your death.

2. Pay outstanding debts and long-term obligations - Without life insurance, your loved ones must shoulder burial costs, credit card debts, and medical expenses not covered by health insurance using out-of-pocket funds. The policy's death benefit might also be used to pay off a mortgage, supplement retirement savings, or fund college tuition.

3. Estate planning -- The proceeds of a life insurance policy can be earmarked to pay estate taxes so that your heirs will not have to liquidate other assets to do so.

4. Charitable contributions -- If you have a favorite charity, you can designate some or all of the proceeds from your life insurance to go to this organization.

Determining How Much: A Four-Step Process

Determining how much life insurance coverage you need is a four-step process:

Step 1: Determine Your Family's Short-Term Needs
Short-term needs are financial obligations and/or expenses arising within six months of death. Examples of short-term needs include expenses you pay now such as:

* Loan balances (automobile loans, etc)
* Outstanding credit balances (credit cards, revolving lines of credit, etc)
* Mortgages (first and second mortgage, home-equity loans, lines of credit)

Add to these current expenses any death-related expenses that must be paid in the short term:

* Funeral expenses
* Final medical costs
* Estate settlement costs and probate
* Estate taxes due
* Charitable bequests you would like to make upon your death

If you don't already have one, your survivors should be left with a liquid emergency fund sufficient to get them through any unexpected financial needs. Most advisors recommend between three and six months' worth of living expenses.

Step 2: Determine Long-Term Needs
In addition to covering your survivors' short term needs, some level of monthly income will be needed to maintain their current standard of living and meet financial goals such as saving for retirement and funding college for children. The value of these future obligations is discounted back to present value amounts to provide a dollar amount that, if invested, could provide an adequate income stream to fund all of your long-term goals.

Step 3: Calculate Your Total Available Resources
By this point, you should have a good idea of your family's total cash needs in the event of your untimely death. With any luck, you have already begun to set money aside to cover some of these costs. Other resources that may be available to your family include pensions, annuities, funds from retirement accounts, employer-provided life insurance, and Social Security. The Social Security program offers benefits to survivors under age 17, and those whose spouses were receiving retirement income from Social Security can also count on survivorship benefits. The total value of these future resources is discounted back to present value amounts. This gives us a single dollar amount that we can use to offset your total needs.

Step 4: Provide Funds To Cover A Shortfall
In most cases, comparing total needs to total resources will result in a shortfall. That's where life insurance comes in. Without it, your survivors will be left with the choice of either finding or creating additional resources (such as having the surviving spouse return to work) or experience a decline in the quality of their lifestyle. Life insurance is uniquely suited for covering such a shortfall. It is a means of sharing the financial risk of premature death with many, many others who have similar concerns.

You pay a relatively small premium to an insurance company in exchange for their promise to pay your beneficiaries a specified death benefit in the event of your death. You may find it ironic that a financial need arising from death can be alleviated by a financial resource that is created after death. That's why life insurance, although something no one hopes to ever need, is indeed for the living. It's also a vital issue we can help you investigate in greater detail to ensure your family's financial future will be protected.

1. "Life Insurance Awareness Month," LIMRA International, August 2004
Material discussed is meant for general illustration and/or informational purposes only and it is not to be construed as tax, legal, or investment advice. Although the information has been gathered from sources believed to be reliable, please note that individual situations can vary therefore, the information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Diversification does not ensure against loss. Source: Financial Visions, Inc.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Kaloust

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Monday, September 14, 2009

Update August 14, 2009 All About Life Insurance and Financial Planning By Insurance Experts

Financial planning is the long-term process of wisely managing your finances so you can achieve your goals and dreams, while at the same time negotiating the financial barriers that inevitably arise in every stage of life by Creating a Sound Financial Plan
Step 1 Establish Goals
Step 2 Gather Data
Step 3 Analyze & Evaluate Your Financial Status
Step 4 Develop a Plan
Step 5 Implement the Plan
Step 6 Monitor the Plan & Make Necessary Adjustments

Recommended Program
Insiders Tips For Reducing Spending
Money Saving Tips And Ideas Covers
Practically All Areas Of Household

Is Your Child Financially Protected?
By Steven Symth Platinum Quality Author

This isn't exactly a great subject but this is basically what it comes down to! Many parents do not think very often about life insurance. Especially those couples who are still young. Life and death is apart of living, but have you really put some thought into the financial security of your family. What if something unexpected was to happen to you?

Lets take a look at two important reasons why you should protect your family:

Reason One:

The death of a loved one is extremely difficult to deal with in the general sense. But what if your family had to deal not only with your death but also with the financial burden and strain of the expenses involved? Funeral arrangements are costly to the best of my knowledge. If you take the right precautions now, your family won't have to suffer these circumstances. You can even go as far as to complete your funeral arrangements through your life insurance provider.

Reason Two:

By getting life insurance you also have the opportunity to choose the best care giver of your children and or pets. This is another area that is heavily neglected by young parents. This is obviously not your fault as death is not something we want to face whilst we are healthy and living. There would be nothing worse than your children having to live with a family member whom you did not approve of. We all want the best for our families, you can make that decision today for your children.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Symth

Life Insurance Basics: Getting Started
By Megan Mahan Platinum Quality Author

Let’s be honest. The topic of life insurance isn’t exciting or glamorous, but it is important. In fact, many experts consider life insurance to be the cornerstone of good financial planning.

But how do you know if you need life insurance? How much is enough? What kind of life insurance policy is best for you?

Answering these basic questions about life insurance will help to simplify the shopping process and ultimately allow you to select the best policy to secure your family’s future for years to come.

Establishing Your Needs

To clear up any misconceptions, life insurance is designed to protect your loved ones from financial loss in the event of your death. Knowing this, it’s important to establish whether you need life insurance and how much you should purchase.

According to MetLife you generally need life insurance if:

You have a spouse
You have dependent children
Relatives or elderly parents depend on your income
Your retirement funds are not enough to provide for your spouse’s future
You own a business
You have a large estate

The beneficiaries of your life insurance policy can use the proceeds from your life insurance to:

Pay for last expenses and funeral costs
Cover estate taxes (if applicable)
Pay off existing debts (mortgage, car loan, credit card debt)
Pay for everyday expenses (food, clothing, childcare)
Put towards your spouse’s retirement fund
Donate to charity

If you don’t have dependents, you may still wish to purchase a life insurance policy to avoid becoming a financial burden to your loved ones in the untimely event of your death. Young singles also benefit from purchasing life insurance while they’re young and healthy, allowing them to secure a low premium for years to come.

Choosing a Dollar Amount

Figuring out how much life insurance your loved ones would need to maintain their quality of living can be tough. Generally speaking, experts recommend purchasing between 5 and 10 times your annual salary. But, as MetLife points out, your exact need for life insurance will depend on your personal and financial circumstances.

You can get a ballpark estimate of your life insurance needs by first totaling the funds your family would need for the abovementioned items (funeral costs, daily living, etc.). You can find helpful worksheets online that will help you organize and come up with this list of expenses.

After you’ve totaled your expenses, take stock of the funds you have in cash, savings, retirement accounts, bonds, property, pension and Social Security. Subtracting your financial resources from your expenses will give you a rough idea of how much life insurance you should purchase.

When it comes to choosing how much life insurance to purchase, it’s a good idea to get an idea of your needs before buying a policy—but your licensed life insurance professional will undoubtedly help you choose a dollar amount that accurately reflects the needs of your beneficiaries.

Selecting a Policy

Generally speaking, there are two types of life insurance: term life insurance and permanent life insurance. The type of policy you select will depend largely on your life insurance needs and what resources you have to pay life insurance premiums.

Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance, as the name suggests, will cover you for a specified amount of time, which means the insurer will only pay out a death benefit if you die during the term of your policy.

According to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), most people purchase a 20-year term policy, although smaller terms are available. Of course, you can renew your term life policy after it expires, although your premiums may increase as you age. But all in all, because of the “temporary” nature of term life insurance, policies are generally much cheaper and are therefore an attractive option for young people and families with a limited income.

Permanent Life Insurance
On the other hand, permanent life insurance, as you might have guessed, is permanent. A permanent life policy will pay out a death benefit whether you die tomorrow or in 60 years.

Permanent life insurance is also an appealing option for many because of the added benefit of the policy growing on a tax-deferred basis, which can grow to be fairly large over time. As a policyholder, you may be able to borrow against this cash value while alive, which has been of great help to some. Of course, most loans need to be paid back otherwise they will be subtracted from the death benefit, and your beneficiaries may have to liquidate assets to pay back the loan.

Nonetheless, permanent life insurance offers a wide variety of saving and investment options. Because of this, policies are generally more expensive than term policies, which may be hard for young adults to handle.

Your life insurance professional will help you decide which type of policy is best for your life insurance needs—and your budget. But researching these policy types beforehand can help you narrow down which policies appeal to you.

Knowledge is Power

No, learning about life insurance and planning for the unexpected isn’t glamorous, but it is important. So take advantage of consumer resources and talk to a life insurance professional about purchasing affordable life insurance. You’ll rest easier at night knowing your loved ones are taken care of for years to come!

About InsureMe

Megan L. Mahan is a copywriter and insurance information expert with InsureMe in Englewood, Colorado. InsureMe links agents nationwide with consumers shopping for insurance. Specializing in auto, home, health, long-term care and life insurance quotes, the InsureMe network provides thousands of agents with insurance leads every year. For more information, visit InsureMe.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Megan_Mahan

The Importance of Family Life Insurance
By Lana Leicester

Everybody strives to get the maximum happiness to their families whatever be the circumstances. The very thought of catastrophic events that might befall us leading to lot of mental agony in providing the maximum security of life for your family. Family life insurance thus comes into picture at this juncture, playing a vital role in the family life of the deceased. There are several long-term life insurance products, which are designed aimed at ensuring the fulfillment of the dreams of family of the deceased. It does not leave you worried anymore, due to the financial burden creeping up with the loss of the earning family member.

Key Benefits:

Terms assurance is available for a period 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years. Term Assurance for 5,10,15,20,25 years., In the event of any calamity in the family, financial protection will be provided at a very nominal and affordable cost, Comprehensive overall protection with the assistance of riders, and the most important benefit being the Tax benefit under section 80C and 10 (10D) of Income Tax Act.

Why You Need Family Life Insurance

It is quite natural for anybody to think that there would be no need to have a life insurance policy, but it is indispensable, in the event of a calamity in the family. Remember, there will be nobody to protect the family in the event of the breadwinner's death save a life insurance policy that is easy to obtain.

The mortgage payments on the home of the deceased cannot be cleared by anybody else. It is also difficult for the family of the deceased to make both ends meet. Since there will be no income resources in situations like this, either they will have to be employed irrespective of the age or should get some financial help on a regular basis for which, a family life insurance policy is the only panacea to come out of the predicament.

Click on the following link find a cheap family life insurance coverage in a snap.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lana_Leicester

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Friday, August 14, 2009

Update August 14, 2009 All About Life Insurance and Financial Planning By Insurance Experts

Financial planning is the long-term process of wisely managing your finances so you can achieve your goals and dreams, while at the same time negotiating the financial barriers that inevitably arise in every stage of life by Creating a Sound Financial Plan
Step 1 Establish Goals
Step 2 Gather Data
Step 3 Analyze & Evaluate Your Financial Status
Step 4 Develop a Plan
Step 5 Implement the Plan
Step 6 Monitor the Plan & Make Necessary Adjustments

Recommended Program
Insiders Tips For Reducing Spending
Money Saving Tips And Ideas Covers
Practically All Areas Of Household

Life Insurance Basics: Getting Started
By Megan Mahan Platinum Quality Author

Let’s be honest. The topic of life insurance isn’t exciting or glamorous, but it is important. In fact, many experts consider life insurance to be the cornerstone of good financial planning.

But how do you know if you need life insurance? How much is enough? What kind of life insurance policy is best for you?

Answering these basic questions about life insurance will help to simplify the shopping process and ultimately allow you to select the best policy to secure your family’s future for years to come.

Establishing Your Needs

According to MetLife you generally need life insurance if:

You have a spouse
You have dependent children
Relatives or elderly parents depend on your income
Your retirement funds are not enough to provide for your spouse’s future
You own a business
You have a large estate

The beneficiaries of your life insurance policy can use the proceeds from your life insurance to:

Pay for last expenses and funeral costs
Cover estate taxes (if applicable)
Pay off existing debts (mortgage, car loan, credit card debt)
Pay for everyday expenses (food, clothing, childcare)
Put towards your spouse’s retirement fund
Donate to charity

Choosing a Dollar Amount

Selecting a Policy

Knowledge is Power

About InsureMe

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Megan_Mahan

Lowest Term Life Insurance
By Emily E

When you look for life insurance, what are you searching for? Do you decide because of price, quality, or a combination? In today's economy, many people want the lowest term insurance policy is available. Luckily, you won't need to sacrifice quality for the best price. With term life insurance, you get the best of both worlds.

With term life insurance, you get the same face amount as a whole insurance policy, but for a much lower price. The lower price is possible because the policy will expire in the future, and there won't be any cash value that can be taken advantage of.

Many smart shoppers will use the money they save by getting life term insurance as their bright future and put it in an IRA or securities. The money that accumulates in the accounts will often be greater than the cash value that would build up in a whole life term insurance account. The policy holder often has the choice of not renewing their policy at all.

Don't just take the lowest price for life term insurance policy. Do your homework. Look at customer reviews and ratings before you decide. This is a vital product for the future of your family. They need you to choose correctly, so take your time.

When you apply, answer every question honestly and completely. Don't get to the end and find you've been turned down by an underwriter. The time you invested in finding the lowest term life insurance will then have been wasted.

Emily is known expert on lowest term life insurance. Visit this site best insurance life quote term and get more information about it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_E

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