Happy Hallowen!

Halloween isn't my favorite holiday but we usually have fun with the neighborhood during the night.  We get 300 plus kids at our house for trick or treats and while we know many of them we get a lot that are total strangers.

The funniest ones are the teenagers that are too old to be trick or treating and don't even have a costume on, they walk around with a sack looking to get candy from the neighborhood houses.  The funny thing is that they don't even look like they are enjoying it.  The uncostumed "too old to be doing this" teens look like they just lost their best friend.  Of course I know they didn't just lose their best friend because they are standing right there next to them.

Our favorites are the young kids that we know, they show up with super hero costumes on or princess costumes or funny ones with a mask.  Best of all is when you say "oh my who is this?"  and the kids pulls up their mask and with a sly grin says, " it's just  me!"  How cool is that?  More than the pursuit of candy, the youngest kids are really wanting everyone to see that behind the mask, it's just them.  Perhaps those sad teens have forgotten that the candy is not nearly as sweet as your neighbors knowing that you and your parents have turned ordinary you into a believable super hero, princess, ghoul or other creature.

Every year my family and I carve pumpkins and as my kids got older they started liking it less and less, but I like just as much now as I did when I was really young.  Maybe I didn't like it when I was a teenager, I don't recall, but right now I really enjoy it because it gives me a chance to show my neighbors that I and my family have turned an ordinary pumpkin into a really cool super hero.

Happy Halloween.

J

Call me for an insurance quote!

One sad Day!

You know this business is great!  Everyday I get to help people protect themselves from disaster.  Insurance is there to stop a loss from being total.  Everyone wants maximum coverage for the minimum premium but, in general we all know that insurance is a necessary part of life that will someday help us out.  However, one type of policy is more important than any other. 

Here's a quick story about a man named William Pettry, who flew to Jacksonville Florida Friday, October 5th to watch his favorite team play, the Bears.  That Sunday at a local bar in Jacksonville William was murdered in an unthinkable way.  He was stabbed to death right in the middle of the bar.  Now they caught the guy right away and have a confession but that won't help Mrs. Pettry.

You see William leaves behind a wife and three young children and no income.  Mrs. Pettry will struggle to pay the funeral costs but that is just he beginning because William's contractor business will not continue to make money without him there and they had no life insurance on William.  Mrs. Pettry is a stay at home mom that takes care of 3 young kids, so now she has to leave her kids, get a job, and pay child care to make ends meet, because he husband's income will no longer be there.  Not only will he not be there to see his kids grow up, take them to the doctor, play baseball with them, hug his wife when she has had a bad day, fix the toilet, and all the other things he did but his current and future income is all gone!

If William had just spent a couple of dollars a day on a term life policy, his family would not have to worry where next week's mortgage payment was coming from.  Don't put your family in this position!  Life insurance is cheap!  It's important! and you need to get some!  Call an agent that you trust and buy a policy today! 

J

Ask me for a quote!

Is that pumpkin head mooning me?

I was driving to work the other day and ... well let me just say that I wasn't sleeping or anything, but it was early and when I passed this scene and I really wasn't sure that I saw what I saw.

So I whipped the truck around and snapped a photo, and to tell the truth I didn't even realize until after I took the picture that the second pumpkin head was flashing her chest at me! 

In one day I was mooned by one pumpkin headed scarecrow and had another flash her chest at me, and all this was before eight in the morning.

Ordinarily I would have taken away some deeper meaning from the experience, but on this day all I could do is laugh.  So the next time you see a pumpkin headed flasher be sure and honk so they know you seen them!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Here's my ad ... STOP! You've been putting off buying life insurance and your family is at risk!  Click here and send me an email; see how simple and affordable term coverage can be.

I Invented the Internet and He Hates Puppies!

I don't know how you feel during election time but I always feel a little less smart just listening to the ads and the candidates.  It's always funny to me how everything is always someone else's fault, no candidate ever says "yep, I did that and it was wrong, but I'm trying to fix it!"  In fact most go out of their way to show how everything is the other guy's fault, even when there is no way that the other candidate could have had anything to do with it. 

Better yet, don't you love it when the candidate takes credit for something totally out of their control.  Remember when Al Gore said he invented the Internet?  What President ever personally created a million jobs in 4 years?  What President ever personally caused a financial crisis in 4 years?  Many of the policies a President would want to enact, take funding that is not under the control of the President, and must be approved by Congress.  So why do we listen to these ridiculous claims that in 4 years they will do something they can't possibly control?  Why do we hand our precious vote to a guy who claims that he can walk on water while accusing the other candidate of hating puppies?

The answer is three fold.  First we are looking for a leader that we can trust, and in the absence of personal knowledge of their trustworthiness we must rely on the evidence pointing to the opposite.  If the other candidate can show himself to be less untrustworthy then we have to go with him.  Second we are looking for a leader that really wants the job, if a candidate isn't willing to go toe to toe and take a beating for the job then they don't really want it and that means they might not have the "GRIT" or "STONES" to do what needs to be done.  Finally, we are looking for a leader that leads.  Claiming authority and making decisions is a skill and inspiring others to do what needs to be done is the primary skill necessary to be a successful leader.  In fact I believe that the best speach is the they way to pick your president.  If he can stir emotions and inspire you to action with just his words over the TV then he's the one.

So, good luck choosing a leader this year, I hope you pick the right guy!

Be the leader in your family and get life insurance on yourself!

Chores ... just do them!

I remember as a kid that there were things I just didn't want to do, at some point I didn't want to brush my teeth everyday.  I don't remember why, but I think it was just that I had assigned the task a negative label in my mind.  When I was first in the Army I didn't want to run, anything I could do to get out of running I tried. 

Maybe these things were all just unpleasant chores that had to be done and my human nature kicked in and pushed me to avoid them.  I think everyone is like that in a way, but as we get older we we know better than to give in to the voice that says "don't do it ... life will be easier if you don't".  Of course, some folks never out grow the little voice.  They still avoid things they need to do or address and give childish excuses as to why they can't or won't do the right thing.

Don't do that!  Stand up, do what you know is right, and keep doing it everyday.  Even when it's not fun or a chore ... really folks, grow up!  In the end we all have to do what we know is right or we are just wrong, so don't be wrong!

J

Don't put off buying life insurance, if you wait until you need some, it'll be too late!

Don't bother ducking the rock is still going to hit you!

Sometimes the world weighs heavy on you and sometimes it just crashes down on your head like a ton of rock!

If you are lowly in authority these heavy weights are different than those experienced by people that wear a mantel of authority.  Not better or worse, tougher or easier, just different.

I can say this because I've felt the pressure from both sides.  Today as I write this I am thinking of the trials I'm in the middle of right now and at this time and in this place I have some measure of authority and responsibility.

No matter what the issue that you are dealing with as a leader, someone will second guess you ... most often it is you that starts the second guessing.  However, others are soon there to point out any questionable decision, thought, action or word you have ever had, whether it is relevant or not.  Somehow, the things you say and do are more of an issue than people without responsibility.  Somehow, the folks who don't make the hard decisions know all the answers and are very confident in telling you what those answers are.

I'm not sure why they don't just take up the reigns and take charge, but at least they are here to tell me when I am wrong.

But ... I'll tell you this, after being pummeled for a while you develop a thick skin, and that helps you to see truth more clearly than ever.  Mistakes and all, you have to own all that you are, in order to effect change and lead people ... you are right, wrong, good, bad, slow, fast, but most of all you are a leader.

So shake off the falling rocks, and brush the dust out of your eyes, and take responsibility for your decisions while you hold other accountable.

Don't risk everything ... email me for a quote on life Insurance!

Never, Never, Never, Never, Never Give up!

Sometimes taking a stand is painful ... no scratch that, it is always painful!  Everyone (even those that stand with you) seem to have a ax to grind with how it is handled.  Some thing you are too strong, some think you are too weak.  Some say don't be so gruff, some say don't be a wimp.

The bottom line is that when you find an issue meaningful enough for you to take a stand on ... you know drawing a line in the sand and saying everything on this side is okay but when you cross this "we've got a problem" ... don't expect that the crowd will rally around you and praise your eloquent handling of those that have an opposing view.

People are often afraid of how the world will judge them if they stand too firm.  They're afraid that someone will "call them out" and make fun of them or argue better than they do.  In short they are afraid of being made a fool of, and that is a powerful deterrent for most folks.

As I age I'm less likely to take a stand on minor things but much less fearful of being made a fool of, in fact I could care less about people that know me thinking I'm being foolish.  The lack of fear is my best asset in a moral battle.  People can sense when you are are solid ground with your understanding and at peace with the consequences of your stance.

Your confidence will shake theirs, your fearlessness will instill fear in them, your calm attitude will shake their resolve.  When you are not worried about the pain of a moral stand ... truth and right will prevail!  So, don't be afraid if you are standing firmly on the side of right, the pain will fade and when the smoke clears the world will be better for your sacrifice!

Email me to see how inexpensive it is to protect you family's future!

You don't need to be faster than the bears just faster than your friends!

The theme of the week for me seems to have been, you don't need to be faster than the bears just faster than your friends.  Only thing is, the bears in my life are chasing me while no one else is around.

Most of the time I am just running from one thing to the next with precious little rest between.  I think that many of you can relate.

Work, kids, church, keeping up on my house and chores ... it's enough to make you think that the cave man had it right.  Just a cave near the food and no dishes to wash!

I think we all look for simplicity from time to time but I usually find a reason that I need to keep up my crazy busy life.  Of course when I look back at years gone by I realise that Tena and I have packed a lot of experience in to the days we have had together, and if running like a madman is part of the deal then so be it.

I may be wrong here, but I don't think you'll ever hear someone at the end of the their life say, "I wish I had rested more."  Just doesn't sound like something that you would hear at the Pearly Gates.

I hope your week is so full that you sleep like the dead and I hope you cram a ton of adventure and excitement into the time you have.

Take care

J

If you died tomorrow, would your family still have enough money to survive?  Email me and let's talk about how affordable a term life policy is.

Hog wrestling a noble pursuit for young people!

Living in Indiana and in rural Indiana at that, we have a culture that is a mystery to the rest of the world.  Since it is county fair time, hog wrestling is on every one's mind.  It is the single funniest thing you will ever see and is unique to the county fair.

A group of kids (some older than others) will be in a pit of mud chasing a pig around in circles with the goal of snatching that pig up and pl;acing it on a barrel top in the center of the mud pit, and the fastest time wins.

I have to tell you though, it is the slowest ones that are my favorite.  Everyone is covered in mud and laughing so hard that they are probably eating some of that mud.  It is one of the best photo opps ever! 

My kids have all tried it at different times and some years they were more successful than others but in the end it is about the experience for them and not the prize ... which I believe is a tee shirt.  So it is purely hog wrestling for the sake of muddy performance ... art for the sake of art.  What could be more noble than that?

I'd like to insure your home and auto ... send me an email to get a free insurance quote from a real person, not a talking lizard ...

Bacon Ice Cream ... like licking a cold pig on a hot day!

Sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind and try something that scares you. The only problem with that philosophy is that once you throw caution a couple of times you start to get braver and doing wilder and crazier stuff.


So when I was a very young man, my mom encouraged me to try new things, and especially food. Later in live I challenged myself to try new foods all the time, sometimes in a foreign country with questionable sanitation and unrecognizable meats.\

This has led to a lifetime of foodie thrill seeking and the latest is bacon ice cream. Don’t stop reading now, you really need to try this as it is incredible and worthy of a thrown caution!

I’ll get to the point, below is the recipe … try it and let me know what you think … oh and remember I’m a insurance agent and I’m wanting to quote your business (although if you are such a risk taker with your food, I might have to rethink that.


Bacon Maple Ice Cream

1/4 pound Bacon, raw, roughly chopped
2 cups half & half
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar, light, packed

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine bacon, half and half, cream, maple syrup, and sugar and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Reduce to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, cover, and set aside to steep until a deep bacon flavor develops, 10 to 20 minutes. Strain through a medium-mesh strainer and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Put it in your ice cream machine and run it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Makes about 5 cups of ice cream.

Candied Bacon bits

While waiting on the ice cream to get done you can take ¼ pound of bacon and pack brown sugar on top then boil in the oven on low until the sugar is melted and the bacon is crisp. With kitchen shears chop up the bacon into small pieces to sprinkle on top of the ice cream.

Now buy life insurance from me cause you’ll need it if you keep this up!

Justice!!!

People all seem to have a natural since of Justice.  We all want the bad guy to get it in the end, and the mean kid to get what's coming to them. But is that what we should really be focused on?

When we here about someone being accused of something, we usually think they are guilty regardless of how unlikely their guilt is.  When we hear of misfortune for those accused we often say "serves them right!"  But I've been around long enough to have seen the Innocent accused and the guilty go free.  How do we feel when the convicted are proven to be innocent?

Justice is a concept with a flaw in it ... the flaw is we are too flawed as humans to pick the right punishment for the crime.  We get it wrong too often to be considered a good judge.  Why do I bring this up?  Well, its been on my mind with some recent events in the news and I find myself thinking that we are stilled flawed and that our judgement should be slow, measured and only after thoughtful consideration.

More than anything we should be slow to act in matters of judgement and forgiving of those convicted cause we are seldom certain of anything when we are called to judge truth from lies, fact from fiction and real from imagined.

J

Sour grapes are still sweet when they are dried!

Some people are just sour.  They can find the downside to everything.  If you get a raise at work they say "you'll pay more taxes now."  If you buy a new type of shoe they say "you'll get a blister if you wear them before you brake them in."  Order a steak and they'll tell you how bad the last one they had was, or how bad the service was the last time they were at that restaurant. 

Nothing is every just good or great ... there is always a downside and those folks are there to show it to you.  But now you can't let that get you down.  Just like the downside there is always an upside and that's what you need to keep your eye on.  Don't let a few Debby downers get to you. 

Be unshakable, stand firm in the face of sour people, your attitude is just as infectious as their bad attitude so reflect the upside and ignore the downside.  People with sour attitudes must have agreement to spread their sourness.  If you refuse to agree with with them and refuse to help them spread their doom and gloom then they can't change you.

Plus, if they can't shake your optimism over time something happens ... they start to change and they will begin to have a sunnier disposition.  Just like grapes that have been dried into raisins, these sour people may start out sour but a warm sunny day will sweeten them right up and they won't even look like the same people.

Moral - Stay sunny ... and you'll dry out the sour people (or something like that)

J

Email me with your questions on Life Insurance.

Ever need something and not have it?

As an insurance agent, I often review client insurance policies to make sure they have the appropriate type of policies, amount of coverage and most cost effective policy. The most commonly overlooked protections is a personal umbrella policy.
An Umbrella or personal liability policy is usually an all risk, all peril policy with coverage limits that start at $1,000,000. There are some very specific reasons that you might want to consider purchasing an umbrella and there are also some adjustments that you will want to make to your homeowners and auto insurance if you do. How do you know if you need an Umbrella?
Well, do you have youthful drivers in the home? One of the most basic reasons to purchase a liability umbrella is if you have young children that are learning to drive or are under age 25. Young drivers are inexperienced, easily distracted (friends, cell phones, texting, etc.) and statistically are involved in more accidents than any other age group. An umbrella policy will cover them all and protect you from losing everything if one of your children happens to cause a serious accident.
Do you have assets to protect? Most homeowner and auto policies have liability coverage between $300,000 and $500,000. But if you have assets in excess of this amount, you are exposed to a potentially higher liability problem if someone decides to sue you. Maybe you were involved in a car accident or someone slipped on your property, etc. If they sue you for more than the $500,000 and win, the rest will come out of your pocket or you may have to sell some assets (usually at a loss). If your net worth is over this limit, (value of home, land, retirement, autos, investments and all other assets added together) consider purchasing an umbrella policy for the appropriate amount. Think about the last time you heard about a lawsuit for less than a million dollars, how many do you hear about that are below two million these days?
Another reason to consider is if you are in a profession where incomes are typically high. Someone may think that you are wealthier than you are just because of your title or profession and may be more inclined to sue for a larger amount.
Today we live in a sue happy society. Lawyers are suing for larger and larger amounts and if you bear any liability, they are winning. Even if you are not liable, the legal defense fees are expensive. Some say that having a million dollar umbrella causes attorney's to sue for more. This may be true, but if you need the protection, it is better to buy the policy and hope you never use it, than it is to need it and not have it.
For many families today, young drivers, increasing net worth and higher incomes make personal liability protection a necessity rather than an option. The additional cost is not extreme, and if you make increase your deductibles on other policies, you can possibly cut your extra out-of-pocket cost in half.

Email me if you want to discuss your Liability needs

2 Fish and 5 Loaves

Everyday we get the opportunity to do good in the world, some days we get a chance to right a wrong and occasionally we get to help change some one's life for the better.

This summer the people of Bloomfield, Indiana will get to do some good, right a wrong and change a bunch of lives!  This summer we will join a growing effort to feed the children of families that live under the constant threat of hunger.  The churches, organizations and individuals of Bloomfield are stepping up to take responsibility for making sure our children get the nutrition they need!

Each year 20 million school children get free or reduced lunches in their schools but during the summer, even though the need still exists they don't have that resource.  The USDA offers a free lunch program during the summer but it takes volunteers to serve those meals and resources to prepare them.  Starting the week after school gets out, the people of Bloomfield will start a free lunch program to feed children Monday through Friday and give them a place to go for safe fun and care.

This program will help expand the Bag buddy lunch program that Tulip Church runs during the school year, which sends a bag of food home with kids to supplement their food for the weekend.  Plus the new program will augment the long standing Soup on Saturday program run by the churches of Bloomfield on a rotating basis.  Using this platform we will be better able to promote the existing food programs (such as the food pantry operated by the Baptist Church).

So, if you live in the area and you want to spend a couple of hours this summer to volunteer in the Bloomfield Hunger Project, just send me an email HERE.  We'll let you know what needs to be done and how to get started.  No one should go hungry in Bloomfield Indiana and we want to make sure they don't ... there are lots of ways to help so email me today and sign up.

Like our Facebook page Bloomfield Hunger Project and join us this summer!

J

Getting Mixed Signals?

Ever notice how the guy with no money is an expert on making more money?  Sure he is, just ask him.  The fellow with the crappyest car is knows exactly what you need to do in order to get your car working better.  I mean, live is confusiong enough with all the experts on TV and the web giving out conflicting advice ... go left , go right, stay straight, buy, sell, hold ... take the stock market today, one radio expert tells you to buy gold to preserve your principle and get out of stocks so the market doesn't devalue your cash, the next will tell you to buy all the under valued stock you can so when the market rebounds you'll bring home the bacon.


How do you know who to trust? Good question, here's my advice; if they don't know what you want to accomplish with your money then don't trust them.  A good advisor will ask more questions than you want to answer but that is part of the process, if they don't ask you a lot of questions then how do they know what you need.  If they don't know you, how can they give you advice on financing?  Find someone that you trust and talk to them about what your goals are, and let them help you explore your options.  Don't be afraid to say that you want to think about it, because if the advisor has your best interest at heart he will want you to think about it.  Don't be afraid of scheduling a second meeting, if you want to think about it set up the next meeting at the end of the 1st one.  If you're anything like me you won't give it another though unless you have a deadline.  Finally, if you are married involve your spouse, have them go to the meeting with you, they may not trust the advisor like you do or they may have different concerns than you do.  If you are not married then take your mom or dad or if you are older yourself take your kids.

I don't listen to the radio and TV "experts" because well 'they don't know my life' and they don't ask me any questions.  I also don't take cooking advice from a plumber or plumbing advice from a chef ... be sure the people you are listening to are advisors or agents not the guy in line at Walmart or your friend with the minimum wage job and no money for lunch.  Those folks have a lot to say but it's nothing you want to listen to.

Investing is tough because everyone is different in how they handle the stress of risk, and in what they want to accomplish with their money so there is no magic path that everyone can take, just a lot of paths leading in the direction you want, so follow the guide that makes you feel the safest.

J

Let me ask you questions about what you want your money to do!

What would grandpa do if he won the lottery?

You know it's funny to think about what would grandpa do with $650 million dollars.  But most of us have a different perspective on the matter.  Each of us are in a different place in life; young with a family, single, middle aged with college aged children, empty nesters, or grand parents.  Plus we all have different goals; fun life style, secure future, leaving a legacy for the grand kids.

Very few people have any experience with that much money let alone getting it all at once so finding experts to guide you is important and I mean more than one. 

Some advisers will have a plan for all your money but you are far better off having a couple of different advisers and spreading it around so that you can get more than one opinion and get the advantage of multiple perspectives on your money.  Even if you don't win the lottery you should discuss your financial goals with at least two different insurance agents or financial advisers, even agents that offer financial advising differ in their approach from financial advisers so take advantage of the opposing views. 

For example you might have a $10,000 CD and want to leave as much money as you can for the children, the advisor might say take the CD and roll it into a higher yield variable annuity that will grow with the market and the agent might say that advantage of the tax benefits from a single premium life policy and use the $10,000 to buy a $30,000 death benefit.  Each will bring a different perspective to you and give you a clearer path toward your goals.

Good luck on the lottery and call if you win.

Financial products and advice

Hello ... my name is Bob!

You know this blog really started out as an educational platform for the everyday person to better understand insurance and though I share experiences and thoughts on many subjects it remains the Beginner's Guide to Insurance.  So I thought we'd spend a minute talking about life insurance. 

I just want to put a thought in your head ... what happens if you die?  I know, I know, you've got a ton of life insurance and your loved ones won't ever have to worry or work again, right?

But I'm talking about real stuff, like who do they call?  How long will they have to wait for their benefits?  What should they do with the money?  Should they pay off bills?  Should they put it in the bank?  Buy a new TV ... come on!  Have you talked about this stuff?  or better yet have you written it down? 

Start out by writing down all the life insurance you have through work, on your credit cards, and that you personally own ... put the contact numbers for the agent next to each.  If the contact number is some 800 number that goes to India where a faceless "Bob" will butcher your family name and make you repeat everything twice then perhaps you should consider calling a local agent that you know.  Because a local agent will care that you've just lost someone and they will be easily accessible if you have questions.  They will work with you to figure out what the best use of the money is.  Once you've got that together write down a plan ... what bills to pay and what ones to wait on, what to save and what to spend.

Just a few minutes of discussion and some hand written notes put together in a folder in the lock box will be a comforting reminder that you and your lost love one had a plan even if the worst thing happened.  Who knows may karate lesson will be in the plan.

J

Lets talk about you life insurance program!

The Funny Thing About Food ...

Did your mom and dad make your food fun?  I remember my parents making me meals that looked cool and that seemed to make them taste great.  You know what I mean, fried bologna that looked like pac man, hot dog octopus and broccoli trees.

Not only did we have fun with our food, there was always plenty of it.  Sadly, this is not the case for all kids today.  According to the USDA, over 16 million children lived in food insecure (low food security and very low food security) households in 2010.  This means that they live in homes were they aren't sure where their next meal is coming from.  In fact during 2010 there were over 20 million kids that received free or reduced lunches at school but during the summer when school is not in cession only 2.3 million kids got feed through the USDA's summer food service program.

So only 10% of the kids that get free or reduced lunches at school are getting the same lunch benefits in the summer months.  We want to change that!  Our church and other churches in our town are banding together with others in the county and using the USDA's summer food service program to get those kids in need a free lunch Monday through Friday and perhaps a little fun too.  This summer EVERYONE gets feed!!!  This summer no one goes hungry!  This summer we will be the hands of the church, reaching out to make a difference in the lives of the children of our community.

J

Stop Knocking on Wood!  Call or email me to understand what your coverage is ... No matter who you're with, know what you have!

Be brave for one day and big things can happen!

It's Leap Day ... so do something brave, exciting and fun! Come on, it only comes around once every 4 years so this is a pretty special day. There are times when we need a little push to do something that takes some guts.

Stores advertise that the deals are "limited time only", car dealers shout "once in a lifetime offer", but they are all just trying to help you get brave for a moment, so you will feel that this time is special and commemorate it with a purchase.

Leap Day is a day to be brave ... so commemorate it with some action that you've been holding back on.  Just shut your eyes and jump (figuratively speaking of course).  You can feel safe in knowing that you need not think about it again for 4 full years.

Try the weird food, go on the big trip, sing in public, ask the girl (or guy) out, be brave for one day!  The payout is big, even though the weird food might suck, the big trip might be boring, the song may not get good reviews, the girl (or guy) may say no.  But, it might just be great and turn out better than you ever thought, so go on give it a try.

Happy Leap Day!

J

Is State minimum Auto insurance enough for you?           No!

Click here and lets talk about what you really need to protect you and your family.

Remember the Alamo and Fire the Cannon!

On this day in 1836, in San Antonio, Texas, in an old Spanish mission and fortress called the Alamo, Colonel William Travis issues an answer to General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana's call for surrender with a bold shot from the Alamo's cannon.

That started a battle that emboldened all Texans and while it ended in a devastating lose at the Alamo, the small rebel force inflicted heavy losses on the huge Mexican Army and gave Texas and American the battle cry, " Remember the Alamo!"

One hundred and seventy six years ago today Texas began an new life as an independent state.  Interestingly enough, one hundred and thirty four years and one day from that date my wife started her new life, here on earth. 

I'm grateful to the men at the Alamo for their bravery, and strength of conviction but even more I'm grateful to God that he thought ahead and gave my wife those same qualities.  It's rare to find people of such high moral character and when we do we want to be close to them as long as possible, just in case some of it will rub off on us.  We crave the thrill they bring to the world by their strict belief in right and wrong and their "line in the sand" attitude even in the face of difficult and over whelming odds.

We are lucky to have had great men like those at the Alamo in our country's history and I'm lucky to have had my wife as a friend for all these years, I'm better for it.

Happy Birthday!

J

Few things in life are certain ... make sure your family is protected!

Keep on helping, longer than you thought possible!

Donating to your church is important and it helps them keep the building in good repair and warm.  The expenses of a church are many and if a church meets budget (just) each year they feel that things are going good.
Few churches plan for the unexpected, like several AC units breaking at the same time.  Huge expenses like these will destroy any small budget cushion that they have ... and how would they even put back enough for disasters like this?

That's where the members have to step up and give more ... it's painful and sometimes just doesn't happen.  Perhaps it is time to think about more aggressive ways to plan for the church's financial future.  Think about way in the future ... everything will cost more and the church budget will continue to be strained, how can you and the other leaders in the church today insure that there will be enough for the unexpected?

Try this ... get ten healthy church leaders of various ages together and work with a local insurance agent to get $50,000 life insurance policies on each of the 10 leaders, making the church the beneficiary.  For just a small amount each month you could make sure that the church will have money above and beyond their budgeted amounts for decades to come, even if one of the ten passes away prematurely.

Call (or email) me to find out more about giving a lasting memorial to your church!

Paying for College ... Ugh!

One of the worst things in the world is getting the bill from your child's college, and if you make them be responsible for part of their education it becomes one of the worst things ever for them (of course that feeling in a teenager only lasts for about 30 minutes then they are on to more important thoughts like "what time is Real Housewives on?").

Of course planning for your child's college is painful too ... when they are one year old you are thinking, "how can I make their life better than the one I have?"  In today's world, an education is so important that we all jump right to that thought ... paying for school.

First ... let me tell you there is no wrong way to plan for their college fund!  Unless you don't plan ... which is the same as planning to fail!  I know it's crazy confusing but maybe this 2 minute blog will help you out.

If you get paid every 2 weeks and you put just $25 per pay period in to an annuity for 18 years at just 1% growth ... you'll have $12,000 to give your child for their college.  25 bucks is less than the cost of taking a family to McDonald's for lunch one time, it's about $2 a day for every work day or 2 Pepsi's.  So even a little grows a lot when you've got a long period of time to work with. 

The 529 College savings plan will give you some tax benefits and allows anyone to donate to your child's education but it comes with a lot of strings, not the least of which is they have to use it for college (so what if the join the Army and start a family).  You might start one just so the grandparents can put money in when they feel like it, but save on your own to get more control.

What do I recommend?  Well, I glad you asked ... I say that if you are serious about your child's education you need to plan for the worst case scenario ... what if you die in a car crash a year after you start saving? How will your spouse put money in the fund?  What if you save all that time and your child gets a full ride or joins the Army?  How will you get your money without a penalty?

Here is my simple generic advice when looking to save for the children's college ...1) start saving at least a little each month in the bank or a money market account.  2) take out a life insurance policy to protect the college fund from you dieing too soon.  This can be a term policy which is cheap or a cash value policy that will grow in value which ever you are comfortable with.  3) open a 529 savings plan and let all your relatives and friends know that they can put money in it for your kid (doesn't hurt to ask).

You need to speak to a financial professional that you trust (financial adviser or insurance agent) to see the best way to go and to measure your personal risk tolerance.  Be sure you trust them ... then start saving ... even a little will be more than nothing.

Ask me about protecting your child's future! Click here!

"Spring Break" Here we come!!!

I suppose that I've been on a short vacation from my blog this past month, and since I don't get paid for it ... I think that is okay!  In fact taking a break is so important to a productive and happy life that it is documented in the Bible.  Right?  God rested on the 7th day ... though I imagine he went to Dave and Busters to play Foosball with Gabriel.  Taking a break not only gives us a chance to recharge it helps us be more productive at work and in our lives.

A research company in Japan discovered that while America is number one in productivity among industrialized nations, France is a close second.  But Americans on average get 10.2 days of vacation while the French enjoy about 27.5 average days of vacation.  The French work about 35 hours a week while most Americans work over 40 hours a week.

One study reported in 2009 by NPR showed that men who took vacations lived longer than men who did not take regular vacations.  Another study conducted by researchers at Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, Wisconsin, showed that women who took two or more vacations a year were much more satisfied with their marriages.

So now you have proof!  Work hard, but take a couple of vacations throughout the year, you'll be healthier, happier and wiser (and perhaps it will even make you wealthier).

J

Be protected while you travel ... Click Here I'll make it simple for you.