Car insurance > Consumer Alert: Equity Index Annuities, a "Guarding Your Wealth" exclusive.

Consumer Alert: Equity Index Annuities, a "Guarding Your Wealth" exclusive.

Consumer Alert: Equity Index AnnuitiesSeniors and retirees need to be aware of the dangers of investing in an Equity Indexed Annuity. Read on to find out how to protect yourself.Millions of retirees are being duped into buying the latest high-cost, high-commission product served up by the insurance industry?Equity Indexed Annuities (EIAs). According to the Advantage Group, a St. Louis based research-consulting firm, sales of EIAs thru June 2003 totaled $7 billion dollars. I sincerely hope none of that money was yours!It's those of modest means who seem most susceptible to the EIA sales pitch.

The average EIA investor is 58 years old and invests $36,150. Those who are traditional ?CD' savers who are dissatisfied with the low rates available recently are especially targeted. I don't issue this alert lightly. I am not an alarmist. The reason for my concern is that EIAs are such an ?easy sale' for professional financial salespeople.

And unless you are a financial mechanic who can look under the hood to see how they operate, you may not realize the obvious disadvantages.First, let me explain EIAs. They allow you to participate in the stock market ?good times' while being ?guaranteed' of earning a minimum of 3% during the ?bad times'. In other words, it is supposed to give you the peace of mind of a Certificate of Deposit but the growth of the stock market. As a result, EIAs are easy to sell. And with commissions as high as 10 or 12% of what you invest, insurance agents and brokers are motivated to recommend them! Here are the main problems of EIAs:1)???They tie up your money for 7, 10, 12 years or more, limiting your flexibility.2)???If you need more than just a small portion of your money before then you will have to pay enormous surrender penalties that can be as high as 12%! You can lose principle because of these penalties.3)???EIAs are not regulated by the SEC or the NASD and any ?guarantees' are only backed by the strength of the issuing insurance company.

4)???Most EIAs will put a ceiling on how much you can earn, no matter how much the stock market goes up. But that doesn't mean you can earn the maximum amount because?5)???Many EIAs have an asset fee that is subtracted from the ceiling. A 2% asset fee is common. With a 10% ceiling and a 2% asset fee, you can never earn greater than 8% in any one year. 6)???The insurance company determines the method of calculating the return.

The result is that you lose control and could end up earning far less then the market index.7)???You may not earn the ?guaranteed rate' on the full amount you invest. Some only pay the guaranteed rate on 90% of your original investment and then only if you stay in for the entire 7, 10, or 12 years.History also tells us that EIAs are not a very good investment. When you run the numbers, there are no ten-year time periods since 1975 where an EIA would have outperformed the S&P 500 index. Plus, you could access your money in an index fund any time you wanted without the automatic surrender penalties imposed by EIAs.Think about it from the insurance company's point of view. They know that by capping your return at 10% that they can make more than enough in the good years to pay you 3% in a couple of bad years.

Plus, they get 2% of each year's return as well!A 3% minimum appears good today but you will probably feel differently when interest rates go back to 5%, 6% or 7%. If you didn't feel comfortable investing in the stock market when interest rates were 6% then don't invest in the market now. Your ability to sleep at night is more important then the chance of earning a few extra bucks.So here's the bottom line, in my opinion. If you are looking for income, don't invest in an Equity Indexed Annuity. If you are investing for long-term growth, don't invest in an Equity Indexed Annuity.

Quite frankly, I cannot think of anyone who would benefit from owning one.For more information go to www.guardingyourwealth.com. I want to here from you. Send me your questions and concerns. Email me at e-mail protected from spam bots or call 1-877-827-1463. Word Count: 742.

The Benefits of Reading

Did you know that reading can keep your mind active and engaged well into old age?Several years ago when I was working as a newspaper reporter, I interviewed a woman who was a resident at a local nursing home. She was 100 years old. And she read at least one book per week. Mostly novels. She was bright, intelligent and fun to talk with."I love to read.

It helps me keep up with what's going on in the world," she said. "A friend of mine brings me a new book every week. I look forward to her visits and I look forward to the books. We talk about the books we've read."Reading has other benefits, as well. For one thing, reading a good story can help you forget some of the problems in your own life."I can't get around much anymore," said the 100-year-old woman who lived in the nursing home.

"When I go somewhere, I have to go in a wheelchair now. But when I read, I can go anywhere, anytime I want. And no one has to help me!"Reading also sets a good example for younger generations.>From...

The Benefits of Reading

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The Secret of Low Cost Medical Malpractice Insurance for Those at High Risk

A secret method of substantially reducing the cost of Malpractice insurance, is now being offered in the US by Captivating Insurance Consultants (CIC).The service, which, up until now, has not been widely available in the States (though has been widely used in other countries) is now being made available here in the US (all states, except Georgia).A Million Dollar Cash Advantage is exactly what CIC's service might mean to a surgeon at the beginning of a career.
For a doctor well into a life's work, the savings that might be achieved
could well determine the quality and point of retirement.
How much?
Without the loss of one penny set aside in loss reserves for the risk of professional liability, surgeons and doctors save at least one third or more of their cost for liability insurance.Further, this solution provides you with complete control over the funds in a way that other insurance options do not offer.To find out more, visit our website.. The Secret of Low Cost Medical Malpractice Insurance for Those at High Risk
Car insurance > The Secret of Low Cost Medical Malpractice Insurance for Those at High Risk

The Secret of Low Cost Medical Malpractice Insurance for Those at High Risk

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Car insurance skirts Consumer Alert: Equity Index Annuities, a "Guarding Your Wealth" exclusive.

Car insurance Consumer Alert: Equity Index Annuities, a "Guarding Your Wealth" exclusive.

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Potty Training After a Divorce or Separation

Many parents share custody of their children, which presents a unique problem when it comes to potty training. It's best to discuss potty training and agree on a strategy before you start. Both parents need to be informed about potty training and have the necessary potty training aids. Potty Training Aids ? To maintain consistency throughout the potty training process, it's best if both parents either share the potty training aids or purchase the same aids. This way your child will have a potty...

Car insurance Potty Training After a Divorce or Separation Consumer Alert: Equity Index Annuities, a "Guarding Your Wealth" exclusive. potty training

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