Stories from the sales force

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Key Choices for a Financially Successful Retirement

What is the sign of a good decision?

It’s two key choices that may help your retirement planning be less stressful and more successful: choosing a knowledgeable financial professional to help you map out a course of action and a financially strong company to work with.

Establishing a retirement strategy and making decisions about income, liquidity, long term care and legacy may seem like a daunting task but it need not be. Consider the following key choices for less stress and more success.

Choose a knowledgeable financial professional to help you map out a course of action.

One of the most important choices to make is who may help you achieve retirement success. Consider someone with experience in helping others plan for retirement income and the expertise to tailor strategies just for you. And also someone who can help you make informed decisions that help you achieve your goals.

Seek guidance from a local, knowledgeable financial professional who will never rush to fit you into a category or push products. One who believes that the best way to create a successful financial strategy is to build a strong relationship with his or her customers and will take the time to listen carefully to your needs, explain your options and customize solutions for you.

Choose a financially strong company to work with.

When it’s time to choose the products to help you implement your plans, look for a company with the financial strength to be there when you need them.

No matter what solutions are right for you, work with a financial professional who can help you make the good decisions that retirement success requires.

© 2010 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.

CRN201201-129575

Five Financial Success Strategies for Today’s Busy Woman

Five Financial Success Strategies for Today’s Busy Woman
Provided by Alicia Eberle, a financial representative with Commonwealth Financial Group, a MassMutual Agency; courtesy of Massachusetts Mutual
Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)

It’s preparing for the unexpected to help protect the lifestyle you have worked so hard to achieve. Women play a pivotal role in our economic vitality, and the future of our society. Not just because of your contributions – whether as an employee, business owner or even “mompreneur” – but because you have worked hard for everything you’ve achieved. Yet, throughout it all, you’ve remained the backbone of your family unit.

You would think that being a member of the most influential segment of the U.S. population would put you in the driver’s seat. Unfortunately, if you’re like many women today, the hard reality you face is that the growing demands on your time can unfortunately distract you from taking appropriate steps to help yourself and your family get – and stay – on track financially. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The following five steps are designed to help you in your journey to greater financial security.

Step #1: Be honest with yourself. Take a good, hard look at where you and your family members spend money and identify whether the expenditure is motivated by a short-term desire or a long-term goal. Adjust your budget and your spending pattern to reflect a vested interest in your financial future – not just the extra stuff that might seem important now, but won’t matter much to you down the road. (Keep some fun money in your budget; however, so you and your family members don’t feel deprived.)

Step #2: Manage your money – and your debt – wisely. If you are overspending on your credit cards and finding yourself paying the minimum balance each month, you should consider getting your use of credit under control. It is critical that you have a good handle on both your budget and your credit score. Be sure to check out valuable consumer-oriented websites, such as http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsite /moneymatters/index.html from the Federal Trade Commission. It’s an excellent resource for those who are looking to manage money – and debt –for greater long-term financial security.

Step #3: Plan for the unexpected. Recently, many Americans began to save more when they realized that job security was not something they could rely on – others faced the harsh reality of trying to pay their bills with substantially less income (or none at all), thanks to a layoff or reduced work schedule. Do you have enough money stashed away for a rainy day? It is advised that you should have at least six months of expenses saved in case of an emergency. It won’t take long if you set your mind to it and start saving right away. Start small if you have to, but start now. Tip: Save a set amount from each paycheck, in an account separate from your checking, that is earmarked for emergencies only. Think of it as a regular bill you must pay.

Step #4: Talk about the hard stuff. It is never easy to have difficult conversations. But the unexpected can – and unfortunately, does– happen sometimes. Whether you are married, single, divorced, have children, care for aging parents or a disabled loved one, bringing up the subject of death or disability – or even divorce –can be painful. However, it is important that you think about these life events and how they would affect you or someone you love if they were to occur.Preparing for the unexpected is a good decision; it can help you to protect the lifestyle you have worked so hard to achieve.

Step #5: Start a family finances action plan. With a to-do list a mile long, most families are struggling to keep all together. But despite busy schedules, it’s important to talk to your family about your finances and concerns. Consider setting aside an hour once a week—or every other week at the very least—to talk through your current expense issues, financial goals and savings plan. A weekly or bi-weekly check point can be a good way to start a healthy dialogue about your family’s financial goals. Of course, choosing a knowledgeable, local financial professional can help you and your family
get – and stay – on track financially.

© 2010 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Springfield, MA
CRN201205-133777

Conservative Savings… Or Lifetime Retirement Income?

Conservative Savings… Or Lifetime Retirement Income?

Provided by Alicia Eberle, a financial representative with Commonwealth Financial Group, a MassMutual Agency; courtesy of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)


If you are approaching retirement, a key element of your retirement strategy may involve choosing the best way to secure a predictable source of retirement income; one that’s guaranteed to be there when you need it, for as long as you need it. As you explore ways to achieve your income goals, you may have considered a variety of conservative financial vehicles designed to protect your retirement nest egg, such as bank savings and money market accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) or deferred fixed annuities.

Each of these investment vehicles is considered a conservative choice and each offers unique advantages. But only the deferred fixed annuity is specifically designed to provide guaranteed retirement income for your lifetime.*

All conservative accumulation products are not created equal
Let’s start with a few basics.

A deferred fixed annuity is conservative retirement vehicle that is designed to help you accumulate and protect your assets until you are ready to receive them as guaranteed income during retirement. Most deferred fixed annuities allow you to choose whether to receive guaranteed income for a specific period of time, or for your lifetime. Earnings accrue tax deferred until they are withdrawn, allowing your contract value to take full advantage of the impact of compounding interest. Once the annuity benefit is paid, the portion attributable to earnings is taxed.

Certificates of deposit are designed to be a savings vehicle, a conservative way to save and preserve assets when your investment horizon (the amount of time you expect assets to be invested) is relatively short. An example might be saving money for a down payment on a house. CDs typically are short-term vehicles and may not be as efficient at meeting long-term retirement needs. Although the interest from a CD can be used as income, it’s generally necessary to hold the CD until it reaches maturity before you can withdraw the funds without penalty. What’s more, any earned interest is taxable for the current year on an annual basis.

Insured vs. guaranteed – what’s the difference?
Both fixed annuities and CDs are considered low-risk financial vehicles because they guarantee a positive rate of return. However, these guarantees work in different ways:
• CDs are generally backed by banks and are insured for up to $250,000 for each depositor by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA).
• Fixed annuities are guaranteed by the issuing insurance companies, with no maximum. They are not FDIC insured.

Be sure to ask your financial professional about an insurance company’s ratings and financial strength if you plan to purchase an annuity, because payment of lifetime income is contingent upon the claims-paying ability of the issuing company or companies.

What if you need some of your money before you retire?
Many fixed annuities allow the contract owner to withdraw a certain percentage of the contract value (typically up to 10% on an annual basis or accumulated interest) without incurring any surrender charges, although tax penalties may apply. Amounts withdrawn in excess of the specified percentage are often subject to surrender charges or adjustments. These charges generally decline each year and expire at the end of a specified number of years. If withdrawals are taken prior to age 59 ½, a 10% federal income tax penalty may apply.

Although some CDs may include interest withdrawal provisions, investors generally must wait until the CD matures to avoid early withdrawal charges.

Ask a trusted financial professional
Remember, not every conservative savings vehicle is the same. Fixed annuities offer many of the same features that make other conservative products so popular. In addition, fixed annuities offer other unique advantages that may be beneficial to you. Your financial professional can help you to choose the vehicle that best meets your retirement income objectives and investment needs.

© 2010 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.

* Guarantees and payment of lifetime income are based on the claims paying ability of the issuing company.

Annuity products are issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Springfield, MA and its subsidiary, C.M. Life Insurance Company, Enfield, CT.


CRN201112-128691

Mutually Owned or Publicly Traded Companies – Which Are Right for You?

What is the sign of a good decision?
It’s knowing how a company is run – one factor that can help you decide which is right for you.

There are many reasons to choose a life insurance company to help meet your financial needs: protection for your family or business, products to help provide supplemental income, and the confidence of knowing you will be better prepared for the future.

Two common forms of insurance companies – mutually owned and publicly traded
There are two common forms of insurance companies: 1) mutually owned, and 2) publicly traded.So why does a life insurance company’s ownership structure matter to a policyowner – to you?

When choosing a life insurance company, it’s important to know how a company is run. While both a mutually owned company and a publicly traded company can provide you with life insurance protection, the company’s ownership structure is one factor that can help guide you as to which company is right for you.

Key considerations
By asking the following questions, at a high level, you may learn the differences in how a company is run and what drives its business strategy:
• When making decisions, who comes first – policy owners? Shareholders?
• Does your insurance company have the financial strength to always keep your needs
a top priority?
• Will you be able to take some role in the decision making process of your
insurance company by exercising certain voting rights?

Mutually owned insurance companies
A mutual company is owned by and accountable to its members and participating policyowners,not stockholders. Mutual companies have no shareholders; instead, policyowners and members are often described as sharing in its ownership. Members who are insured under certain policies issued by a mutual insurance company may be eligible to vote for its board of directors and, those who also own the policy, may be eligible to share in dividends the company may declare.
Of course, dividends for a given policy are influenced by such factors as policy series, issue age,policy duration, policy loan rate, smoking status, changes in experience, and are not guaranteed.Publicly traded insurance companies

A publicly traded company must balance the interests of its policyowners with the earnings expectations of its shareholders. Shareholders typically judge a company’s performance based on a number of factors, including projected earnings for the next quarter or the next year, which might conflict with the long-term interests of policyowners. Knowing how a company is run may be one factor to help you decide which works best for you. Learn more about prospective companies before deciding which company is the right choice.


© 2010 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.
CRN201201-129572

Insurance agents advance personal freedom and insure the future: President Kennedy

“I can think of no more effective agent in advancing our freedom to live as we choose than the insurance sales person. This person knows the economic and the human pulse of the country as few people may, for they walk all streets of American life and they sit down and talk with the youth and the mature and the aged. They know their wants. They help them to help themselves in time of need. They build, for they help others to build. They insure the future. They are respected and they are friends.”

John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States of America, 1961-63

Achieving Additional Retirement Security with Whole Life Insurance

In times like these, good decisions matter. And when you have a need for life insurance, you should consider whole life and its flexibility. To begin with, of course, there's the guaranteed death benefit, which can help give you peace of mind by assuring a legacy for your heirs. But there are other benefits as well.

For example, the build-up of a policy's cash value is also guaranteed, and can help to give you a reliable source of supplemental retirement income regardless of market conditions. And with all the volatility in investments markets and the economy, whole life can help make your retirement more secure. You can depend on your policy's guaranteed cash value growing to a specified amount over time(1).

And you can customize your whole life policy to fit your needs with optional riders that provide even more features and benefits(2), and even increase your whole life insurance coverage with evidence of good health(3). To make sure you get the right solution for your needs, it's a good idea to work with a trusted financial professional.



© 2010 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.
1Distributions under the policy (including cash dividends and partial/full surrenders) are not subject to taxation up to the amount paid into the policy (cost basis). If the policy is a Modified
Endowment Contract, policy loans and/or distributions are taxable to the extent of gain and are subject to a 10% tax penalty. Access to cash values through borrowing or partial surrenders will reduce the policy’s cash value and death benefit, increase the chance the policy will lapse, and may result in a tax liability if the policy terminates before the death of the insured. 2Riders are available at an additional cost.3 If you own a MassMutual term life insurance policy or certain
riders, you may be able to convert your term coverage to whole life coverage without evidence of good health.
CRN201112-127917

Conservative Savings… Or Lifetime Retirement Income?

If you are approaching retirement, a key element of your retirement strategy may involve choosing the best way to secure a predictable source of retirement income; one that’s guaranteed to be there when you need it, for as long as you need it. As you explore ways to achieve your income goals, you may have considered a variety of conservative financial vehicles designed to protect your retirement nest egg, such as bank savings and money market accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) or deferred fixed annuities.

Each of these investment vehicles is considered a conservative choice and each offers unique advantages. But only the deferred fixed annuity is specifically designed to provide guaranteed retirement income for your lifetime.*

All conservative accumulation products are not created equal. Let’s start with a few basics.

A deferred fixed annuity is conservative retirement vehicle that is designed to help you accumulate and protect your assets until you are ready to receive them as guaranteed income during retirement. Most deferred fixed annuities allow you to choose whether to receive guaranteed income for a specific period of time, or for your lifetime. Earnings accrue tax deferred
until they are withdrawn, allowing your contract value to take full advantage of the impact of compounding interest. Once the annuity benefit is paid, the portion attributable to earnings is taxed.

Certificates of deposit are designed to be a savings vehicle, a conservative way to save and preserve assets when your investment horizon (the amount of time you expect assets to be invested) is relatively short. An example might be saving money for a down payment on a house.

CDs typically are short-term vehicles and may not be as efficient at meeting long-term retirementneeds. Although the interest from a CD can be used as income, it’s generally necessary to holdthe CD until it reaches maturity before you can withdraw the funds without penalty. What’s more,any earned interest is taxable for the current year on an annual basis.

Insured vs. guaranteed – what’s the difference?

Both fixed annuities and CDs are considered low-risk financial vehicles because they guarantee a positive rate of return. However, these guarantees work in different ways:
• CDs are generally backed by banks and are insured for up to $250,000 for each depositor
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the National Credit Union
Administration (NCUA).
• Fixed annuities are guaranteed by the issuing insurance companies, with no maximum.
They are not FDIC insured.

Be sure to ask your financial professional about an insurance company’s ratings and financial strength if you plan to purchase an annuity, because payment of lifetime income is contingent upon the claims-paying ability of the issuing company or companies.

What if you need some of your money before you retire?
Many fixed annuities allow the contract owner to withdraw a certain percentage of the contract value (typically up to 10% on an annual basis or accumulated interest) without incurring any surrender charges, although tax penalties may apply. Amounts withdrawn in excess of the specified percentage are often subject to surrender charges or adjustments. These charges
generally decline each year and expire at the end of a specified number of years. If withdrawals are taken prior to age 59 ½, a 10% federal income tax penalty may apply.
Although some CDs may include interest withdrawal provisions, investors generally must wait until the CD matures to avoid early withdrawal charges. Ask a trusted financial professional

Remember, not every conservative savings vehicle is the same. Fixed annuities offer many of the same features that make other conservative products so popular. In addition, fixed annuities offer other unique advantages that may be beneficial to you. Your financial professional can help you to choose the vehicle that best meets your retirement income objectives and investment needs.




© 2010 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.
* Guarantees and payment of lifetime income are based on the claims paying ability of the
issuing company.
Annuity products are issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Springfield,
MA and its subsidiary, C.M. Life Insurance Company, Enfield, CT.

Welcome

Welcome to InvestmentSpeak. I created this blog to connect with individuals regarding investment decisions, what the market is doing, and where is the best place to start. I would like to start by introducing myself. My name is Alicia Eberle and I am a financial advisor in Boston, MA. I work with individuals, families and business owners to develop a strategy to meet life's goals utilizing insurance and investment portfolios. I take a holistic approach, starting with today's budget and illustrating what you need to do to meet your goals. I also offer complimentary assessments of your current planning. Most people think they will begin this process next month, in 3 months, 6 months or a year, however I would like you to seriously take a look back on your life a year ago. Are you in any better financial shape today than you were then? If not lets not put off sitting down together another day. I will leave you with a saying that is near and dear to me personally- you can't predict, but you can prepare!!

Alicia Eberle
AEberle@finsvcs.com
617 642 5388