by Richard Bruneau

This Web page is a follow-up to my last one about Social Security. I meet with too many seniors who are living without much besides Social Security. I sell affordable funeral plans to everyone--especially those who should never buy into over-priced plans, so I can't be guilty of adding insult to injury. And this separates me from those who sell expensive funerals to seniors without any reservations.

Some people can't change their retirement income status, those who are well into their 70's and 80's, but those in their 50's and 60's can take control. And the same people can take control of the funeral plan issue by doing it when they're younger rather than later. Nonetheless, I continue to help those much older who are on fixed, low incomes with funeral plans that are not over-priced. Read through the rest of this Web site, and be especially aware of what the "chain funeral homes" charge--and don't pay that much--ever. You can pay no more than $5,000 total of payments and still have a high quality funeral.

WHY ANNUITIES FOR RETIREMENT?

"In recent years those Americans born in the years following World War II, the 'baby boomers,' have begun reaching the age where retirement planning becomes a priority. Statistics show that in 1980 only 11.3% of the United States population was 65 years of age or older, but the year 2000 that figure is projected to be 12.2%. By 2020 it is anticipated that 16.2% of the country's population, or nearly one person in six, will be at least 65 years of age.

Many boomers are coming to realize that Social Security and their employer-provided retirement plans will not be sufficient to provide the type of retirement they desire. In fact, a recent survey found that retirement planning is the benefit that most employees say that they want and need the most--even more than health care. ('The Most Wanted Benefit,' The Washington Post, March 22, 1998, p. H6.) Nonqualified annuities are one of the best ways that individuals have to set aside money on a tax deferred basis. While the premiums paid into this type of annuity do not result in a current income tax deduction, the premiums and the interest earned on these funds accumulate on an income tax deferred basis. And, unlike employer-provided plans, anyone can purchase an annuity and contribute any amount of premium, (subject to certain maximum premium limitations imposed by some insurance companies). [A non-qualified annuity is not part of an employer provided retirement program and may be purchased by any individual or entity. Contributions to non-qualified annuities are made with after-tax dollars and are not deductible from gross income for income tax purposes.] "

The Annuity Handbook, Darlene K. Chandler, 1998, J.D., CLU, ChFC

I mention annuities ahead of things like mutual funds or stocks, government, municipal or corporate bonds, Certificate of Deposit, and so on, primarily because annuities can grow tax deferred in ways these most of these other investments legally cannot, depending on how they're invested. This growth makes tax deferred compounding especially powerful over the course of a decade or two. The federal government won't invest your Social Security contributions in such a way, but you can do so with what you can spare into, for example, a flexible premium deferred annuity or a single sum deferred annuity. The following chart shows the difference between investing $10,000 tax-free and having to pay taxes. This hypothetical illustration assumes an initial investment of $10,000 and a 5% annual rate of return. The taxable account assumes a 28% federal tax rate. The illustration does not represent the performance of any specific account or investment and does not reflect any plan fees or sales charges that may apply. If such fees or sales charges had been taken into account, returns would have been lower.



You only pay taxes when you withdraw, but never during the accumulation phase. With respect to funeral plans, like the National Guardian Life Funeral Expense Trust, the same applies--with the added benefit of there never being any taxes due when the money is used for funeral and burial expenses only.

So this means if you invest in the National Guardian Life Funeral Expense Trust, not only do you never have to worry about any taxation on your money, I can also now freeze your costs with select companies such as Premier Funeral Services and several others who've agreed to do so. Your cost for things like funeral services, caskets, burial vaults, cremation, urns, etc. can be set in stone, regardless of what is being charged in the future. You have those two benefits, but you also have the benefits of lower payments (premium rates) than you get with other funeral funding companies such as Security National Life, Forethought Life, Great Western, etc. I illustrate the difference in several places on this Web site.

With respect to annuites for retirement, refer to the following Web sites. I will be working on another Web page about annuities after I have studied enough companies. In the past I have offered annuities through ING, Reliance Standard, and a few other companies. I am analyzing companies now with different criteria.

Read through this Web site from the California Department of Insurance:

Annuities: What Seniors Need to Know

What's A Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract (QLAC)?

Also look at the following articles. These were written for agents who sell insurance products, but anyone can benefit from what they contain.

Here’s why annuities will be the most important investment vehicle of the next decade

Fixed annuities post highest sales numbers since 2009

AARP-Endorsed Annuities

Annuities can pay you a supplemental income for life, so that Social Security doesn't need to be your only retirement income. Fortunately, many seniors have retirement incomes from plans such as 401k's from their former employers. Others, however, don't have such options, and many lost those plans in various ways years ago. Don't end up in the senior citizen poor house. You can build another retirement plan. There are no requirements except the sacrifice required to sock away and deny yourself the use of a certain amount of money. But even annuities allow you to withdraw some of your money prematurely without penalty.

More about annuities later.

WHY YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH MY FUNERAL PLANS

I have set up over 180 plans in the past four and a half years alone that pay for a full traditional service with casket included for around $3,000.00--half of what most funeral homes charge. You use your church, a reception center, a lodge, the graveside, or some other location you arrange. No sacrifices! Just a better plan for your money.

All plans are guaranteed portable, including cash value growth as long as you're alive. Even though you may have designed your plan around the prices of one particular funeral home, the funds can be used at another that charges similarly or less so you get the same result if your plans change. In any case, your money is never stuck with a funeral home where you have to pay a penalty for withdrawing that money. You don't have to worry about getting any money back from a funeral home, because your money is safely deposited with a large insurance company.


Your money stays safely deposited with National Guardian Life, a large life insurance company, until you pass away, a company in business since 1909. www.nglic.com. You can change whom you want to use for a funeral at any time. I have 1-3-5-7-10 year plans, with full insurance coverage should something happen before you make all the payments, and always a discount for making a single payment or paying off your plan early. And always with growing cash value tax-free.





NGL is No. 92 of all insurers in the U.S. Read Report.




I don't need your Social Security number. There is a major funeral funding company based in the Salt Lake area that owns many mortuaries and cemeteries that insists on getting your Social Security number when you set up a plan with them. Don't fall for this. That number is only needed for a death certificate, not for a funeral or burial plan. National Guardian Life does NOT require your Social Security number. Turn down any plan that does.

Get professional, personalized service at the right price, on the best terms.

UtahsFuneralPlanningSite.com serves the funeral and funeral planning market in the Salt Lake City, Utah area. Our goal is to help you plan a funeral in as much detail as possible well in advance. This website provides the tools you need to pay for funerals the right way, so affordable funerals don’t end up being a sacrifice but instead a more comfortable reality. We offer or point you to Utah's best funeral prices and lowest cost for funeral plans, which can include caskets and burial vaults, and final expense whole life insurance, especially for seniors with bad health and with low incomes. You will be able to not only outline your final wishes with accuracy, but you will know exactly how to calculate and control the cost of a funeral (church, mortuary chapel, or graveside), the cost of a burial, and, if applicable, cremation options. You will not become the victim of funeral rip-offs, over-priced caskets, or plans that don’t suit your family’s true needs and budget. There will be no confusion in your family at the time of need concerning arrangements. Once you have done things correctly, they will know where the line has been drawn on spending for your final expenses, and no mistakes will be made.