Commercial Health Insurance - Understanding the Basics

Commercial health insurance provides two main benefits. These are medical expense benefits that often cover a wide variety of medical procedures, tests, and hospitalization and disability income for those that are disabled. There are huge variations in the different types of coverage that are offered, but there are basic criteria that remain fairly standard and easy to comprehend.

The medical expense coverage can be pretty comprehensive. It often includes operating room visits, doctor and surgeon fees, prescription fees, prosthetic limbs, laboratory tests, therapy and ambulatory patient transport among many others.

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Some forms of health coverage however may offer a more extensive list of services that are covered by the policy than others. A lot of this is dependent on what company you work for or what health insurance plan you purchase. For instance gastric bypass surgery may be covered under one company's plan but not another. Most people do not realize this fact.

The disability income benefits provide monetary benefits to those individuals that are either full or even partially disabled. These benefits are subject to time restrictions and there is also a set maximum dollar amount that is assured. Once the allotted duration has passed, or the maximum dollar amount dispensed, this section of coverage will discontinue throughout the policy duration.

For individuals with recurrent disabilities, often each recurrence will be deemed a new disability. However, in order for the subject to return to disability income as provided under the terms of the health insurance, there are certain stipulations that must be met. One such standard one is that the employee must have returned to work for a minimum of six consecutive months in between occurrences.

Also one other thing to understand about commercial health coverage is that the renewal provisions change from year to year. The renewals determine the way each type of insurance will work from year to year, and often, the health coverage is changed slightly to meets the needs of the insurers and the companies that offer the policies. So it is important to read the policy each year and know what is covered. For example, do you know what is your "lifetime maximum"?

More can be learned about commercial health insurance online. Ratings and reviews offered by consumers can provide insight into who the most cost-effective and reputable providers are. Finding the right commercial health insurance can also be done by enlisting the aid of a seasoned and professional agent or broker who can help you shop for the best deals.

Commercial Health Insurance - Understanding the Basics

Global Life Insurance - an Established Company With a Quality Reputation

There are more insurance companies in America today than ever before. This is great news for the consumer because competition drives prices down, making good insurance coverage more and more affordable all the time. But it also presents the difficult of choosing the right policy. With so many options available, many people find it daunting to have to research so many different policies and options in order to find one that suits their individual situation and needs. But one way to make sure that you are getting a quality policy is to go with an established company with a reputation for great customer service. Global Life Insurance certainly fits that description.

Global Life Insurance was established in Oklahoma in 1951. It was originally called Globe Life and Accident Insurance. Liberty National Life Insurance Company acquired Globe Life and Accident in the late 1970s, the first step to forming Torch Mark Corporation as a holding company. Torch Mark is an industry leader and provides insurance to millions of people. Consumers have great confidence in the brand, and even investor extraordinaire Warren Buffet owns stock in the company. There are few insurance companies that are trusted as widely as Global Life.

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If it is options you are looking for, then Global Life Insurance is a great place to start. They offer different policies for all kinds of people. You can find coverage for yourself, your spouse, and even your children at affordable prices. And the more insurance you purchase, the better the deal you will get. You can find policies with as much or as little coverage as you want, depending on how high a risk you present and how much you are willing to pay for better coverage. Whether you choose to get a bare minimum of coverage or get as much coverage as you can afford, at least you have options.

And even if you cannot find exactly what you are looking for under the Global Life Insurance brand, you are sure to find it under one of the Torch Mark Corporations many subsidiaries. With six different insurance providers under its name, Torch Mark provides unparalleled variety and options to the savvy consumer. And you are sure to find an insurance broker near you who can help you to find just the right policy to fit your unique needs. The Torch Mark name is so widely known and trusted, that insurance brokers are happy to sell their policies. They can have confidence in that product, which means that you can, too.

Global Life Insurance - an Established Company With a Quality Reputation

A New Federal Estate Tax Law - What Does It Mean?

As you know, Congress passed a bill, which was signed by President Obama, which increased the lifetime federal estate tax exemption amount to million dollars. In addition, Congress added a portability provision, which meant that if the spouse died first and did not use the entire amount at his or her death, that the balance of that amount could be used by the surviving spouse at his or her death. This portability provision does not work in the event that the surviving spouse remarries. That surviving spouse only receives the remainder of the second spouse's exemption.

In the past, with a much lower exemption amount, estate planners prepared separate trusts for each spouse, with the trust of the first spouse to die splitting into two trusts at death: the marital trust and the family trust. The traditional language used in dividing the assets into the two trusts is that the family trust is funded first with the maximum amount that could pass free of tax. The balance after funding the family trust is placed into the marital trust.

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Now that the maximum amount that can pass free of tax is .0 million for federal purposes, for estates that are smaller than the .0 million, the entire amount of that person's estate will go into the family trust, with nothing to go into the marital trust. This may mean that the surviving spouse's unfettered access to the assets in the trust will be somewhat limited. In many cases, there is a trustee other than the spouse who handles the principal distributions from the family trust, so the surviving spouse has to ask another trustee for principal distributions. This may or may not be the optimal solution for the estate plan for this size estate.

As a result, the estate plans that have been drafted in the past need to be reviewed to determine the goals of the family and determine if they are met under the circumstances. For a smaller estate, where the husband and wife each have full control of the assets, it may be simpler to do one joint trust, rather than separate trusts for the husband and wife. This is simple to understand and easy to use.

In addition to the lifetime federal estate tax exemption amount increasing to .0 million, the lifetime gift tax exemption and the lifetime generation skipping tax exemption also increases to .0 million. This means that gifts that are in excess of the annual limit of ,000 can be made without tax. This is true on gifts to the grandchildren, as well. This creates many more opportunities to give money or other assets to your children or grandchildren without creating a tax.

With all of these opportunities, the one potential problem is that this new law is a two year law. By the end of that time, Congress needs to do something such as to abolish the federal estate tax, or to set it at the current number more permanently. If it fails to do so, we may end up back at the .0 million lifetime exemption amount.

A New Federal Estate Tax Law - What Does It Mean?

Unemployment Cover Is It Just A Big Rip Off Or A Life Saver

Depending on where you purchase it from, unemployment cover could be considered nothing but a big rip off especially if you purchase it alongside your loan or mortgage from the high street lender. The cover when sold alongside a loan or mortgage is the dearest way of taking what could be essential and lifesaving protection in case you should lose your income due to accident, sickness or unemployment.

Unemployment cover can be taken to ensure that you would have enough money each month to meet the essential outgoings such as your mortgage repayments, loan repayments or other outgoings usually after you have been out of work for 30 days or more and will continue for up to 12 months and in some cases for up to 24 months.

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However all unemployment cover policies have exclusions and while it can be a safety net, when not purchased correctly it can be a waste of money. If you buy it from the high street lender then it can cost you hundreds of pounds more that it would had you gone with a standalone provider. A standalone provider can not only save you a lot of money but they will also be able to give you the advice needed when it comes to the exclusions. Some of the most common exclusions include being self-employed, retired, suffering from a pre-existing medical condition.

Unemployment cover when taken out as mortgage payment protection will safeguard your mortgage and ensure that you are able to keep the roof over your head and don't risk losing your home to repossession. If you want to safeguard your loan repayments every month then loan payment protection will give you enough money to repay your loan repayments and income protection will replace a lost income up to a certain amount each month.

Unemployment Cover Is It Just A Big Rip Off Or A Life Saver

Scholarships Available For Hispanic Students

A college or university education is becoming increasingly important - not only in terms of finding a job that pays, but in finding work at all. While tuition might seem prohibitive, students of Latino heritage particularly have a wide variety of resources to help pay for studies toward a college or university degree. Much of this assistance comes in the form of scholarships that don't have to be repaid. Scholarships for Latino students include:

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund partners with large organizations to offer scholarships exclusively for students of Latino heritage. Some of these scholarships are designed for high school seniors, while others are for community college transfer students and students at varied age and education levels. Students must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average to qualify. Partners include organizations such as Budweiser, Shell, Telemundo, GOYA, Nissan North America, Toyota, Procter & Gamble and MassMutual.

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The Hispanic College Fund offers scholarships for business, health care, hospitality and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors as well as for students of all other majors and those of Puerto Rican descent. Hispanic College Fund scholarships are awarded based on financial need and academic merit, and students are required to have a minimum 3.0 grade point average. These scholarships are offered through partnerships with groups such as the Darden Foundation, Google, Ford Motor Company, the Marriott Scholars Program and CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield. The Hispanic College Fund, as part of a consortium with other groups, also manages National Aeronautics and Space Administration MUST Project scholarships for students planning to study STEM subjects.

The Gates Millennium Scholar Program offers scholarships to Pell grant eligible students with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or a general equivalency diploma. These scholarships are available to Latino students as well as those from African American, American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian Pacific Islander American backgrounds. They're intended for undergraduate students in any discipline and graduate students studying public health, science, math, engineering, computer science, education or library science.

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities manages scholarships of ,000 to ,100. The scholarships are awarded based in part on financial needs, and they're available to students attending its member institutions. In addition to a scholarship awarded by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities in partnership with Walmart, the association manages scholarships offered by Office Depot, Lockheed Martin, NASCAR, Aetna and Deloitte.

The National Council of LaRaza-Best Buy Emerging Latino Leaders Scholarship Program offers ,500 to ,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors of Hispanic descent. The essay-based contest is available to students with a minimum 2.0 grade point average. It's offered by the Best Buy Children's Foundation and the National Council of La Raza, a civil rights and advocacy organization that works to enhance opportunities for Hispanic Americans.

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists, through partnerships and contributions to its Rubén Salazar Scholarship Fund, provides tuition assistance to aspiring journalists. The Salazar scholarship is named for a Los Angeles print and broadcast journalist who was killed in a bar by a sheriff's deputy's tear gas projectile after he covered an anti-Vietnam War demonstration. In 2010, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists awarded ,000 in ,000 to ,000 scholarships.

Scholarships Available For Hispanic Students

Mutual Life Insurance - Benefits of the Policy Holders

A mutual life insurance company refers to that insurance company that has no private shareholders. Rather, such insurance company is altogether owned completely by its policy holders. There are a number of companies offering different add-on facilities such as life insurance coverage, accident insurance, critical insurance covers for the convenience of the policy holders. The policy holders, however, seem to remain quiet unconvinced about the value of the mutual coverage plans. Here, in this article, we aim at helping the policy holders develop a comprehensive idea about the insurance policy, the pros and cons and benefits associated with it.

Pros and cons:

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When it comes to profit sharing, the funds are equally distributed amongst its policyholders. Although the inception of insurance companies basically started with mutual structure, it struggles with one disadvantage of raising fresh funds during times of its needs. This reason has been the prime cause of demutualization of many such companies that have been struggling to gather funds whenever their needs have demanded.

The unique kind of ownership rights binding the individual policy holders makes the mutual life insurance policy truly beneficial. The policy holders of a mutual company enjoy many conventional rights ranging from selecting the board of directors of the company to assessing the company's yearly turnover. These companies maintain reasonable rates of their premium as compared to stock-based insurance companies. The reason of the maintenance of their low premium is their unconcern attitude towards financial profits and returns. In the contemporary times, several mutual life insurance companies are coming to the fore with their clear ideology of wealth management, financial protection and income management. They skillfully work towards acquisition of their goals by market campaigning, earning clients' trust and building their immunity towards economic turbulence and financial recession.

Benefits:

Amongst many, one advantage of mutual life insurance is to make their policy holders, alias customers, feel confident about their significant choices. The insurance providers interact with their customers in an effective way so as to tender them some tangible methods of securing their financial stability tomorrow. By hinting about their financial sturdiness, the companies offering diverse range of financial products, mutual structure of ownership, cater to the preferences of their client's needs as their foremost priority. They offer mostly financial products, services and programs such as life insurance plans, annuity plans, disability-income insurance, long-term care insurance, retirement insurance products, income organization etc.

To summarize some of the benefits that lifeinsurance brings are:

Zero clash of interests between shareholders and policyholders Immunity from drudgery of mergers & takeovers Attractive dividend for policyholders Sometimes, mutual life insurance companies opt for their demutualization. This term refers to conversion of mutually managed insurance companies into stock-based enterprises. The main reason behind the trend of demutualization is to gain strong foothold in the market by being able to raise capital whenever required. The dividends payments to both the policy holders as well as the share holders have proved to be immensely beneficial.

In a nutshell, mutual insurance companies cater to all those investors who believe in mutual financial bonding rather than going after meaningless quest of profiteering and fortune building.

Mutual Life Insurance - Benefits of the Policy Holders

Advantages and Disadvantages of Association Group Insurance Plans

As we mentioned in previous article, many corporations offer competitive packages, and that's even a strategy in hiring and retaining employees. These competitive packages include group insurance to plans that provide individual retirement accounts or traditional registered pension plans, etc. In this article, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of association group insurance plan.

Association group is the group of individuals or companies with similar occupations such as dentists, lawyers, medical doctors etc. The association arranges group insurance for its member and individual member pays all the premiums. The master contract exists between the association and the insurer and individual member receives a certificate detailing coverage.

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I. Advantages

a) Provide more economical coverage because of mass purchase and group discounting.
b) Group insurance is arranged by the Association and only requires payment to enroll.
c) Provide for larger amounts of life insurance and the right to convert life insurance for each member in the association within 60 days of termination.
d) Certificate is issued showing coverage.
e ) Coverage may be more comprehensive and premium is lower than individual insurance.

II. Disadvantages

a) Coverage reduces in later years and premiums can be increased without notice.
b) The group insurance plan amendments, restrictions or termination can be effected without input of member.
c) Most contracts contain restrictive clauses and a two-year suicide clause.
d) The master policy is held by the association therefore some member may consider to opt out with an individual policy if they consider that is the best solution.
e) Contract and coverages are negotiated between association and insurance company. Member of association has to no say to it.

I hope this information will help.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Association Group Insurance Plans

Annuities - Did My Annuity Agent Rip Me Off?

Did you get ripped off when you bought your annuity? Maybe.

I often get called from people who own annuities and the first question they ask goes something like this: 'I own a (insert annuity name here). Did I get ripped off? It's not an easy question to answer but let's take a look at that.

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Lets assume being ripped off means one of three things:

1) That you didn't exactly get what you paid for (i.e. invested in).

2) You got something completely different than what you paid for.

3) You got something you weren't expecting.

The bottom line is that, many people who buy annuities fall into one of these categories. You might think that's a bold statement but it certainly is not untrue. I know. I have interviewed a substantial amount of annuity owners and many (if not most) do not know what they own.

Does this mean they got ripped off? Well, maybe and maybe not. Let's take a look. An insurance agent has a duty and responsibility to inform the consumer of all the details of the product they are purchasing. Do they do that? Not usually. Sometimes the omission is important and other times it is not. However, if you have something that falls into one of the 3 categories above, then you may have been ripped off.

Where do the agent omissions come from? How can they fail to tell you everything? Well, omissions happen sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly. So, in the agent's defense, sometimes, something is not mentioned because they feel it is not important OR because you didn't mention it was important. Does that make it right??? No. Other times, however, an omission happens due to the ignorance of the agent. This is definitely not excusable. Unfortunately, many annuity agents do not know exactly what they are selling.

Agents and insurance companies are to blame for this. Agents often take the insurance company's word for what a product is without doing their due diligence. Shame on them but often you pay for it.

Insurance companies often paint the sales story for the insurance agent so they can sell their products. Shame on them but you pay for it.

Don't get ripped off when it comes to your annuities. There are a few things you can do to avoid being ripped off:

1) Know what you want in an annuity

2) Know what features are important to you

3) Know what is important for your annuities not to have

4) Tell your agent EXACTLY what you want and don't want and document it for future purposes

4) Be well educated PRIOR to making a purchase

5) Assume you are going to be ripped off so you will act more carefully.

So, most importantly if you got something that falls in the three categories above, you may have been ripped off. If you feel like you have been cheated, there are appropriate measures you can take. If you are buying an annuity, there are things you can do to avoid being ripped off. I always say do your homework. Ignorance is not bliss.

Annuities - Did My Annuity Agent Rip Me Off?

Adding Asset Value by Sound Property Management

Today's tough economic times requires owners of income producing real estate to focus on sound property management practices to ensure that their investment remains income producing. With the continuing tightening of business credit, to increasing costs of conducting business for the user of commercial real estate space, owners must insure that their investment is continuing to operate on a profitable basis month-to-month and returning the desired annual return for the owner.

It is critical that owners understand property management best practices to achieve financial and investment asset returns year after year. The best way to insure success is to implement a comprehensive property management program. Most owners hire experienced property management firms to manage all aspects of managing their assets if they do not have the experience nor the time and knowledge to do so. It is imperative to fully understand various legal, administrative, landlord-tenant relations/laws, building code and a host of other aspects of owning investment real estate for success, not to mention to keep the owner out of potential legal trouble.

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This article is meant to provide a summary of some of the most important elements of a comprehensive property management program that not only provides benefits for ownership, but also benefits users (tenants) as well. The following represents some key elements of such a program:

1. Proper tenant screening: credit checks, review of financial statements, review bank accounts (past 60-90 days), names of current and previous suppliers for reference checks, business plan (if start-up), existing client/customer base.

2. Understand tenant's business structure: sole proprietor, LLC, S-corp, C-corp.

3. Fit their space requirement and line of business to your property: understand how tenant's business (industry, hours of operation, etc.) fits with you property type and current tenant mix if not standard office property, retail, etc., will the tenant request/require expansion space in the near future, for high profile tenants, what kind of tenant build-out will be required and cost.

4. Operating costs: what, if any, property operating costs can be passed through to tenants, energy efficiency/rebate programs from local utility companies, monitoring energy usage, property tax assessments, proper insurance.

5. Lease negotiations: an experienced management firm is invaluable here with the many issues and requirements that make-up a well drafted and comprehensive agreement.

6. Routine vs. emergency maintenance issues: preventative maintenance program, contractor relationships, in-house personnel.

7. Marketing/Leasing: market knowledge, broker, user contacts, advertising/promotion programs.

8. Tenant retention: existing tenant/property management reporting system, lease renewal program, property enhancement program.

9. Landlord-tenant requirements: compliance with federal, state and local laws.

10. Fire/life safety and building codes: compliance with national, state and local laws and ordinances.

The foregoing represents some important considerations for managing any investment property. A properly implemented and maintained property management program is a critical component for ownership success for any type of investment real estate. Especially in these tough economic times, it is smart to full appreciate how a professionally managed property can add value to your investment as well as add value to you tenants and will go along way toward tenant retention, which under any circumstance will result in profitable real estate returns.

Adding Asset Value by Sound Property Management

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When purchasing life insurance through Mass Mutual life insurance, be prepared to have many options thrown at you. The insurance policies that they have out right now include two basic packages that consumers deal with. The mutual life insurance offers term and permanent insurances. The mutual life insurance selection for term deals with only a selected period of time and generally is a lot cheaper. The people who benefit from this package are usually the elderly or those who have a terminal illness and are only given a certain amount of time to live. The permanent life insurance sold through the Mass Mutual life insurance looks at the whole entire lifetime of the individual.

They dealing with the permanent insurance offers five different selections. You can choose from variable universal life, whole life, universal life, and survivorship life. The Mass Mutual insurance of variable universal life is a program is easily changeable. It is a policy that combines the death benefit along with dishing out net premiums and the value of the account into two separate accounts. Those accounts are the Separate and the Guaranteed Principal accounts. The Mass Mutual insurance of whole life guarantees that premiums will not change during the person's lifetime. It also states there is a death benefit protection along with the ability for the cash value to increase. For the universal insurance you are able to change the policy premiums throughout the course of your lifetime depending on your financial needs at the time. Sometimes people come into hardships and are not able to make their premium payments. When that happens they can alternate their policy for the time being. Then there is the survivorship insurance. The survivorship insurance is designed for couples. Two lives may be covered under this policy, but the beneficiary can only inherit the money once both of the lives that are being covered have passed away. The policy is also cheaper for the two individuals instead of purchasing a life insurance policy for each person separately.

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Insurance is definitely one of those items you want to take your time researching. Some companies scam individuals. Those who are easy targets for scammers are usually those getting ready to retire or are already retired. Scammers also target the elderly and those who own small business. I suggest searching the internet for consumer reviews and comments from those who have experience in purchasing life insurance policies. Mass Mutual is definitely one of the top companies that I have researched. They sponsor organizations in the community. By sponsoring these organizations and donating their time and money they are also advertising their brand increasing awareness. They are stationed in Springfield, MA. If you have any questions pertaining to insurance in general or even questions dealing with the Mass Mutual company, turn to the internet for all of your answers. I promise you will find them.

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Women and Daughters Taking Control of the Family Business

It's as if the owners of family businesses recently woke up, and discovered the fact that women can run a business as well as a man! In the past, only the male children would have been considered for a transfer of ownership (succession) of the family firm. Now, women are increasingly taking control.

There has been an almost five-fold increase in the number of women leaders in family business since 1997, and almost a third of surveyed firms indicate they may choose a female successor. (Mass Mutual 2007 American Family Business Survey). This is seen as an excellent way to increase the dismal family succession statistics. According to the Family Firm Institute (FFI), only 30% of family firms have a successful inter-generational transfer from the first generation (entrepreneur/founder) to the second generation. Approximately 12% transfer to the third generation, and only about 3-4% survive to the fourth generation of family ownership. Most founders want the business to stay in the family, and as times have changed, families and businesses have also changed.

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Junior may not be interested in the family company for a variety of reasons; spoiled by success, better opportunities elsewhere, boredom, or he may be looking for his own challenges, but Sally grew up in the business as a little girl. She knows the ins and outs of the business. Sally has a university education, and a few years of business experience. This scenario is playing out all over the world as daughters and mothers are increasingly taking over the reigns of family owned businesses.

A few scholarly studies have been conducted concerning women owned family firms, and have shown a better financial return than male owned family businesses. However, their growth is slower, and they are more financially conservative than their male counterparts. Women have been shown to borrow from the bank less than men. Part of the reason is believed to be discrimination, and part can be explained by the reduced risk preference of women.

When considering the dynamics of varieties of roles within families, it is often easier for a daughter to succeed her father, than for the son. Most often, father and son have a conflictual relationship where the son is trying to show his father he can be like him and run the company. The father is concerned with being "put out to pasture" and being made irrelevant. Research has shown that opposite gender successions are easier to manage, such as a daughter succeeding her father, or son succeeding his mother.

Women are entering the family firm in record numbers, they are performing well, and they are winning the respect of their customers, their suppliers, their employees, and most of all, their fathers.

Women and Daughters Taking Control of the Family Business

Current Tips and Trends in Family Owned Businesses

With numbers between 1.2 and 1.3 million in the United States and steadily rising it seems that the modern family owned businesses are no longer fitly described by the old "Mom and Pop" colloquialism.

In her 2006 book, "Couplepreneurs: Prosperity Through Partnership," business coach and entrepreneur Jean R. Charles writes that "the fastest-growing family owned businesses today are new businesses started by couples who jointly share ownership, commitment, and responsibility." "Couplepreneurs" or "copreneurs" are quickly becoming buzz words in the family owned business world, referring to partnerships between spouses. Blurring the lines between work and play, the boom of the business couple is re-inventing the workplace, requiring today's power duo to be both business and relationship savvy at the same time. Follow along for the latest on how couplepreneurs are shaping family owned business trends as well as practical tips for maintaining a successful partnership, both at work and at home.

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Trend: The spouse is the family owned businesses most trusted adviser

Although in 2002 the business accountant ranked at the top of the list, according to the 2007 American Family Business Survey conducted by MassMutual and the Family Firm Institute, the typical family business owner designates his or her spouse as most trusted advisor, above family members like parents or siblings as well as other important partners like the lawyer, banker or non-related colleague. Perhaps the rise of the family owned businesses explain the shift in survey results.

Family Owned Businesses Tip: Place an extra emphasis on clear communication

Dr. Alice Bledig, and her husband Albert Bledig, M.D. grew their family medical practice together from the ground up, often juggling multiple roles and responsibilities in the absence of a fuller staff. Without hesitation, Alice points to Albert as her most trusted advisor. And their secret to 47 years of successful couplepreneurship? "I think communication is very important and I think trust is very important. I trust him and he trusts me to the best thing for our practice." The 2010 MassMutual study, FamilyPreneurship: What Every Entrepreneur Wants to Know About Being in Business With a Family Member, confirms the importance of communication in the family-owned business world: "According to our research, communication is the most common factor cited as being necessary for maintaining good relationships with family - both inside and outside of work."

Alice explained that, in the beginning, the couple learned a lot of lessons through trial and error. "We'd discuss things, we really did, we spent time talking about it and giving what we thought was best. We tried something and if it didn't work, we tried something else." Today, their practice of 47 years and their marriage of 52 years are both still thriving. "We trust, we communicate, we value each other and I think since we work together there is an element of love that comes into that."

Family Owned Businesses Tip: Women-owned businesses continue to increase

Kathy Marshack, psychologist and author of "Entrepreneurial Couples: Making It Work at Work and at Home," points out that female-owned businesses skyrocketed 42.3% between 1997 and 2006 and keep growing. She considers this leap at least partially responsible for the surge in couplepreneurship, explaining that in years past, the wives of male executives were often hired as assistants, not partners. Now, women are taking the initiative, starting their own family-owned businesses, and inviting their husbands on board: all with spectacular results. In 2003, MassMutual and the Center for Women's Leadership at Babson College produced the Women In Family-Owned Business report, determining that female-led family owned businesses were more productive and successful than male-owned firms.

Family Owned Businesses Tip: Toss old-fashioned gender roles out the window

For years, culture and tradition have exacerbated the unequal sharing of responsibility in family owned businesses, meaning that wives of male executives are often unpaid stakeholders: informally assuming leadership positions with no pay and little credit. Yet, as the Women in Family Owned Business report demonstrates, gender inequality within the family-owned business world can cost a business not only its productivity but the loyalty and satisfaction of its employees, as well. Female-owned firms exhibit higher rates of productivity and lower rates of family member attrition than male-owned firms; a savvy businessperson would interpret these facts to promote the equal sharing of responsibilities and the increased valuation of female contributions to the family owned business.

Furthermore, shared responsibility does more than benefit a business' bottom line; when both spouses feel equally valued, respected, and compensated for their contributions to the family's financial success, it improves household harmony. Alice recalls the early stress of being a wife, mother, and business partner at the same time: "At first Al expected me to work down there, then come home and prepare the evening meal and take care of the kids, get them bathed and fed, so my job continued I feel like more than his did." When they hired a caregiver to lighten Alice's work at home, the dynamic quickly shifted. "I felt like more of an equal." She explains. This is crucial because irreconcilable conflict (which can often be caused by one partner feeling taken advantage of or devalued) may threaten the business altogether. Research shows that divorce is the quickest way to dissolve a family owned businesses; most partnerships simply cannot survive separation.

Trend: The family owned businesses are more customizable than ever

As Generation Y enters the workplace in full force, small business trends are progressively evolving to reflect the young blood, which, according to BusinessWeek, is "re-writing the rules" for family-owned businesses. Today's budding entrepreneurs were raised in the age of customizable products and services, making them less likely to subscribe to the rigid one size fits all business models of their predecessors and more likely to create practices and strategies unique to their specific needs and goals. Forget 9-5; the Gen Y executive may not follow the same schedule two days in a row, as long as he or she still gets the job done.

Family Owned Businesses Tip: Design a couple-friendly business model

Couplepreneurs of all generations can take advantage of how customizable the family-owned business has become to achieve a better work-family balance. Communication technology characteristically embraced by Gen Y like smart phones, web conferencing, and social networking allows couples to work at home or on the road, meaning more time together and with the kids, as well as the opportunity to vacation together or even to cultivate a permanent lifestyle of work and travel. This flexibility can eliminate the stresses that typically overwhelm a family like commuting, child care, and time off. And research shows that it pays to be happy; a higher quality of life does not simply strengthen a marriage, it increases a family owned businesses' productivity and, therefore, its long-term sustainability.

Whoever said work and love do not mix must be biting their tongue. There's no doubt about it, the "couplepreneurial" spirit is taking the family owned businesses world by storm and changing the rules. Who knows? Before long, shrewd executives looking to scope out competition may be skimming newspaper wedding pages without consulting the business section at all!

Current Tips and Trends in Family Owned Businesses

Will the Economy Recover?

Of Course it Will. And When it Does, You Could Be in a Position to Take Advantage.

Exit strategies are often developed at the point where business owners and investors feel it is the right time to part with the company that they are involved with.

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But by then, it's often too late to build a successful exit strategy. Or at least one that totally maximizes your potential return from the business.

See, an exit strategy should be built well in advance of the point that you feel you need to leave your business, largely because, if you don't have a carefully constructed exit strategy, you probably won't ever get to a point where you can part with your business for maximum return.

You need your exit strategy to guide you, clearly, towards a particular point where you can make a calculated exit from your company.

Planning an exit strategy in advance will also allow you to maintain objectivity and a clear mind, whereas planning it at a later stage will undoubtedly be rushed and may potentially involve clouded judgment.

Planning your exit strategy in advance gives you a clear vantage point for the future.

And right now, the future can only get better for business and the economy.

That means many business owners will be looking to exit their companies within the next few years when things pick back up to the extent that they think they can earn a tidy personal sum for floating, selling, franchising, or implementing succession on their business.

But those who fail to plan their exit strategies in advance will experience a significantly less rewarding outcome than those that plan carefully, far in advance.

In fact, the statistics are rather worrying.

A study underwritten by MassMutual found that 67% of men and women investors/business owners had no plan of exit in writing. That's over two thirds of the entire population of business owners and investors.

These people will be getting significantly less value from their business when they come to the point of exit, than the other 33% of business owners and investors.

Don't follow the majority.

Will the Economy Recover?

Whole life insurance Tips - advice for young adults

Young professionals who have no relatives can still be a political life, and with a disposable income. With a little 'tighten their belts now, many adults, life insurance for young people now believe that will do good rather than evil.

Insurance techniques are complicated, in general, people need the advice, if not a comprehensive discussion of reporting. These are provided through channels such as agents representing the insurance companies. Theirusually are licensed by the state education, their prospects in terms of policies they sell to companies. This is a step to be taken by countries to buy themselves against any possibility of fraud or ignorance among the people, life insurance. In light of these facts should caution the young and old, taking some advice before engaging in any activity related to the life cover.

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Younger individuals, need some advice. It is because theprevailing thinking is that it is not necessary for their age. In fact, you may have an exaggerated idea at the time for them. This is because no one is likely to die before the age of 30 think. Most see the need for insurance after a few years ago, when the probability of death is more subtle.

A good understanding of insurance for young adults to tell them, that the effect of saving money every month for a policy to stop some devastating consequences on the family.Life insurance is not only in the event of death, may also loans or debts, like student loans. Although the highest award in a whole life insurance, there are better performances of it kept as insurance against the risks. You can borrow money against the policy and also earned dividends may be withdrawn, as you approach middle age. You can see some investments are released, but the payments will not be necessary for the insured, but it will be removed only after deathBenefits. What's more, the earlier that a life annuity, the more chances you start to cheaper costs.

A period of insurance is on the other hand, much cheaper and offer options to renew at the end of the term. For each term, however, the premiums can only ever higher. At the end there is an insurance policy suitable for each individual. Therefore, a term life insurance or life advice for young adults in particular should be sought.

Whole life insurance Tips - advice for young adults

Whole Life Insurance Tips Save Tons

If you want to get the best deal for your money, you understand how you can decide the type of insurance to be purchased. Inform yourself so you can maximize the return on investment. Read this life insurance tips to help you ask the right questions before you can claim your money.

First, educate yourself. To learn more about the different types of insurance and the vocabulary of all combined. Understand the difference between term life insurance, universalLife and life insurance.

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Next, determine how much life insurance you need. You can do it through the esteem of your family depending on your income or insurance with a computer. Need a calculator gives you a good estimate of the amount of insurance coverage.

Consider the quality of insurance provides you with the premium package. In general, insurance companies offer more financial reviews that have been in business for many years a betterProspect of new investment companies with poor performance reviews. A number of financial services, including the Standard and Poor, provide assessments of reviews for the company best known life insurance.

Be aware that smokers rarely get the best insurance rates. If you are serious about reducing the cost of the premium is to determine how long that smoke-free before being required to report. Some companies charge a minimum of 12 or 13Months, but others must be smoke-free for at least two years before the application.

If your job is dangerous, dangerous, or outdoor activities such as bungee jumping or skydiving, to reconsider the continuation of these activities. To achieve these risky recreational activities will increase insurance premiums. In addition, some insurance companies demand higher premiums for military personnel, so consider purchasing your insurance company before recruitment.

Young people usuallysignificantly lower premium quotes to do the elderly. If you are interested in buying life insurance, do it while you are still young enough to lock in lower premiums. Most companies offer a guarantee against rising interest rates for the length of time to maintain the insurance.

After reading these tips life insurance, review your investment strategy carefully. If this is the best option for you, shop around and get quotessome known agencies. Then find out what are the factors to reduce the premium, and use this knowledge to optimize your investment.

Whole Life Insurance Tips Save Tons