Archive for March, 2012
Inadequate Savings Hinders Retirement Plans BMO Harris Survey Shows
Posted: March 20, 2012 at 2:37 pm
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL, Minn., March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Adequate retirement savings has become an issue of significant concern to members of every income bracket. It should come as no surprise that according to a recent BMO Harris survey, the majority of U.S. residents (57 percent) are not confident in their ability to save for their ideal retirement lifestyle. Approximately half of U.S. residents (52 percent) say they have/will or anticipate maybe having to delay their retirement and/or work part-time during retirement due to a shortage of retirement savings.
"This is a critical wake-up call to everyone, no matter what your age," said Pete Schmidt Vice President, M&I Wealth Management, a part of BMO Financial Group. "Our best advice - start now! Get smart about planning and saving for retirement, and get educated about the many strategies and tools available to help maximize your savings."
Schmidt provides the following tips to guide you as you review or initiate your retirement planning:
Meet with a professional: A financial advisor can provide the guidance you need to learn about the retirement planning process and assist you in creating a realistic retirement plan.You just might be surprised at some of the opportunities available to help build your nest egg.
Start Early: We can't say it enough. Start saving at an early age. Doing so gives you the advantage of compound interest, your money will be working for you every single day. Just ask your parents, they learned this lesson the hard way.
It's never too late: Don't be discouraged if you haven't been saving for retirement. Instead of giving up, like many people do, start now. Contact a financial advisor who can help you develop a plan for the best retirement that you can have.
Take advantage of your company 401(k): There are many advantages to 401(k) plans. Don't miss out on any of them. Although rare these days, some companies still offer to match your contributions (guidelines will vary by company). If there is no match, you still benefit because whatever you put into your 401(k) plan is tax-deferred. Don't forget that when you leave a company, you can take your 401(k) contributions with you or make a rollover into other retirement vehicles.
Consider a Roth IRA: A Roth IRA is a special type of retirement plan under U.S. law that is generally not taxed, provided certain conditions are met. Tax treatment is different for this plan because the tax break is granted on money withdrawn from the plan during retirement, rather than for money placed into the plan.
Commit to saving, even if you start small: Ben Franklin said it best, "A penny saved, is a penny earned."
Parents, educate your children: So many of us are learning the retirement lesson, save early and save often, the hard way. Share this knowledge with your children, and guide them to make saving an important part of their financial lives.
Excerpt from:
Inadequate Savings Hinders Retirement Plans BMO Harris Survey Shows
Lack of Confidence Delaying Retirement BMO Harris Survey Shows
Posted: at 2:37 pm
ST. LOUIS, March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Adequate retirement savings has become an issue of significant concern to members of every income bracket. It should come as no surprise that according to a recent BMO Harris survey, the majority of U.S. residents (57 percent) are not confident in their ability to save for their ideal retirement lifestyle. Approximately half of U.S. residents (52 percent) say they have/will or anticipate maybe having to delay their retirement and/or work part-time during retirement due to a shortage of retirement savings.
"This is a critical wake-up call to everyone, no matter what your age," said Tom Thornton, Vice President, M&I Wealth Management, a part of BMO Financial Group. "Our best advice - start now! Get smart about planning and saving for retirement, and get educated about the many strategies and tools available to help maximize your savings."
Thornton provides the following tips to guide you as you review or initiate your retirement planning:
Meet with a professional: A financial advisor can provide the guidance you need to learn about the retirement planning process and assist you in creating a realistic retirement plan. You just might be surprised at some of the opportunities available to help build your nest egg.
Start Early: We can't say it enough. Start saving at an early age. Doing so gives you the advantage of compound interest, your money will be working for you every single day. Just ask your parents, they learned this lesson the hard way.
It's never too late: Don't be discouraged if you haven't been saving for retirement. Instead of giving up, like many people do, start now. Contact a financial advisor who can help you develop a plan for the best retirement that you can have.
Take advantage of your company 401(k): There are many advantages to 401(k) plans. Don't miss out on any of them. Although rare these days, some companies still offer to match your contributions (guidelines will vary by company). If there is no match, you still benefit because whatever you put into your 401(k) plan is tax-deferred. Don't forget that when you leave a company, you can take your 401(k) contributions with you or make a rollover into other retirement vehicles.
Consider a Roth IRA: A Roth IRA is a special type of retirement plan under U.S. law that is generally not taxed, provided certain conditions are met. Tax treatment is different for this plan because the tax break is granted on money withdrawn from the plan during retirement, rather than for money placed into the plan.
Commit to saving, even if you start small: Ben Franklin said it best, "A penny saved, is a penny earned."
Parents, educate your children: So many of us are learning the retirement lesson, save early and save often, the hard way. Share this knowledge with your children, and guide them to make saving an important part of their financial lives.
See the rest here:
Lack of Confidence Delaying Retirement BMO Harris Survey Shows
Retirement Wake up Call: Survey Shows Majority of U.S. Residents Shortage of Savings Will Delay Their Retirement
Posted: at 2:37 pm
PHOENIX, March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Adequate retirement savings has become an issue of significant concern to members of every income bracket. It should come as no surprise that according to a recent BMO Harris survey, the majority of U.S. residents (57 percent) are not confident in their ability to save for their ideal retirement lifestyle. Approximately half of U.S. residents (52 percent) say they have/will or anticipate maybe having to delay their retirement and/or work part-time during retirement due to a shortage of retirement savings.
"This is a critical wake-up call to everyone, no matter what your age," said Larry Skolnik, Vice President, M&I Wealth Management, a part of BMO Financial Group. "Our best advice, start now! Get smart about planning and saving for retirement, and get educated about the many strategies and tools available to help maximize your savings."
Skolnik provides the following tips to guide you as you review or initiate your retirement planning:
Meet with a professional: A financial advisor can provide the guidance you need to learn about the retirement planning process and assist you in creating a realistic retirement plan.You just might be surprised at some of the opportunities available to help build your nest egg.
Start Early: We can't say it enough. Start saving at an early age. Doing so gives you the advantage of compound interest, your money will be working for you every single day. Just ask your parents, they learned this lesson the hard way.
It's never too late: Don't be discouraged if you haven't been saving for retirement. Instead of giving up, like many people do, start now. Contact a financial advisor who can help you develop a plan for the best retirement that you can have.
Take advantage of your company 401(k): There are many advantages to 401(k) plans. Don't miss out on any of them.Although rare these days, some companies still offer to match your contributions (guidelines will vary by company). If there is no match, you still benefit because whatever you put into your 401(k) plan is tax-deferred. Don't forget that when you leave a company, you can take your 401(k) contributions with you or make a rollover into other retirement vehicles.
Consider a Roth IRA: A Roth IRA is a special type of retirement plan under U.S. law that is generally not taxed, provided certain conditions are met. Tax treatment is different for this plan because the tax break is granted on money withdrawn from the plan during retirement, rather than for money placed into the plan.
Commit to saving, even if you start small: Ben Franklin said it best, "A penny saved, is a penny earned."
Parents, educate your children: So many of us are learning the retirement lesson, save early and save often, the hard way. Share this knowledge with your children, and guide them to make saving an important part of their financial lives.
See the original post here:
Retirement Wake up Call: Survey Shows Majority of U.S. Residents Shortage of Savings Will Delay Their Retirement
Demi Lovato Performance ”Give Your Heart A Break” On American Idol – Video
Posted: at 2:36 pm
Originally posted here:
Demi Lovato Performance ''Give Your Heart A Break'' On American Idol - Video
Lady Gaga Gets Personal on 'Oprah's Next Chapter': "I Want Kids"
Posted: at 2:36 pm
If you watched Lady Gaga on "Oprahs Next Chapter" last night (March 18), than you learned a lot of interesting things about the quirky pop icon.
For one, she wants to be a mother.
I want kids, I want a soccer team," she told Oprah during the sit-down. "And I want a husband. Well, I'm being superfluous. I don't want to have one kid. I want to have a few."
Momma Monster also reflected on Whitney Houston and how her legendary performance of The Star Spangled Banner at the 1991 Super Bowl inspired her, noting how she "used to stand at the top of the staircase and sing The Star Spangled Banner every single day after school."
But the public likely wont be hearing from Momma Monster for a while, at least not until her upcoming tour.
Other than this interview, Oprah, I do not intend to speak to anyone for a very long time, she said. This is my moment for me to experience a rebirth of my own music. I have to shut it all out. The noise, it's loud. You have to cancel out the noise and remember that its your thoughts that matter.
Grab a pen and mark your calendars. Lady Gagas Born This Way Ball will kick off in Seoul, South Korea on April 27. Stephanie Long
Watch a video clip here
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Lady Gaga Gets Personal on 'Oprah's Next Chapter': "I Want Kids"
Robert Kirby presents Leadership Speak – Part 1 – Video
Posted: at 2:35 pm
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Robert Kirby presents Leadership Speak - Part 1 - Video
Frost & Sullivan Highlights GreatCall's Success in Offering High-Touch Customer Service for mHealth and Communication
Posted: at 2:35 pm
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Based on its recent analysis of the Mobile Health (mHealth) market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes GreatCall with the 2011 North America Frost & Sullivan Award for Customer Service Leadership. A combination of simplicity of use and high-touch customer service will be critical for the widespread adoption of mHealth applications and services among consumers, an area in which GreatCall has excelled. With any mHealth application, timeliness of service is paramount and high-touch calls puts the users directly through to a trained customer service representative. More than any other company, GreatCall is delivering on this service, with a 100 percent guarantee that its customers will always get quick, responsive, U.S.-based, English-speaking service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
GreatCall offers highly-trained customer service operators through its health and safety services, like 5Star Urgent Response, Medication Reminders and LiveNurse, which offers access to registered nurses who can provide health advice and support, 24/7. Specialized teams of representatives are specifically trained in Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) compliance to handle confidential health information.
The 5Star Urgent Response service connects callers to highly-trained Response Agents who are certified by the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED) and are trained in CPR and other emergency protocols. Agents assess a caller's situation and can dispatch the appropriate assistance whenever callers are feeling anxious, vulnerable, or experiencing a medical issue or threat to their safety.
"GreatCall relies on around-the-clock live registered nurses, emergency response agents and customer service representatives to ensure a more timely and actionable response than customers would get from an automated customer service provider," said Frost & Sullivan Senior Industry Analyst Zachary Bujnoch. "With 5Star, when a caller feels that they are in danger, immediate voice connection with an appropriately trained agent, who can conference in a member of the caller's personal support network while the situation is being addressed, can provide the emotional and physical support that is often very important in these circumstances."
GreatCall's high-quality customer service can aid the primary user, caregiver or family members. Seniors in particular have indicated that high-touch customer service has been an important factor in their engaging with an mHealth service. Caregivers and concerned family members have also indicated that GreatCall's responsive customer service gives them security and peace of mind. In addition, they can log into a secured Web site to subscribe to and set up services, view related reports, and even schedule check-in calls for high-risk family members that alerts them under specified circumstances.
"GreatCall is delighted to be recognized by Frost & Sullivan with the North American mHealth Customer Service Leadership Award. This accomplishment reinforces our commitment to deliver exceptional services and support to help our customers stay connected, healthy and safe. GreatCall is proud to be able to make a difference in people's lives with our Jitterbug phones, 5Star Urgent Response service and mobile health applications such as MedCoach," said Sue Weaver, Vice President of Customer service, GreatCall.
Although GreatCall's customer service is more expensive than automated and outsourced alternatives, a high percentage of GreatCall customers indicated that they are glad to pay a recurring monthly fee for personalized health-related customer services, especially when there are no additional charges for the high level of customer support they receive.
"As the company has grown from offering devices to services to apps, it has continuously focused on the consumer and what they will use," said Bujnoch. "GreatCall's leadership in customer service creates a compelling value proposition for a wide range of potential channel partners, including healthcare providers, community agencies and payers, as well as younger consumers who seek simple but well-designed, effective tools. For this reason GreatCall services are being developed for the iPhone and Android phone, making them available to a wider audience of consumers."
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that demonstrates excellence in customer service leadership within its industry. The recipient company shows tremendous responsiveness to customer needs and continually focuses on long and short-term customer profitability goals. In addition, it utilizes flexibility in tailoring its product offerings to suit customer businesses.
Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.
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Frost & Sullivan Highlights GreatCall's Success in Offering High-Touch Customer Service for mHealth and Communication
Best lessons from Anthony Robbins. 15 Personal development. Visit. www.coachinginvestment.com – Video
Posted: at 2:34 pm
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Best lessons from Anthony Robbins. 15 Personal development. Visit. http://www.coachinginvestment.com - Video
Fitness Fortunes Personal Trainer Coaching Program Offers Added Benefits to Fitness Pros and Personal Trainers
Posted: at 2:34 pm
Fitness Fortunes Personal Trainer Coaching Program Offers Added Benefits to Fitness Pros and Personal Trainers
Fitness Fortunes, a fitness business coaching, marketing and mentoring program for personal trainers, offers new benefits for fitness pros. The blueprint for success helps personal trainers boost business.
In addition to full-length training videos which provide a proven, step-by-step blueprint for unlimited financial success in the personal training and fitness business, Fitness Fortunes now offers several special bonuses, including the Kung-fu Fitness training program, the Outdoor Fitness Trainer program and all episodes of Personal Trainer TV. The fitness business coaching and mentoring program is available for just $1 for the first month. Personal trainers and other fitness pros can sign up at http://www.fitnessfortunes.com.
The difference between a personal trainer who makes $80,000 a year and one who makes $800,000 is actually smaller than you might think. Its all about refining your approach, said John Spencer Ellis, creator of Fitness Fortunes and founder of John Spencer Ellis Enterprises, a fitness and personal development solutions company. Fitness Fortunes is designed for forward-thinking personal trainers, lifestyle coaches, fitness boot camp instructions and other fitness pros interested in taking their career and personal success to the next level with expert coaching, mentoring, and business and marketing ideas.
The only program that offers coaching and personal business assistance from John Spencer Ellis, Fitness Fortunes includes access to his complete suite of business and marketing training videos, coaching tele-classes and the Fitness Fortunes Forum. The program teaches business systems, marketing strategies, personal branding, social media, video marketing, TV and radio training, sales techniques and more.
Further, the Fitness Fortunes program teaches personal trainers how to increase their weekly clients up to 10 percent, earn three times the income in one-third of the time, make almost 30 percent more money online in the first month, charge more than 200 percent more for personal training services, develop online videos that spark long-term customer relationships, maximize social media usage and more.
About John Spencer Ellis Enterprises John Spencer Ellis Enterprises is a solutions provider for fitness and coaching professionals around the world, providing education, turn-key business programs, coaching and resources for new and advanced fitness and coaching professionals. For more information about John Spencer Ellis Enterprises or the Fitness Fortunes program and special bonuses, please visit http://www.fitnessfortunes.com/
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Fitness Fortunes Personal Trainer Coaching Program Offers Added Benefits to Fitness Pros and Personal Trainers
Changes coming to airline electronics rules?
Posted: at 2:34 pm
WASHINGTON -- The government is taking a tentative step toward making it easier for airlines to allow passengers to use personal electronic devices such as tablets, e-readers and music players during takeoffs and landings.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it is "exploring ways to bring together all of the key stakeholders involved" - including airlines, aircraft manufacturers, consumer electronics makers, and flight attendant unions - to discuss whether there are practical ways to test devices to see if they are safe for passengers to use during critical phases of flight.
Technically, FAA rules already permit any airline to test specific makes and models to determine if they generate enough power that they could interfere with sensitive cockpit radios, navigation instruments and other critical equipment. But few airlines have done that kind of extensive testing because there are so many devices, and testing them all - or even many - isn't practical.
Even if a device were tested and approved for use today, later iterations of the same machine might be different enough that they'd have to be tested again. Today's Apple iPad, for example, isn't the same as the original iPad developed three years ago.
"Can any device do this? The answer is no. All devices are not created equal. Some have more power than others," said Kevin Hiatt, chief operating officer of the industry-supported Flight Safety Foundation of Alexandria, Va.
Another concern is the "additive effects" of a planeload of 200 people using devices at once versus one passenger using a device, said Kenny Kirchoff, senior research and development engineer at the Boeing Co.
Recently manufactured planes have more shielding built into their wiring and other electronic equipment to prevent most electromagnetic interference, but planes that pre-date the early 1990s don't have nearly as much shielding, he said.
While acknowledging "this is an area of consumer interest," the FAA said in a statement that "no changes will be made until we are certain they will not impact safety and security."
Steve Lott, a spokesman for Airlines for America, a trade association for major carriers, said airlines would "work cooperatively with the FAA on any opportunities to evaluate personal electronic devices to ensure customers can use these products safely during flight."
One device that won't be included in the discussions: Cell phones, including smartphones. Another government agency - the Federal Communications Commission - already prohibits their use aloft for reasons unrelated to safety concerns. Because planes travel at hundreds of miles per hour, cellphones on airliners could skip so rapidly from cell tower to cell tower that they might interfere with the service of phone users on the ground, aviation experts said.