The shaky economy has caused many Americans to rethink their retirement plans. Some say they’ll put off retiring and try to save more money. Others say they don’t expect to retire, either because they don’t want to or they can’t afford to.

While none of us can control the economy, you can take steps to increase the odds of a successful retirement on whatever timetable you choose. That’s one key takeaway from the Consumer Reports National Research Center’s survey of retired and soon-to-be retired online subscribers conducted last fall.

Our fifth such survey since 2007, it asked 21,714 people from 55 to 75 what they did right or wrong in preparing for retirement.

Starting too late and saving too little topped the retirees’ list of regrets. But several less obvious mistakes also emerged from our survey data:

Underestimating expenses Nearly a third of the retirees we surveyed said their expenses were greater than they had anticipated before retiring, while only 11 percent said their expenses were lower. That turned out to have a significant bearing on how satisfied the retirees were overall. Adjusting for the effects of other significant variables, our survey analysts estimated that 76 percent of retirees whose expenses didn’t exceed their expectations were highly satisfied with retirement. For those whose expenses proved to be higher, the number dropped to 56 percent.

What to do: Make a comprehensive list of all your current expenses, cross out those that will end when you retire, and add any new ones, including fun stuff such as travel. Before you retire, consider living on that budget for six months to a year just to see if it’s a comfortable fit. And don’t be surprised if your retirement expenses actually exceed your preretirement ones, at least for the first few years.

Investing too conservatively Retirees who characterized their overall investment style as conservative reported median savings of $478,000, compared with $617,000 for their aggressive counterparts. Readers who considered themselves moderate risk takers fell between those two groups, with $563,000.

What to do: If you’re saving for retirement and all your money is in conservative investments like CDs, money-market funds, and bonds, you might want to add stocks or stock funds to the mix. Financial planners generally suggest retirees also maintain a reasonable exposure to stocks, in part as an inflation hedge. For example, if you were to put $100,000 in a five-year jumbo CD paying a recent interest rate of 2.65 percent, and inflation continued at its recent pace of around 3.5 percent, your investment would lose about $4,800 in value by the end of five years, according to the Consumer Reports Money Lab.

Not diversifying enough We asked readers who said they planned to retire by 2015 what investment vehicles and asset classes they had used to save. Their choices included 401(k) and 403(b) plans; their homes; IRAs; saving accounts and CDs; stocks, bonds, and mutual funds held outside a retirement plan; and half a dozen other options. Adjusting for the effects of other variables, readers with three or fewer types of investments reported median retirement savings of $246,000, compared with $539,000 for those with seven or more types.

Of course, people who have more money might be expected to have it in more places. But the finding held true across income levels, and people with lower incomes who diversified widely often accum-ulated more than those with higher incomes who didn’t. For example, people with incomes under $85,000 who used seven or more investment types reported median savings of $368,000; those with incomes of $125,000 to $199,999 and money in three or fewer places had $315,000.

What to do: If your money is in just a few investments, now might be the time to broaden your horizons. If you need help, consider consulting a fee-only financial planner, who can model different allocations based on your risk tolerance and likely retirement date. You can get names from the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (www.napfa.org).

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on Yahoo! Copyright © 2008-2012 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. No reproduction in whole or in part without written permission.

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Avoid costly retirement mistakes

If you're caught in a no-man's land somewhere between Roth and traditional contributions trying to figure out whether to pay taxes now or later, you're not alone.

[See top-ranked ETFs by category ranked by U.S. News Best ETFs.]

The Roth versus traditional discussion is happening on talk shows and in news columns, magazine articles, blogs, and message boards.

Gathering information and engaging in your retirement planning is a healthy and helpful exercise, but don't listen to the one-size-fits-all pundits. Roth isn't categorically better, and neither is the traditional option. Everything depends on your personal situation. And sometimes a combined approach may work out best.

The ups and downs of a traditional contribution

Traditional 401(k) contributions come out of your paycheck before you pay taxes. As a result, traditional contributions lower your taxable income. The immediate, concrete benefit is that you'll cut Uncle Sam a smaller check in April.

On the flip side, you'll have to pay ordinary income taxes on traditional 401(k) distributions during retirement. The $50,000 per year you thought you'd have during retirement could be much lower depending on your tax bracket.

The ups and downs of a Roth contribution

Roth contributions come out of your paycheck after you pay taxes. You'll see the major benefit during retirement: no ordinary income taxes on Roth contributions or any resulting capital gains.

[See How to Prioritize Saving in a 401(k) and Roth IRA]

You don't get to reduce your current taxable income, but you get to keep 100 percent of each Roth distribution during retirement. Roth contributions are simpler and leave fewer future unknowns.

Who benefits from what?

For a few people, the benefits of one contribution method seem obvious.

For example, a recent college graduate making relatively little money is currently in a low tax bracket. She doesn't stand to benefit significantly from lowering her taxable income because she's already in a low tax bracket. Though the future isn't certain, we can make an educated guess that she'll be in a higher tax bracket during retirement than she is now. Paying income taxes now seems to be a better idea than paying later when she'll pay at a higher rate.

Conversely, a 65-year-old executive who's at the peak of her earning years is currently in a high tax bracket. Reducing her taxable income could be very beneficial, and it doesn't seem that her tax rate will be higher during retirement than it is now. Making pre-tax traditional contributions now seems to be a better idea.

The big question: What does the future hold? Without a crystal ball, it's impossible to know what your tax rate will be during retirement, even if you know what your income will be. When the tax code changes, each set of Roth and traditional advantages could also change.

Tax diversification

To mitigate the risks associated with an ever-changing tax code, you can engage in tax diversification. In the larger investing world, there are many ways to implement tax diversification. Talk to your tax professional about your options. In the 401(k) realm, your major option is to divide your contributions between Roth and traditional, taking into consideration any contributions your employer is making on your behalf.

[See Using Brokerage Windows to Expand Your 401(k) diversification]

As with asset class diversification, there are details of your personal situation that can assist you in determining your Roth/traditional split. The aforementioned "Who benefits from what?" examples are still applicable, but each investor could diversify with smaller contributions in the seemingly less-advantageous form.

It's also noteworthy that individuals who are closer to retirement have more tax certainty than people with a longer retirement timeline. These near-retirees can make more contributions with planning based on the current tax code.

Since most earners are neither 22 nor 65, most of us face a significant gray area in deciding what our Roth/traditional split should be. As you decide, talk to your retirement adviser and tax professional about the particulars of your situation. And, as with your asset class allocation, make decisions that allow you to rest comfortably at night.

Scott Holsopple is the president and CEO of Smart401k, offering easy-to-use, cost-effective 401(k) advice and solutions for the everyday investor. His advice has been featured on various news outlets, including FOX Business, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. Keep tabs on Scott on Twitter and Facebook.

Nothing in this article should be construed as tax advice. Contact a qualified tax professional to discuss the tax implications involved in the decision to make Roth or traditional contributions to your retirement plan as well as any other tax matters relating to your retirement plan options.

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Retirement Contributions: Roth Versus Traditional

ARLINGTON, Texas, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- How much money do you need to retire? Ten times your income? A million dollars?

The answer depends on who you ask.

A general guideline among financial advisers is to plan on withdrawing four percent of your portfolio each year in retirement. Using this guideline if you want to have an annual income of $40,000 in retirement and plan on living until age 90, you must save $1 million.

Consumers, however, don't agree. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute's 2011 Retirement Confidence Survey, 31 percent say they can retire comfortably on less than $250,000. Where did $250,000 come from? Forty-two percent of consumers admitted they determined their retirement savings need by guessing.

"Determining the amount of money you need to retire is complex," said Derrick Kinney, a nationally recognized retirement planning specialist and principal of Derrick Kinney & Associates (http://www.derrickkinney.com). "People want the security of a defined number. They want to hear that if they save X amount of dollars, they will have a secure retirement, but there simply isn't a one-size-fits-all answer."

To determine the amount of money you will need in retirement, Kinney recommends starting by defining your idea of a dream retirement early.

"The amount you need to save will vary drastically based on how you envision your ideal retirement," Kinney says. "If your home will be completely paid off or you plan on working part-time, you can probably live on roughly 80 percent of your pre-retirement income. However, if your goal is to live luxuriously in retirement or travel the world without worrying about financial restraints, you may need an annual income greater than your pre-retirement income."

After you figure out what you want to do, estimate how much it will cost. There are numerous online calculators that can provide an estimate of how much you need to save, how much SSI you can expect, etc. Remember to factor in any major goals you want to achieve during retirement. For example, if you want to spend your retirement traveling, you could allocate $15,000 per year to travel.

Next, use these calculators and estimates to make a plan.

"The most common concern I hear as a financial adviser is running out of money during retirement," Kinney says. "To overcome this, I recommend creating a plan and having a back-up plan. I've never heard anyone say they regretted planning too well for retirement."

For example, in your original retirement plan, you could plan on working until age 65, but your back-up plan could include a way to keep your savings on track if you were forced into an early retirement at age 60.

When creating a plan, you must factor in the inflation rate, your expected retirement age, the planned longevity of your retirement and your expected return on investment. Generally, financial advisers use an estimated rate of three to four percent for inflation and four to six percent for return on investments. When in doubt, use conservative estimates.

After following these steps, you should have an estimated, defined and realistic retirement goal. If the number looks astonishingly large and you don't think you could ever save that much, don't panic. Compound interest can make a big impact.

To fully utilize the power of compound interest, Kinney recommends you start saving as soon as possible and make sure to contribute enough to your 401(k) to take advantage of any employer matching benefits.

"What's important is beginning to save early and continuing to save consistently," Kinney says. "You should aim to max out contributions to your 401(k), IRA or both. I usually recommend people who are living comfortably on their current income direct any raises they may receive to their retirement savings."

By determining a retirement savings goal and creating a plan to reach it, you are putting yourself on the path to a more secure and comfortable retirement.

About Derrick Kinney and Derrick Kinney & Associates

Derrick Kinney is a nationally recognized retirement planning specialist that has been interviewed by Bloomberg TV, CNBC, CNN Radio, CBS Marketwatch, Money Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and many more. He is the principal of Derrick Kinney & Associates, a financial planning practice located in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and holds ChFC, CASL, and CLTC designations. For more information on Kinney, visit http://www.derrickkinney.com.

 

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Dallas Retirement Planning Specialist Derrick Kinney Provides Tips on How to Create a Realistic Retirement Savings Goal

NEWARK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Prudential Retirement, a business unit of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU - News), today announced its first longevity reinsurance transaction of 2012.

Under the terms of the transaction, Prudential Retirement will provide reinsurance of longevity risk to Rothesay Life, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. The transaction initially covers pension liability values of GBP 423 million, approximately equal to $665 million U.S. dollars.

The reinsurance secures the retirement benefits of almost 20,000 members of the Uniq Plc Pension Scheme, who are insured by Rothesay Life. The reinsurance transaction is particularly significant as it covers the risks of all life annuities held by plan participants, regardless of age or retirement status, and over half the plan participants reinsured have yet to reach retirement.

“We are happy to partner with Rothesay on another innovative Pension Risk Transfer transaction that helps to secure the retirement benefits of Uniq’s members,” said Amy Kessler, senior vice president and head of Prudential’s Longevity Reinsurance business.

“Rothesay Life is pleased to continue its partnership with Prudential,” said Addy Loudiadis, chief executive officer, Rothesay Life. “This latest transaction demonstrates how we can work together to complete an important transaction.”

Reinsurance contracts are issued by Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company (PRIAC), Hartford, CT 06103. PRIAC is not a U.K. Financial Services Authority (FSA) authorized insurer and does not conduct business in the United Kingdom or provide direct insurance to any individual or entity therein. Prudential Financial, Inc. of the United States is not affiliated with Prudential plc, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Rothesay Life is an insurance company established in the U.K. as a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a bank holding company and leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. Rothesay Life provides annuity and other longevity products to corporate defined benefit pension plans, tailored to meet the specific needs of corporate sponsors, trustees and pension plan members. Rothesay Life is authorized and regulated by the U.K.’s Financial Services Authority.

Prudential Retirement delivers retirement plan solutions for public, private, and non-profit organizations. Services include state-of-the-art record keeping, administrative services, investment management, comprehensive employee investment education and communications, and trustee services. With over 85 years of retirement experience, Prudential Retirement helps meet the needs of nearly 3.6 million participants and annuitants. Prudential Retirement has $229.5 billion in retirement account values as of December 31, 2011.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU - News), a financial services leader with approximately $901 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2011, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit http://www.news.prudential.com/.

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Prudential Retirement reinsures retirement benefits through transaction with Rothesay Life

The United States Department of Labor (DOL) defines baby boomers as those born from 1946 to 1964, and generation-Xers as those born 1965-1979. As is expected from individuals who are close in age, there is similarity in retirement attitudes among these two generations. However, there are also differences, some of which have led to different levels of retirement readiness and retirement savings.

In order to make a reasonable comparison, it is sometimes necessary to divide the baby-boomer cohorts into two groups, which has been done when available data allows.

Retirement Savings Attitude and Results
In its 2011 Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS), the Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI) compared the attitudes towards retirement savings and amounts actually saved by age. Some of its findings are included in the following table.

Early Boomers
1946 to 1955

Late Boomers
1956 to 1964

Gen-X
1965 to 1979

Percentage of workers saying they've saved for retirement 76 69 70

Percentage of workers who've tried to calculate
how much money they'll need for retirement

53 47 39 Reported total savings and investments of $250,000 or more 19 15 9 Reported total savings and investments of $100,000 - $249,999 22 12 15 Reported total savings and investments of $99,999 or less 60 72 76

Source: 2011 Retirement Confidence Survey - 2011 Results http://www.ebri.org/surveys/rcs/2011

The fact that early boomers have the largest percentage of individuals with more than $250,000 saved is no surprise, as older individuals are more likely to have larger amounts saved because they have worked longer and have had more time to accumulate those savings. Notwithstanding, it begs the question of whether this is enough to meet their retirement income needs.

Boomers Have Lower Retirement-Readiness Confidence
While a large percentage of respondents say they have saved for retirement, the level of confidence that this savings is sufficient to meet their retirement income needs is low and is critically so for boomers. According to a report from the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI), 63% of baby boomers lack full confidence that they will have enough money to cover their retirement needs, whereas only 33% of generation-Xers fall into that category.

This concern is not unfounded considering that individuals age 55 may need up to $550,000 for men and $654,000 for women to cover health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses in retirement when they reach age 65 in 2018.

Generation X More Willing to Take Investment Risk
Compared to baby boomers, generation-Xers are more likely to take above-average risk when investing their retirement savings. Baby boomers are more likely to choose average risk in return for average gain with a large percentage unwilling to take any risk at all. Since the amount of return on investments is often determined by the amount of risk the investor takes with his or her assets, this approach will ultimately affect how much the members of each group invest based on such levels of risk tolerance.

Boomers Withdraw More and Add Less
According to the IRI, the economy significantly affects people's retirement-saving plans. With widespread layoffs and dim job prospects, about 15% of generation-Xers have had to dip into their retirement savings to cover everyday living expenses and 23% have stopped contributing to retirement accounts. Along the same vein, 20% of baby boomers have made early withdrawals from their retirement accounts and 32% have stopped contributing.

The Bottom Line
It is expected that individuals who are closer to retirement will have a more realistic view of retirement readiness. As such, it should not be surprising to find that more baby boomers are concerned about financial security during retirement than generation-Xers. Nonetheless, one's retirement readiness is often determined by one's attitude towards retirement and the actions that one takes towards saving for retirement.

Regardless of age, individuals can get themselves out of this statistical rut by improving their attitudes and taking more positive actions towards saving and planning for retirement when possible.

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How Retirement Attitudes Of Baby-Boomers And Gen-Xers Differ

Whitney Houston's career was filled with standout performances, but for Rickey Minor - who worked with the late singer as her musical director over the span of her career - the singer's performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV in 1991 rises to the top.

"Every time, never fails, chills, the hair raises up on my arm," Rickey told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover when asked about the iconic performance on Tuesday's Access Hollywood Live. "I cannot hear it for three years, and if I hear it somewhere, it's immediate."

PLAY IT NOW: Did Whitney Houston Lip-Synch The National Anthem At The 1991 Super Bowl?

Rickey, who did all the musical arrangement for the song, said Whitney nailed her rendition with very little preparation.

"That was one take," he said, watching a clip of her performance. "It's hard to top that emotion and performance... It really is about a personal best."

VIEW THE PHOTOS: A Look Back: Whitney Houston — Her Life In Pictures

Rickey - who is now the musical director and band leader of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" - told Billy and Kit that her iconic performance also stirred up some negative press initially.

"There was controversy about Whitney doing the national anthem and lip synching. Was she lip synching? [There was] a lot of backlash right away," he recalled.

According to the Associated Press, the performance seen by people at home was a combination of a Whitney's pre-recorded rendition of the song - which she did days earlier in a studio - mixed with her live vocals. Fans attending the game heard the taped version of the song.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Whitney Houston’s Final Public Appearance — February 9, 2012

Whitney's longtime collaborator was quick to come up with a plan to squash the talk how much of the song was actually performed live and just how well she could perform the challenging song.

"We made the decision, I told her, 'What we need to do, I said, we have this show on HBO, 'Welcome Home Heroes,' Just do it again, first verse a capella... it shut [the rumors] down, it just shut down all the talk," he explained. "The thing that people don't understand about television, especially singing the national anthem in a big stadium, there's no way to rehearse, the sound of the crowd coming at you... it's rowdy, it's loud, the fly over [from] the jets."

VIEW THE PHOTOS: A Look Back: Whitney Houston & Bobby Brown

Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Whitney Houston's Musical Director Rickey Minor Looks Back On Singer's 'Star Spangled Banner' Performance

PHOTO: Cupid and the Prius of Passion

Ali Meyer Reporting KFOR-TV

February 14, 2012

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Many Oklahomans found special chocolates on their desk at work or flowers on the kitchen counter. But a lucky few scored a personal performance from the metro's only working cupid.

Jacob Shuart will spend eight hours this Valentine's Day singing to strangers.

Dressed up in red silk boxer shorts, white tights and slip-on shoes, Shuart is canvasing the metro delivering vocal Valentines to unsuspecting lovers.

Shuart says, "This is my sixth year to do this. I sing to people that hire me. I sing to their boyfriends or girlfriends or wives or husbands. All the money goes to charity. It's one day a year that I can do something for someone else."

The Tax Department at Sonic Headquarters in downtown Oklahoma City got a special performance Tuesday morning.

Jennifer Adair's husband paid for a $20 song.

The money goes to a charity which buys goats for needy families in the Philippines.

If you'd like to hire Jacob Shuart to sing to your sweet, you can email him at jacob.shuart@gmail.com.

Originally posted here:
Cupid sings songs for your sweet

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNicgzkBB50

13-02-2012 16:17 Using creative and outside-the-box methods of thinking to expand your mind and viewpoint of a changing world. Warren F. Dahlin, JR, MS, OTR, Assistant Professor, Health Care Administration, Stonehill College, North Easton, MA Children's Physical Developmental Clinic Guest Lecture Series http://www.bridgew.edu/cpdc

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Using Creativity and Innovation in a Changing World - Video

NEW YORK, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --  I.M.G. -- With over 10,000 copies sold since its hardcopy release in September 2011, renowned author and speaker ERIC THOMAS has digitally released his autobiography "The Secret To Success." The E-Book is available online at Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Amazon.

In "The Secret To Success," Eric shares his compelling story of how he overcame being a homeless high school dropout to becoming one of the most sought after motivational speakers in the country. He speaks not only about his struggles and successes but provides invaluable advice on how anyone can change their life and reach their full potential.

Eric will also be returning as a featured speaker at the 2012 P.CON Conference in Cairo, Egypt on February 17.  The convention is geared toward personal empowerment and development and will be attended by thousands from around the globe. Please visit http://www.thevision.me for more details.

In addition to speaking at numerous universities and conferences around the world, Eric's mission to inspire and motivate the masses has also led him into the realm of sports and entertainment.  He was recently commissioned to provide voice-over work for Nike's Jordan Brand and to execute consulting initiatives for the NFL Players Association. His YouTube channel has over 3 million views with 20,000 people visiting daily to be inspired by his videos and weekly series entitled, "Thank God It's Monday."

Eric is also Chairman of the International Urban Education Consultants, a nonprofit organization that focuses on developing programs for troubled youth. He also serves as a consultant at Michigan State University where he developed The Advantage Program, an undergraduate retention program targeting academically high-risk students of color. He obtained his Masters degree in 2005 and is currently pursuing his PhD in Education Administration at Michigan State University and serves as Senior Pastor of A Place of Change Ministries, Lansing Michigan.

Watch Eric's latest episode of "Thank God It's Monday" here: http://www.youtube.com/etthehiphoppreacher

http://www.etthehiphoppreacher.com  / http://twitter.com/ericthomasbtc / http://www.facebook.com/thehiphoppreacher

 

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Renowned Author & Motivational Speaker Eric Thomas Releases Digital Version of Autobiography "The Secret To Success"

WILSON, NC--(Marketwire -02/14/12)- Kurtz Chiropractic Center announced that the practice has had success treating Wilson fibromyalgia patients. The practice uses a combination of chiropractic care, laser therapy, massage therapy and lifestyle counseling to provide long-lasting pain relief. According to the practice, some patients now no longer need to take medication to manage their pain. Kurtz Chiropractic serves patients in Wilson, Elm City, Bailey, Middlesex, Kenly, Lucama, Rocky Mount, Pinetops, Black Creek and Stantonsburg. The practice also treats personal injury and auto accident injury patients.

Chiropractor Dr. Colin Kurtz announced that his practice provides treatment for Wilson fibromyalgia patients. The practice provides natural pain management through a combination of chiropractic adjustments, laser therapy, massage therapy and lifestyle counseling that focuses on nutrition and exercise.

"Many of our patients come to us feeling frustrated and overwhelmed," said Dr. Kurtz. "Either their medical doctors don't believe their symptoms are real, or they've tried a variety of different medications with no success. We're here to say there is hope! We've had tremendous success using natural pain management to treat the underlying causes for fibromyalgia pain."

Fibromyalgia is a debilitating health condition characterized by chronic pain in the upper, lower, right and left quadrants of the body, typically affecting patients at tender points. Patients suffer from widespread tenderness, including lower back pain, neck pain, headaches and joint stiffness. Patients may also experience muscle spasms, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, and prolonged stress that can affect the body's metabolism.

"Patients with this condition respond remarkably well to a combination of therapies, including spinal adjustments and laser therapy," said Dr. Kurtz. "When the body is out of alignment, the nerves are unable to send and receive messages, leading to internal confusion that is manifest in chronic pain. Adjustments restore balance to the musculoskeletal system by realigning out-of-place vertebrae that may be inhibiting the healing process."

The practice also uses laser therapy to provide relief for sore muscles. During laser therapy, a laser penetrates deep into the affected muscle tissue, increasing circulation that helps stimulate healing and naturally relieves pain. Laser therapy can also help patients recover a full range of flexibility and motion by stimulating and loosening stiff, sore or tense muscles.

The chiropractor also recommends massage therapy for his patients. According to Dr. Kurtz, massage treatments provide immediate relief for lower back pain, soreness at tender points and other pain.

"The act of massage soft muscle tissue stimulates the flow of oxygenated blood," said Dr. Kurtz. "Like laser therapy, this treatment helps promote internal healing while relieving pent-up stiffness in the muscles."

The practice also offers nutrition, exercise and lifestyle counseling to patients. "As a chiropractor, my goal with every patient is to ease pain and enhance well-being, and a combination of treatments including lifestyle counseling can truly make a difference and reducing everything from low back pain to inflammation," said Dr. Kurtz. "We also recognize that what works for one patient does not necessarily work for another, which is why we provide individualized treatment programs. We take the time to get to know each patient and his or her wellness needs in order to create a personalized program."

Prospective patients can learn more by visiting the practice's website, http://www.kurtzchiro.net.

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Chiropractic Center Announces Success Treating Wilson Fibromyalgia Patients