Thomas Cunningham

For non-qualified funds advisors have been using a strategy that utilizes an annuity and permanent life insurance. This strategy has been around for many years and if health conditions permit it is most likely the best leverage and tax advantage. Most life insurance agents will not be knowledgeable enough to handle this unless they have been in the business for a long time or specialize in estate planning.

It would be recommended to consult your attorney and tax advisor before using such a strategy.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />

If you are in MD,PA, or CA feel free to contact me.

Although I agree with Bernard about the objectivity of an independent. However as with any product if your focus is more limited in scope there may be a higher familiarity with more of

the intricate details of a product, and most of the time an independent doesn’t mean that they will use everything that is available to them. The captive may be more suited to smaller investor. Bottom line if the advisor has your best interests in mind it probably won’t matter that much to the average investor. If the advisor does have you best interest in mind it won’t matter what capacity they work in.

Some people are spenders by nature, and for spenders the most difficult thing is to set aside money for the intangible(emergency funds, retirement, future needs, ect.) Start by making your intangible tangible. For example you may want to go shopping for the things you want in retirement (SHOPPING NOT BUYING). The internet is a good place for this, pick the dream house, fill it with furniture, park a dream car in the driveway, and so on. Now list all your bills and expenses and rank their priority from most important to least important. Now fit your goal into your priorities . This will help with a couple of things, first the discipline to shop and not buy, and second you will answer your question why you haven’t saved in the past and it will help you save in the future, by setting your personal priority to your savings goal. A couple of other things that will help is to put your saving in a place that is not immediately accessible. If you have money in a savings at the same bank you have your checking then it makes it really easy to just transfer the money anytime you want to. If you want to keep the funds at the same institution try setting up a rule that you have to go into the location in person in order to move the money. You’ll find that you are less likely to move the money. Be sure to set some short term goal as well as long term ones.