Blog

There’s a good reason there’s an estimated 74 to 96 million owned cats and 70 to 80 million dogs in the U.S. With wagging tails, slobbery kisses, and little whiskers that make for adorable Instagrams, pets give us that warm, cuddly feeling inside. They are part of our families and some of our best friends.

When people warn you that having kids is expensive, it’s no joke. From diapers to food, braces to sports activities the costs add up quick. For a middle-income family in the U.S. raising a child up until age 18, costs an estimated average of $245,340 (or $304,480, adjusted for projected inflation), according to the 2013 “Cost of Raising a Child” report from the U.S.

Think back to those early days in life when it seemed like everything in the candy aisle was free if you begged your parents hard enough. Not a fleeting thought was given to the expenses of a vacation or the copay costs at the doctor. There’s something beautifully unburdened in the way which children experience the world: recklessly present and innocently ambivalent.

It sucks to be rich. At least that’s how one might interpret the general feelings of high net-worth individuals who respond to the ACE Private Risk Services Survey on Personal Liability Perceptions and Behavior Among Wealthy Households (2014).

It is no secret that the typical American is working long hours with little respite compared to other countries with large economies. Full-time employees report an average work week of 47 hours and four out of 10 American workers say they work over 50 hours a week.

Few consumer products are the object of a love/hate relationship as life insurance.  The thought of buying life insurance is not something that most people relish, yet, if it is done right, it can provide the greatest peace-of-mind a person can have. The key is to do it right.

You think back fondly on those halcyon collegiate days--studying in the quad, late-night pizza, tailgating for the big tailgating game, dorm living, tossing your graduation cap in the air...beyond the lifelong friends and the parties and fun, college helped you get to where you are today.

Many people deal with credit card debt all of their lives with most of them giving little or no thought to what happens with their debt after they die. The fact that nearly 60% die without a will is a strong indication that they’ve given absolutely no thought to it.

Perhaps the weakest links in the family security chain are the younger family members. The rise of social media as a gateway for children’s interaction with the world presents a substantial risk for families who otherwise try to keep a low profile. By posting details of their whereabouts, activities and plans, family members can inadvertently compromise their family’s security.

Identity thieves and credit card scammers are more relentless than ever in their pursuit of your personal financial information, and as more people are opting to conduct their shopping and their financial transactions online, the number of scams increases proportionately.  Armed with nothing more than a computer keyboard and a geek’s knowledge of how to prowl the cloud, they work 24/