I AM RUBEN ROJAS

Permanent Life Insurance and the American Tax Relief Act of 2012

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:24:34 -0700

Here are some important Planning Opportunities with Permanent Life Insurance under American Tax Relief Act of 2012.

Tax Deferral and Tax Avoidance will become increasingly popular. Permanent life insurance has the ability to not only offer tax‐free death benefits but also tax deferral and tax‐free access to cash values. If properly structured in a trust life insurance death proceeds can also avoid estate taxes.

The IRR offered by life insurance may prove to be a viable alternative to non‐performing assets. The internal rate of return or IRR on the death benefit can be competitive investment alternatives for clients with non‐performing assets in their portfolios like CDs, Muni‐Bonds and Money Market accounts. By liquidating some of this dead money and leveraging it into a tax‐free death benefit, these clients could leave their heirs with a much larger windfall.

Charitably inclined clients may opt to donate appreciated securities vs. cash to charities to avoid the 23.8% Cap Gains rates. The client may wish to use cash instead to purchase life insurance as a wealth replacement vehicle for the donated assets and use the new charitablededuction to help offset the cost of the life insurance.
The increased tax rates may increase the popularity of non‐qualified deferred comp plans. Deferring income for high wage earners until retirement when their incomes are less may prove to be advantageous. Permanent life insurance will remain a prevalent choice to informally fund such arrangements.
Estates under $5M may still have death taxes. Several states have their own estate and inheritance taxes with much lower exemption limits. Combine this with the potential probate costs and many clients may still find the need for estate liquidity offered by life insurance.

LinkedIn recommendations should be given as well as asked for....

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:08:04 -0700

LinkedIn recommendations should be given as well as asked for.

As a referral based practitioner I value the fact that my clients can and do check me out via my references. What better way to build rapport and trust from the start.

Do you use Linked In to learn more about who you work with?

Do you know someone that has been in the above situation?...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:31:04 -0700

Do you know someone that has been in the above situation? Don’t let this happen to you or those around.

"Although I have been in the financial services profession for 30 years, my focus is life insurance..."

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:07:54 -0800

“

Although I have been in the financial services profession for 30 years, my focus is life insurance because life insurance is the primary asset of financial planning. Life insurance, in the right amount and kind, is by itself a financial plan. All other assets — equities, real estate, tax programs — are embellishments to the bedrock of financial security. As legendary life insurance salesman Ben Feldman wisely stressed, life insurance should be called time insurance. If we can be certain to have enough time, then all our needs and goals may be met.

But we never have enough time. Only the uniqueness of quality life insurance can make up for the folly found in many lives and make the client’s family whole.

”

- Exert from, “The Power of the Life Insurance Pro.”

For the Sake of Your Loved Ones, Get Life Insurance

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:17:28 -0800

A simple real life reason as to why this man purchased life insurance.

By: Ben Stein’s DREEMZ

Now for a few words about the men and women who sell life insurance: Life is an extremely uncertain and difficult process. In it, we find many people and situations that bedevil us.

There are bullies and cheats in school and in adult life. There are tricksters and liars and recessions and illnesses. There are people who make it their life work to torment those around them. And there is fear of pain, of loneliness, of economic insecurity, of life itself.

In this world, many tens of millions of us are blessed enough to find a husband or a wife, a soul mate, with whom we share our lives. If these bonds endure for a long time or even a short time, we know that, in a world where roughly 7 billion people do not care if we live or die, this mate cares about our every pain and ache and every mood and touch.

In my own small world, I have been married for roughly 42 years to a wonderful woman. We have had our ups and downs, but she is by far the finest human being I know. Her kindness and caring and indulgence of me and my endless faults and cruelties is superhuman.

Partly as the result of her own labor when she was a lot younger, partly as the result of my parents’ work and prudence, partly as a result of my own hard work and good fortune, she has become accustomed to a certain comfortable way of life.

We don’t drive Bentleys or wear tiaras or Rolexes, but we live decently. She grew up in far more modest circumstances, and it gives her great pleasure to live the way she does — the way we do. The cruel truth is that, by almost every available metric, it looks as if I will predecease her.

When that happens, if it does, she is going to have to accustom herself to a very different way of life from what we have now: a lonely, empty home, at least for a while, no one to share her memories with — because we were basically barely more than children when we met, and no one to give her medicine when she has heartburn.

The one thing I can give her after I am gone — I hope — is freedom from fear of economic insecurity. I can, and plan to, leave her enough so that she can live out her days without having to worry about paying for the basics and a few luxuries of life.

I would think that every spouse, especially every breadwinner, wants to do the same for his mate. Mostly, in my case, it will come from pensions I earned while working in Hollywood and from my savings and investments (which some years look good and some years look bad).

But a large chunk will come from life insurance. I can, and have, arranged that, when I enter immortality and say hello to my parents, she will not have to worry about money, at least not about money at a reasonable level. With respect, it is a moral duty for husbands to do something like this for their wives and minor children — to leave them in economic security, at least of a basic sort, when they pass on.

The men and women who can make that happen even in the worst, rockiest economic climates, even in times of extreme uncertainty are called insurance agents (or brokers).

They sell two of what Franklin Delano Roosevelt considered the most basic freedoms of human beings: freedom from fear and freedom from want. They make certain that the breadwinner can show his love (or her love) in even the most desperate situations. I have seen the difference they have made in the lives of family left behind. It is dramatic.

I wish I could show to every man who has not bought life insurance, or enough life insurance, how fearful those left behind without enough money are, and how relatively comforted and grateful those who have enough insurance are.

If husbands could take a moment to foresee what their potential widows’ lives would be like without their regular paycheck or pension check, their very next call would be to their insurance agent.

Of course, times are tough. We all know that. Almost everyone has been hit hard. I know I have been. But what is more of a necessity than keeping your loved ones secure? What expense is more responsible and adult than sacrificing now to take care of those you love down the road when the inevitable happens?

I don’t work for an insurance company or agency and no one in my family does. But I see the look on my wife’s face when she’s napping beside me, and that’s enough to say what I just said.

Why High Income Earners Need To Pay Extra Attention To 2013 Estimated Tax Payments

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 10:34:03 -0800

Why High Income Earners Need To Pay Extra Attention To 2013 Estimated Tax Payments :

Here’s another side effect of the tax hikes that went into effect on Jan. 1: If you have to make estimated tax payments for federal income tax purposes, you need to be extra careful this year—starting April 15^th when first quarter estimates for 2013 are due.

Let me ask you a couple of questions.

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:52:51 -0800

In the history of the modern world, have there been bad financial times?
During those bad times, even during the Great Depression were there people that made money?
Was it the people that planned and prepared, or the people that just let stuff happen?
Which one do you want to be? When do you want to get started?

Instead of thinking that the current economic climate is all bad, you should be using this to take advantage of what could be one of the greatest opportunities of all time for you and your family to earn financial independence. Take action.

Life Insurance and the American Tax Relief Act of 2012

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 11:50:12 -0800

Here are some important Planning Opportunities with Permanent Life Insurance under American Tax Relief Act of 2012

• Tax Deferral and Tax Avoidance will become increasingly popular. Permanent life insurance has the ability to not only offer tax‐free death benefits but also tax deferral and tax‐free access to cash values. If properly structured in a trust life insurance death proceeds can also avoid estate taxes.

• The IRR offered by life insurance may prove to be a viable alternative to non‐performing assets. The internal rate of return or IRR on the death benefit can be competitive investment alternatives for older clients with non‐performing assets in their portfolios like CDs, Muni‐Bonds and Money Market accounts. By liquidating some of this dead money and leveraging it into a tax‐free death benefit, these clients could leave their heirs with a much larger windfall.

• Charitably inclined clients may opt to donate appreciated securities vs. cash to charities to avoid the 23.8% Cap Gains rates. The client may wish to use cash instead to purchase life insurance as a wealth replacement vehicle for the donated assets and use the new charitable deduction to help offset the cost of the life insurance.

• The increased tax rates may increase the popularity of non‐qualified deferred comp plans. Deferring income for high wage earners until retirement when their incomes are less may prove to be advantageous. Permanent life insurance will remain a prevalent choice to informally fund such arrangements.

• Making permanent the $5M Estate/Gift Tax exemption will assist in funding ILITs without the hassle of having to use annual Crummey powers. This may likely increase the use of life insurance inside ILITs due to the relatively simple admin issues as compared to other alternatives like GRATs. SLATs and CLATs.

• Estates under $5M may still have death taxes. Several states have their own estate and inheritance taxes with much lower exemption limits. Combine this with the potential probate costs and many clients may still find the need for estate liquidity offered by life insurance.

This article is not intended as legal or tax advice and taxpayers should consult their own legal and tax advisors regarding their specific situation.

The 2 Laws of Befriending Absolutely Anyone (even Warren...

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:46:56 -0800

The 2 Laws of Befriending Absolutely Anyone (even Warren Buffett)

IRS Announces 2013 Tax Rates, Standard Deduction Amounts and...

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:43:27 -0800

Individual Taxpayers

Head of Household

Married Taxpayers Filing Jointly

Married Taxpayers Filing Separate

IRS Announces 2013 Tax Rates, Standard Deduction Amounts and More

The Basics of Disability Insurance

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 12:03:21 -0800

The Basics of Disability Insurance

Do You Use Cash?

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:03:00 -0800

“Cash represents spending money we actually possess. And the concept of spending only the money that we earn is branded as prehistoric thinking. We have home loans and car loans and business loans and boat loans and credit loans. And then when our loan ratio is about ready to burst at the seams, we take out loans to pay our loans. We use our Master Card to pay our Visa. If we can’t afford it, we charge it. The thought of paying cash is a thing of the past — but it doesn’t have to be.” exert from Tax-Free Retirement

Does the above paragraph sound like you or the people that you know? If so, make the change no before it is too late. Before you are swimming deep in insurmountable debt.

webmsmith: 20 keys to making the difference: (1) Work. (2)...

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 02:18:12 -0800

webmsmith:

20 keys to making the difference: (1) Work. (2) Don’t wait until you have everything you need. (3) People help people who help themselves. (4) Carry a notebook. (5) Do business in silence. (6) Skills are transferrable. (7) Handle rejection with dignity. (8) Make a plan. (9) Keep your eyes on the prize. (10) Dream enormously. (11) Art and Business should co-exist. (12) Demand respect. (13) Accept help from true mentors. (14) Ignore trends. (15) Keep your blog great. (16) Business starting is empowering and connecting. (17) Keep lofty thoughts. (18) If someone has a problem with you, address it. If they continue to, leave them behind. (19) Curiosity is the best asset to continued education. (20) Believe relentlessly. What a difference a few years can make.

The Changes That Will Impact Your Financial Future

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 09:00:25 -0800

Answer the following questions:

Do you believe taxes will be higher?
Do you think benefits will be lower?
If taxes are higher and benefits are lower will that be enough to fix everything, or will there be increased inflation?
If taxes are higher, benefits are lower, with increased inflation; won’t that create more and more volatility in the stock market?
Starting January 1, 2013 the Estate Tax rate will go back to $1 million per person federal estate tax exemption and a 55% effective top tax rate scheduled to go into effect, how will this affect you and your heirs?

Listed are the critical topics that face Americans today:

1. Social Security 2. Medicare 3. Medicaid 4. Interest on Debt 5. War and Defense 6. Health Care Reform Entitlement Legislation 7. Unemployment 8. Health Care Costs 9. Infrastructure 10. Natural Disasters 11. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA 12. State Budget Shortfalls 13. Black Swan Events 14. Derivatives 15. Commercial Real Estate 16. Home Mortgages 17. Sovereign Debt Crisis, Europe, China,Japan 18. Student Loan Crisis

What plans have you set to help you alleviate these concerns?

The Life Insurance Economy: What my business does for...

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:10:28 -0800

The Life Insurance Economy: What my business does for American’s.

ryryschultz: What you DO speaks so loudly that no one can hear...

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 13:21:10 -0800

ryryschultz:

What you DO speaks so loudly that no one can hear what you say. #Actions over #words

A quick video on the Basics of Life Insurance.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 09:01:04 -0800

A quick video on the Basics of Life Insurance.

The truth is that you really don’t know who actually pays...

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 09:00:30 -0800

The truth is that you really don’t know who actually pays all the taxes. Get informed, be informed, and stay informed.

"Successful investors are those who know their limitations, keep their heads cool, and act with..."

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:47:10 -0800

“Successful investors are those who know their limitations, keep their heads cool, and act with discipline. You can’t measure that.”

As Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is not free.” This is not...

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 09:38:07 -0800

As Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is not free.” This is not an anti-tax post -as taxes have built this country and are needed to run our country. This post is to spur action and an active interest in your financial future. Because, if you do not plan for taxes now, you will be in for one huge awakening tomorrow.