ARA ranked on the INC 500 list 2nd straight year
For Immediate release:
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American Retirement Advisors is ranked on the INC 500 list 2nd straight year
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For second consecutive year, American Retirement Advisors is ranked the 4th fastest-growing company in Arizona
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American Retirement Advisors is the No. 12 fastest growing financial services company in the nation with three year sales growth of 2,228.9%
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Scottsdale, August 18, 2015 – Inc. magazine on August 12th ranked American Retirement Advisors No. 4 fastest growing privately held company in Arizona, No. 12 fastest-growing financial services company in the nation and No. 189 overall, on its 34th annual Inc. 500 list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America’s independent entrepreneurs. Companies such as Yelp, Pandora, Timberland, Dell, Domino’s Pizza, LinkedIn, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained early exposure as members of the INC 500. [spacer height="20px"] “American Retirement Advisors is honored to be included in the INC 500 for a second consecutive year,” says American Retirement Advisors CEO David P. Schaeffer. “We remain focused on fulfilling our clients’ needs and eliminating their concerns. Providing financial certainty is our mission. Making healthcare and retirement planning 123 Easy is what we do! We are continuously adding staff and automating processes to maintain high levels of human interaction with our clients. Our clients love the fact that we answer the phones with real live friendly people! I could not be more proud of our team of advisors, planners and client care professionals.” [spacer height="10px"] Contact: Alex Flood, 602-281-3839, Alex@ARA123.com, http://www.AmericanRetire.com [spacer height="20px"] About American Retirement Advisors [spacer height="2px"] Founded in 2001 by David. P. Schaeffer as American Senior Advisors and updated to American Retirement Advisors in 2010 to better describe its clients and services. Today American Retirement Advisors is a full-service retirement planning firm with over 23 team members and five distinct practices: [spacer height="2px"]- Accumulation planning for people in their working years and raising families. (Beginning 2016)
- Estate and Legacy planning managing the transition of a life’s savings to the next generation.
- Long-Term-Care planning for the time when we may not be able to care for ourselves.
- Medicare and Healthcare planning navigating the thousands of choices into one that makes sense.
- Retirement Income planning is managing assets to provide inflation-adjusted, consistent income for a family’s lifetime.
Success Story of the Month
Learn that “No” can be an Answer
[spacer height="2px"]By David S. Edge
[spacer height="20px"] Bert and Dawn have been wonderful parents who wanted everything for their kids. Both parents ran successful and profitable businesses and they, of course, sent the kids to the best schools, bought clothes and sporting equipment, musical instruments, cars, and paid for college degrees at top of the line universities. [spacer height="20px"] As their children grew up and moved out, Bert and Dawn starting thinking about retirement. They came to our office for a Discovery Meeting and met with our team of advisors after attending one of our many free Financial Retirement Workshops. [spacer height="20px"] As we started reviewing their options, one thing was clear. They didn’t have enough retirement savings to maintain their current lifestyle. So we took them through an exercise to see where their money was going. Lo and behold, all the extra funds they were earning were still going to their kids!! [spacer height="20px"] Turns out that Mom and Dad had helped finance both grown childrens’ home purchases, which were well beyond both kids’ income. They not only helped with the down payments but were also continuing to give financial assistance for the monthly mortgages as well as all the other birthday, Christmas, gifts, repairs, etc. [spacer height="20px"] It came down to one simple thing. Bert and Dawn had never learned to say “No.” [spacer height="20px"] Another issue that came to light during discussions with our team was that they still had their five-bedroom house even though it was just the two of them. A good portion of income was going for upkeep on the “big house.” Bert also stated that they both knew they needed to downsize, but Dawn did not want to, as the house had too many wonderful family memories. [spacer height="20px"] All parents want to help their children get a “leg up,” so to say, in this modern expensive world, but at some point the kids have to become self-sufficient. [spacer height="20px"] We realize that some of the most important decisions are also the most difficult to make. Bert and Dawn had to make the decision to put each other first and start earmarking their hard-earned money for their retirement. [spacer height="20px"] As the team continued to review the four areas of retirement planning, a blueprint started to evolve to cover not only Bert and Dawn’s financial concerns but also, health, long-term care, and their estate. [spacer height="20px"] By turning off the spigot of their cash flow to the kids, our team was able to show them how the plan we recommended would allow them to grow their retirement income to cover not only their health care, but show them how the plan would continue their income as well as cover long-term care! It also allowed them to create a Trust that planned who, what, and when, their kids and grandkids would receive what Bert and Dawn wanted to leave them as a legacy. [spacer height="20px"] More importantly, we were able to create enough funding in the customized financial plan that allowed Bert and Dawn to keep their much beloved big house! [spacer height="20px"] Dawn was ecstatic!!! [spacer height="20px"] In the end, when their plan was finished, they both felt that the roadmap our planners created was clear and they knew exactly what to do, what to expect, and when. It was specific and left no doubt about results for the next twenty years of their lives. [spacer height="20px"] Call us with the question of:“this is what we want our retirement to look like and this is what we have to work with.”[spacer height="20px"] Let our professional team help before you make these important retirement decisions.
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Click here for the full version of the August Newsletter.
Financial Tip of The Month
Major Money Mistakes To Avoid in Retirement
According to a MetLife survey, an estimated $3 billion a year is lost by retirees in America due to scams, fraud and financial abuse. After working so hard to get your finances in order for a pleasant retirement, it is so important to be aware of this statistic and do everything you can to protect yourself. Why do many crooks target retirees? This is mainly due to the assumption that retirees have large amounts of money. Protect yours!!!!! [spacer height="20px"]Telephone Scams
[spacer height="5px"] Making a rule to never give any information over the phone may be one of the best things you can do to protect yourself and your finances in retirement. Statistics show that seniors are most likely to be convinced to give out their information over the phone. An example of a common telephone scam is the lottery call. Someone will call and say you won something but that you need to pay a small shipping cost or taxes. They will ask for your credit card number. Always say, NO! Never pay for anything over the phone that you haven’t ordered. Another scheme that is easy to fall for is the jury duty phone call. Someone will pretend to work at the court and say you missed your appearance for jury duty. They will ask for your Social Security number to confirm this. Simply hang up the phone if you are ever questioning the legitimacy of the phone call. You can always look up the real court number and call to make sure it was fake. Make this a hard rule in your home, or even go as far as putting a sticky note on the phone reminding you and your family of your confidentiality. [spacer height="20px"]The Grandparent Scam
[spacer height="5px"] This is an easy one for anyone to fall for. A person will call your home pretending to be your grandchild or family member and act like they are in some type of crisis. Often they will say they are stranded in a foreign country and need to be wired money. It is also common for the criminal to hack your family member’s email account and email you the message from your family member’s email address. If you weren’t aware that this is a common scam, most people would fall for it in an emotional panic for their loved ones. This is where it pays to keep yourself informed and aware of such threats to your financial security.[spacer height="20px"] Computer Scams
[spacer height="5px"] Computer scams are something that the majority of retirees are most fearful of. A types of scheme involving the computer is the “phishing” tactic. An email will arrive that says it is from the IRS regarding a tax refund. This would be very easy to fall into, but certainly do not give your personal information to them online. Many people also get caught in this scheme by clicking on links that are included in the email. This may give the schemer access to your email account or files on your computer. Another type of computer scam involves a phone call from a person claiming to work for Mac or Microsoft. They may say your computer has a virus and that they can fix it by having you log into a certain website. This may also give them full access to your computer, and you should be cautious of this. [spacer height="20px"]Charity Scams
[spacer height="5px"] Many scams involve fake charity organizations and target retirees because they usually have the time to listen to their “sad” story and develop sympathy for the “charity worker.” This scheme is particularly easy to spot because it will usually involve some sense of urgency. The scammer will make it sound like it is urgent to donate immediately so that you won’t have time to investigate the charity to verify it’s legitimacy. This kind of scam is especially upsetting because it is taking advantage of a retiree’s compassion and generosity. Giving to a charity is an amazing and respectable thing to do, however, make sure to do your research first! [spacer height="20px"] If you ever think you may be a victim of a scam, or are even slightly suspicious that you may have fallen into a scheme, there are a few things you can do. Notifying your bank personnel is most important. Bank employees are in a good position to see and handle suspicious activity in regards to your bank account. You can also contact APS, Adult Protective Services. This is a government-affiliated agency geared toward investigating reports of elderly financial abuse. To learn more about ADP, visit www.azdes.gov. In any case, you should also always alert local law enforcement. We all hope that these things will never occur in our lives, however, it is smart to be aware and knowledgeable about these schemes that could threaten the retirement that you’ve worked so hard for. So keep your eyes open and educate your family and loved ones as well! [spacer height="20px"] Brooks, Rodney. "Retirement: 7 Scams Retirees Too Often Fall for." USA Today. N.p., 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 16 July 2015.[spacer height="10px"]
By Allie Vossoughi
American Retirement August Newsletter Available Now!
The August edition of the American Retirement Advisor newsletter is now available! For health tips, financial advice, and the latest retirement news make sure to get your copy of our monthly newsletter. [spacer height="20px"] It is available online here where you can also sign up to receive it every month in the mail. [spacer height="20px"]Why Am I Me?
It was a Sure Thing. (Yeahhhh right).
[spacer height="20px"] [spacer height="20px"] Sure Thing? Shoo-In? All Sewn Up? Forgone Conclusion? Open and Shut? Surefire? [spacer height="20px"] It’s funny how we sometimes look at an opportunity on the surface and think to ourselves Wow! That looks like a sure thing! But in retrospect it turned out not to be so great? [spacer height="20px"] As you review your life and look forward to life over the next 10-20 years, what were the sure things in the past, and what are the sure things in your future? [spacer height="20px"] More importantly what made them sure things? Did you learn the difference between sure things and bogus sure things? [spacer height="20px"] For me, sure things in the past were I knew that, no matter what, I wanted to be the first of the three boys in our family to graduate from the university. I did!! I wanted to be the first to learn to drive and get my driver’s license before my twin brother. I did!! I knew I wanted to be married, have children, and be a successful businessman by age 30. I did!!! [spacer height="20px"] Now the sure things going forward are a tad bit fuzzy because we all know that nothing is for certain except death and taxes. I know I want to continue to do a bit of traveling after retirement, enjoy a few dinners out with the wife, and give some occasional financial assistance to family members without feeling the pinch. In general, just maintain my lifestyle to a certain degree of expectation. [spacer height="20px"] While there is rarely a sure thing, most of us have learned by this point in our life, that a little elbow grease or due diligence is always required when making a decision. More than once I can remember my mom telling us boys that the “devil is in the details” when making a serious decision about something. Do your homework! [spacer height="20px"] When making decisions about what to do with retirement funds, I get folks asking me all the time about this product or that product, or which fund is the best of the bunch, or is a bank or insurance product better than another? [spacer height="20px"] What most folks don’t realize is that you have to decide what you want your funds to do first! [spacer height="20px"] With thousands of retirement products on the market which one is best? There is no one answer. The correct answer is which product is most appropriate for what you need the fund to do for you in your portfolio! [spacer height="20px"] When building a retirement plan, it’s best to look at what you already have and see if you can keep it and use it for a purpose in retirement. Many financial products are for accumulation, not distribution. The minute you task a financial fund or product with paying you income in retirement instead of just accumulation, you have changed the entire expectation of that fund. [spacer height="20px"] Many of these accumulation products you had while working and adding to your retirement funds via a paycheck were great for long-term growth, but the minute you try to take income, and the market takes a downward turn after you have retired, what happens? You’ve now lost money and no longer have a paycheck coming in to replace the principal you lost! So you really can’t afford to gamble! [spacer height="20px"] Most folks will outlive their retirement funds because of one thing. They didn’t do their homework, and more importantly, they didn’t seek professional assistance with their retirement funds. Statistics currently state that over 70% of retirees will need long-term care at some point. Have you planned for this occurrence? Long-term care is the #1 cause of bankruptcy of retirees. Over 80% of Mutual funds will underperform and only the top 10% will perform better than expected. In layman’s terms this means most folks will outlive their retirement funds! [spacer height="20px"] Don’t be one of them!!! Don’t you want a sure thing? Get professional help with your retirement plan! There are multiple ways to address long-term care than just purchasing a policy! There are great products on the market that are just for creating guaranteed income for retirement! Want to know what your sure things are for retirement? Call us! We know a team of folks who can help! [spacer height="20px"]
David S. Edge
Healthcare & Retirement
Planning Professional
Utilizing fact-based decision making to protect your retirement lifestyle!
Follow this link for the full version of the August newsletter:
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https://americanretirementadvisors.com/monthly-newsletter/August Medicare Informational Workshops
Lowest Medicare Supplement Rates in 85255
| Non Smoker zip code 85255[spacer height="20px"] $147.35 Plan “F” Age 65 Male [spacer height="20px"] $132..00 Plan “F” Age 65 Female [spacer height="20px"] $115.79 Plan “G” Age 65 Male [spacer height="20px"] $100.79 Plan “G” Age 65 Female [spacer height="20px"] $101.13 Plan “N” Age 65 Male [spacer height="20px"] $84.62 Plan “N” Age 65 Female [spacer height="20px"] | Non Smoker zip code 85255[spacer height="20px"]$ 151.66 Plan “F” Age 66 Male [spacer height="20px"] $ 132.00 Plan “F” Age 66 Female [spacer height="20px"] $ 115.79 Plan “G” Age 66 Male [spacer height="20px"] $ 100.79 Plan “G” Age 66 Female [spacer height="20px"] $ 101.13 Plan “N” Age 66 Male [spacer height="20px"] $ 84.62 Plan “N” Age 66 Female [spacer height="20px"] | Non Smoker zip code 85255[spacer height="20px"]$ 150.98 Plan “F”Age 67 Male [spacer height="20px"] $ 132.00 Plan “F”Age 67 Female [spacer height="20px"] $ 115.79 Plan “G”Age 67 Male [spacer height="20px"] $ 100.79 Plan “G”Age 67 Female [spacer height="20px"] $ 101.13 Plan “N”Age 67 Male [spacer height="20px"] $ 84.62 Plan “N”Age 67 Female [spacer height="20px"] |
Health Tip of the Month
Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month is now upon us, July of 2015. That’s right; children can get arthritis too. In fact, 300,000 children a year are diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis. If you have experienced arthritis from the wear and tear of joints from old age, you know how agonizing this affliction can be. With the misconception that only the elderly can get arthritis, it is important to be aware that small children can experience these aches and pains too. [spacer height="20px"] One in every 250 children, ages 16 or younger, are diagnosed with the incurable condition of Juvenile Arthritis. Juvenile Arthritis is somewhat of an umbrella term for several different types of arthritis, separated into three types: Juvenile Chronic Arthritis (JCA), Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), and Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). JRA, the most common, presents itself in children as joint pain, limping, swollen joints, stiffness, or clumsiness. In more severe cases, Juvenile Arthritis can affect the entire body with a fever, rashes, and swollen lymph nodes. If these symptoms are apparent and persist for more than a week, it is time to take your child to the doctor. It is important to recognize that your child has the disease early on, due to possible permanent complications such as glaucoma and blindness from eye inflammation, or growth problems from poor bone development. [spacer height="20px"] Although this is not a curable disease, symptoms can be treated with a variety of different doctors and therapies. Doctor’s main concern in cases of Juvenile Arthritis is that the child maintains an active, social, and healthy childhood regardless of this disease. Pain and symptoms may be suppressed with medication, physical therapy, and in some cases, surgery. [spacer height="20px"][spacer height="20px"] Juvenile Arthritis is not linked to any known cause. For unknown reasons, Juvenile Arthritis is derived from an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks its own tissues and cells. Scientists are constantly working towards a greater understanding of this disease, as the number of cases increase year after year. [spacer height="20px"] If you feel passionately about this cause and would like to donate or find ways to help, there are several foundations that are available such as the Arthritis Foundation, the Arthritis National Research Foundation, and the Juvenile Arthritis Association. [spacer height="20px"] Even if your child is never diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis, it is important to recognize the unsuspecting diseases a child may be susceptible to. Having an awareness about these types of unfortunate diseases is important to keeping a close eye on your child’s health, as well as your own. [spacer height="20px"] Follow this link for the full version of the July newsletter: [spacer height="20px"] https://americanretirementadvisors.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/2015-July-Newsletter-www-americanretirementadvisor-com-Final.pdfDianna’s Corner
When did you decide to retire? Was it something you thought about for a long time and looked forward to for many months, maybe even years? Or, was it something you just decided to do “Now!”? [spacer height="20px"] Until you make your decision and set a date, it’s “someday”. “Someday” has a way of sneaking up on us. “When my spouse retires, or when my spouse reaches 65, or when I get tired of what I am doing…” We have all gone through those different scenarios. [spacer height="20px"] Often times there is a “trigger” that gets the final ball rolling. Perhaps you get an offer from your company for early retirement that you just can’t resist, or you get laid off. Perhaps you develop a health issue that you need to pay attention to. Or maybe you just want to have some fun and relax; nothing wrong with that. [spacer height="20px"] Whatever set your wheels in motion, don’t panic. You can plan ahead and make that trip down the retirement road a lot less bumpy. I hear it from those that attend my workshops all the time. Knowledge removes the concerns, uncertainties, fear of making a mistake, etc. [spacer height="20px"] You know, even though you retire you don’t have to quit learning. Learning opens up windows to fascinating things we used to just think about seeing or doing when we were younger and occupied with raising a family, working, or just too busy. Learn about the steps to retirement and make the process easier to do. Just like when we were little and learned to walk; we didn’t start out running, we started with baby steps. Do that now and you will be free to run when you get all done with the process. Oh and when you get all that information that the government sends you, you will feel older. I think that is their intention. Ignore that “feeling”; you are just getting ready to start a new phase of your life that has a myriad of options that are only limited by your imagination. Embrace it and don’t fret. Just give us a call and we can iron out those wrinkles for you. [spacer height="20px"] Start off by celebrating your first important decision with the 4th of July! Independence Day!! Just as our country won its independence and started to grow and learn, you can be an independent person with new ideas, dreams, plans, and opportunities just as our country had. Besides, you are a lot younger than our country! [spacer height="20px"] Remember when you’re outside enjoying breakfast on the patio, or out for a walk, take a bottle of water with you and use that sunscreen! Don’t spoil your fun with heat exhaustion or bad sunburn. That sun can be deceiving, especially if you are in a pool. You feel cool and happy; until you get out and start to run that towel across your back! OUCH! Sunburn! Slather that sunscreen on and do it more than once. Think about your pets, too. Keep them cool and in the shade. Have a great start to summer! [spacer height="20px"] “You’ve achieved success in your field when you don’t know whether what you’re doing is work or play” --Warren Beatty [spacer height="20px"] Follow this link for the full version of the July newsletter: [spacer height="20px"] https://americanretirementadvisors.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/2015-July-Newsletter-www-americanretirementadvisor-com-Final.pdf [spacer height="20px"] Dianna Harbaugh [spacer height="20px"] Healthcare & Retirement [spacer height="20px"] Planning Professional [spacer height="20px"]American Retirement Advisors — Retirement Planning Since 2001