Top Three Popular Accommodations Areas in Tropical North Queensland

If you visit the Tropical North Queensland area you will discover all the beautiful nature and culture it has to offer. There are wonderful accommodations but they are esconced inside a unique natural environment. There are three areas that have proven to be most popular with travelers, Cairns, Palm Cove and Port Douglas.
These locations are very central in their locations which is what lends them such popularity amongst travelers, along with great accommodations of course. In addition to all the natural surroundings to give you relaxation in your accommodations, you have fabulous shopping, fine dining, and great night life to enjoy. But make sure to bring your walking shoes because you don't want to miss the true wonders of the region that make it known worldwide, exploring the rainforests and experiencing the waters.
When you are exploring the abundant natural surroundings you will find it totally as it was made, not touched by humans, with much flora, fauna and creatures all around. You will want to see it all, the Great Barrier Reef, the beaches and the rainforests. These natural wonders are all still in existence, there for you to witness what Mother Nature can really accomplish.
This region also offers a glimpse inside the ancient culture of the Aboriginal people, a culture that has been here for hundreds of years. The planets history along with human history is evident all around you as you discover more about the Australian history.
When selecting accommodations for your trip to the Tropical North Queensland be sure to consider the areas of Port Douglas, Palm Cove and Cairns. These three areas offer the best accommodations and keep you feeling civilized while living in the wild. Perfect for those who want to come see and experience all but wish to retire to an incredible world class resort in the evenings. The best of both worlds.



Prior to reserving anything online for your Tropical North Queensland holiday visit tropicalnorthqueensland.com soon. If you need cairns accommodation this is the site to visit, you can book online directly. Tropicalnorthqueensland.com offers a lot of information about the region and can help you with other queensland hotels.

Sun Peaks Accommodations - Nancy Greene's Contributions

After a nine year racing career, Nancy retired from amateur racing at the age of 24 and focused her energy on enhancing the quality of the Canadian ski experience. This article recognizes some of Nancy's contributions to Canadian ski communities, her role in the development of some of British Columbia's flourishing ski resorts and her investment in Whistler and Sun Peaks accommodations.
Post-Racing Career: Enhancing the BC Ski Experience
After a successful promotional career with Rossignal Ski Company and numerous endorsement campaigns with well-known names such as Mars Bars and Pontiac, Greene relayed her interest into improving Canada's ski environment. Both Nancy and husband, Al Raine, saw enormous potential in BC's majestic mountains and tremendous snow; they focused first on Whistler, determined to turn it into a major ski destination. While Al became actively involved in the planning process of Whistler Village, Nancy utilized her clever business skills and prominent athletic status to draw investors and tourists to the budding mountain resort.
The couple built Nancy Greene's Olympic Lodge in 1985, one of Whistler's first hotels whose success marked a turning point in Whistler's investment atmosphere.
Although Nancy and Al sold the hotel in 1988, they remained active members of the Whistler ski community, either volunteering as race officials or serving on committees for the International Ski Federation.
Sun Peaks Accommodations: A New Frontier
After experiencing success in Whistler, Nancy and Al shifted their focus to a new ski destination, Sun Peaks Resort in the interior of British Columbia. In 1995, the couple were among the first to build and develop Sun Peaks accommodations constructing their first condominium hotel, Nancy Greene's Cahilty Lounge, in Sun Peaks village. Nancy remains at Sun Peaks resort today, promoting and publicising Sun Peaks accommodations. Nancy has since been appointed Director of Skiing at Sun Peaks resort and takes time to ski frequently with guests.
Beyond the Bunny Hill
Other than her appointed position at Sun Peaks, Nancy assumes the prestigious position of Chancellor at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia. In December of 2008 she was appointed to the Canadian Senate on the recommendation of Prime Minister Stephen Harper himself. As you can see, Nancy is truly an inspiration. Her unyielding dedication, motivation and Olympic ambition will leave a life-long impression on skiers and non-skiers alike.



Devon O'Malley is a staff writer for Allura Direct, an accommodations website offering powerful search and instant booking features for vacation rentals Ski with Nancy Greene and book your Sun Peaks accommodations today!

The Digital Gypsy's Dilemma: The Best Place To Live For An Internet Based Business

If you've got a digital business that really only requires a connection to the net to do business, your concerns boil down to having a cost structure that maximizes your profit while providing you with a high quality of life. Being productive is difficult in an environment where you're miserable. Having a high quality of life isn't a guarantee of success, but it sure makes it easier to be productive.
The problem is that most of the really enjoyable places aren't exactly what we'd call "low-cost" and in order to live in a nice place you're business will have to really produce, or you'll have to hold down a job while you try to build your internet business. At some point this juggling act gets out of hand and your business will demand enough time that you can no longer hold down a job to pay the bills. If your internet business isn't producing enough to pay the bills, your only options are to downsize and cut expenses, burn capital in hopes that your business will produce more later on or give up on the business altogether.
Those can be hard choices. Our vote is to minimize expenses and save as much money as long as possible. The lower your burn rate the longer you last, and thus the better your chances of success.
For many people, this means trying to find a low-cost location that still provides high-quality infrastructure, and that usually means living somewhere that isn't that desireable and doesn't offer a very high quality of life. Sure, there are places in Kansas where they're practically giving away houses, but who wants to live in Kansas? The people who want to live in Kansas are already there, but the state has a declining population because of all the people who are moving out. Same goes for North and South Dakota. Just think "40 degrees below zero" and you'll get an idea why.
Most entrepreneurs agree that they are more productive in a pleasant environment.
Radically Lower Your Costs By Moving Offshore
One of the best solutions to the dilemma is to move abroad to a low-cost location with excellent infrastructure, and in this article we'll discuss the relative advantages of Margarita Island.
Margarita is an island off the coast of Venezuela, and it's the largest of the three islands that make up the Venezuelan State of Nueva Esparta. Margarita is the lowest-cost island in the Caribbean, but it has the added advantage of not being an independent country. If you've been to other Caribbean islands, you already know what we're talking about: Island nations have to be self-supporting, and they usually do this through the mechanism of sky-high customs fees, so everything on the island is very expensive.
Margarita has excellent infrastructure, with DSL available in the major cities of the island. Margarita is also known as a "free port" which doesn't mean that there are no customs duties, but rather that the national sales tax (14.6%) doesn't apply there. It has an airport with direct flights to Frankfort and Toronto (but not to the US- for that you have to transfer at Caracas), so travel isn't that difficult. It isn't like other island locations where "you can't get there from here- you have to go someplace else first."
Cost Of Living On Margarita
Where Margarita Island really shines is the low cost of living. A single person or a couple can live comfortably on less than $1000 a month (if they own their own home or apartment), and that includes having a housekeeper and going out to eat at nice restaurants several times a week. The low cost of living is combined with tropical island living- you only need a single wardrobe, and formal dress is practically unheard of down here.
Housing: Housing costs are reasonable. If you're looking for an apartment in a nice area, plan on spending somewhere between $40k and $70k for a nice 2 bedroom 2 bath (quite often you can find fully furnished apartments for sale). Rental apartments can be had for anywhere from $400.00 to $800.00 a month for really nice places: ocean view, secure building, nicely furnished, nice neighborhood. Housing in less desireable neighborhoods will run anywhere from $200.00 to $300.00 a month, but your Spanish had better be pretty good.
Medical Insurance and Medical Costs: Medical insurance for an individual will cost about $150.00 to $200.00 per month, although if you're young and healthy you can do without and just go to the public clinic if you get sick (they're free). Your Spanish needs to be good enough for basic communication, and if you're hospitalized you must have someone who isn't sick who can help care for you (the public hospitals don't provide linens, blankets or meals). Medical costs for dental work are really cheap (typically 10% to 15% of what you'd get charged in the US), and just about any medical procedure you can imagine is available on Margarita for 15% to 20% of what you'd pay in the US. If you've got a young family, you'll really see your costs drop.

Having a baby by C-section will cost about $2500.00 (all inclusive) for a 2 day stay at a good private hospital.
Having a baby naturally would cost about $1000.00 (all inclusive) for a 2 to 3 day stay at a good private hospital.
Getting braces with a good orthodontist will cost about $900.00 to $1600.00, depending on how much work is required.
Minor liposuction is a hundred dollars or so, major liposuction will go upwards of $300.00 to $600.00.
A major cosmetic overhaul, combining liposuction with a facelift and a breast-job will be less than $3000.00.
Chelation therapy (IV with Sodium EDTA) is about $20.00 per session.
Basic doctor visits cost about $20.00 to see a good private physician.

Vehicle Insurance: Getting insurance for vehicles offers you two choices: Full coverage or liability only. The full coverage costs about 15% of the book value of your vehicle annually. Liability insurance costs about $130.00 annually. It doesn't matter what kind of vehicle, they don't care if you have a drivers license or not, and there is very little paperwork if you're in an accident and they have to pay.
Vehicles: Used vehicles are expensive, new vehicles are cheap (compared to the US), and for lots more information read our article on buying a vehicle on Margarita [http://bulletproofretirement.com/public/220.cfm]. The cost of everything associated with owning a vehicle is cheap. We just had a water pump replaced, and the cost was $74.00: parts were $45.00, labor $29.00. Gasoline is about 12 cents per gallon, so get used to filling your tank with pocket change.
Food: Food costs are highly variable compared to the US, based on what you want to eat and whether you can eat the local products or whether you're brand-loyal to an imported brand. We see our food costs hovering around 1/2 of what we spent in rural Kentucky, but we don't buy a lot of processed food.
Entertainment: This is a highly variable expense. Going out to eat is cheap, with a 4 to 5 star restaurant costing $30.00 to $40.00 for two, including a few drinks per person. Buying a bottle of wine will adjust the price according to your tastes in wine (wine is also cheap). Dinner and coffee for 2 at a nice restaurant will cost less than $20.00, and you can eat a full meal at a lot of places for about $5.00 to $6.00. Movie tickets cost about $2.00 and going to the beach can cost anything from nothing (bring your own umbrella, drinks and food) to $20.00 to $30.00, depending on whether you rent an umbrella and chair and eat at one of the beachfront restaurants. Going to an internet cafe costs about 50 cents per hour, and sitting at the mall people watching doesn't cost anything.
Phone: Plan on spending about $40.00 to $60.00 a month for combined home phone and cellular phone, and if your area can get DSL, you can look up the charges on CanTV's webpage to see what you'd have to pay.
Electric: Depends on your accomodations and usage. We have friends who pay about $15.00 a month, and we've paid about $100.00 a month running the AC 24/7 in a large apartment. Some people bribe a power company guy to "fix" their meter so that it's somewhat slow, and some people just hook up a wire to the power line (an illegal hookup). It's common.
Water: Water is pumped over from the mainland, and it's unbelievably cheap: maybe $2.00 to $5.00 per month. Garbage pickup is included in the water bill. If you have an apartment you'll probably see this expense covered in your condo fees.
Getting Residency
Americans are hung up on the idea of doing things "by the book" but Latin America isn't like that: in most cases there is a solution to your problem that involves paying an official to take a special interest in getting your problem solved. It's possible to live on Margarita as a tourist, going to the airport every three months and paying someone at Immigration about $40.00 to stamp your passport with an exit and entry stamp, extending your stay another 3 months. You're only supposed to be able to do this once, but they don't care. You're spending money on their island and you aren't causing problems, so what's the problem? You want to stay? You have money? No problem.
It's also possible to get a permanent residency visa without too much trouble, and there are lawyers on the Island who can help "expedite" this issue for a fee. You're paying them for their help and what they do to get you taken care of is their business. The permanent residency visa is good for 5 years and you can get a Cedula (national ID card) so you won't have to carry your passport around with you. This makes you legal, and you won't have to worry about your immigration status.
Permanent residency status qualifies you for citizenship after a while (the amount of time depends on when the next election is- it seems Señor Chavez has been allowing people to become citizens if they'll vote for him). This is a great deal because Venezuela is issuing Andean Community passports that meet all the security requirements for travel in the modern world, and it's good for visa-free travel to 56 countries, including almost all of Europe. In today's world having a second passport is an extremely wise idea: you don't know what the future holds.
Doing Business
The ideal situation is to sell to the US or Europe (charging US or European prices) while living in a really low-cost place area that provides a high quality of life. Margarita is perfect for a digital entrepreneur who wants to do this. The money you make will go a lot further than you'd believe, and what you don't spend you can either save and invest or put back into your business.
Regulation of digital businesses on Margarita is non-existent. There are no licenses, permits or other issues involved. You can pretty much do what you want- and it isn't a matter of hiding, there's nothing to hide from. Because your status is essentially that of a tourist, you're handled with kid-gloves: the authorities don't want to annoy the goose that lays the golden eggs, so tourists are pretty much left alone to play and spend money.
Taxation is another interesting issue. As a US citizen, if you reside outside the US you've got an $86,000.00 tax exemption (your wife can also make $86,000.00), so you've got tax-free income between $86,000.00 and $172,000.00. Venezuela doesn't tax you on money you make outside the country, so in effect you've got the best of all worlds: an extremely low cost of living, high quality of life and no taxes.
What it comes down to is having a business model that works, and having the time to do business. A business model that wouldn't support you in the US might very well give you a lifestyle on Margarita that you couldn't ever have in the US. If you put the time and effort into your business you might eventually see it grow into a really nice income producer. While it's growing you'll avoid taxes and have a really low cost of living. At such a time as your income is high enough, you can take your business anywhere in the world that has a 'net connection.
We don't know of any place in the US where you can have such a low cost of living and high quality of life as Margarita, and with its excellent infrastructure it's a perfect place for a digital entrepreneur.
Copyright 2006 Bulletproof Retirement
All Rights Reserved



Brian Botta
[http://bulletproofretirement.com]

Why Smart People Are Buying Health Savings Accounts

No doubt about it, Colorado health insurance can get pretty expensive. In these difficult economic times, it's hard to fit insurance premiums into the family budget. Which is why instead of getting traditional health insurance, more and more Colorado residents are turning to health savings accounts (HSA). The reason: instead of paying insurance companies for a service that they may not use, they create a stable asset that grows year-over-year, and acts as a standby fund for emergency medical needs when they occur. In short, health savings accounts combine health insurance and investment.
There are two parts to obtaining an HSA. The first part is a high-deductible Colorado health insurance policy. As of 2009, the IRS defines as high-deductible any health insurance plan with a minimum deductible of $1,150 for single-coverage and $2,300 for a family, as well as a maximum out-of-pocket of $5,800 for single-coverage and $11,600 for family coverage. To get such an insurance plan, just approach a qualified agent or get an online quote from a health insurance website.
Once you have an HSA-qualified policy, you're eligible for the second part: a health savings account for covering present and future medical expenses. Anyone under 65 may open one with an accredited Colorado health insurance company that offers HSAs.
An HSA can be funded by an employee, an employer, or both. As of 2010, the maximum contribution is $3,050 for single-coverage and $6,150 for families. For seniors 55 years and above, they are allowed to pay "catch up" contributions of up to $1,000 to their accounts. HSAs are open to anyone with a qualified high-deductible plan, including employers of any size, employees, and the self-employed.
You can get a high-deductible health insurance plan without getting an HSA, but as you will see, HSAs have significant advantages that will appeal to the smart buyer:
Numerous tax advantages. First off, all the deposits you make to your HSA are tax-deductible - that is, you can exclude them from your gross taxable income. Second, any interest you earn from your HSA is tax-exempt. Third, when you use your funds to pay HSA-qualified expenses, like doctor's fees, prescription medicines, and so on, those too are tax-exempt. Lastly, in the event of death, your remaining funds are transferred to your designated beneficiary-tax-free.
Your HSA is a permanent plan. A health savings account endures even when you change your employment status. That is, you get to keep the funds you've accumulated even after you leave your job. This applies even if your employer has contributed to your fund.
Your funds may be used as savings. Because of the tax benefit on the interest, you can let your cash grow over the years. Moreover, unlike with a flexible savings account (FSA), any unused funds in your HSA is rolled over to the next year. By the time you reach the age of 65, you can withdraw your funds without penalty and use it however you want. This makes your HSA an excellent means of augmenting your retirement fund, so long as you stay healthy.
Note:You are allowed to withdraw for non-qualified reasons before the age of 65, but this will incur a 10% penalty.
An HSA provides flexibility on the medical services it covers. With HSAs, it's you, not an insurance company, who decide what you pay for. Your HSA can accomodate medical expenses not covered by the usual health insurance plan, including vision and dental care, medical equipment, related transportation costs, and non-traditional treatments like acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic care. Many kinds of HSA plans also cover prescription medicines.
An HSA is a lucrative option to a traditional Colorado health plan. Rather than paying premiums to an insurance company, your money goes to your own savings account. But not just any account-you're investing in your own health, which is the wisest investment there is.



Tim Hebert is the Managing Partner with Sage Benefit Advisors (http://sageba.com), a Colorado health insurance agency specializing in individual health insurance, group health insurance and employee benefits, and HSA plans paired with health savings accounts. Tim has been serving the health insurance needs of businesses, families, and individuals in Colorado for over 10 years.

Whistler and Sun Peaks Accommodations - Nancy Greene and the Dawn of BC Ski Resorts

From Olympic ski champion to winter resort entrepreneur, Nancy Greene Raine is truly Canada's alpine jewel. Greene achieved global recognition as one of the top ranked skiers with her performance in the 1967 World Cup and gold medal victory in the 1968 Olympic Games.
Aside from athletic competition and international glory, Nancy has played a powerful role in the development of Whistler Blackcomb and Sun Peaks accomodations, two of British Columbia's most prominent winter resort destinations. This article examines Greene's influential role in the growth and development of Whistler and Sun Peaks accomodations and her contribution to the success of both resorts.
Nancy's amazing achievement at the 1968 Olympics as well as victories in the succeeding World Cup allowed her to retire from racing at the age of 24 and begin a successful promotional career. Nancy and her husband, Al, have made skiing an endless profession, purchasing both Whistler and Sun Peaks accomodations and helping to promote and expand the status of both resorts.
The couple started by building a ski cabin in Whistler in 1970 and used their summers to coach on the glaciers. Both Nancy and Al saw that British Columbia had some of the finest mountains and snow in the world, and made it their goal to make Whistler a top ski attraction. While Al was greatly involved in the development of Whistler Village and the expansion of both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, Nancy used her prestigious status and cunning business etiquette to draw investors and visitors to the resort. Greene soon became the unofficial spokeswoman for Whistler and helped make it a key tourist destination.
In 1985, Nancy and Al built Nancy Greene's Olympic Lodge, the first accomodations in Whistler to be built and financed as a hotel. The success attained by the lodge marked a defining moment in improving Whistler's investment situation. The couple later sold the hotel in 1988, but stayed engaged in the amateur ski racing, volunteering as race officials or serving on committees for the International Ski Federation.
In 1994, Nancy and Al relayed their focus to Sun Peaks Resort in the interior of British Columbia as a new ski destination area. Sun Peaks accomodations at the time were extremely limited; infact, the Greene's built the first condominium hotel in Sun Peaks Village - Nancy Greene's Cahilty Lodge. Nancy not only promotes and does public relations for Sun Peaks accomodations, but she is also the Director of Skiing at Sun Peaks resort and skis with guests whenever she can.
As you can see, both Nancy and Al's involvement with Whistler Blackcomb and Sun Peaks resorts have contributed greatly to the success and prestige both resorts boast today.
Devon O'Malley is a staff writer for Allura Direct, an accomodation website offering powerful search and instant booking features for vacation rentals Ski with Nancy Greene and book your Sun Peaks accomodations today!

What We Want Is Luxury

It may seem incredible now, but people of a certain age will well recall the days when departing for ones annual holiday in a traditional seaside B & B could entail packing ones own towels and sheets because none were provided by the landlady. Breakfast was served strictly at a set time and if you had the misfortune to be slightly late, you had a very good chance of being excluded altogether. Woe betide you if you arrived back at your lodgings after a certain time, because you would probably find yourself locked out for the night!
Thankfully those days are now gone and long forgotten, showing how things change over time. But change is always ongoing, and a new trend seems to be manifesting in relation to our holidaying habits - a trend that the holiday makers of times past would never have imagined.
A major shift has taken place and what we now seem to be doing is replacing the traditional two week summer holiday, with several shorter ones, thus, breaking up our working year with short pleasurable experiences. A consequence of this is that we are looking to make each short break as memorable as possible to see us through to the next time. Increasingly, instead of just standard or above average hotels, what we want are luxury hotels.
There are certainly a great many luxury hotels to choose from spanning the length and breadth of the country and the upmarket facilities on offer are excellent. It is not unusual to have free use of gyms, Jacuzzis' saunas and pools, whilst additional facilities can be had at a very minimal additional charge such as beauty treatments, tennis or squash facilities. For those of us who cannot bear to be parted from our laptops, internet connections are readily available!
The main feature that really makes a luxury hotel though is undoubtedly, the décor and some of the interiors are truly astounding. Many luxury hotels have had refurbishments of millions of pounds - money very well spent when you see the result, with stylistic themes to please everyone ranging from Victorian Gothic / Edwardian right up to contemporary modern.
After the days activities are done and all one wants to do is settle down peacefully for the night, then once again a luxury hotel will be able to satisfy your every need - and in style.
The dining facilities are excellent, often with a choice of restaurants on site and with all manner of tastes catered for. Whether your preference is for Indian, Thai or a Traditional Roast you will probably find it at your luxury stopover.
And what of the traditional nightcap? Well, once again, a visit to the hotels' bar will provide you with your hearts desire, in lavish surroundings, before you retire.With so much to commend them and the contribution these hotels make to enhancing our breaks, we can see why increasingly, what we want is luxury.



Get away this year, visit this superlative website for a grand choice of luxury hotels in the sun!
Amit Biswas - Lantrix Online Solutions

Principles of Risk Management and Insurance (10th Edition)

 Principles of Risk Management and Insurance focuses primarily on the consumers of insurance, and the text blends basic risk management and insurance principles with consumer considerations. Praised for its depth and breadth of coverage, the Tenth Edition provides even more flexibility in its organization by giving an overview of the insurance industry first, before discussing specific plans.
Basic Concepts in Risk Management and Insurance: Risk in Our Society; Insurance and Risk; Introduction to Risk Management; Advanced Topics in Risk Management; The Private Insurance Industry: Types of Insurers and Marketing Systems; Insurance Company Operations; Financial Operations of Insurers; Government Regulation of Insurance; Legal Principles in Risk and Insurance: Fundamental Legal Principles; Analysis of Insurance Contracts; Life and Health Risks: Life Insurance; Life Insurance Contractual Provisions; Buying Life Insurance; Annuities and Individual Retirement Accounts; Individual Health Insurance Coverages; Employee Benefits: Group Health Insurance; Employee Benefits: Retirement Plans; Social Insurance; Personal Property and Liability Risks: The Liability Risk; Homeowners Insurance, Section I; Homeowners Insurance, Section II; Auto Insurance; Auto Insurance and Society; Other Property and Liability Insurance Coverages; Commercial Property and Liability Risks: Commercial Property Insurance; Commercial Liability Insurance; Crime Insurance and Surety Bonds. For all readers interested in risk management and insurance.
Price: $194.00

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Pilot [HD]

Retirement Decision Maker Display (Pack of 24).
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Retired Decision Maker

Fun Dice for Retired Person
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Pilot

JUST WHAT ARE FINANCIAL CALCULATORS, AND HOW CAN THEY BE USEFUL TO ME?

This simple-to-use software program consists of financial calculators which can help you make important financial decisions in areas ranging from home financing (how much house can I afford?) to retirement planning (how much do I need to save to retire a millionaire?) It can also show you how much money you can save if you make 1/2 of your mortgage payment every two weeks instead of making a full mortgage payment once a month. You'll be amazed! Plus so much more!

PARTIAL LIST OF FINANCIAL CALCULATORS INCLUDE:

LOAN CALCULATORS
Missing Loan-Term Calculator
Simple Loan Calculator
Payment Breakdown Calculator
Loan Comparison Calculator
Loan Calculator w/Amortization

MORTGAGE CALCULATORS
Mortgage Qualification Calculator
Bi-Weekly Mortgage Calculator
Mortgage Refinancing Calculator
Mortgage Payoff Goal Calculator
Simple Mortgage Payment Calculator
Average Interest Rate Calculator

INVESTMENT STRATEGY CALCULATORS
Portfolio Mix Calculator

BUDGETING CALCULATORS
Budget Percent Calculator
Irregular Payment Calculator
Cash Flow Calculator
Net Worth Calculator
Rapid Debt-Repayment Calculators

FINANCIAL LESSON CALCULATORS
Compound It!
Debt Investment Calculator
Real Hourly Wage Calculator
Appliance Operating Cost Calculator
Lifetime Savings Calculator
Lifetime Earnings Calculator

PRESENT VALUE CALCULATORS
Monthly Deposit Time Calculator
Savings Goal Calculator
Lump Sum Savings Calculator
Retirement Savings Calculator

FUTURE VALUE CALCULATORS
Future Value of a Single Deposit
Future Value of Periodic Deposits

AUTOMOBILE CALCULATORS
Miles Per Gallon Calculator
Car Cost Comparison Calculator

AND MORE!

From time to time, we add new calculators to the above list. All you need to do, once you have the program installed, is click the UPDATE button, and you will be connected to our UPDATE web page (you must have Internet access.) There you can download the most current version of the program.
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Federal Worker Coalition: Don't Damage Our Pensions to Cut Debt

The Federal-Postal Coalition, representing about two dozen organizations of federal employees, is urging President Obama and congressional leaders "to reject proposals that will prove damaging to federal employees in any final agreement over raising our nation's debt ceiling."



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Think, Write & Retire - The Easy Way To Build Massive Wealth

Five Step-by-Step Training Courses To Become An Internet Infopreneur & Turn Words Into Cash. Affiliates: Get Quick 50% Commissions, Powerful, Tested & Proven Marketing Messages. Visit www.ThinkWriteRetire.com/aff/ for Free Affiliate Tools!

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The Ultimate Guide to Retiring & Investi

Detailed information about Panama will allow you to discover why so many are retiring and investing in Panama.

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2011 Federal Benefits (FEHB) Open Season Dates Announced

During the open season, employees can take certain actions for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS), and the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP)



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NARFE Opposes Change in Retirement COLA Formula

According to several news sources last week, debt reduction negotiations between lawmakers and the White House could include lowering cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for Social Security -- which would likely also affect the COLAs for federal retirement pensions



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Retire Early? Make the SMART Choices

Are You Considering Early Retirement?Do You Know Someone Who Is Considering This Momentous Decision?
With Retire Early? Make the SMART Choices, Steven Silbiger, CPA, offers a short guide to the big issues of retirement planning—packed on every page with detailed, step-by-step advice. Choosing when to retire is one of the most important—and overlooked—decisions we will make about our lives. Silbiger, author of The Ten-Day MBA, has written the first guide that untangles the complicated issues surrounding early retirement, based on careful research about the money pitfalls retirees and near-retirees face. He delivers an understandable roadmap that demystifies the confusion about Social Security benefits, and clarifies the choices for anyone considering when and how to retire.
Are you thinking about getting the early Social Security check? It can be tempting, but for many this can be a foolhardy decision. For others, it makes perfect sense. Making the smart choice about when to retire can make a $100,000 difference for an individual and $200,000 for a couple. Silbiger guides readers through the key variables that affect the decision to elect early Social Security retirement benefits:

• What are your early benefits and penalties?
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• Are you planning on working while retired?
• What are your cash needs during retirement?

By getting a grip on how to manage our investments, cash flow, and real estate, Silbiger shows how we can put thousands of dollars more into our pockets every year. He addresses vital questions about money and retirement that include:

• Tapping your nest egg for retirement—how to make ends meet?
• Which retirement investments are for you?
• Are you prepared to fend off scam artists?

Through it all, you'll meet everyday people who have faced the early retirement question and learned how to make the smart choices. Silbiger provides the tools, worksheets, and assessments to avoid costly mistakes, take charge of your financial future, and choose the path to a secure, happy retirement.
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OPM Provides 2011 Federal Benefits Open Season Checklist

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has released a checklist for employees to prepare for the 2011 Federal Benefits Open Season



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Federal Income Tax Withholding Calculator

You may want to adjust your federal income tax withholding to avoid owing a lot of money when you file your taxes. This online calculator can help you



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Federal Employees: How Would Potential Debt Default Affect Us?

Last week, more than 20 groups representing federal employees, managers and retirees asked Obama administration officials how their members would be affected in the event Congress does not raise the national debt ceiling by August 2



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OPM, EEOC Continue Work to Address Gender Wage Gap

Today, women are paid an average of 77 cents for every dollar paid to men, and the numbers are even worse for African American women and Latinas. Studies show that a significant portion of this "gender wage gap" cannot be explained by nondiscriminatory factors. For federal government employees the gap is smaller, but has not been closed yet.



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About Retirement Communities

Retirement communities are communities made up of people who are nearing or have already reached retirement age living in private residences or accommodation and enjoy either independent or assisted living depending on their preferences. The primary advantage of living in a retirement community is having instant access to a community that's specifically designed and established to provide attractive lifestyles for its residents.
The Difference about Life Care and Continuing Care Retirement Communities -

The difference between the two types of retirement communities can be easily distinguished by spelling out what life care retirement communities must consist of, or at least according to the state of California:
A life care retirement community must provide healthcare to its residents up until the end and no matter what type of disease or disorder he or she is suffering from.

A retirement community who wants to provide its residents with good service should also provide lifetime basic benefits - and that means food and shelter - to its residents even when they have already and completely consumed their financial and non-financial resources.

Nursing facilities should also be a part of the retirement community services, for its residents and which must be located within the community.

A life care retirement community must never withdraw the residential properties they have allocated for their residents.
Benefits of Living in Retirement Communities
Instant and Efficient Healthcare - One of the most important guarantees that retirement communities can provide is instant healthcare for its residents. Also, when you join a retirement community, your medical history will be immediately processed by the community organizers. Thus, in the event that you get involved in a medical emergency, physicians assigned to your case will have a good idea of what has happened to you based on your medical history.
Communal Aspect of Living - There will be certain parts of your life which will require you to adopt a communal lifestyle. Some retirement communities, for instance, provide food in a public dining room. As such, you'll have to join other residents of the community during mealtimes.



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7 Reasons Why Your Clients Should Think About Retirement

1. Your clients want the freedom to choose early retirement. The recent flexibility of acceptable retirement ages has given Canadians more to consider when planning their future. How can you be sure your client will have sufficient asset to be able to choose early retirement? Like any successful business relies on a business plan for its success individuals need a retirement plan. With the help of a financial planning professional this can be a worth while exercise yielding excellent results in future income planning as well as peace of mind today.
2. Your client feels that CPP & OAS will not provide himself or herself with a sufficient standard of living in his or her retirement years. Most Canadians do not feel government benefits alone will be sufficient for retirement. However, it is also true that most Canadians have not taken a structured approach to retirement planning. The Individual Pension Plan has been implemented by many business owners and professionals as a means to contribute up to 60% more than RRSPs allow into their retirement assets.
3. Does your client find RRSP limits, limiting? Incorporated professional and business owner are eligible to set up an Individual Pension Plan and/or Retirement Compensation Arrangement and take advantage of higher contribution amounts than are currently available through RRSPs. In some cases these limits can range from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars above current RRSP limits.
4. Is creditor proofing your clients' retirement assets important to you? If your client owns his or her own business and is relying on the sale of the business to fund his or her retirement then creditor proofing those assets now would provide a peace of mind. Retained earnings within a business are vulnerable to the slings and arrows of the business cycle and RRSPs are not completely creditor proofed. Both the Individual Pension Plan and (non-leveraged) Retirement Compensation Arrangement are 100% creditor proofed and allow for contributions to be made from the company directly into your client's retirement plan of choice.
5. Does your client wish to defer tax on a portion of his or her earnings until their retirement years? If your client makes more than he or she consume in a calendar year then your client may wish to defer tax on a portion of his or her income until he or she retire when their marginal tax rate may be lower. The IPP allows your client to make tax deductible contributions from his or her pre-tax corporate dollars to their Individual Pension Plan. These contributions will not be taxed until your client retires and withdraws an annual pension. The Retirement Compensation Arrangement (RCA) also allows your client to make contributions from their corporation to their RCA until his or her retirement from the company. Both products are unique and appeal to different situations. To find out if these situations apply to your client it is recommended to work with a employee benefit consultant.
6. Has your client considered how much he or she will need in terms of annual income at retirement? It is difficult for many Canadians to translate their contributory plans into annual income needed to support them over their lifetime. The individual Pension Plan is unique from the RRSP in that it provides an individual with various annual income figures depending on that individual's retirement age. This annual income is based on assumptions specific to the individual. Other factors used to ensure a Pension Benefit includes annual contributions made to the Plan as well as market performance. Every 3 years the Actuary will review the plan making sure it stays on track.
7. Has your client seen the market drop dramatically in the past few years and wondered if there is any protection for his or her retirement savings? Unlike the RRSP there are conservative investment guidelines for Pension Plans. They must be diversified, a safety first approach to investing. Also, they must earn an interest rate of 7.5%. Many Canadians have seen their RRSP assets depreciate over the past 5 years with no recourse or additional contribution room to make up for these losses. If for any reason your client's IPP portfolio underperforms, your client has the opportunity to make up the losses with additional tax deductible contributions - an option not found in the RRSP.
IPPs and the other complementary financial solutions require specialties in areas such as accounting, actuary evaluation, investment management, pension legislation, employment law and employee benefit plan construction. Many financial professionals will need to seek educational and consulting services to aid them in the set-up, maintenance and wind-up stages of these solutions. Therefore, it is well worth the time and money to hire an executive and employee benefit consultant to assist in the design, implementation and maintenance of these solutions.
Peter Merrick is a proud member of AdvisorWorld.com. For more information or to find a financial advisor

Coordinating With Your Spouse About Retirement

Retirement is something that most of us look forward to with great relish: the prospect of having the freedom to relax, to travel, to pursue dreams, to take up new occupations... indeed, retirement means something different for each of us. But for most people, retirement is not solitary act. Our spouses or partners will have just as much to say about how we pursue our retirement dreams as we do.
It happens time and again that a couple will live together for decades and develop completely different ideas about what their eventual retirement will look like. The rush of day-to-day life, especially if both people are working, prevents a couple from sharing each other's dreams and ideas about retirement in any significant way, beyond the occasional idle chit-chat. When retirement age finally rolls around, there may be serious misunderstandings. In order to prevent a marital crisis at the age of 65, it's best to do some serious advance planning in tandem with your spouse or partner.
Most important, talk openly about what you both want. Starting a small business will require tapping into funds that are important for both of you. Even if you are not equally passionate about the prospective business, you must be in complete agreement about risking a portion of your retirement nest egg to fund it. Talk about the business, talk about the funding, and talk about how it will be run. Don't discourage your entrepreneurial spouse from pursing a lifelong dream, but make sure that he or she fully understands what role you intend to play -- or not play -- in chasing that dream.
Likewise, perhaps you own a beach house that you've been using for years as a getaway destination; it just "goes without saying" that you'll move there full-time when you retire, right? Don't be so fast. Maybe your spouse quietly dreams about selling that beach house for a bundle and buying a stone villa in Tuscany. Talk, talk, and talk some more. It may take a long preparatory period for your dreams to come into synch with those of your spouse. Be prepared to compromise, and to envision alternative futures for the two of you together.
You also need to be in synch about your money. Among most married couples or partners, it usually works out that one side takes on the role of money manager while the other takes a back seat. Alternatively, some couples, particular if both are high earners, manage their respective incomes separately, even investing separately. In either case, make sure that you both know how much you have as a couple, and how much you each have separately. Educate each other about where this money is. It's remarkable how many couples don't have a clue. The reality of family finances may render some retirement dreams just that: dreams. You have to know how much that villa in Tuscany is going to cost, and how it's going to get paid for, before you base all your hopes for the future on it.
If you and your spouse or partner invest separately, coordinate with each other at least to the extent that your combined investments are allocated logically. There are various techniques for allocating investments among different categories of stocks and bonds, depending on your income, age, years to retirement, and risk tolerance; most portfolios for thirty-somethings are at least 80 percent invested in stocks, with some investment in international stocks and more volatile small-company stocks; as one nears retirement, the portfolio should become more heavily weighted in bonds and other fixed-income vehicles. Your investments combined with your spouse's should follow an allocation pattern that is suitable for the two of you as a couple.
Finally, you have to agree on when to retire. This will to some degree be determined by your financial situation. If you both work, one of you may well want to work longer than the other, meaning in most cases that you'll stay in your preretirement home until the partner who works longer is ready to call it quits. What will the retired partner do with his or her time in the meanwhile? Again, talk it over, and be realistic and honest with yourself and with each other.
If you and your spouse or partner have never talked about these issues, then start now. You can begin by each drawing up a list of ideas and scenarios for retirement that are appealing -- find those ideas that are common between the two of you, and build from there. Don't wait so long that the first item of business in your retirement is a separation agreement.



Robert Mccormack has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Retirement Guidelines, Coordinating with Your Spouse About Retirement. you can also check out his latest website about:
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Baby Boomer Guide to Thinking About Retirement

Are You A Boomer Worried About Retirement?
It seems that many younger baby boomers, those who are still under retirement age, are more and more concerned about having a comfortable golden age. Unlike previous generations, they have not been able to rely upon their retirement accounts or company retirement plans.
What Are Some Retirement Concerns that Boomers Have?

Many companies have terminated long time employees in order to get cheaper labor. Other companies have reduced or eliminated retirement benefits.
Today's boomers are aware that social security benefits will not be enough to provide a comfortable retirement either. This benefit was only meant to supplement other income or savings. People who have to depend upon this income are likely to have to make a lot of sacrifices in order to pay bills.
Medicare benefits may not be enough to provide enough coverage for health costs. The original plan still has a lot of deductibles, copays, and limits. So some additional supplemental insurance will be needed. In addition, Medicare does not cover long term care. So people are concerned about the cost of nursing care when they are older.
Recent economic woes have reduced the value of many retirement savings accounts. The stock market is down. Besides that, banks are paying very low interest on savings accounts or CDs.
Other costs have risen, and so many boomers have not been able to sock away as much money for retirement as they planned to.
But we boomers are a smart, flexible, and hardy lot. And it is up to us to consider some solutions to our current worries.
What, Me Retire?
One factor in boomers favor is the fact that our generation can expect to live longer and healthier lives than people could a few years ago. Because of this, many boomers plan to extend their working years. Some do plan to retire from their current job, but plan to supplement their income with part-time or contract work after that. Others figure that traditional retirement age is the perfect time to start that small business they always dreamed of. So for many baby boomers, retirement will not be the end of work. It will just be the end of the first stage of work.
Some boomers are getting an early start by working at a moonlighting business. Instead of investing in traditional savings accounts, they are investing in themselves.
Financial Planing For Retirement
Boomers are also reevaluating their financial planning so they be ready for retirement. Since savings and investments may be lower than planned, they are trying to figure out how to budget for more savings by cutting their lifestyles now. They may also be considering different financial products to help cover long term needs.

Life insurance and annuity products may help provide income or help them plan to transfer an estate. There are a variety of different products to consider.
Long term care insurance can help pay for nursing costs if they need it in the future. Since Medicare does not cover long term care, and since a large percentage of people will need some form of care in the future, this is a valid concern.
Frugal is in fashion and boomers are getting on board. Many have decided to downsize or adjust their lifestyles so current bills are reduced while retirement savings accounts are supplemented.




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Are You A Baby Boomer Not Willing To Think About Retirement?

When the baby boomers were young, retirement seemed like something so far off that it was tough to imagine it. So many changes were ocurring in the world and there were so many other issues that were more pressing at the time that the thought of retirement did not seem like it was important. So why think about it? Civil rights and nuclear war were the important issues of the times.
Fast forward a few decades and many baby boomers have found themselves in an awkward situation. They have become the person they did not want to trust when they were younger. The boomers are close to retirement but many are not ready to take the leap, or more importantly, not willing to leave the working force in the near future. There could be many reasons why some aging baby boomers have no plans for retirement.
A job or a profession to some is what makes the person a member of the community. It makes the person feel important for the years of service given and the number of accomplishments one has achieved. These are things that some people hold on to which makes retirement hard to accept.
The psychological impact makes it hard for someone who has lived in a fast paced world to adjust to a life that is at a more leisurely pace. How many times have you heard that a person has died just a few months after retirement? The shift in pace may be the emotional trauma that killed them.
Another reason is perhaps the person who is still employed is just waiting for the right moment or package that the company will give out to its employees. Such issues are whether or not the retirement package that is being offered is higher than the projected earnings if one stays employed or if the retirement fund can be used immediately once it has been given. In other words, there are just to many factors to consider that it is easier and less scary to keep working.
Some aging baby boomers can get more just waiting for the normal retirement age than accepting the company's early retirement plan. Instead of saving, they could end up forfeiting and miss out on opportunities to make additional contributions to the plan.
The aging baby boomers who don't want to retire yet are also concerned if the offer given by the company includes post-retirement medical insurance. This is because Medicare doesn't start until one has reached the age of 65 and the cost of getting private insurance is getting more and more expensive. Most are just not able to afford the insurance that they would need.
The most important reason that will make some aging baby boomers stay on the job is that regardless of age, they strongly believe that they can contribute more to society being at a job then in retirement.



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Do You Know The Biggest Mistake In Most Retirement Advice About Retirement Income?

How much retirement income do you really need to retire? After reading many warnings to people about the need to save money for retirement, I have come to the conclusion that most of the financial retirement advice addressed to consumers is bad advice because it is based on a limited understanding of money.
Most personal finance retirement planning articles round up the usual suspects of retirement planning and list them as reasons to be afraid that you don't have enough money to retire:

Most people have not saved enough money.
Prices will go up and up.
You will probably need more for medical expenses as you age.

And worst of all (!), you might live 20-30 years after retirement at age 65 and will probably outlive your money.

Such retirement advice articles explain all the ways you can calculate how much retirement income you will need, what costs will go up and what costs might go down.
Most retirement planning articles assume that you will pay off your mortgage. They also assume that your only sources of retirement income will be retirement funds, pensions, and Social Security. These articles often help you calculate how much of your nest egg you can safely withdraw each year to avoid running out of money.
The unexamined assumptions of such articles create fear in the minds of people. They do not teach anyone the single most important skill required to live those 20-30 years beyond retirement age in abundance: how to make money.
Every single one of these money fears is based on a single assumption. After you retire from your job, your retirement income will be fixed because you won't earn any more money. This is one of the biggest money limitations imaginable. You must anticipate an uncertain future in which the money available to you is limited by the amount of money you amassed in your earning years.
According to typical personal finance retirement planning advice, you are supposed to imagine living 20-30 years without making any new money, completely dependent upon what you earned in your working life. This type of retirement advice also depends on an unstated assumption that the amount of money you have available to you as retirement income also depends on the decisions of other people.
Other people will decide whether or not you still have a pension, whether or not you still have Social Security income, the amount of interest you earn on your "safe" savings accounts and CDs (certificates of deposit), and the returns on your mutual funds.
This is why such articles create fear. They teach that your only security is to amass as much money as you can while you are still earning an income, and then use it very carefully before it is all gone. The underlying assumption is that you will have no other sources of additional income.
In other words, you are essentially powerless to increase your retirement income after you retire from your job.
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Don't Blow Your Retirement By Forgetting About Retirement Planning Software And It's Many Uses

So, your retirement date is finally drawing near and chances are you probably have lots of unanswered questions about how to securely and safely retire in style. Don't be alarmed, many soon to be retirees feel the same way and have just as many unanswered questions as you do, which is why a large number invest in retirement planning software. The rational behind this endeavor is to help answer your retirement questions so that you are fully prepared and ready for a new lease on life once you are finally ready to retire.
Sadly, there are a large number of people that retire but fail to properly plan in order to kick back and enjoy the life of freedom they deserve after working for so many years. These folks need assistance in finding the right information so they can implement a proper retirement plan, especially if that day is just around the corner.
Fortunately, with the right retirement planning software you are more then capable of creating the best retirement plan that will help you achieve all of the goals you have planned during your retirement. Normally, retirement planning software is easy to use and most provide a step-by-step action guide that can be used to follow along with as you plan out your retirement with the software.
As you would expect, you will be able to actually create your retirement plan in the comfort of your own home and on your own personal computer with retirement planning software. This convenience of planning out your retirement in your house combined with the ease to use retirement planning software will go a long ways toward putting your own retirement anxieties at ease as you prepare for the next chapter in your life.
In fact using retirement planning software to facilitate the planning of your retirement will have you feeling much better about your decision to retire as you see your retirement questions answered right before your eyes.
Because there are so many different retirement planning software programs on the market you will have no problem finding the right solutions to your retirement needs. Although all of the current retirement planning software programs help you in adding your monetary figures and numbers, and by placing your appropriate data in the right location, there will be some programs that seem to stand out in terms of helping you develop a retirement plan that is going to suit you and your family the most.
You can easily purchase retirement planning programs in many stores that sell computer software but if your heart is set on one particular program you can just as easily order it from an online provider. Naturally, there are many different versions but ultimately the choice of which program to choose will be entirely up to you and based on your retirement questions, situation and needs. Additionally, there will be a wide range of costs between each of the retirement planning software and programs. Just keep in mind that the most expensive program isn't always the best choice. Although some will justify the price and be worth the extra expense based on their ability to help ensure a better and brighter future during your retirement.
Remember, In the long run using retirement planning software will save you money because you are doing all of the planning yourself and it will show you where to invest and how to plan your retirement the correct way.



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