There’s no time better than the beginning of the year to set some fiscal goals and create a plan for improving your financial situation. You are probably ready for a brand new beginning and the thought of sticking to a budget after the holiday spending spree might sound a little more appealing than it would at any other time of year. Here is a step-by-step guide to create some annual goals as well as a financial plan that will help usher in a whole new financial foundation for you and your family.

'We don't want to be all things to all people,' says one agency manager, 'so we want to identify a niche for Life insurance agents to master. Do you have any suggestions?'

INVEST ESOP DIVIDENDS INTO A 401(k) An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) allows workers to invest a percentage of income into their company. Most stocks produce quarterly dividends in t...

NOW IS ALWAYS THE BEST TIME TO SELL YOUR AGENCY, RIGHT? by Chris Burand According to a number of recent articles, small business owners should sell their businesses today to avoid large i...

TEN QUESTIONS SENIORS SHOULD ASK BEFORE BUYING AN ANNUITY by Jim Summers Senior Americans considering the purchase of an annuity to help save for or provide income during retirement shou...

In the early 1990s a state insurance commissioner, in a Wall Street Journal front-page article, called insurance agents the 'buggy-whip makers' of the late 20th century. Several years later, you seem to be doing just fine, and in many cases, even better than investors in other areas. Kevin Stipe offers an overview of the insurance agency as an investment vehicle in this document.