Lifestyle Design Group International

What and Why of Life Settlements

2009-09-24T03:03:49Z

What and Why of Life Settlements

Financial Life Line Radio Interview

2009-07-28T07:10:17Z

Financial Life Line Radio Interview

“Thank you for taking the time to be our guest on Financial Life Line Radio. Your interview segment was great!”

Dennis
Producer
Financial Lifeline Radio
Global American Broadcasting

College Aid Strategy

2009-11-18T19:07:39Z

Inside This Special Consulting Report: Here’s What Every Parent Should Know…

“How You Can Beat The High Cost Of College
And Avoid Going Broke…
Amazing New Insider’s Secrets To
Getting The Most Money Possible!”

At last, you can end the frustration of wondering how in the world you’ll be able to financially afford the enormous cost of your child’s college education… Discover the astonishing new breakthrough that’s saving parents thousands of dollars!

Dear Friend,

Hi! My name is Thomas Quinlin. I’m a financial services consultant who has been educating parents just like you about how to obtain thousands of dollars for their college bound student. They’ve discovered how to avoid making the biggest mistakes that most others make… and how to get their hands on more money than they ever knew existed!

If you’re like most of the parents I’ve met, you are filled with anxiety and stress as you try to figure out a magic way to come up with the astronomical amount of money you’ll need to pay for your child’s college education.

Well, once you’re finished reading this report…

You Can End The Financial Worries Once And For All!

See, I’ve been teaching parents how to not only survive their paying-for-college years, but how to do so in a way that provides them a lifetime of financial peace and security.

And even though these unique methods have been used for a few years now, they are still not readily available in the mainstream of information that most parents and students seek to help them out. These perfectly legal and proven ways that can ensure that you’ll receive the most money possible are almost impossibly hard to get…

They’ve been kept under wraps, and well hidden from the public!

Why?

We’ve discovered two very significant reasons as to why parents aren’t getting this critical information they need to handle the costs of college…

1. Most of the “regular” advisors, such as financial consultants, guidance counselors and college financial aid offices and their advisors… simply don’t know about these inside strategies!

Strange, but true… most of the ones we’ve spoken with haven’t the slightest idea how this works. What this means, of course, is that they can’t pass this money-saving information on to you – because they don’t know!

2. The colleges want your money, and that’s the bottom-line.

Now, don’t get me wrong - I know that our institutes need funding just like anything else, but…

Can You Afford To Needlessly Pay Thousands Of Extra Dollars Out Of Your Pocket When You Don’t Have To?

If your answer is “No”, and you don’t want (or can’t afford!) to fall victim to the merciless hands of bureaucratic red tape that can cost you thousands… then let’s move on and cover what you need to know to avoid this from happening!

However, before we begin, let’s run over a few important things.

Did you know that the average cost of a college education today usually ranges between $10,000 to $30,000 per year? And that these costs are rising at an 7 to 8% every year?

If you multiply this figure by four to get the total cost for a four year degree for one child… that’s $40,000 to $120,000 you’ll need to pay!

Wow! That’s a lot of dough.

Now multiply this number by the number of children you may have going to college… WOW!!!!

Is it any wonder that nearly all parents need help with paying these expenses?

You Are Not Alone!

Actually, you are among 5 million others who desperately need college funding help each and every year! And if you think about this for a minute, you’ll realize why so many parents find it so tough to receive financial assistance…

With so many others out there in need of this money, it’s all being used up!

But if you’re fortunate enough to get an inside look at the college funding bureaucratic ways, it immediately comes to light that it is just supposedly being all used up!

The financial aid offices and scholarship boards have us falling hook, line and sinker…

They Need To Secure Their Profits… So They Only Dish Out Some Of The Money Instead Of ALL Of It!

How can they do this?

We’ve found two of the biggest loopholes that consequently devastate the college-paying public:

First, they only make the public aware of the everyday-type student loans, scholarships, grants and financial aid that are supposedly available.

You’re handed a stack of standard application forms to fill out, and you’re fortunate if they even wish you “good luck” on filling them out, let alone explain them to you!

And if you’re denied, oh well! Or if you don’t receive as much as you need, oh well!

They’re not worried… they’ll still fill up their rosters of new students whose parents cashed out their life insurance policies, mortgaged their home to the hilt, sold their personal possessions, took out high-interest loans, took a blow from pulling investment funds early, and so on. Basically…

Parents Have Literally Wiped Out Their Life Savings To Pay For Their Child’s College Education!

Do you think anyone processing your applications cares at all that parents struggle and spend their life’s savings in order to send their child to a particular college?

No!

Now, some of these applicants may get some financial assistance, but many get none at all. What matters is that so many parents have no idea that there alternative ways to come up with the cash they need!

DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!

Take the story of Bob and Ellen, a couple who would do anything to make their daughter Cathy’s dream of going to a prestigious private school come true. And I mean, anything!

Cathy had always been a good student. Her ambitious hopes and dreams always spelled achievement for her. She kind of had that magic touch, especially when it came to school.

Not to say she didn’t go through those teenage years we’re all familiar with… when they start switching groups of friends to see where they fit in best, refusing to listen to or even be around their parents, skip some school to be “cool”, blow off their homework to go out with their friends, etc.

You know, the kind of stuff that makes the parents wonder what they may have done wrong! But as it usually goes, Cathy grew out of this stage. And overall, she was a pretty good kid.

And she wanted to go on to college to study science, just like her father.

Her parents couldn’t have been happier with her decision! Cathy’s mom cried in excitement; her father’s pride was bursting at the seams!

That evening, their excitement quickly turned to trepidation as they started researching the high costs of college. Applying for financial aid was something Bob or Ellen had no idea how to even begin.

Fortunately, Ellen remembered receiving a flier from Cathy’s high school inviting them to a College Financial Aid night.

And so they went to it. They got all sorts of advice on which schools were the best, and filled out the applications. Because Cathy had always managed to keep her grade point average way up, and had scored well on her SAT’s, she received letters of acceptance from three different schools!

The Shocking Truth…

Upon receiving her acceptance letters, Bob and Ellen’s excitement quickly turned to fear as reality struck. When they saw the amount of money they’d need to fulfill Cathy’s college dream (and theirs!), their stomach’s turned into knots.

Where on earth would they come up with this kind of money?

Bob had a pretty good job at a local chemical plant, which provided a decent paycheck. And Ellen worked part-time at a nice department store, which provided some extra income.

They had heard a long time ago to start a college fund, but never quite got around to it. They had made a few investments, like IRA plans, and Bob’s 401K plan through work. They also had a substantial amount in their savings account, and a bit in some mutual funds and CD’s, but not a whole lot.

Although some may have considered them pretty well off, they’ve had many years of struggling from one paycheck to the next. After all, they had two younger children in addition to Cathy that they had to feed, clothe and take care of. And they also had some serious credit card debt.

Bob and Ellen were worried. The little extra money they did have was mostly tied up in investments… so how could they pull off paying for Cathy’s college without being financially wiped out?

In the meantime, Cathy took it upon herself to get some college advice from her high school guidance office. She wasn’t quite sure of what all to ask, but she tried. She told her counselor of her college plans, and was handed over a pile of financial aid forms.

Cathy and her parents hovered over their kitchen table, night after night, filling out them out.

Bob asked one of his co-workers, whose wife worked at the local community college, for any advice he could possibly get from her on how to “work the system” to get the money they so badly needed. He came back the next day, with some more forms for Bob, and shrugged his shoulders when he said his wife wasn’t aware of any way to beat the high costs.

At the same time, Ellen wrote a letter to the dean of the college, in desperate hopes to gaining some advice from the head honcho of the ivory towers. To her dismay, she was sent some of the same forms she already had, and told to contact the financial aid office for any further assistance.

Well, they had already tried that route, to no avail! No one seemed to care, nor be in much of a hurry to help them out!

After filling out every form they thought possibly existed in getting financial aid, grants and scholarships… they were basically turned down.

Well, they got a little bit of financial aid, but not much. It was barely enough to make a dent.

Upon questioning the meager amounts they received, one consistent answer rang through…

“You Make Too Much Money!”

They couldn’t believe it! How could they be considered to be making too much money, when sometimes it seemed like they could hardly make ends meet?

They thought they had filled out the forms accurately. They followed all the instructions. They gave all of their personal financial information exactly as they were told to.

What could have gone wrong? Couldn’t they see that they really needed the money?

Then it dawned on them. When they reviewed the information they had provided on the applications, it DID look like they made too much money.

In disgust, Ellen wept, “Why don’t they bother to find out HOW this money we earn is being spent on everyday necessities for the family, and for our retirement future so we don’t go broke?!?!”

After being denied the money they needed to send Cathy off to college, they had to take some desperate measures. Bob drew his money out early of his 401K plan, and their IRA’s, which cost them dearly in penalties for doing so. And they closed out their CD’s and drained their mutual fund accounts.

Ellen met with the bank, and took a second mortgage out on the house (They were fortunate… friends of theirs didn’t have enough equity in their home to get a second mortgage and had to send their child to a less expensive school than the one she was originally accepted at!)

After all this, they were finally able to send Cathy off to college.

We’re happy to tell you that Cathy is doing well, and is about to graduate with honors. However, as proud as her parents are of her accomplishment, they will never forget the financial blow they took to get this all to happen… today, they are still only left with their checking account.

What Was The Biggest Mistake They Made?
They didn’t seek the right help!

They took the advice of the guidance counselor, the financial aid office, and some friends.

However, I do have to say, it wasn’t ALL their fault.

Remember all those application forms they had to fill out? They’re so complicated and complex, almost everyone fills them out inaccurately.

In fact, this is the second loophole the colleges have that almost every applicant falls into…

There Are So Many “Gray” Areas On The Applications Forms… Most Parents Fill Them Out Inaccurately And Are Denied The Money They Need!

These gray areas are the major cause of being denied financial assistance. Most parents are immediately labeled “ineligible” based on the information they provide in these gray areas!

Believe me, I’ve seen many parents who really need the money, but have been denied just because no one bothered to share with them the ins and outs of how to accurately fill out the complex forms, full of loopholes that make you ineligible! (And saves the college from giving out more money!)

One of the first things I train my clients on are these forms. Armed with the right applications, the right reports, the right forms, and the right way to fill them out with the right information…

Makes You The Recipient Of A Whole Lot More Money!

This insightful information that other parents are discovering makes them more aware of exactly how much aid is available to them than even the financial aid officers at the schools! They’ve got more alternatives and creative knowledge that makes their applications for college funding become eligible for need-based aid, so they get the money!

Even if you make a significant amount of money, you can go from being ineligible to structuring your information so that you will become eligible for need-based aid, and that makes you eligible for financial aid!

See, there are two different types of financial aid: Need-based and Non-Need-Based.

NON-Need-Based aid includes scholarships awarded to students because of academic or athletic achievement. These non-need-based scholarships are also awarded because of ethnic, racial or some other criteria.

The main characteristic distinguishing this type of aid from need-based is that the student gets the award regardless of how much money the parents have!

For example, if a student scores 1600 on the college boards or plays basketball and scores 30 points per game, that student will get scholarship money, even if his/her parents are millionaires!

If the student has a chance of this type of scholarship, they don’t need to do anything. The scholarship issuing body will find them.

Other scholarships need to be applied for if your child doesn’t get offered them due to their academic skills, sports abilities and so on. But the scholarships that are well known are very competitive, which makes them hard to rely on (or not, which is more often the case!). You have to cross your fingers and hope that your child becomes the recipient of these scholarships that so many others apply for as well.

And, there’s another enormous problem that college bound students have when searching for various scholarships they can hopefully be rewarded… they are difficult to find!

We personally don’t get into supplying this type of financial assistance because…

These Types Of Scholarships Represent Only 1% Of The Total Amount Of Aid Available… And The Chances Of Anyone Qualifying For This Type Of Aid Is Slim To None!

Plus, in many cases, even if someone gets this type of aid in the form of non-need-based scholarships, it often just reduces the amount of need-based aid they qualify for!

Colleges reduce their award package by the amount of scholarship money the student gets. So, the non-need-based scholarship that looks to be a great deal turns out not so good for the parents - unless of course the scholarship covers all college expenses, which is unlikely.

However, did you know that there’s a lot more Need-Based aid available that hardly anyone knows about, nor taps into?

In fact, most people are extremely surprised and delighted when they discover that they’re able to get a need-based loan, even when their financial situation doesn’t look like it’s needed!

It all boils down to how you arm yourself with information… with the right knowledge to make the right decisions… to get yourself need-based loans!

The Wrong Advice Can Be Costly!

In many cases, parents have been told to save money but have been advised to put it in the wrong places. It’s funny how the financial formulas work with the colleges… parents can save their money in one place which they thought was a smart investment, only to have it go against them when it comes to receiving aid!

Recall what happened to Bob and Ellen… they made some good financial investments, but it came back to haunt them when Cathy’s college years came about!

However, if they had known how to put that money in another place, they would have become qualified for more financial aid. I’m telling you… the financial formulas are strange, and without skillful money allocation on the parent’s behalf… you’ll be denied in a second flat.

In another scenario, some people have thought ahead and put money into their children’s name… only to find out that it gets counted in the formula and reduces the amount of aid they qualify for! (If you’ve done this, it’s time to change it NOW! We’ll get into that a bit later).

Once You Know The Secret To It All… It’s Easy
To Get The Money You Need!

You don’t need to be a college financial aid expert.

All it takes is…

The Right Knowledge!

See, there’s lots of problems that most parents face when their child decides to go on to college, and they start going through the lengthy application process. But let’s narrow it down to three main problems that occur…

1. The parents and their child go through the traditional routes of applying for financial assistance… and are never even made aware of some of the biggest untapped sources!

2. They apply way too late, fill out the forms wrong, which causes major delays, and fall victim to the “gray” areas on the application forms that spell disaster if filled out wrong!

3. If denied, the parents/student assume that’s it, and investigate no other alternative routes.

So, what do you do when you really need extra money to afford the college expenses?

Here’s The Good News…

You CAN find out exactly how to get the most money possible and avoid costly mistakes!

We specialize in helping parents, like yourself, to send their children to expensive private and state universities that they never before thought they could afford!

You Too Can Send Your Child To The College Of Their Choice Without Spending Your Life’s Savings!

If you plan to send your child to a state college or a private university, then we can be of help in making this all come true for you!

You are definitely a prime candidate for this service and for getting the money you need for college!

Just so you know, this is not some sort of magic pill. Or scam. Or anything of that nature. We service our customers by providing them with proven information that helps them out! Just like when you go to the doctor, you won’t be prescribed any medicine before a thorough exam!

We’ve found this to be the best technique to use with our clients as well. We offer Free Seminars you can attend to find out even more, and then the decision is all yours. Now, let’s run over the nine ways to beat the costs…

During our Free Seminar you will find out…

1. Why some middle-class and upper middle-class parents pay close to nothing for their children’s education!

2. Why high school “Financial Aid Nights” and guidance counselors can be hazardous to your wealth!

3. How to send your child to an expensive private university for less than a state school! (This one really amazes my clients!)

4. How to increase your eligibility for financial aid! (I’ve used this technique to increase my client’s eligibility for aid by up to $10,000!)

5. How to pick colleges that will give you the best financial aid packages… more FREE money, less loans! (Why waste your time applying to schools that will never give you the money you need?)

6. How to lower your “out-of-pocket” costs, and get the maximum amount of money from each school! (Just like a good CPA can minimize your tax liability, I can show you how to set your financial situation in the most favorable terms legally allowable!)

7. How to fill out the complicated financial aid forms accurately and on time! Over 90% go in with errors! (If this happens, you will lose most or all of your eligibility for financial aid!)

8. How to locate and apply for every “need-based” scholarship, grant, and low-interest loan that your child may be eligible for!

9. How to finance your child’s college education even if you don’t qualify for “need-based” financial aid!

Why Such A Generous No-Risk Free Offer?

Because I have a feeling that once you see how much money and time these inside secrets can save you, there’s a very good chance that you will end up becoming one of my happy clients.

For those of you who want to know all there is to possibly know, and have a burning desire to get the right knowledge and resources to make this all come true, all you have to risk is a phone call!

That’s it! Just one phone call, and you can attend one of our next FREE Seminars coming up!

I may or may not have the answer to all of your college financing problems, but don’t you think it’s worth a call and a couple of minutes of your time to find out, and reserve your Free Seminar seat?

There’s no obligation, and no risk involved.

All you’ll risk is learning a great deal about the financial aid process…
and how to increase your chances at getting a bunch more money!

Well, does this all make sense? I hope so. Before I end, I’d like to ask you to do me a favor and take a look at your current financial situation. Do you really think you’re going to get as much money as you should, or could? Do you know what makes you immediately eligible for aid, instead of ineligible?

Are you secure in thinking you already know all there is to know about all the loopholes and money-pits to avoid that so many others blindly fall right into?

If not, then we will show you the answers to getting the college financial resources to give you money. But, in order for this to work, you will have to take the initial step.

If you are serious about finding out how to beat the high costs of college… then why not explore this a little further? Just the fact that you’ve read this entire report must mean that you want to only survive the blow of college costs, but make sure you do so confidently to secure both your current and future financial picture!

To get more tips and updates on when we’ll be holding our next FREE seminar, simply type your email address to the form below:

And if you don’t want to wait…

You can also simply pick up your phone and call me at 1-888-490-8200 to go over any questions you may have.

Well, that’s about all I can think of for now… we’ll be going over all the details at the seminar! You will then have all of the information that you’ll need in order to make the right decisions!

Thanks, and I look forward to talking with you soon, and seeing you at our next workshop!

Sincerely,
Thomas Quinlin, CIMA, AIFA

Call 1-888-490-8200 to find out everything you need to know, and more!

“Carve-Out” Defined Benefit Plans

2009-07-28T07:10:57Z

“Carve-Out” Defined Benefit Plans

“Carve-out” planning seems to be the next generation of planning to help small business owners create plans to skew the contribution amounts to key employees.

A “carve-out” plan is fairly easy to understand.

Defined benefits (D plans are unique qualified retirement plans that allow owner/employees to put away significantly more money into a retirement plan than a 401(k) profit sharing plans. However, because there requirements to fund the plan for employees in a non-discriminatory manner, the required contributions to a DB plan to fund for the employee can be prohibitively expensive.

That’s where a “carve-out” plan might come in handy. All you do to make the plan more economically viable is place the older more highly compensated non-owner employees in a 401(k)/profit sharing plan (where required contributions for the employees will be low) and the owner and the younger less compensated employees in the DB plan.

The name “carve-out” make sense because you are carving out the older higher compensated employees from the DB plan and moving them into the 401(k)/profit sharing plan.

If you are interested in putting the maximum away for yourself as a business owner and the minimum amount away for your staff, you should consider using a “carve-out” plan to accomplish this goal. To learn more, call 1-800-490-8200 or sign up for a free consultation or write your questions, and we’ll get back to you soon.

C.A.L.M. 4

2009-07-28T07:11:14Z

C.A.L.M. - Level 4
Offshore Asset Protection The Ultimate In Wealth Protection
(If you haven’t read C.A.L.M Level 1, 2, or 3 - Start Here First!)

Do you have liquid assets worth $500,000 or more?

(If not, you may want to consider the wealth growing strategies covered in C.A.L.M. Level 3.)

You should be very aware that Offshore Asset Protection aims to protect your assets. We want to make this very clear.

You should not go offshore if you think you will save on U.S. federal income tax.

Any advisor who tells you to move assets offshore in order to AVOID taxes is not just dangerous to your wealth, but dangerous to your freedom.

The basic principle behind offshore asset protection is to get assets out of your control and put them in a place where the U. S. government has no legal jurisdiction. An order from a U. S. Court is not binding on assets placed in a foreign jurisdiction.

In general, a U.S. court has jurisdiction only over people or property located within the U.S. With offshore asset protection, your assets are owned by an offshore trust. Because the assets are owned by a foreign entity you remove your property from U.S. control.

But there’s an interesting twist that you may not be aware of.

And that is, using the C.A.L.M. 4 Level Offshore Asset Protection Strategies, your assets stay in a domestic LLC or FLP and only move offshore if you have a claim, if someone is coming for your assets - such as might occur in a lawsuit. Unless that happens, your assets remain in the United States.

If a claim is filed, your assets move to the foreign jurisdiction. In order for the creditor to pursue their claim, they now have to chase your assets to the foreign jurisdiction they have been moved to.

That requires finding the assets, finding a lawyer in the new jurisdiction, and bringing suit in the foreign court. All of this costs time and money - on top of the money already spent to get the judgment against you in the United States. And there’s no guarantee that the suit in the foreign country will be successful. It will cost the creditor so much time, effort and expense for an uncertain result, the creditor will simply give up and leave you - and your assets - alone.

Additional protection is provided in many offshore trust documents. If litigation is filed in the foreign jurisdiction, the language requires the trustee of the foreign trust to immediately move the assets from that jurisdiction to yet another foreign jurisdiction. A creditor could spend $25,000 pursuing you in a foreign jurisdiction, get a judgment there, and then discover that the assets are now located in still yet another foreign jurisdiction. (This would be in compliance with the first foreign jurisdiction’s laws and the trust documents.) Think they want to be out of pocket another $25,000 - with the possibility that the assets would again be transferred to another jurisdiction (again, in compliance with the second foreign jurisdiction’s laws and the trust documents)?

Not too likely.

In order to provide you with the highest level of protection for your liquid assets, our Comprehensive Asset and Liability Management (C.A.L.M.) Plan must provide you with offshore planning solutions

C.A.L.M. plan members get discounts of up to 20% off the usual and customary price of an offshore asset protection trust. An offshore asset protection trust plan can range in price from $20,000-$50,000 (less a 20% discount), depending on the complexities.

Our recommendation is that if you have liquid wealth worth protecting, you should have an offshore asset-protection trust.

Other offshore asset-protection tools are captive insurance companies and LLCs. If you buy the C.A.L.M. plan, a number of available asset protection tools, domestic and offshore, will be reviewed in light of your particular situation.

Whether you have the liquid wealth to justify offshore asset protection or not, we can help you get there through asset protection and strategies to grow your wealth safely. Why not call us today at (269) 216-9978 for a no-obligation free consultation. Call today!

C.A.L.M. 3

2009-07-28T07:11:32Z

C.A.L.M. Level 3:
Protected? Now Grow Your Wealth!
(If you haven’t read C.A.L.M Level 1 or 2 - Start Here First!)

With C.A.L.M 1, you’ve built a foundation.

C.A.L.M 2 protects your “house of wealth” with walls and a roof to keep the vicious elements of potential lawsuits, actual taxes, and more from attacking and subtracting your wealth.

C.A.L.M. 3 is like putting in the interior decoration, the fancy new kitchen, the awesome entertainment center and the beautiful landscaping. C.A.L.M. 3 uses the fruits of your labor to grow your assets so that you can reach critical capital mass — meaning, you can retire when you want and in the style you want.

C.A.L.M. 3 builds a comprehensive program — a 30-50 page “comprehensive” and “coordinated” estate, financial and tax plan. It’s as if you sat your CPA, your accountant, your attorney, and your financial planner down in one room for several hours to create a golden path to your retirement and beyond.

Building on C.A.L.M 1, which reviewed your asset and estate plan for appropriate protection, C.A.L.M. 3 tracks your wealth and shows you how to get to that golden path.

Have your CPA, accountant, attorney, and financial planner sat down in one room for several hours to put together for you a “comprehensive” and “coordinated” estate, financial and tax plan?

Here are a list of valuable wealth-growing tools that should be at least considered in a complete and comprehensive financial and estate plan:

• Wealth Builder Annuity = With this, you could be deferring up to $50,000-$300,000 or more a year without having to make contributions for staff.

• Freeze Partnerships - You could get up to a 90% discount on a Family Limited Partnership (FLP) when used for estate planning.

• Private Annuity Trusts - Defer, and maybe even avoid, capital gains on the sale of real estate or stock.

• The Maximizer- Nearly double the return of the S&P 500 while principally protecting 90% of your invested assets each year.

• Carve-Out Planning - Implement a qualified plan in the most discriminatory manner possible.

• Leveraged Bonus Plans - Defer compensation for key executives.

• Qualified Pension Insurance Partnership - Mitigate the double taxation via a qualified plan or IRA.

• 412(i) Defined Benefit Plans - Contribute - in some cases - in excess of $200,000 to a “qualified retirement plan”.

• VEBAs - Purchase life insurance for estate planning or buy/sell agreements in a tax-deductible manner The death benefit can then pass free of both income taxes and estate taxes.

• Life settlements - Sell a life insurance policy that has lived out it usefulness for much more than its cash-surrender value.

• Indexed annuities - Protect your money - 100% - from downturns in the market The upside growth is then pegged to the S&P 500. A deferred investment tool.

If the professionals advising you in wealth matters have not been covering these important topics, you’re a candidate for C.A.L.M. 3.

And those are not the only considerations.

Other aspects a comprehensive plan include such items as:

• Durable powers of attorney - both medical and legal. These make sure that your family won’t have to go to court to obtain legal powers to act for you if you become incapacitated.

• Living Trusts to avoid probate and minimize estate taxes.

• An irrevocable life insurance trust to make sure the death benefit from your life insurance policy passes income AND estate tax free.

• A traditional Family Limited Partnership/FLP - to discount the value of your estate for estate tax purposes.

Through the C.A.L.M. program, your CWPP™ advisor has access to nationally recognized advisors who are experienced and certified specialists in their field.

Through a collaborative effort, the team will put together for you a complete program ready for implementation.

If you were to go outside of the C.A.L.M. Program, it would cost, typically, between $10,000-$20,000. And those plans won’t have the comprehensive plan from our “roundtable of advisors”. Most clients would get a run-of-the-mill plan hardly worth the money - and most clients would not know better.

Through the C.A.L.M. program you can receive this comprehensive plan for just $7,500. Your plan will be ready for implementation when you say the word.

C.A.L.M. Level 3 protection grows your wealth so you can have a fulfilling retirement and make sure that you have a legacy of to leave your family, or whomever you wish to leave it. Few things can be as satisfying as that.

Call us, at 1-800-490-8200 today for a free, no obligation, no pressure consultation on how C.A.L.M. 3 can have you enjoying the benefits of “critical capital mass” sooner than you think.

C.A.L.M. 2

2009-07-28T07:11:51Z

C.A.L.M. Level 2:
Got Assets? Get Protection!
(If you haven’t read C.A.L.M Level 1 - Please Read It First!)

Many people who have assets have heard of setting up Limited Liability Corporations (”LLC”) — but usually, just for their business.

And many more people will tell them how having your business under an LLC won’t be as much protection as they might think.

And understandably so.

There’s a lot of mis-information out there - rumors and myths - and even a few facts get mixed in to make the information seem legitimate.

There are so many different aspects of setting up an LLC that we can’t go into all of them here.

But here are just a few aspects:

• The actual type of legal entity.
• The jurisdiction it’s set up in
• What assets should be owned by the LLC

Don’t get us wrong - we believe that anyone with any assets should protect them by use of an LLC. Note: in some places, they are called “Family Limited Partnerships” (”FLP”).

Introducing C.A.L.M. Level 2 Protection:

Level two of the C.A.L.M. program makes sure you and your assets are protected.

If your asset protection plan is wanting, C.A.L.M. 2 will get you protected using a Family Limited Partnership. In some cases, you may need more than one.

An FLP forms the foundation of any domestic asset protection plan. You can, with this inexpensive tool, start protecting yourself and your assets from business creditors and personal creditors.

Warning: As foundational and as useful an FLP is, it is not a cure-all. We highly recommend it as the cornerstone of nearly all domestic asset protection plans. But it is not a cure-all. We mention a situation below where they are not appropriate.

Who Needs C.A.L.M. 2 Protection? Let’s look at who is at risk… If you are a professional, if you hold a professional license of any kind - you are at risk:

That means:

• physicians,
• attorneys,
• CPAs/accountants,
• insurance agents,
• financial planners,
• stock brokers,
• mortgage brokers,
• real estate brokers/agents,
• architects and
• engineers

…to name but a few.

Not a licensed professional? If you own any of the following assets - you are also at risk:

• Personal Residence
• A brokerage account
• bank account
• CDs
• Rental property
• Vacation condo
• IRA (depending on the state)
• A boat, plane, waverunner, snow mobile
• Anything else of value

(Note that it doesn’t matter if you own them in your own name, or in a revocable living trust, or in a C- or S-Corporation, or Partnership.)

In other words, if you have a pulse and breath and are of age, you undoubtedly need protection.

Licensed professionals mostly know, all too well, that they need asset protection. If they didn’t learn it in school, they learn it from professional seminars, colleagues and hopefully not from their own personal experience.

But if you’re not, let’s take a few examples of the kinds of risks you face:

Homeowners:

Do you throw parties at your house? Serve alcohol?

What if one of your guests leaves the party after drinking too much and gets into a car accident? As a result of the accident the three passengers in the other car are killed (or worse, turned them into quadriplegics). Guess who is going to get sued for negligence?

You are.

Those 1 million dollar liability policies don’t go very far any more — especially if you get linked to a death or serious injury through your negligence. After your insurance pays 1 million of the 3–million-dollar verdict, the attorney for the plaintiff is going to go after all of your personal assets.

Warning:
FLPs are powerful domestic asset protection tools, but they should not be used to protect your personal residence.

A detailed discussion why you shouldn’t is beyond the scope of this article. However, there are three significant problems. Your can discover more about them in a free no-obligation, no-pressure consultation by calling our office at (269) 216-9978. Why not do it today, before it’s too late?

Teenage Children:

The bad news is - statistics show that over 50% of teenagers drink on a regular basis - often binge drinking.

Here’s the scenario: you go out of town and your children (the 16-19 year olds) throw a party. With alcohol. Doesn’t matter if they provided the alcohol or not - if someone who attended the party gets drunk, drives around and gets in an accident - your assets are grass. Just like the situation above, with being a home owner.

Vacation rental:

As the owner of a vacation rental, you have other liabilities to worry about which are more problematic than just owning your own home. You have a duty to keep it in good enough physical condition so that it is safe for your tenants and their guests. As a landlord, you need to worry about lighting of the stairwell, shoveling snow, handrails, and more. Miss out, and you may face liability claims for negligence if someone is injured.

“The Right Jurisdiction”: What You Need To Know About Where Your LLC Or FLP Gets Formed

C.A.L.M. Level 2 Protection involves using properly set up LLCs and FLPs. Part of setting them up properly is having them set up in the correct jurisdiction.

We’ve already covered the danger you and your assets could be in from the risk of a lawsuit.

In order to explain why the right jurisdiction is important, let’s assume someone has sued you successfully for $2 Million dollars. This is more than your umbrella liability policy of $1 Million dollars - or, if you are a physician, assume it’s more than the $1 Million dollar malpractice insurance covers.

If your assets are in your name, or under incorrect or improperly set up legal and business entities, the plaintiff is coming after your assets.

With an FLP, will your assets be safe? Let’s look…

With a properly set up FLP, your assets remain in the FLP.

The judge cannot:

• transfer the interest in the FLP to the creditor or force the debtor to sell his/her interest and turn over the sale proceeds to the creditor.
• force the FLP to sell assets.
• force an FLP to distribute income.

What can a judge do, then?

He can give the creditor a “charging order.”

What does the creditor get with a “charging order”? Not much.

They still can’t

• get the interest in the FLP transferred to them, or force the debtor to sell his/her interest and turn over the sale proceeds to them.
• force the FLP to sell assets.
• force an FLP to distribute income.

What does the creditor get? The creditor gets the right to pay income taxes on income generated in the LLC but NOT distributed.

Let’s say you were successfully sued, you have your assets in an FLP, and the judge issued a charging order. You have a brokerage account owned by the FLP that earns $1000. Even though the FLP retains the $1000, the creditor gets to pay taxes on it. They get what is called a K-1 for the income.

That’s right. Even though the creditor has seen no money in their bank account from you, the debtor - they still have to pay income tax on any income. Every year. Even though the assets of the FLP are not distributed.

Collecting nothing but paying income taxes to the government, a charging order is hardly attractive to the plaintiff — or the plaintiff’s attorney.

But this only works well in about 6 states. In only 6 states are the charging orders statutes strong enough to withstand a challenge by a creditor. In the rest of the 50 states the FLP statutes are weak.

As a C.A.L.M. plan member, you will want to have your FLP set up in a state with strong FLP statutes, with strong charging-order language in it. If you do not live in a state with strong FLP statutes, as a C.A.L.M. plan member, you will be provided with lawyers to set up your FLP(s) in a state that is geographically distant from your home and office.

An example:

You are a California C.A.L.M. plan member. You set up a Nevada FLP, since Nevada has strong FLP charging-order language in their FLP and LLC statutes.

If you are sued, do you think a California attorney representing a California creditor would want to incur the time, expense and risk to hire a Nevada attorney to ask a Nevada judge to issue a charging order? Not too likely. And, as a CALM plan member in California, you will have access to Nevada attorneys. These C.A.L.M. plan attorneys specialize in drafting FLPs and are able to represent you in Court, should you need a Nevada attorney to help you protect your Nevada FLP assets.

You Need C.A.L.M. Level 2 Protection!

Over 99% of our clients have inadequate asset protection.

You may have C.A.L.M. Level 2 protection already.

Not sure?

We invite you to call us to find out more.

The C.A.L.M. Plan provides the best protection in multiple states and jurisdictions.

With C.A.L.M. Level 1 you get a comprehensive asset protection Review. Perhaps the most important part of this Review is the Action Plan that you can start implementing, to protect you and your assets.

The Action Plan will generally cover C.A.L.M. Level 2 Protection as a first step. This provides core domestic asset protection through the forme doneation of a Family Limited Partnership (FLP). Normally, it would cost $3,000-$5,000 when done by an asset protection attorney. Through your C.A.L.M. membership you can get one set up for the reduced price of $2,500. Since Level 1 costs $495, your cost savings for Level 2 pay for your C.A.L.M. Level 1 membership.

But it’s better than just the cost savings. (And there are more potential cost savings. If you should need additional FLPs and LLCs, for instance, you will get those at a discounted rate as well.)

The design and implementation of this core level of protection will be performed by a collaborative team of professionals with special training in Wealth Preservation Strategies. A key member of this team will be your Certified Wealth Preservation Planner (CWPP™). You can contact your CWPP™ Advisor right now for more information and a free, no pressure, no obligation consultation about how we can get you started today.

C.A.L.M. 1

2009-07-28T07:12:14Z

C.A.L.M. Protection Level 1:
Building A Protective Wall Around Your Assets
With Unique Comprehensive Wealth Protection Strategies
Of The Leading U.S. Wealth Preservation Attorney
For A Fraction Of The Cost

The C.A.L.M — Comprehensive Asset & Liability Management — consists of a membership with a follow-on set of protection levels. C.A.L.M. Level 1 is the basic membership level, the start, for building a foundation on which to protect and grow your assets. (If you would like an overview of the C.A.L.M. Program, click here.)

C.A.L.M. Level 1 builds the foundation through the following features:

1. Asset Protection and Estate Plan Review - The first step in C.A.L.M. 1 happens when you fill out the C.A.L.M. 1 Asset Protection and Estate Planning questionnaire. Your answers form the basis for the creation of a detailed Asset Protection Review Report. This report indicates any problems or gaps in your current asset protection plan or estate plan. Your C.A.L.M. membership entitles you to an annual review as well.

2. Regular, timely education and updates. We use these updates to inform you of critical “need to know” information and changes that affect your wealth. These updates occur through a variety of media.

3. Quickly resolve liability and/or malpractice claims. Our specially-designed technology automates the process and reduces the “cost of conflict”.

4. Discount fees on uniquely qualified professionals. Once your review is complete, your advisor will help you start building on the C.A.L.M. 1 foundation by connecting you with the C.A.L.M. team of qualified professionals. For less money you will get better, more qualified professionals.

5. Documents and forms. Essential to protecting you wealth and your business to help “cut the cost of conflict”.

The overall goal of the C.A.L.M. program - which has 4 levels - is to provide you with:

• a proper estate plan
• methods to minimize estate, income and capital gains taxes,.
• means to avoid probate and
• guaranteed lifetime income for retirement.

The C.A.L.M. Level 1 then is the “gateway” into the full program. It will give you the multi-page evaulation report, written by your CWPP Advisor and reviewed by attorney Roccy DeFrancesco, JD, CWPP™, CAPP™. This plan will provide a blueprint for engaging subsequent levels of C.A.L.M. Protection by describing:

• the problems with the current asset protection plan and identification of possible planning deficiencies.
• the problems with the current estate plan.
• the suggested options for what could be done to mitigate income taxes, estate taxes and capital gains taxes.

The C.A.L.M. Plan Level 1 dwarfs any other plan out there, in that it offers the following…

• Gives you access to professionals who provide you with the tools and instruments to give you higher levels of protection (as outlined in the subsequent C.A.L.M. levels) to meet your wealth protection and growth goals at a greatly reduced rate These rates, by themselves, more than make up for the relatively small cost of C.A.L.M. 1.
• Provides access to professionals who are coordinated and build upon the unique Wealth Preservation Institute strategies.
• Enables you have a level of comfort and safety in case of a malpractice or liability suit through specially-designed automation technology. Through this technology, the appropriate professionals are informed, updated and coordinated, giving you extra protection — since less time is spent on duplicated effort — and for less money.
• Furnishes you and your business with the forms and documents that will help to keep you and your business out of court. These forms provide arbitration and mediation agreements.

It offers all of the above along with the evaluation of your Asset and Wealth Protection Plan. Such a review would cost you at least $1500 if purchased from an attorney/CPA/account/financial planner - and would not cover as many topics, nor in as much depth.

If you have ever considered getting a comprehensive review of your financial standing, along with specific tactics for protecting and growing your wealth, you will not find a better value at the unbelievably low price of $495.

You can get started by calling our office now at (269) 216-9978 — or you can call even if you just have a few questions.

We offer a free consultation so you can get to know us, and we can get to know you, before getting into a deeper relationship.

Caveat: Just to be clear — access to professionals to build your asset protection structures and grow your wealth will require additional professional consultations. But rather than running to this professional and that, you will have coordinated wealth care. It is because of the coordination that we can provide you with such an affordable option — and discounted fees when working with these professionals.

Want to know a bit more about each step before calling?

Here’s a bit more detail:

1. Asset Protection and Estate Plan Review.

As mentioned above, there is an initial and an annual Asset Protection and Estate Plan Review.

Approximately 99% of all clients who purchase C.A.L.M. 1 are poorly protected and many are leaving hundreds and thousands of dollars on the table — as well as being at significant risk of loss.

This Review is performed by your CWPP™ advisor and reviewed by leading wealth protection attorney Roccy DeFrancesco, JD, CWPP™, CAPP™. MMB™.

The initial Review will comprehensively outline the strengths and weaknesses of your current plan. In addition the Review gives you an Action Plan to plug up any gaps. This Action Plan shows you what to do next to protect and grow your wealth.

During the year, you will undoubtedly be fortifying your plan. Between the changes you make following the Review Action Plan, any changes in your life (such as buying property, getting married, having a child), and changes in the laws — an annual review is advised. And that’s just what you get with C.A.L.M.1.

2. Regular, timely education and updates.

Wealth protection and growth, to be most effective, require some knowledge and education on your part.

Now, we don’t expect you to become an attorney or a financial planner — so we aren’t going to steep you in the arcana that we have to know in order to deal with the vast array of situations we come across.

Think of it as “financial first aid” education. This education helps you to know when things are humming along - or when you need to contact a professional.

In short, it helps you make a better assessment of when you need to use your resources to get additional help.

Along with some basics, which will further familiarize you with our strategies, we keep you updated on any changes in the law, any legal precedents, that may affect you and your wealth.

This education comes to you in a variety of forms:

• your monthly e-newsletter
• quarterly webinars
• a private, C.A.L.M. website
• in-person seminars (that may qualify for professional continuing education credit).

3. Quickly resolve liability and/or malpractice claims.

Our specially-designed technology automates the process and reduces the “cost of conflict.”

Because of the proprietary nature, and because this is only invoked on an “as-needed” basis, more details are covered through our education and updates.

If you have a professional license, this may save your livelihood.

4. Discount fees on uniquely qualified professionals.

Since we know that 99% of the clients who get their C.A.L.M. 1 Asset Review are under-protected, sometimes frighteningly so, you will most likely want to follow the Review Action Plan. If you do, you may need to hire a C.A.L.M. team member to do the needed legal work to put your plan in order.

You will, as a C.A.L.M. plan member, be able to hire C.A.L.M. team members for less than a non-C.A.L.M. plan member would be able to hire them for. Additionally, because of the automation of the process, the overall process will be less costly and more efficient. Frequently, various business entities will need to be set up (such as a Limited Liability Corporation, or “LLC”). You get a flat-fee discount when setting these up — and should you need to set up multiple LLCs, you get additional discounts on the additonal LLCs.

For example, if your brokerage account is set up in your name - it’s not asset protected from creditors. To protect it using our domestic asset protection strategies, you would most likely need an LLC, maybe a Family Limited Partnership (”FLP”) — formed in the proper legal jurisdiction. If you go to an asset protection attorney expect to drop $3,000-$5,000. As a C.A.L.M. member, you can have your first LLC set up for $2,500. That pays for your first year in C.A.L.M.!

5. Forms

you need to hand to your clients or patients (for physicians) when they come in the door.

Savvy professionals have learned that effective use of mediation and arbitration can drastically reduce the “cost of conflict”.

As a C.A.L.M. member, you receive the proper forms to require clients or patients (for physicians) to mediate and arbitrate any future liability suit that might arise from rendered professional services.

But having the forms is not enough! You must know how to use them, and use them properly. As a C.A.L.M. member, you get the instructions for the proper “care and feeding” of these so-important forms.

Mediation saves on costs. Signficantly. Statistics show mediation-resolved malpractice cases resolve, on average for less than 30% of the indemnity payment and less than 50% of the expense payment than cases that get filed and worked up for a jury trial.

Arbitration gives you the assurance that if you are involved in a case - the worst possibility is that the case will be resolved within your policy limits. What a relief! But it may not even need to go that far. Arbitration agreements contract the disputing parties to resolve the conflict via private arbitration - instead of the court system. If mediation doesn’t produce a final resolution, it can end up with a “high-low” agreement. The “high-low” agreement not only reduces costs, but makes sure the case is covered completely by your policy, and you won’t have to pay more.

Worried that your clients or patients won’t sign a mediation or arbitration form? By offering your client or patient a Consumer Legal Plan (CLP), they can discuss the benefits of mediation and arbitration with a network of knowledgeable attorneys. Seeing the benefits, clients and patients more readily sign mediation and arbitration agreements.

You can discover even more advantages of becoming a C.A.L.M. 1 member by calling

1-800-490-8200

for a no-pressure, no-obligation, FREE consultation. After you see how a C.A.L.M. membership can benefit you, we think you’ll be delighted. Call us today!

Long Term Care Insurance: How to Get a Tax Deduction for LTCI

2009-07-28T07:18:26Z

Long Term Care Insurance:

A Long Life Can Be Dangerous To Your Wealth!

Question: What’s the downside of living a longer life?

Answer: The increased probability that you or your spouse will require care in a long term care facility.

It’s true. Nearly 50% of the people will require long-term care.

At the toweringly-high costs of long term care — the only way to protect your wealth from the devastating effects of long term care costs is LTCI - long term care insurance.

How high? Well, in some areas of the country, the cost of nursing home care or quality around-the-clock in-home care may be $250 per day ($91,250 per year). In addition, the U.S. Health Care Administration reports that costs are increasing 5.8% per year and are expected to more than triple in the next 20 years.

Another reason for buying LTCI is so you can ensure you have quality care — not just the care funded through Medicaid.

The good news is that the federal government allows businesses to deduct the premiums for LTCI. The premiums are treated like health insurance premiums. That means if you are an owner of a C-Corporation, S-Corporation, P.C., or LLC you can now take a tax deduction for 100% of the LTCI. (The deduction is limited for owner/employees in non-C-Corps).

In addition, it’s possible that you can use certain types of life insurance riders where you can actually get your LTCI for free.

Tax-free or completely free, we have the tax savvy to find how to save you substantial amounts of money on your taxes, grow your wealth, and still have your wealth protected against what could otherwise be catastrophic occurrences.

What a relief, and a aid to healing, should you or a loved one need long term health care. Not only can you get LTCI tax deductibly, but your worries about the devastating effects on your estate can be erased.

Call our office today at 1-800-490-8200, or sign up now for a free consultation, to find out how you can easily afford this extraordinary protection for your wealth.

Health Savings Account: Goes In Tax Free, Comes Out Tax Free

2009-07-28T07:18:47Z

Health Savings Accounts:
The Secret Wealth Strategy that Almost
No One is Using — Yet!

Health Savings Accounts are just one of several powerful health care deductions you can choose from. To find out about these and ways to save on your health care plan costs, check out this powerpoint on HSAs and HRAs.

Plus, did you know that you can set up your Health Savings Account so you can control what it is invested in? That’s another handy way to build wealth for retirement — and long term care insurance can be paid for by an HSA — with pre-tax dollars.

Read more on self-directed accounts, and then call us at 1-800-490-8200 or sign up for a free consultation, and we’ll get you on the right track.

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C.A.L.M. 4

C.A.L.M. - Level 4 Offshore Asset Protection The Ultimate In Wealth Protection (If you haven’t read C.A.L.M Level 1, 2, or 3 - Start Here First!)

C.A.L.M. 3

C.A.L.M. Level 3: Protected? Now Grow Your Wealth! (If you haven’t read C.A.L.M Level 1 or 2 - Start Here First!)

C.A.L.M. 2

C.A.L.M. Level 2: Got Assets? Get Protection! (If you haven’t read C.A.L.M Level 1 - Please Read It First!)

C.A.L.M. 1

C.A.L.M. Protection Level 1: Building A Protective Wall Around Your Assets With Unique Comprehensive Wealth Protection Strategies Of The Leading U.S. Wealth Preservation Attorney For A Fraction Of The Cost

Long Term Care Insurance: How to Get a Tax Deduction for LTCI

Long Term Care Insurance:

A Long Life Can Be Dangerous To Your Wealth!

Health Savings Account: Goes In Tax Free, Comes Out Tax Free

Health Savings Accounts: The Secret Wealth Strategy that Almost No One is Using — Yet!

“How You Can Beat The High Cost Of College
And Avoid Going Broke…
Amazing New Insider’s Secrets To
Getting The Most Money Possible!”

C.A.L.M. - Level 4
Offshore Asset Protection The Ultimate In Wealth Protection
(If you haven’t read C.A.L.M Level 1, 2, or 3 - Start Here First!)

C.A.L.M. Level 3:
Protected? Now Grow Your Wealth!
(If you haven’t read C.A.L.M Level 1 or 2 - Start Here First!)

C.A.L.M. Level 2:
Got Assets? Get Protection!
(If you haven’t read C.A.L.M Level 1 - Please Read It First!)

C.A.L.M. Protection Level 1:
Building A Protective Wall Around Your Assets
With Unique Comprehensive Wealth Protection Strategies
Of The Leading U.S. Wealth Preservation Attorney
For A Fraction Of The Cost

Health Savings Accounts:
The Secret Wealth Strategy that Almost
No One is Using — Yet!