FLEXIBILITY IN LIFE INSURANCE

Seeking flexibility in your life insurance coverage and premium payments? Then Alfa’s universal life insurance plan may be the right one for you. This permanent insurance plan offers a cash accumulation feature that earns interest according to our declared current rates. You may also increase or decrease death benefits, vary your premiums, and in some cases, temporarily suspend premium payments.*

At the end of every policy year, you will receive an annual report detailing the activity and status of your universal life policy. This report will summarize:

§                      Premiums you paid

§                      Expenses deducted

§                      Cost of insurance protection

§                      Interest credited to your policy

§                      Current accumulation and surrender values

§                      Adjustments, if any, such as policy loans or withdrawals

§                      Interest rate to be credited for the next 12 months

§                      Current death benefit

Alfa’s universal life policy affords you great control and flexibility for protection throughout your lifetime and is issued for ages 0-75. Ask us for more information today.

Source: http://www.jenniferanglininsurance.com

Healthcare Authorization Sustained

Anyone who does not have it by 2014 will pay a penalty on their 2015 taxes.

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the healthcare mandate requiring most people to have health insurance by 2014, CBS reports.

The upheld provisions include the individual mandate a provision allowing children to stay on their parents' healthcare until they're 26.

A contributor to the Supreme Court liveblogwrote, "The bottom line: the entire ACA is upheld, with the exception that the federal government's power to terminate states' Medicaidfunds is narrowly read."

Who voted for what:

Pro: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and swing-vote Chief Justice John Roberts.

Dissent: Justices Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas and Alito.

See this link to read the full opinion.

http://canton-ga.patch.com 

Cherokee County Senior Center Celebrates Grand Opening After Renovation

CANTON — The Cherokee County Senior Center was finally able to celebrate its much-awaited grand opening Tuesday after the completion of its $1.2 million renovation.

The building was scheduled to open earlier this summer, but officials had to push the open house date back to allow work to be completed on the project. 

At Tuesday’s celebration guests were led by staff members in a tour of several areas of the new facility, including the new multi-purpose and conference rooms, which make up the more than 2,000-square-foot addition to the 23-year-old building. 

Director Nathan Brandon described the multi-purpose room, which previously housed administration workers, as a place where seniors can enjoy line dancing, puzzles, cooking and crafts. 

Additionally, the expansion from the original 6,000-square-foot building includes a dining room with a capacity for about 100 and a larger kitchen area to accommodate the seniors as well as operations for the Meals On Wheels program.

“There’s really a new flow and purpose to every part of the building,” Brandon said, addressing the crowd of about 30 people. “Everything now has a function and form to it.”

Brandon said the seniors, who moved over to the new space from their temporary rooms at the Mimms Boys & Girls Club across the street, enjoy their renovation.

“They’ve absolutely loved it,” Brandon said. “They’ve told me they think it’s so nice and updated.”

By the end of next week, Brandon said he anticipates having 50 to 60 daily program members.

Susan Bythrow, the co-chair for the Volunteer Aging Council gala, told everyone in attendance at the grand opening that the VAC raised over $30,000 from the event’s auctions, sponsors, ticket sales and the mayor’s Top Hat race, which was won by the city of Woodstock.

Bythrow said the funds the VAC previously raised went toward purchasing two convection ovens for the newly renovated senior center. 

Also during the presentation, Kristen Lockwood, the community relations director for Emeritus at Woodstock Estates, presented Brandon with a check for $1,429 for the center’s Meals On Wheels program.

Lockwood said the money was raised during the organization’s third annual greenhouse and plant sales event held this spring.

Benny Carter, VAC chairman, said the new space focuses more on the needs of seniors.

“It’s a much more functional space,” Carter said. “It’s outstanding. It’s a great renovation as well as expansion.”

With all of the additional space, the center will now have additional program offerings for the month of September, including chair strength conditioning, abdominal and core strength training, tai chi and scrapbooking classes. All of these programs do not require senior center membership and cost anywhere from $20 to $50 for the month. 

Patricia Kenny, activities coordinator at the senior center, said the organization has partnered with Michael’s so all seniors who enroll in the scrapbooking class get a 10 percent discount on supplies. 

She said the new offerings have already attracted potential members, as she received 10 new applications within the first three days of opening the new facility last week.

“Prior to the renovation, we saw anywhere from 45 to 50 seniors every day,” Kenny said. “If everyone comes back, it will probably be 50 to 60 per day.” 

Cherokee County used $750,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding and funded the rest of the remodel with Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds.

Though the seniors have moved back from the Mimms Boys & Girls Club to the new senior center, Brandon said several administration employees are still housed across the street at Cherokee Area Transportation System offices where they will remain. 

Read more: Cherokee Tribune - Renovation rendezvous Senior Center celebrates grand opening  

Cherokee County School District's Class of 2012 Earned the Highest ACT Scores

Leading the pack with an average score of 23.3 was Hickory Flat's Sequoyah High School. 

On average, Cherokee County School District's class of 2012 earned the highest ACT scores in the system's history.

Cherokee's 22.7 surpassed state (20.7) and national (21.1) averages, according to data released Wednesday.

The highest possible score on the ACT, an alternative to the SAT college entrance exam, is a 36.

Calling it "more evidence of the clear trend of rising student achievement and teacher performance," Cherokee Superintendent Frank Petruzielo said Wednesday that the district's average has climbed nearly two points over the last decade.

"Achievement on college entrance and placement examinations is of great importance to CCSD," he said. "We want every student to have as many options as possible for their pursuit of higher education."

During the 2011-12 school year, 1,160 tests were administered in Cherokee, up from 1,053 during the 2010-11 school year.

Of the five Cherokee high schools with senior classes in 2012, Hickory Flat's Sequoyah High was tops with an average score of 23.3. Cherokee High in Canton was No. 5 with an average score of 22.River Ridge High in Woodstock will graduate its first senior class this school year.

"This continued, outstanding progress by our students is further evidence of our students' college and career readiness," Petruzielo said.

School/System	Average score
Sequoyah	23.3
Etowah	23.2
Creekview	23
Woodstock	22.2
Cherokee	22
Cherokee County School District	22.7
Georgia	20.7
Nation	21.7

Source: Canton Patch 

Celebration of Grace in Canton Made Close to 100 Prayer Shawls

Crafters at Celebration of Grace in Canton have been very busy this year crocheting colorful shawls to give people to remind them that they are being covered in prayer.

The hand-woven garments start out as individual granny squares that are skillfully connected into prayer shawls. Once complete, they are brought into the church and to the altar for a prayer offered up by Pastor Ginny Krekling at the beginning of the regular worship service. The group has made close to 100 since the ministry began.

The prayer shawls are available for anyone who asks, and are often given to infants, the elderly home-bound, homeless persons, or those suffering or recovering from illnesses. To receive a prayer shawl, get one for someone you know, or contribute to this ministry, call 770-503-5050.

• • •

SERV offers affordable, personal mission opportunities

SERV International has launched a new website (www.servone.org) that outlines three personal and affordable ways to help folks in need.

“A lot of excitement is being generated,” said president Joe Garcia. “I attribute it to the personal connection that donors feel when they give to one of our programs. We try to do a good job of sharing the results and invite them to physically see the impact of their gift with their own eyes by traveling with us.”

The SERV1Feed1 program offers a way to provide a meal for five cents to people in need in the Dominican Republic. The program has distributed more than five million meals in Kenya and is currently distributing one million meals in the Dominican Republic. The meal is a protein-rich dehydrated food product, and one 8-ounce serving sustains one person for one day. The website has an interactive module that lets donors immediately see what their dollars can do to help others.

In the Safe2SERV Clean Water program, a $65 one-time donation can supply a family of five with clean water for 10 years.

The third project is the House of Hope orphanage, home to 40 children. Many of the orphans are available for sponsorship, which costs $55 a month. Sponsors have easy access to photos of the children, and can participate in mission trips to the orphanage to meet their child.

Each year, three to four mission teams are dispatched to Kenya (next one leaves Oct. 6) and two have gone this year to the Dominican Republic. Future D.R. trips are Sept. 17 and 24. 

Source: http://woodstock.patch.com 

Cherokee County School District has topped 39,000 enrollment

The district anticipated a peak enrollment of 38,925. Wednesday, they got a surprise.

For the first time, student enrollment in the Cherokee County School District has topped 39,000.

On the sixth day of school Wednesday, enrollment reached 39,039. The school system estimated that the number would peak at 38,925 this year.

"Our increasing enrollment is further evidence that more families are learning about the top-notch public school system we have here and making the choice to enroll their children with us," district spokeswoman Barbara Jacoby said in an email.

Jacoby said the Cherokee County Board of Education's decision to use eight furlough days "as opposed to further depleting reserves in order to balance the 2012-13 School Year budget puts the School District in a better position to deal with these and other costs associated with higher-than-anticipated enrollment."

The growth in the district coincides with the launch of Cherokee Academies, an initiative intended to expand school choice options in the county.

Four elementary schools, Ball Ground, Canton, Clark Creek and Holly Springs, opened last Wednesday as science, technology, engineering and mathematics academies. Two schools, Hasty and Oak Grove, opened as fine arts academies.

"As the School District nears enrollment of 40,000," Jacoby said, "it also means we have a large enough student population to offer additional specialized academic programs ... like the Cherokee Academies initiative ... and future phases of it."

By the Numbers

• Day 6 count: 39,039 students
• Number of students who enrolled in the Cherokee County School District on Wednesday: 47
• Number of students who have enrolled since the first day of school: 817
• Projected peak enrollment: 38,925

Source: Woodstock Patch

 

Cherokee's First Day of School Records a High 38K Enrollement

Last year, 410 fewer students enrolled on the first day.


The Cherokee County School District began the 2012-13 School Year on August 1, 2012 and, as in the past, first-day operations were extremely well-planned, smooth and successful.

Enrollment reached 38,222 on Aug. 1 at CCSD’s 42 schools, according to preliminary attendance reports. The School District anticipates enrollment will continue to rise over the course of the school year… with first-day enrollment 410 students higher than last year.

The School District’s 4,500 employees, including more than 2,300 teachers, are now back at work on CCSD campuses and support facilities throughout Cherokee County; and the School District’s fleet of 350 buses began their daily transport of approximately 70 percent of the student population through 1,500 daily bus routes.

Today was also opening day for the School District’s newest campuses, Clark Creek Elementary School and the replacement Ball Ground Elementary School. Clark Creek ES on Hunt Road off Highway 92 in southwest Cherokee County welcomed 873 students for the first day of classes. With 135,000 square feet of space, this facility helped to relieve overcrowding at Boston and Oak Grove Elementary Schools and was designed to eventually accommodate 1,250 students. The new/replacement Ball Ground ES on Valley Street in downtown Ball Ground welcomed 525 students for the first day of classes. With 146,000 square feet of space, this facility replaced the existing campus, which was too small and outdated, and with the capacity for 1,200 students, the school will serve the northwest Cherokee County area as it continues to see population growth. Construction on these two projects was funded using Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) revenues.

The start of this school year also marked the launch of the first phase of CCSD’s Cherokee Academies initiative, which increases academic choice within the School District. Four schools, Ball Ground ES, Canton ES, Clark Creek ES and Holly Springs ES, opened as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Academies; and two schools, Hasty ES and Oak Grove ES, opened as Fine Arts Academies. Two of the School District’s existing options for academic choice have undergone name changes: CrossRoads MS/HS is now ACE (Alternative Choices in Education) Academy, and Polaris Evening School is now Polaris Evening Program.

Policies related to environmental/temperature concerns are being followed at all campuses, including: limiting the time students spend on school buses, allowing students to bring bottled water on school buses; and following guidelines for rescheduling and cancelling outdoor athletic/band/extra-curricular activities, when necessary, due to high temperatures. 

“Our successful opening day today is evidence of the consistent dedication by CCSD staff to ensure that all of our students experience a positive school year in a safe environment so they can excel academically beginning on day one,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo.

As Clark Creek ES Principal Dr. Jennifer Scrivner observed: “It went fabulously well. Students were very excited and thankful for a new school building, and we heard lots of positive comments from parents, especially about our assembly with falconer Buster Brown bringing a redhawk, our mascot, to the school.” 

Source: Canton Patch 

Fire district plan in Canton gets rejected by the Canton Mayor

The special fire district would eliminate homestead exemption tax break for seniors and disabled.


Canton Mayor Gene Hobgood this moring vetoed a plan passed by the city council on July 19 that would set up a special fire district tax which would include a 3.12 mill tax to improve the city's fire services.

"After careful consideration I feel that I have no choice but to veto the Canton Fire District Ordinance," Hobgood said.

The Canton City Council, by a vote of 5-1, created the special district that would help the city meet some of its long-term fire service needs and possibly shift some of that burden to elderly residents who have enjoyed a decade of voter-approved tax exemptions.

Hobgood said he will call a special meeting of the council next week to consider alternatives to the district and provide council members with the opportunity to override his veto.

Faced with conflicting opinions as to the legality of the ordinance from Canton City Attorney and attorneys for state municipal and commission associations, Hobgood said he will seek an opinion from state Attorney General Sam Olens.

The current tax exemption, which applies to seniors who are at least 62 years old, drew so many members of that demographic to last Thursday's meeting that some had to stand. Of the 17 speakers who signed up to speak during the 10-minute public comment period, more than a dozen people spoke about the fire district. Currently, approximately 1,183 senior citizens receive an exemption.

"This ordinance sends the message to our seniors and disabled persons that the city does not understand or appreciate the value that these individuals provide to our city," Hobgood said while announcing the veto. "It further says that the city will not keep its promise to you when the city enticed many of you to move to our city."

Council member Bob Rush said during the meeting when the fire district was approved that it doesn't immediately alter the city's tax structure, a conclusion that drew jeers from the audience.

"The one thing I would like to clarify is that we're voting on the creation of a fire district," he said. "We're not voting on imposing any particular tax. The tax, if it's going to be imposed, would be done at a later date after proper analysis is made. If we look at the numbers and we say it's not convenient, the fire district would be relatively irrelevant."

It was Rush who suggested the fire district, after a plan to start formal city-county fire merger discussions was voted down at the June 21 meeting.

"If we merge with the county as you insist or we create a fire district, the tax that the people are going to pay is going to be the same amount of money," Rush told the mayor during the July 5 work session.

Hobgood said today that in addition to possibly being unenforceable and placing a financial burden on older and disabled residents the ordinance was passed without adequate consideration of alternative revenue sources and cost-avoidance schemes.

"There has been insufficient study and a lack of adequate information provided the council to make an informed decision based on a fire services protection plan," Hobgood said."This plan should be for five to 10 years minimum and should be throughly evaluated by council prior to any decision."

Source: http://canton-ga.patch.com 

Retiring Early - What to consider

 Historically, most Americans have considered 65 to be their target retirement age. This is likely the result of past Social Security laws, which provided full benefits beginning at age 65.

However, many workers today are retiring at an increasingly earlier age. In just the last few years, for example, the average retirement age has fallen to age 63. And many younger workers are planning to retire even earlier; in fact, according to a recent study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, more than a third of today’s workers plan to retire before age 64.

What You Give Up


An early retirement often comes at a cost. Here are a few of the financial results of early retirement that you must consider carefully:

Not only are Social Security benefits reduced for early retirement, but the age at which full benefits begin is being gradually raised to 67.

Retiring early often happens right at the peak of your earning years, meaning you not only forego that income, but also the resulting saving and investing that would have taken place in these years.

The annual benefit provided by employer-sponsored defined benefit pension plans is usually based on a combination of years of service and your ending salary. Both are reduced by early retirement.

Health care costs tend to increase for retired individuals. Benefits that were once paid for by employer-sponsored coverage often become the responsibility of the retiree.

Consider Your Options Carefully


Choosing when to retire is one of the most important financial decisions you will make. Consider your options carefully. Careful planning can help ensure you a comfortable and financially independent retirement.

1. “2006 Retirement Confidence Survey,” Employee Benefit Research Institute and Mathew Greenwald & Associates, Inc.

Income Gap - Connecting and Understanding

Social Security was never designed to be an individual’s sole source of retirement income. Instead, it was meant to bridge the gap between people’s income from pensions and savings and their monthly expenses.

Today, however, nearly two-thirds of all seniors rely on Social Security for at least 50% of their total monthly income. Nor are annual cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs, keeping up with the spiraling costs of healthcare, housing, and energy in many areas across the country. Adjustments to extend the program’s solvency have reduced benefits in real terms, as well as ratcheted up the age at which one can attain full benefits.

What’s more, traditional company pension plans are fast going the way of the horse-and-buggy and the dodo bird. Instead, employers are moving toward “defined contribution plans” that put most of the responsibility for planning, funding, investing, and distributing plan funds squarely on the shoulders of individual employees.

Given these trends, one thing is clear: Each person must put increasingly greater emphasis on securing their own financial future in retirement. Your actions today and throughout your working career may make the difference between relying on government programs for a modest monthly income and enjoying a secure, independent “golden years.”

The price of procrastination is steep and the cost of inadequate preparation too high for you to wait until later to start planning!

Source: Jennifer Anglin Insurance 

Planning for the Golden Years

There’s a saying that if you have your health, you have everything. Well, that’s not exactly true – without adequate resources, you could enjoy a long, healthy retirement at a far lower standard of living than you’d prefer!When preparing for retirement, it’s vital to keep in mind the importance of money to your quality of life during your “golden years.” And with retirements now stretching as long as 20 to 30 years – and beyond – ensuring your retirement dollars outlive you is a paramount concern. Failing to Plan, or Planning to Fail? It’s been said that he who fails to plan, plans to fail. And nowhere is that concept illustrated more starkly than with retirement planning. A sound financial plan can be the difference between the retirement of your dreams and the nightmare of discovering you have too little money, too late to change financial course.A disciplined retirement preparation plan, diligently followed, will help you develop realistic objectives … assess progress toward your goals … and make periodic adjustments to keep you on track. How Much Retirement Income Will YOU Need? Government research has determined that most Americans need between 60 and 80 percent of their pre-retirement income in order to maintain their standard of living during retirement. However, many financial experts have raised this figure to between 80 and 100 percent of pre-retirement income, citing skyrocketing healthcare costs, lengthening life spans, and the ever-present threat of inflation – which can rob a retirement portfolio of purchasing power over time. Of course, how much you will need in retirement will be a function of your goals, time horizon, and spending habits. Those who want to purchase a second home and travel frequently will obviously need more than those who prefer to stay at home in their paid-off house. Consider these factors when estimating your future retirement income needs: Your support of children who will be self-sufficient by the time you retire. Your current work-related expenses that will be dramatically reduced in retirement, such as commuting costs, daily meal expenses, dry cleaning bills, etc. Whether your mortgage will be paid off prior to or early in retirement. Whether you will need to continue your monthly savings amount or begin to spend that amount for necessities. Your tax bill in retirement Sources of Retirement Income Once you have estimated your target retirement income, you can begin evaluating your potential sources of regular income. In general, your income sources will fall into one of these three categories: 1) Government sources. The Social Security system was inaugurated during the Great Depression to augment retirees’ incomes. Most experts feel that the system will remain solvent throughout much of the 21st century. Even so, a rising retirement age and cuts in benefits could reduce your monthly Social Security check. Benefits are based on the amount you earned during your working years. 2) Employer-sponsored plans. Many employers offer company-sponsored retirement plans, which generally fall into two categories. Defined benefit plans, which are normally funded by the employer and guarantee a retirement benefit based on a formula comprising number of years on the job and employment earnings. For example, a traditional pension is a defined benefit plan. Defined contribution plans, on the other hand – such as 401(k), 403(b), and 457 – rely on funding from employees, matching funds from the employer, or a combination of the two. The employee owns an account balance (subject to company rules regarding vesting) of contributions and earnings. Upon changing jobs, an employee may be able to roll over assets into the new employer’s plan or into an IRA. At retirement, the employee decides how to withdraw the balance he or she has accumulated. 3) Personal savings. This is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of retirement planning. Personal savings include, but aren’t limited to, balances in savings accounts, directly held assets, home equity, shares in a partnership or business, and even collectibles such as artwork and coins. How to Get – And Stay – On Course How can you determine whether you’re on track to reach your retirement goals, and to make adjustments if necessary? We can help you develop a sound financial plan based on your specific situation, monitor it regularly to ensure you’re making progress toward your objectives, and recommend occasional adjustments to help you stay on course.

Insurance Coverage Options

Alfa offers several options to help you get the most from your life insurance program and to meet your family’s insurance needs.

Accidental death benefit is paid if the insured dies accidentally.

Children’s term insurance provides for a level death benefit for each insured child to age 25. If you (our insured) die during the term, the children’s term policy is paid up until the child reaches age 25. May be purchased for a child age 0-18. Each insured child can convert to an individual permanent policy up to five times the rider amount on the date the child’s coverage is due to expire.

Guaranteed purchase option allows you to buy additional coverage at certain times even though you may have become uninsurable due to a terminal illness, for example.

Guaranteed renewability benefit provides for the renewal of your Level Premium Term at the end of the level premium period or your Return of Premium policy at the policy expiration, regardless of your health.

Premium insurance prevents cancellation of a policy on your child’s life to age 25 if you (the premium payor) die or become disabled. May be purchased for a child age 0-14.

Spouse level term option provides convenient, cost-saving, level-term coverage for a spouse up to age 65. May be converted to a permanent plan of insurance at any time prior to the expiration of the rider.

Waiver-of-premium benefit keeps your insurance policy in effect without payment of premiums while you are totally disabled.

Flexible payment schedule allows you to pay your premiums monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.

How do I know which plan is best for me?

By completing a financial needs analysis, your Alfa agent can help you determine your family’s financial situation. By taking a few moments of your time, you can have the peace of mind that your family will be protected financially in the event you or your spouse die prematurely.

* Payments withdrawn during the first 10 years of the annuity contract will be subject to an early withdrawal charge. Please refer to the annuity contract and illustration for additional information. Tax penalties may apply to withdrawals made before the contract purchaser reaches age 59 1/2. Your tax advisor can assist you with the tax implications of annuity withdrawals.


Source: http://www.jenniferanglininsurance.com

Report: $1 billion Reimbursement from Health Care Law

by Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON — More than 3 million health insurance policyholders and thousands of employers will share $1.3 billion in rebates this year, thanks to President Barack Obama’s health care law, a nonpartisan research group said Thursday.

The rebates should average $127 for the people who get them, and Democrats are hoping they’ll send an election-year message that Obama’s much-criticized health care overhaul is starting to pay dividends for consumers. Critics of the law call that wishful thinking.

The law requires insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent of the premiums they collect on medical care and quality improvement or return the difference to consumers and employers. Although many large employer plans already meet that standard, it’s the first time the government has imposed such a requirement on the entire health insurance industry.

“This is one of the most tangible benefits of the health reform law that consumers will have seen to date,” said Larry Levitt, an expert on private insurance with the Kaiser Family Foundation, which analyzed industry filings with state health insurance commissioners to produce its report. Kaiser is a nonpartisan information clearinghouse on the nation’s health care system. 

Still, with employer coverage averaging about $5,400 a year for an individual, $15,100 for a family, $127 isn’t a whole lot of money. It amounts to 2 percent of an individual plan, and a little less than 1 percent of the family premium.

And the insurance industry says consumers should take little comfort from the rebates because premiums are likely to go up overall as a result of new benefits and other requirements of the law.

“The net of all the requirements will be an increase in costs for consumers,” said Robert Zirkelbach, spokesman for America’s Health Insurance Plans, the main industry trade group. 

“Given that health care costs are inherently unpredictable, it’s not surprising that some plans will be paying rebates to policyholders in certain markets,” Zirkelbach added. 

But the Kaiser report said the rebate requirement may be acting as a brake on the industry, discouraging insurers from seeking big premium increases to avoid having to issue refunds later and face possible criticism.

The new law has “provided an incentive for insurers to seek lower premium increases than they would have otherwise,” the report said. “This ‘sentinel’ effect on premiums has likely produced more savings for consumers and employers than the rebates themselves.”

The study found the largest rebates will go to consumers and employers in Texas ($186 million) and Florida ($149 million), where Govs. Rick Perry and Rick Scott have been among the staunchest opponents of the federal law. Both states applied for waivers from the 80 percent requirement and were turned down. Hawaii is the only state in which insurers are not expected to issue a rebate.

Here’s how the rebates break down nationally:

More than 3 million individual policyholders will reap rebates of $426 million, averaging $127 apiece. These are consumers who are not covered through an employer and buy their policy directly. Consumers in Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Arizona are most likely to be eligible.

Insurance companies must notify policyholders, and the rebates are due by Aug. 1. Some companies have already begun to pay.

In the small-employer market, plans covering nearly 5 million people will receive rebates totaling $377 million. 

Employers do not have to pass their rebates on to workers, and can also take them as a discount on next year’s premiums.

Insurers serving large employers face a stiffer requirement. Under the law, they must spend 85 percent of premiums on medical costs. The study found that 125 plans covering 7.5 million people at large employers will give back a total of $541 million.

Most plans operated by major national employers are exempt from the requirement. The biggest companies usually set aside money to cover most of their workers’ medical expenses. Typically they hire an insurer to administer their plan, but they do not buy full coverage from the insurer.

Separately, a Goldman Sachs report estimated insurers would pay rebates of $1.2 billion. Among major insurers, UnitedHealth would pay $307 million, Aetna $177 million, WellPoint $94 million and Coventry $50 million.

Supporters of the requirement say it will keep insures from padding their profits at the expense of unsuspecting consumers. 

“Millions are benefiting because health insurance companies are spending less money on executive salaries and administrative costs and more on patient care,” said Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., a leading advocate of the rebate provision.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the report shows how Obama’s law is “already strengthening the health care system for millions of Americans.” 

Like everything else about the overhaul, the future of the rebates depends on whether the Supreme Court upholds the law in a decision expected by early summer.

Seventeen states applied for waivers from the 80 percent standard, producing evidence that it would destabilize their private health insurance markets. Federal regulators granted adjustments to seven states, usually meeting each state’s request part way.

Data from the nation’s most populous state, California, were not ready and thus were not included. Final statistics on the rebates will be issued by the federal government in early summer.

Source: http://cherokeetribune.com 

Assurance and Motivation…

Approximately six years ago I received a call from Jennifer Anglin, who is the owner of ALFA Insurance in South Canton.  As a member of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, Jennifer informed me that she had selected my school to support with her business.  I was “thrilled” with her willingness to jump in and meet my wonderful staff and students.  Since the beginning of this school and community business partnership, I am also happy to be insured by ALFA Insurance and have Jennifer to take care of my home and auto needs.  Yes, Jennifer and I have certainly developed a blended professional and personal friendship! 

One day when we had decided to meet for dinner Jennifer mentioned “The Shack” by William P. Young, and suggested I read it because it had such an impact on her.  Several months later I read it, and was really enthralled by the descriptions of the energetic essence of God, His son Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  There have been a few recent times when I have thought about William P. Young  and his ability to connect with a similar level of Divine energy that I have experienced when working on a piece of art!  The energetic essence of his written words was extraordinary to me!  I also know everyone has the ability to connect to the Divine energy, and I hope you have this spiritual pleasure many times in your life!

Today I sent Jennifer  the web address to the Inspirational Artistic Impressions site and this was her email comment back to me.

” Well, I just spent a few minutes looking at your paintings!  AMAZING!!

Over the past several months I have read books, and articles that have
made me think of the presence of God in the form of ENERGY and LIGHT.
It has opened my eyes to see people and activities differently.  

All this to say – I LOVE YOUR PAINTINGS!!  

I can see these having a great market value, and being a ministry.”

I am truly honored and inspired by Jennifer’s recognition of the Divine spiritual energy in my artistic impressions! Could God’s energetic essence be compared to an inspirational insurance policy??? 

Source: http://inspirationalartisticimpressions.com/my-doggie/ 

Jennifer Anglin's Impression of Life

Almost everyone needs life insurance. Whether you’re single, married, parent or non-parent, own a business or are retired – there is a need. Life insurance from Alfa™ gives you the opportunity to protect the future of others in the event of your death.

Here are just a few ways a life insurance policy from Alfa could help your beneficiaries:

• Provide funds to pay off household debt like medical expenses, mortgage and credit cards
• Cover daily living expenses after the loss of your income
• Pay for funeral costs during a time when the average funeral is more than $7,000
• Provide for college tuition

One of the best things you can do for loved ones is to give them financial security and protection from loss by purchasing life insurance. Alfa offers a wide range of policies designed specifically for your needs. These policies include permanent insurance, which provides a lifetime of protection, and term insurance, which offers affordable coverage for a set time period.

Source: http://www.jenniferanglininsurance.com/