I hope everyone is well.  I sure wish this weather would make up its mind! I don't know about you, but I'm ready for warmer weather and some time out on the lake. Kelly and I have been working hard and keeping quite busy with updates and changes in the financial world. Some of them have been good and some not so good (isn't that always the case).

The annuity space in particular has seen many updates and changes since the first of the year. Again, some changes have been good and others not so much, depending on the company. This has been caused by basically two things: a low interest rate environment and regulations. State insurance regulators have been very strict with insurance companies making sure they have enough "legal reserves" to meet all of their promised benefits (that's a good thing). But, that's caused some insurance companies to scale back on what they're willing to promise. On the other hand, some insurance companies have found themselves in a stronger position, and of course that's a good thing. So, the bottom line is that insurance planning with annuities, life insurance, long term care etc. is ever-changing and you have to stay on top of it. That's the challenge for Kelly and I, and I'll say it again - we're blessed to be partnered with some of the best financial minds in the country to keep us up to speed.

We've seen a decided shift of folks moving towards "Asset-Based" type planning using annuities and life insurance that also include long term care benefits. This is the wave of the future, and some of the additional benefits you get for your dollar are amazing! You'll be able to get a little bit more info from reading the Lake Norman Magazine article included this month. I hate to see people miss out these opportunities simply because nobody told them, so I'm telling you!

Another success we've had is with a new program called Hidden Levers that I mentioned last month. This proprietary program simply allows us to "Stress Test" your current portfolio against certain economic conditions to see how much money you could lose or how much you could make. It's a great tool to uncover the risk and reward potential of your portfolio. Then we can compare your current portfolio to a recommended portfolio and see what the results are. What a great way to make wiser decisions moving forward. It's not perfect, but it's the best thing out there to try and accomplish this. In my opinion, everyone should have this done! One of these days the stock market bliss will come to an end, as well as the bond market. Wouldn't you like to know how it will affect you and how you can create a "Stock Market Exit Strategy"?

Enjoy this month's article from Lake Norman Magazine and "The Thought for the Weeks" from our team at Global Financial Private Capital.

As always, don't forget to check out our website where all of our radio shows and Lake Norman magazine articles are uploaded for your enjoyment. Also, last month I mentioned that my new book "Finding Safe Harbor in Retirement" is now published! If anyone wants a free signed copy, just stop by the office and we'll be happy to hand one off to you. Or, if that's not possible we'll be happy to mail one to you. So far the feedback I've gotten has been positive, and it's very humbling. To all of you that have read the book and given me the feedback - THANK YOU! If anyone would like a free consultation, a free portfolio stress test, a free "Hidden Levers Analysis", or any of our free reports, just let us know.

Until next month,

James Stillman