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Feds to Taxpayers: Did You Get Health Insurance?

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By Maggie Fox, January 28th, 2015 Two to 4 percent of taxpayers will end up paying a fine because they didn’t have health insurance last year, federal health officials predicted Wednesday. This is the first year that Americans will have to worry about health insurance at tax time. The 2010 Affordable Care Act requires that just about everyone have health …

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Who Are You?

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During the Christmas break, my kids and I have a tradition of piling up on the sofa with a huge bowl of popcorn and watching movies.  My 12-year-old daughter wanted to watch the latest remake of Alice in Wonderland. With Johnny Depp and Anne Hathaway in the same movie, I’m thinking it can’t be that bad. So shortly after Alice …

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Staying in the Box: Lessons from “The Mick”

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When I was a kid, I was a fan of Mickey Mantle.  He was the idol of many American boys just like me.  Known as “The Mick,” Mantle was one of the greatest home run hitters of the time, and perhaps the greatest switch hitter ever to play the game.  After a 14-year career with the New York Yankees, Mantle …

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There is No Trophy for Just Showing Up

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My first experience in the martial arts occurred when, at the age of 8, I visited a judo class being taught at the local Boy’s and Girl’s Club.  The idea of tripping and throwing others around sounded exciting to a young, skinny kid.  But what I didn’t understand was that you also got tripped and thrown when you showed up …

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10 Sales Strategies for Taking Charge of 2015

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Tactics constantly come and go in sales without making a significant impact on outcomes. On the other hand, solid strategies can make a significant difference in what happens. Here are 10 sales strategies that can have a positive influence on performance in 2015. 1. Define yourself clearly. Most people let others decide who they are, define their capabilities, and what …

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The Top 3 Sources of Guaranteed Retirement Income

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In December 2009, the Hartford Life Insurance Company conducted a study titled, The Hartford Investments and Retirement Survey. The goal of the survey was to come up with a better understanding of the retirement needs, concerns, and perceptions of consumers in the U.S., particularly the Baby Boomer demographic. The results? “Retirement and/or financial planning is viewed as too complex or …

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Umbrella insurance: Protection for that nest egg

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By Anna Helhoski, December 27, 2014 A retirement nest egg may make you feel like you’ve locked down your financial future, but don’t get too comfortable. Getting hit with a liability lawsuit in your retirement years could turn your life upside down. While your insurance may cover some damages or legal fees, an umbrella insurance plan goes further. It protects …

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Are We Being Ostriches?

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As a child of the 1960s, I remember watching TV, and the amazing transition from black and white to our first color TV.  It sure made watching my favorite cartoons more entertaining.  I’m not sure why, but even our black and white cartoons looked better on that new color TV set. One particular scene played out in the cartoon world …

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After You Say, “I Do”

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You woo them, you court them, you often invite them to dinner and buy them a nice meal.  You occasionally shower them with gifts, and you bend over backwards to see that they have everything they need to make a decision in your favor.  You talk, laugh, and get to know each other.  You come to believe that person is …

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