Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

General John A. Logan Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-B8172- 6403 DLC (b&w film neg.)]

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:

She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

There are a few notable exceptions. Since the late 50's on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing. In 1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day. More recently, beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before the observed day for Memorial Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye's Heights (the Luminaria Program). And in 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."

The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.

Article by UsMemorialDay Organization

Origin of Mother's Day goes back to the era of ancient Greek and Romans. But the roots of Mother's Day history can also be traced in UK where a Mothering Sunday was celebrated much before the festival saw the light of the day in US. However, the celebration of the festival as it is seen today is a recent phenomenon and not even a hundred years old. Thanks to the hard work of the pioneering women of their times, Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis that the day came into existence. Today the festival of Mothers day is celebrated across 46 countries (though on different dates) and is a hugely popular affair. Millions of people across the globe take the day as an opportunity to honor their mothers, thank them for their efforts in giving them life, raising them and being their constant support and well wisher. 

Earliest History of Mothers Day
The earliest history of Mothers Day dates back to the ancient annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to maternal goddesses. The Greeks used the occasion to honor Rhea, wife of Cronus and the mother of many deities of Greek mythology. 

Ancient Romans, too, celebrated a spring festival, called Hilaria dedicated to Cybele, a mother goddess. It may be noted that ceremonies in honour of Cybele began some 250 years before Christ was born. The celebration made on the Ides of March by making offerings in the temple of Cybele lasted for three days and included parades, games and masquerades. The celebrations were notorious enough that followers of Cybele were banished from Rome. 

Early Christians celebrated a Mother's Day of sorts during the festival on the fourth Sunday of Lent in honor of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ. In England the holiday was expanded to include all mothers. It was then called Mothering Sunday.

History of Mother's Day: Mothering Sunday
The more recent history of Mothers Day dates back to 1600s in England. Here a Mothering Sunday was celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter) to honor mothers. After a prayer service in church to honor Virgin Mary, children brought gifts and flowers to pay tribute to their own mothers. 

On the occasion, servants, apprentices and other employees staying away from their homes were encouraged by their employers to visit their mothers and honor them. Traditionally children brought with them gifts and a special fruit cake or fruit-filled pastry called a simnel. Yugoslavs and people in other nations have observed similar days. 

Custom of celebrating Mothering Sunday died out almost completely by the 19th century. However, the day came to be celebrated again after World War II, when American servicemen brought the custom and commercial enterprises used it as an occasion for sales. 

History of Mother's Day: Julia Ward Howe
The idea of official celebration of Mothers day in US was first suggested by Julia Ward Howe in 1872. An activist, writer and poet Julia shot to fame with her famous Civil War song, "Battle Hymn of the Republic". Julia Ward Howe suggested that June 2 be annually celebrated as Mothers Day and should be dedicated to peace. She wrote a passionate appeal to women and urged them to rise against war in her famous Mothers Day Proclamation, written in Boston in 1870. She also initiated a Mothers' Peace Day observance on the second Sunday in June in Boston and held the meeting for a number of years. Julia tirelessly championed the cause of official celebration of Mothers Day and declaration of official holiday on the day. Her idea spread but was later replaced by the Mothers' Day holiday now celebrated in May. 

History of Mother's Day: Anna Jarvis
Anna Jarvis is recognised as the Founder of Mothers Day in US. Though Anna Jarvis never married and never had kids, she is also known as the Mother of Mothers Day, an apt title for the lady who worked hard to bestow honor on all mothers.

Anna Jarvis got the inspiration of celebrating Mothers Day from her own mother Mrs Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis in her childhood. An activist and social worker, Mrs Jarvis used to express her desire that someday someone must honor all mothers, living and dead, and pay tribute to the contributions made by them. 

A loving daughter, Anna never forgot her mothers word and when her mother died in 1905, she resolved to fulfill her mothers desire of having a mothers day. Growing negligent attitude of adult Americans towards their mothers and a desire to honor her mothers soared her ambitions.

To begin with Anna, send Carnations in the church service in Grafton, West Virginia to honor her mother. Carnations were her mothers favorite flower and Anna felt that they symbolised a mothers pure love. Later Anna along with her supporters wrote letters to people in positions of power lobbying for the official declaration of Mothers Day holiday. The hard work paid off. By 1911, Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state in the Union and on May 8, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. 

History of Mother's Day: Present Day Celebrations
Today Mothers Day is celebrated in several countries including US, UK, India, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, Canada, China, Japan and Belgium. People take the day as an opportunity to pay tribute to their mothers and thank them for all their love and support. The day has become hugely popular and in several countries phone lines witness maximum traffic. There is also a tradition of gifting flowers, cards and others gift to mothers on the Mothers Day. The festival has become commercialised to a great extent. Florists, card manufacturers and gift sellers see huge business potential in the day and make good money through a rigorous advertising campaign. 

It is unfortunate to note that Ms Anna Jarvis, who devoted her life for the declaration of Mothers Day holiday was deeply hurt to note the huge commercialisation of the day. 

Article by MothersDayCelebration

USCCRA’s 10 Myths of Credit Repair

Myth # 1: When I pay off a past-due account, such as a charge off or a collection account, it will show “paid” and no longer be negative.
It is difficult to fully restore your credit without paying your outstanding debts. However, paying off a debt can actually hurt your credit. Negative items on your credit report are allowed to stay on your credit report for a maximum of seven (7) years, except for bankruptcy that can stay for up to ten (10) years. This 7 or 10 year clock begins ticking at the date of last activity. When paying an outstanding debt, you will change the account status to paid collection, paid charge-off, satisfied judgment, or paid ‘was xxx days late”. This is still considered very negative and appears as though you had to be strong-armed by the credit bureau to pay the account. It is almost always prudent to have a professional help so as to not further damage your credit by trying to do the right thing.

Myth # 2: If a negative item is successfully deleted from my credit report, it will just come right back on my report.
The credit bureaus have cleverly spread this myth through the news media and government agencies. In truth, the credit bureaus will often temporarily delete a negative listing if they have not heard from the credit grantor for 30 days since an item has been disputed. Should the credit grantor submit verification a week or two later, it will be re-inserted. (This is called a soft delete.) Most of the time the creditor simply fails to respond and the negative item is permanently deleted. If the creditor verifies the item the account may still be deleted later in the process as the challenging process is intensified.

Myth # 3: There are items such as bankruptcies, foreclosures, and tax liens that are impossible to remove from the credit report.
There is no type of negative listing that has not been removed from a credit report thousands of times.

Myth # 4: Disputing a credit report is easy — any consumer can do it themselves.
Disputing a credit report is easy. Getting results from the credit bureaus as a layperson is amazingly difficult, complex, and infuriating. The Federal Trade Commission receives more complaints against credit bureaus than any other type of business. In February 2000 the 3 major credit bureaus paid a fine of 2 ½ million dollars for ignoring consumers requesting information regarding their file. Remember the credit bureaus are primarily interested in protecting their profits. Investigating consumer disputes consumes these profits. Sparking a mass number of lawsuits, the bureaus do everything in their power to impede your progress with credit restoration.

Restoring your own credit is like repairing your own transmission or representing yourself in court; it is possible, but you have to be willing to invest the time to learn the processes, assume the risks of inexperience and realize that it will probably take you longer and you will be less effective than a professional.

Myth # 5: The credit bureau allows me to submit my 100-word explanation. Creditors will read my statement and take it into consideration.
No known creditors consider the information submitted in your statement. This statement only verifies some of the negative items on your report. The 100-word explanation should be the first thing deleted from your credit file.

Myth # 6: The credit bureaus are a branch of the government, infallible, and above reproach.
The credit bureaus are publicly & privately traded companies in business to impress stockholders. They are not government agencies. They are one of the most heavily regulated industries. The strict regulations stem from a public outcry of abuses and mistakes.
A recent survey by an independent research group revealed more than 70% of credit reports contained mistakes or errors. The prevalence of errors has lead to consumer protection legislation that allows consumers to challenge the bureaus and force the removal of inaccurate, outdated or unverifiable information.

Myth # 7: I can create a totally new credit file by getting a federal tax ID number or changing a few numbers on my social security number.
This fraudulent scheme has proven to be complex, difficult and illegal. Lying on a credit application is a criminal offense and with the linking of computer systems it is virtually impossible to get away with. It is in your best interest to hire adequate representation and face the music by confronting the credit bureaus armed with the rights congress has granted you through the consumer protection laws.

Myth # 8: If I build enough good credit, it will offset my bad credit and make me credit worthy.
Any amount of bad credit is devastating to your chances of being approved by a creditor. The approval is almost never in the hands of a human sitting across a desk from you. It is a computer achieving a point total. The slightest amount of negative credit will cause an auto loans and credit card interest rates to skyrocket. Generally, even a little bad credit (regardless of the amount of good credit) will cause you to be declined.

Myth # 9: Nonprofit organizations like Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) can help me restore my credit.
Nonprofit debt counseling services assist people who are over their heads in debt and seeking an alternative to bankruptcy. CCCS are funded and controlled by credit grantors and credit bureaus. When you are working with CCCS your creditors will often note this on your credit report. This is a huge red flag for prospective credit grantors. Some of the very worst credit reports that we see are participants in the CCCS or similar programs.

Myth # 10: It is illegal for creditors to take a negative, accurate listing off my credit report.
The law requires that these items remain on the credit report for at least seven (7) years.
When you speak to credit grantors, collection agencies, or credit bureaus, their typically under-educated staff may tell you all manner of such pseudo-legal nonsense. The law limits negative information from appearing longer than the legal (7) year maximum. The credit grantor or credit bureau may choose to delete the item whenever they see fit.

What Does The US Congress Have To Say?
Consumers have a vital interest in establishing and maintaining their creditworthiness and credit standing in order to obtain and use credit. As a result, consumers who have experienced credit problems may seek assistance from credit repair organizations, which offer to improve the standing of such consumers.

Sec.402 (a) Credit Repair Organizations Act. Title IV of the Consumer Protection Act (Public Law 90-321, 82 Stat.164)

Fruits must be part of one’s daily diet. They contain a lot of vitamins and minerals that are essential for proper functioning of the body. There are immense green apple benefits which is discussed below.

Apple is also very nutritious. As the saying goes – an apple a day, keeps the doctor away and may help you with keeping your Health & Life Insurance premiums low too!

Green apple is a favorite fruit of many. There are almost 7000 types of apple available in the world. The red apple is very popular as well as the green apple. Usually apples are sweet, but some are sour as well. The sour apples are used for cooking, refining it for the preparation of oil, as well as making wine. The green apple falls into the latter category.

Green apple has a green colored radiant skin and is sweet and sour in taste. It is very juicy also and very tasty to eat.

The green apple not only tastes good but as several benefits. Let us have a look at the benefits.

Green Apple Benefits
Some of the primary health benefits of green apple are:

• Contains a lot of fiber, which is good for digestion.
• The chances of colon cancer are less if one eats green apple.
• Relieves constipation.
• Beneficial in treating gout.
• Useful in controlling diarrhea.
• Reduces blood pressure.
• Blood sugar gets stabilized.
• Helps in treating rheumatism.
• Improves one’s appetite.
• It contains carbohydrates and therefore provides much energy.
• It contains protein.
• Has plenty of vitamins, such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6 and it is one of the most prominent green apple benefits.
• It also has plenty of minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, Manganese, Iron, Potassium, Copper, Zinc
• It helps in preventing liver problems.
• Lessens the chances of developing skin diseases.
• It consists of several anti-oxidants such as polyphenol as well as flavonoid that helps in reducing the risk of cancer by not allowing DNA damage to occur.
• It has less cholesterol and is therefore useful for those losing weight.
• As green apple contains a lot of Vitamin A,B as well C, it is very good for the nourishment of skin and also has a whitening effect on it.
• It purifies the blood as it contains a lot of minerals.
• One also less chances of suffering from liver problems.

Apples have essential nutrients and green apple is no exception to it. Green apple has lots of benefits due to which it should be included in the daily diet.

If not for life insurance, Disneyland might have existed only in Walt’s imagination. Stanford University might have been a short-lived tribute to a son who died young. James Cash Penney’s personal depression during the Great Depression might have shuttered the J.C. Penney chain. McDonald’s might have only served a few hundred thousand. Today’s home chefs might not be getting pampered.

Learn how life insurance played a key role in either the creation or survival of some iconic American institutions.

Disneyland

Walt Disney Studio was founded in 1923 in Los Angeles by Walt Disney (1901-1966) and his brother Roy. After a distributor essentially stole one of his early cartoon characters and his animators, Walt made sure he owned everything he made after that. Mickey Mouse debuted in 1928 and became an immediate sensation as the star of the first cartoon with synchronized sound.

His animated features and, eventually, television programs achieved steady success, and by the 1950s, Walt became intrigued with creating an amusement park where parents and children could have a good time together. At the time, the only amusement parks in the country were dilapidated places with seedy characters, but Disney dreamed of an immaculately clean, family oriented park with imaginative attractions.

After failing in the pursuit of traditional means of financing to build what would become Disneyland, Walt decided to provide his own financing. A large part of this came to be by collaterally borrowing money from his cash value life insurance. Disneyland opened in 1955 and hosted more than 3.5 million visitors in its first year. It became an immediate, resounding success.

Disney is quoted as saying that money was the biggest problem he faced throughout his life, and that was certainly the case with Disneyland. “It takes a lot of money to make these dreams come true. From the very start it was a problem. Getting the money to open Disneyland. About $17 million it took. And we had everything mortgaged, including my personal insurance… We did it (Disneyland), in the knowledge that most of the people I talked to thought it would be a financial disaster — closed and forgotten within the first year.”

McDonald’s

Working as a milkshake machine distributor in 1954, Ray Kroc (1902-1984) took notice of a successful hamburger stand in San Bernardino, Calif., which he called on, intending to sell brothers Dick and Mac McDonald more Multimixers. He learned they were interested in a nationwide franchising agent. Kroc, 52 at the time, decided his future was in hamburgers and partnered with the brothers. He opened his first McDonald’s in Des Plaines, Ill., in 1955 and bought out the McDonald brothers in 1961.

Kroc did not take a salary during his first 8 years, and to overcome constant cash-flow problems, Kroc borrowed money from two cash value life insurance policies (and also his bank) to help cover the salaries of key employees. He also used some of the money to create an advertising campaign around emerging mascot Ronald McDonald.

Using a progressive franchising arrangement and striving for consistency and standardization throughout the chain, McDonald’s grew to more than 700 restaurants within 10 years. Today, McDonald’s serves more than 50 million people each day through more than 30,000 locations in 119 countries.

Stanford University

Pacific Mutual Life (now Pacific Life) ceremoniously issued its first policy to Leland Stanford, the company's first president, in 1868. After his son, Leland Jr., died of Typhoid Fever in 1884 at the age of 15, the former California governor and U.S. senator and his wife, Jane L. Stanford, determined that because they could no longer do anything for their own child, they would use their wealth to do something for other people’s children. With a strong belief in the importance of a practical education for men and women that would prepare them to be productive and successful, six years of planning led them to establish Leland Stanford Jr. University in Palo Alto in 1891, with a pioneer class of 555 students (including Herbert Hoover).

Following Leland’s death in 1893, the fledgling university’s financial support became uncertain, to the point where Jane tried unsuccessfully to sell her treasured jewel collection in 1897. Intent on preserving the university and avoiding a “temporary” closure, she used her husband's life insurance policy proceeds to help fund operations and pay faculty, allowing Stanford University to weather a dangerous six-year period of financial distress.

J.C. Penney

In 1898, James Cash Penney was working in a Golden Rule Store, part of a small chain of dry goods stores. He was such an enterprising worker that the pair of owners took him under their wing, offering him a one-third partnership in a new store they were opening in Kemmerer, Wyo. Penney participated in opening two more stores, and when the original partners dissolved their partnership in 1907, Penney purchased full interest in all three stores. By 1912, he operated 34 stores throughout the Rocky Mountain region. In 1913, he moved the company to Salt Lake City and incorporated it as the J.C. Penney Company. By 1929, there were 1,400 stores across the country.

The stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression devastated the stores and Penney’s personal wealth. The financial setbacks also took a toll on his health — physical and mental — but he was able to borrow against his cash value life insurance policies to help the company meet its payroll and day-to-day expenses. This allowed the company to stay afloat and eventually rebound.

Penney became a born-again Christian and remained as chairman of the company's board until 1946. He served as honorary chairman until his death in 1971. Today, the company’s 1,100 stores take in revenues of $18 billion a year, and the company was able to pay new CEO Ronald Johnson, the former Apple exec who joined the company last November, $53.3 million in 2011.

The Pampered Chef

Using $3,000 she borrowed from a life insurance policy, home economist Doris Christopher started The Pampered Chef in her suburban Chicago home in 1980.

All her time working with homemakers convinced Christopher that women needed quality timesaving tools designed to help make cooking quick and easy. She had seen the success of Tupperware’s business model and developed her own detailed multi-level marketing business plan. Using the life insurance money, she purchased some basic inventory and was on her way.

By 2002, the company had grown into a $700 million operation that was acquired by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Corporation for $1.5 billion. Today, the company boasts 12 million customers.

Foster Farms

In 1939, a young couple named Max and Verda Foster started Foster Farms by borrowing $1,000 against a life insurance policy. They invested in an 80-acre farm near Modesto, Calif., and began raising turkeys and, eventually, chickens.

By the 1960s, the company had outgrown the original farm and moved its corporate headquarters to the small California Central Valley town of Livingston, where it still resides. Today Max and Verda's grandson, Ron Foster, is the CEO of the family run business. Foster Farms is now more than 10,000 employees strong, with operations in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Arkansas and Alabama, and has a line of products that are sold globally.

Foster Farms specializes in fresh, all-natural chicken products free of preservatives, additives or injected sodium enhancers.

Article Provided by LifeHealthPro

Easter is over and even if you still have the bunny's paws left to eat, have some mercy on the bunny... and your waistline!
There's absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying a moderate amount of the "occasional foods" that each occasion delivers. When the occasion is over though, and particularly if you're watching your weight, it's time to resume everyday eating.
Here in Australia there's a danger of slipping into poor eating habits from Easter straight through to Anzac Day.
It's a great excuse — especially if you're observing school holidays too. - What's the point trying to lose weight when there's more celebrating left to do in a couple of weeks time?
It's the attitude of anyone who doesn't see their "diet" as an everyday way of eating — all the time for the rest of your life.
It's the "stop eating well, start eating well" approach that leads to extreme behaviour, guilt and bad habits — the difference between having no birthday cake, enjoying a small piece of birthday cake and eating a piece of cake and the rest of it as well; the difference between denying yourself any Easter eggs, enjoying a couple of little ones, and eating every egg that comes within your grasp.
There will always be holidays, birthdays and other reasons to celebrate and it's perfectly legitimate to do so.
With regular exercise, healthy everyday eating and a moderate approach to occasional treats, we can enjoy the fruits (or foods) of every occasion without the guilt.
So stop eating the eggs and buns, resume everyday eating practice and when Anzac day comes you can happily enjoy an Anzac cookie with your coffee.

Did you know?

There are more calories in a hot cross bun than in a 100g chocolate egg, and that's before you've added the butter! So while they may still be on sale and at a bargain price it's best to exercise some restraint.
And... speaking of exercise, there's no better way to pull yourself out of post celebration blues than by taking yourself out to physically move — especially at this time of year.
Autumn is a lovely season — the weather is cooler but the mornings are bright. A brisk walk for around an hour will burn off the total energy value of a whole hot cross bun, an opportunity indeed to undo some of the damage from the Easter weekend.

Article Written By Judy Davies

Seven Reasons To Verify Life Insurance Policy Performance

1. Potential for Underfunded Policies
Most policy pricing is based on certain assumptions about policy charges, interest rates, planned premiums and other issues. Policies are usually designed with enough planned funding to stay in-force at least for life expectancy. Unfortunately, with today’s lower interest rates, more and more policies are underfunded, causing huge “catch up” payments to stay in force. This issue can be avoided with minor adjustments if caught early.

2. Interest and Financial Market Changes
Extended periods of low interest rates have affected policy performance and may require more premium dollars to meet policy charges. Low interest rates severely affect not only policy duration, but cash accumulation.

3. Verify Financial Strength of the Carrier
With the recent economic catastrophes it is beneficial to Verify the financial strength of the companies guaranteeing the death benefit and cash accumulation.

4. Legislative Changes
Regulatory changes to state and/or federal estate tax laws may have a tremendous effect on a policy’s performance after taxes. Ownership and/or beneficiary changes may be indicated to solve this issue.

5. New Efficiencies in Product Pricing
A new lower mortality table, medical advances, longer life expectancies and improvements in underwriting technology have significantly impacted product pricing.

6. Loans, Withdrawals, or Other Policy Changes
Loans, withdrawals, skipped premiums, quick pays or other policy changes may have an effect on policy performance.

7. Lifestyle Changes
Changes in family, financial or business status may affect ownership, beneficiary or coverage needs.

*Contents provided by lifepro

2012 is a leap year, meaning that February, the shortest month, has an extra day, bringing the year to 366 days. This notable event comes only every four years. Which means you have an extra 24 hours. So what will you do with yourself? How about heading to Disneyland for 24 hours straight, catching a movie, or spending the day skiing?

Lookups on the Web are taking a leap, including "leap day activities," along with the quadrennial questions: "what is leap year," "why is there a leap year" and "history of leap year." Here, your guide to the day.

When is it? An extra day is added to the month of February every four years. This year, Leap Day is on Wednesday, February 29.

Why we need Leap Day: Usually, our year is 365 days long. Except that it's not: A full cycle of seasons is actually 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes, and 16 seconds long, or about 365.25 days. Over time, the extra quarter of a day adds up, and without Leap Day, the calendar would be one day out of sync with the seasons. After 30 years, it would be about a week off, and after 100 years, it would be nearly a month off.

• Related: Book these hotel deals by Feb. 29

Bing Quock, the assistant director of Morrison Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences, explains, "Leap Day is added as a correction to the calendar so that it stays in sync with the seasons ... that way, the seasons start on the same day from year to year to year."

The history of Leap Year: Leap Year has been around for 2,000 years, since Julius Caesar created the 365-day calendar, although Caesar's astronomer, Sosigenes, get s credit for adding an extra day in February every four years.

How to celebrate: Fans of Disney parks will be lining up to take advantage of "One More Disney Day" at Disneyland in California and at Magic Kingdom in Florida, which will be open for 24 hours, from February 29 at 6 a.m. until 6 a.m. March 1. Michele Himmelberg, a spokesperson for Disney, said it's the first time in recent memory that theme parks on both coasts will be open to mark the quadrennial event. She confirmed the rides will run all night. Hey, come in your PJs.

Leap Year babies probably have the biggest reason to rejoice -- since they see their birthdate only once every four years. Yahoo! searches are in a festive mood with lookups on "leap year birthdays," "leap year birthday cards," and "leap year party ideas." Good news for ski bums born on February 29: Show your Leap Year birthday date and get a free stay at Mammoth ski resorts.

If you prefer to mark the extra day on your couch, there's always "Leap Day," the movie. The 2010 romantic comedy stars Amy Adams and is based on an Irish tradition that a man must say yes to a woman who proposes to him on Leap Day. Some NBC shows have already run their Leap Day-themed episodes, which included "30 Rock's" alternative-universe idea that Leap Day is celebrated like an actual holiday and even has a mascot, "Leap Day William" (Jim Carrey), who stars in a "Groundhog Day"-type movie with Andie MacDowell. Its message: Take a leap.

[video:http://www.hulu.com/watch/332672/30-rock-a-leap-day-carol 100x100]

If you prefer to mark the extra day on your couch, there's always "Leap Day," the movie. The 2010 romantic comedy stars Amy Adams and is based on an Irish tradition that a man must say yes to a woman who proposes to him on Leap Day. Some NBC shows have already run their Leap Day-themed episodes, which included "30 Rock's" alternative-universe idea that Leap Day is celebrated like an actual holiday and even has a mascot, "Leap Day William" (Jim Carrey), who stars in a "Groundhog Day"-type movie with Andie MacDowell. Its message: Take a leap.

By Claudine Zap | Work + Money – Fri, Feb 24, 2012 6:13 PM EST on Yahoo.com

Hi everyone, this is Gurdayal Singh. I wanted to introduce myself of course informally to all of you.

First of all thank you very much for visiting WealthAndWisdomOnline.com. I’m hoping and looking forward to meeting with you personally.

All the time, people ask me what I do. I show people how money works. What do I mean by that? I’m in the financial planning services business for over 20 years with 

Hi everyone, this is Gurdayal Singh. I wanted to introduce myself of course informally to all of you.

First of all thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to come meet with you, speak with you and you know do my little presentation. I’m hoping and looking forward to meeting with you all.

All the time, people ask me what I do. I show people how money works. What do I mean by that? I’m in the financial planning services business for over 20 years with a very unique approach in that I help people find money that they’re currently transferring away unintentionally, uni-tentatively, and unnecessarily.

I believe I can have a bigger impact on your future by helping you avoid the losses rather than picking a winning investment or winning stock or winning mutual fund. It makes no sense to have a million dollars only to discover you lost a million on the way.

I don’t like the way financial planning is being sold to the American public. If it were a science nobody would have lost the money. I hope you agree with me on that.

The goal of my presentation will be to give you a defining moment in the way you think about your future. The presentation was designed to create questions in your mind. This is important because it will tell me that you have started to think about it rather than being told what to think or what to expect. I want to give you enough information so that you can make those great decisions.

Working together with me you have nothing to lose but all the money that you’re already losing. The topic for my presentation that you’re event will be: The Next 3000 Days. Very important, remember that’s about almost 10 years. If you knew what was going to happen in the next 3000 days, you would have a clearer view and you can make a better decision.

I hope this is helpful, and in the end I just want to say if something wasn’t true, if something you thought to be true wasn’t true, when would you like to know? I’m sure right now. That’s what were going to do, looking forward to meeting with you, have a great time, and talk to you soon.

a very unique approach in that I help people find money that they’re currently transferring away unintentially, unitentatively, and unnecessarily.

I believe I can have a bigger impact on your future by helping you avoid the losses rather than picking a winning investment or winning stock or winning mutual fund. It makes no sense to have a million dollars only to discover you lost a million on the way.

I don’t like the way financial planning is being sold to the American public. If it were a science nobody would have lost the money. I hope you agree with me on that.

The goal of my blog and website will be to give you a defining moment in the way you think about your future. By reading the presentations, articles and blogs on this website you start creating questions in your mind. This is important because it will tell me that you have started to think about it rather than being told what to think or what to expect. I want to give you enough information so that you can make those great decisions.

Working together with me you have nothing to lose but all the money that you’re already losing. The main topic for my website and blog presentations that will presented is: The Next 3000 Days. Very important, remember that’s about almost 10 years. If you knew what was going to happen in the next 3000 days, you would have a clearer view and you can make a better decision.

I hope this is helpful, and in the end I just want to say if something wasn’t true, if something you thought to be true wasn’t true, when would you like to know? I’m sure right now. That’s what were going to do, looking forward to meeting with you, have a great time checking out the website, and talk to you soon.

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