Seguro de Viaje, Seguro Médico Internacional y más...

Free advice

2011-05-01T09:04:00.001-06:00

Free insurance advice

Top American Hospitals

2011-03-29T16:40:00.000-06:00

http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals

Seguro Médico en Usa

2011-03-13T05:32:00.002-06:00

http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/

Superfund

2008-12-11T11:26:00.003-06:00

www.superfund.com

Nordic Health Care

2008-12-09T15:34:00.000-06:00

Nordic Health Care

Dinero Falsificado, escrito en Feb del 2007

2008-10-08T14:41:00.004-06:00

Traducir al español

Counterfeiting Money - Crime or Good Economics?

Did you ever think that a counterfeiting money could be good for the economy and that the counterfeiter could be considered an economic genius or even a national hero? I received an Email from Nic Corsetti, a friend of mine, describing exactly how that might happen. Here goes from Nic:...

Mas sobre la crisis en Wall Street

2008-10-06T10:57:00.000-06:00

A propósito de la crisis.

2008-09-25T10:19:00.002-06:00

"A Few Good Bond Traders"
Another one bouncing around trading desks: "Son, we live in a world that has bonds and those bonds need to be bought by men with balance sheets. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Fuld?
I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Bear Sterns and curse the short sellers; you have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Lehman's death, while tragic, probably saved firms and that my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves markets.
You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties you want me buying bonds, you need me buying bonds. We use words like TSLF, PDLF, Super SIV. We use them as the backbone of a life trying to defend something. You use them as a punchline.
I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you," and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest that you pick a sub-prime option arm bond and pay par.
Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to."

Warren Buffet

2008-08-20T09:31:00.002-06:00

Warren Buffet

Financial IQ Test

2008-06-02T08:37:00.001-06:00

Fiancial IQ Test

Living the Secret

2008-05-28T16:17:00.002-06:00

Notas por Isabel Casas

MIKE DOOLEY
+ Los pensamientos se vuelven cosas
+ Tener pensamientos que sean útiles, que sirvan, que construyan
+ El miedo puede ser un tren de escape que lleve a una estación que no deseamos, evitar el miedo.
+ Iniciar un tren que pueda vencer pensamientos con miedo
+ Los pensamientos positivos son más poderosos
+ No entretenerse en pensamientos que no le sirven a uno
EJERCICIO VISUALIZACION
+ 1 vez al día, 5 a 10 minutos (si es más, uno empieza a pensar otras cosas y divaga en lo que no desea)
+ Incluir detalles como aroma, color, sensaciones para que la foto sea real
+ Poner emoción de gozo, al poner emociones hace que las cosas sucedan más rápido. Volverlo vocal, físico.
+ Ponerse a uno mismo en la visualización, en la foto viviendo la experiencia que se visualiza.
+ Enfocarse en el resultado (no en el como). El Universo sabe como, es posible que nosotros no y muchas veces uno se enfoca en el como y se pierde.

TIPS COMO VIVIR LO QUE SE DESEA, COMO ATRAERLO
+ PALABRAS son el FUTURO
+ Las palabras son pensamientos hablados. Escuche lo que se diga. Cambie el canal y elija otras palabras si no son positivas
+ Hable de cosas que “le sirvan”
+ Estoy rodeada de abundancia y amor
+ Tengo claridad
+ Tengo tanta energía
+ Nota: aunque a veces no sea real lo que decimos es importante decirlo para dirigir emociones y pensamientos hacia algo positivo, por ello elija sabiamente las palabras.
ACCIONES
+Ponga atención a lo que hace. Las acciones y comportamientos de uno atraen acciones y comportamientos de otros
+ Atraiga las mejores cualidades de otros, enfóquese en lo bueno que hacen las personas, fíjese en lo positivo
+ Se la persona de tus sueños, disfruta, “visualiza la demo” que puedes ser de tus sueños
+ Actúa como si tus sueños fuesen una realidad, “pretende” porque conlleva acciones que atraerán esa realidad deseada.

SE ENTUSIASTA Y VIVELO “be excited”
+Siéntelo y vívelo
+ Actúa como si fuese ya cierto, un hecho
+ Toma acciones físicas en la dirección de tus sueños. Por ejemplo, habla con conocidos sobre la magia y el entusiasmo. THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS
+ Van Gogh dijo: si tienes una voz interna que te dice no pintes, no pintes, empieza a pintar porque la voz desaparecerá.
+ A veces hay que vencer nuestros diálogos internos y lo mejor es haciendo lo que deseamos para no vencernos del miedo

MARCI SHIMOFF VIVIENDO EL SECRETO

+ Existen 2 energías básicas
+ Expansión: cuando uno se siente bien
+ Contracción: cuando uno se siente mal
EJERCICIOS:
+ Broma de juntar manos y observar qué pulgar está sobre qué mano.
+ Sentarse posición fetal y decir soy feliz contraído, no es lo mismo que decir soy feliz en expansión abriendo los brazos. La postura ayuda a expandir y atraer energía.

5 LLAVES PARA VIVIR EL SECRETO

Llave 1 PODER DE LA MENTE
+ Pensamiento
+ Creencia “belief”
+ Auto estima: nos permite que seamos dignos de lo que deseamos, “worthy to get what we want”
+ La única diferencia entre tu y yo es que yo puedo ver tu handicap, tu no puedes ver el mío. Historia de football placer Roger Redford
+ EJERCICIO RESISTENCIA BRAZOS
+ Self talk, diálogo interno: observemos que persona promedio tiene 60,000 pensamientos al día, 95% son los mismos todos los días, de éstos, 80% son negativos). CADA PENSAMIENTO QUE PENSAMOS GENERA ENERGIA EN EL CUERPO. Ejemplo de molécula de agua, y nosotros somos más del 70% agua…
+ Pensar en analogía VELCRO vs TEFLON, en el velcro se pegan cosas, en el teflón fluyen. Cuando pensamos algo negativo se pega como el velcro, veamos que fluyan las cosas como en el teflón en los pensamientos positivos para que fluyan
+ EJERCICIO hacer un “success Journal”, escribir todo lo que logramos para seguir atrayendo, visualizar que tenemos logros constantes, registremos lo positivo de nuestras experiencias
+ 10% de los pensamientos son conscientes, el 90% inconscientes por lo que hagamos, escribamos cosas positivas para nutrirnos de positivismo.
+ HERRAMIENTAS PARA EL PODER DE LA MENTE
+ www.emogree.com, sobre acupressure y ayudar puntos clave
+ www.sedona.com

Llave 2 PODER DEL CORAZON
+ Amor
+ Agradecimiento “gratitude”
+ Apreciar
+ EJERCICIO señalarnos a nosotros mismo, la mayoría apunta hacia el corazón, el origen de nuestros pensamientos
+ Consideremos que el campo electromagnético del corazón se expande unos 4 a 5 metros, lo que sentimos es lo que emanamos por lo que podemos cargar con un ambiente positivo o no si pensamos negativo o estamos en conflicto. Podemos generar paz en el entorno solo con el corazón mediante sentimientos de amor, agradecimiento y apreciación.
+ Si deseas algo, siente amor y gratitud
+ Heart rate cuando se siente felicidad es estable, armonioso, curvas homogéneas. Cuando se siente enojo, fluctúa en picos heterogéneos en cardiograma.
+ El cuerpo reacciona a sentimientos que tenemos (ejemplo moléculas de agua, 80% somos agua)
+ EJERCICIO decir a alguien que “te aprecio porque xxxx”, ejemplo maestra con pulseras a dar a 3 personas como símbolo de gratitud por algo. Digamos a las personas el por qué los apreciamos
+ EJERCICIO escribir 5 cosas por las que estamos agradecidos, nos cambia la vida al hacer esto diariamente.
+ HERRAMIENTAS: decir lo que apreciamos a otros
+ www heartmath.com

Llave 3 PODER DE LA PASION Y PROPOSITO
+ Pasión y acción inspirada. “Passion and inspired action”
+ Puedes vivir tus sueños, por esto estamos auí.
+ Historia de Gene, United Airlines pilot. Permitir que las personas puedan soñar, casi siempre las personas no dicen sus sueños pq temen que no serán aceptados y se desmotivan de seguirlos al no hacer statements, al no buscarlos.
+ Estemos en contacto con nuestra pasión para lograrla
+ EJERCICIO: escribir 20 veces al día “En mi vida ideal yo soy XXXXX”
+ HERRAMIENTAS www.passiontest.com

Llave 4 PODER DE VISUALIZACION Y PALABRAS
+ Hacer card vision board.
+ Poder de las palabras
+ HERRAMIENTAS Happy for a Reason, Marci Shimoff
Llave 5 PODER DE LA FELICIDAD
+ Humor
+ Paz interior
+ Bienestar, Well-being
+ La felicidad es la ULTIMATE GOAL
+ SER y SENTIRSE FELIZ AHORA, tener una vibración consciente
+ Vemos al mundo tal y como nos sentimos dentro, ejemplo video de NY con background música ruidosa y música clásica. En el primero se percibe caos, en el segundo paz y harmonía. Solo cambia música, mismas imágenes. Lo que decimos y sentimos hacen la diferencia en percibir la realidad que nos envuelve.
+ Video gorila, basket. Recibimos 2 billones de bits de información al minuto percibimos lo que nos enfocamos o lo que buscamos, no lo que hay. Abramos perspectiva
+ Los adultos se ríen 15 veces al día, los niños más de 400. vivamos con la risa de la felicidad, la tenemos dentro, sigamos usándola.
+ HERRAMIENTAS happyfornoreason.com

Recordemos proverbio chino
If there is Light in the soul
There will be beauty in the person
If there is beauty in the person
There will be harmony in the house
If there is order in the nation
There will be peace in the world

Sabia usted...

2008-05-19T11:58:00.002-06:00

que se necesitan 62,000 galones de agua para producir una tonelada de acero, hací como también se requieren de 39,000 galones de agua para fabricar un automóvil y 3,000 galones para producir un pequeño semiconductor. Talvez es tiempo de pensar en invertir en agua. CGW y PIO

Mac Solar Index

2008-05-15T09:01:00.005-06:00

Si desea invertir en empresas relacionadas con la industria de la energía solar, ahora puede hacerlo comprando el ETF TAN que replica el Mac Solar Index

Acciones preferentes

2008-05-14T16:25:00.004-06:00

Leía el día de hoy que puede ser una buena idea invertir en este momento en el ETF PGF. Al cierre de hoy paga un dividendo del 6.83% anual. El pago de dividendos es mensual (1 doceavo del dividendo anual). Lo seguiremos, veremos si baja un poco para comprarlo.

Recesión en USA para el 2008

2008-05-13T11:29:00.002-06:00

De acuerdo a los especuladores, bajaron las probabilidades de una recesión en USA.

Monedas

2008-05-07T15:27:00.003-06:00

Si desea comprar monedas con su brokerage account, este es el vehículo que necesita.

Acero

2008-04-25T10:37:00.002-06:00

Si usted desea especular con el precio del acero, la forma más sencilla de hacerlo es comprando el ETF SLX

Petroleo

2008-04-25T10:27:00.003-06:00

Se habla mucho sobre el precio del petroleo. Si usted tiene el deseo de especular con el precio del petroleo, la forma más sencilla de hacerlo es comprando el ETF USO. Para esto sólo tiene que abrir un brokerage account.

Underwriting

2008-04-24T11:21:00.005-06:00

En este link pueden encontrar una presentación en power point sobre el underwriting de los nuevos productos de Bupa (Bupa Care) así como también los folletos de ventas.

Calculadoras

2008-04-08T04:58:00.002-06:00

En este link podrá encontrar una serie de calculadoras financieras que le pueden ayudar a realizar tus tareas diarias como asesor financiero.

Subprime

2008-02-15T16:32:00.001-06:00

Subprime
Esta presentación se explica por si sola.

Recesión en USA para el 2008?????

2008-01-29T13:12:00.000-06:00

Recesión en USA para el 2008?????

2008-01-09T09:03:00.000-06:00

En español
Reuters
Goldman Sachs sees recession in 2008
Wednesday January 9, 8:33 am ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs on Wednesday said it expects the U.S. economy to drop into recession this year, prompting the Federal Reserve to slash benchmark lending rates to 2.5 percent by the third quarter.

In a note to clients, Goldman said real gross domestic product would contract by 1 percent on an annualized basis in both the second and third quarters. For all of 2008, the investment bank said GDP would rise by 0.8 percent.

The unemployment rate will rise to 6.5 percent in 2009 from the current 5 percent, it said.

The weakening economy will force the Fed to lower policy rates by an additional 1.75 percentage points from the current 4.25 percent. Starting in September, the Fed cut rates at the last three meetings of the Federal Open Market Committee, reducing the target rate on loans between banks by 1 percentage point from 5.25 percent.

Goldman strongly advises fund managers to overweight health care, consumer staples, energy and utilities. They are significantly underweight consumer discretionary, financials, industrials, materials and information technology.

The three most significant changes to their sector recommendations are the reduction in the financial sector weighting by 300 basis points to 14 percent, the information technology weighting by 400 basis points to 15 percent, and the increase in their health care weighting by 300 basis points to 17 percent, the firm said.

Their reduced allocation to financials reflects weak fundamentals and their declining weight in the S&P 500. The reduction in information technology reflects that the group has been the second-worst performing sector in both the six months leading up to a recession and during the first phase of a recession, Goldman said.

The health care weighting change reflects strong performance of the group during the six months leading up to and during the first phase of a recession in addition to an attractive valuation, Goldman said.

On Monday, Merrill Lynch economist David Rosenberg said the jump in U.S. unemployment in December confirmed that the economy was entering a recession.

Predicciones en el 2008

2008-01-04T12:52:00.000-06:00

En español

En ingles

HCC ACQUIRES MULTINATIONAL UNDERWRITERS

2008-01-04T08:17:00.000-06:00

Traducir al español
HCC ACQUIRES MULTINATIONAL UNDERWRITERS;
RECEIVES APPROVAL FOR NEW LLOYD’S SYNDICATE

HOUSTON (January 3, 2008) . . .
HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HCC) announced today that it had acquired Indianapolis, Indiana-based MultiNational Underwriters, LLC (MNU).

MNU is a recognized leader in international life, accident and health insurance offering coverage to customers in more than 130 countries. MNU’s clients include United States citizens traveling or residing outside the country, U.S. corporations with employees and their families traveling or residing abroad, foreign nationals and the employees of foreign companies outside their home countries, missionary organizations, and institutions of higher education with foreign programs.

Founded in 1998, MNU is expected to write more than $40 million in premium in 2008. President Betsy Brougher and the MNU team of professionals in Indianapolis and at locations around the world will remain with the company following closing.

In conjunction with the MNU acquisition, HCC has received approval from Lloyd’s, effective January 1, 2008, to establish a new Lloyd’s Syndicate, 4141, which will initially write the MNU international accident and health insurance, and other selected lines of business in the future. The 2008 year capacity of Syndicate 4141 is approximately $24 million. In addition to Syndicate 4141, HCC Underwriting Agency Limited will continue to manage Syndicate 4040.

"MultiNational Underwriters’ success is driven by the use of the Internet as a vehicle for offering 24-hour-a-day insurance services worldwide, a concept that it continues to refine. We are proud to add a company as innovative as MNU to the HCC organization," HCC Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bramanti said.

"Our Lloyd’s platform will enable HCC to continue to expand its product offerings as well as allow HCC to avail itself of the many advantages of underwriting in the Lloyd’s market," Mr. Bramanti said.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (HCC) is a leading international specialty insurance group with offices across the United States and in Bermuda, Spain, Ireland and the United Kingdom. HCC has assets of more than $8.0 billion, shareholders’ equity in excess of $2.3 billion and is rated AA (Very Strong) by Standard & Poor’s, AA (Very Strong) by Fitch Ratings and A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company.

For more information, visit our website at www.hcc.com.

Recesión en USA

2007-12-19T13:08:00.001-06:00

A 49.5 se cotiza, en www.intrade.com, la probabilidad de una recesión en USA.

En la encuesta de Yahoo, 59% de los encuestados consideran que se avecina una recesión en USA.

Resultados de Noviembre, ETF

2007-12-03T08:49:00.000-06:00

En este link puede descargar los resultados de los ETF en noviembre.

The Lies That (Some) Financial Advisers Tell

2007-12-02T06:17:00.000-06:00

Traducir al español
I recently ran across an interesting article by Ric Edelman in Bottom Line/Personal (no link, sorry). In it, he ran down a list of the biggest lies that you’ll hear from a financial adviser, and how they could cost you money. What follows is a synopsis of that article, along with some thoughts of my own. While it may be a stretch to call some of these things “lies,” they certainly can be misleading.

-You should rebalance your portfolio once a year.

In truth, Edelman argues that once per year isn’t enough. Because market fluctuations can knock your portfolio allocation out of whack, it’s important to periodically rebalance it. But if you blindly choose a specific date, Edelman worries that it might wind up being the wrong time of year, or that you might have waited too long to react to a significant shift in the market. Rather, you should rebalance as soon as any investment category shifts by a predetermined amount. The example that Edelman gives is a target allocation of 10% in small caps. If your portfolio drifts to the point that you’re now holding 8% or 12% in this category, you should consider rebalancing to get back to the 10% target.

All in all, this makes sense, and it helps to ensure that you are selling high and buying low. The only real ‘gotcha’ here is to be aware of the potential tax consequences. In particular, rebalancing by buying/selling in a taxable account could result in a nasty surprise come tax day. An alternative strategy would be to simply shift your contribution amounts such that you are buying more of one class and less of another until things get back in line. Another option would be to use so-called Target Retirement funds, which automatically adjust to track an age-appropriate allocation.

-You should shift all of your accounts to more conservative investments as you approach retirement.

Instead of using your retirement date as the guiding force, you should focus on when you expect to start tapping into a certain account. This makes sense to me because retirees are living longer than ever before, and shifting to an overly conservative mix too soon could easily cause you to run out of money before you run out of days. According to Edelman, you should maintain a more aggressive investment mix in accounts that you won’t be tapping for seven or more years, whereas you should to an increasingly conservative mix after that until you’ve achieved the desired conservative stance about three years before the anticipated withdrawal dates.

-The stock market will crash between 2017 and 2024.

The logic here is that when baby boomers start retiring in droves, they’ll start liquidating their stock holdings. According to Edelman, however, there’s no reason to think that this batch or retirees will be too different from those that have gone before them. Thus, he expects them to gradually liquidate holding as needed, rather than staging a massive sell off.

-Retirees who focus on investment income should focus primarily on interest-yielding bonds and CDs.

According to Edelman, this strategy causes your income to fluctuate too much, depending on the vagaries of interest rates. If rates fall, you’ll have less cash coming in and will have to scale back your lifestyle. While creating a CD ladder can help smooth out interest rate fluctuations, but if you spend out the interest every year then you’re exposing yourself to inflationary risk (i.e., your principal won’t increase, so your interest won’t increase even though prices will).

Edelman recommends adding dividend-paying stocks the income portion of your portfolio. If the resulting income isn’t sufficient, you’ll be able to sell a portion of your assets that have (hopefully) appreciated. Of course, there’s also the risk that your stock won’t appreciate, and you’ll be stuck in the same pickle.

-Try to have enough saved up to pay for college based on the projected costs based on when your kids will matriculate.

The danger here is that college costs will continue to rise while your kids are in school. Thus, if tuition is $30k/year when your child starts school and prices continue to increase at 7%, the total cost will be $133,198 rather than $120,000.

Of course, this assumes that you want to pay for your kids’ (or grandkids’) college in the first place. But assuming that you do, it’s something to keep in mind.

Bupa, nueva línea de productos.

2007-11-27T09:15:00.001-06:00

El día de ayer tuvimos la oportunidad de asistir al seminario de la nueva linea de productos de Bupa. Entre las características novedosas podemos mencionar:
1.- Los productos no tienen coaseguro.
2.- Opción de deducible $00.00 en el país de origen.
3.- Máximo de 2 deducibles por año, por familia.
4.- Los deducibles incurridos en los últimos 3 meses (año póliza), aplican para el próximo año.
5.- En lo que respecta a la suscripción de negocios, existen 3 posibilidades; extraprimar, copago únicamente para la condición en cuestión o excluir la condición. Todo con el ánimo de acpetar al prospecto.
6.- Deportes peligrosos estan cubiertos. En el plan complete, incluso para quienes los practican profesionalmente.
7.- Maternidad no aplica deducible (10 meses de período de espera)
8.- Los rangos de cambio de primas son cada 5 años, y de los 70 a los 75 años es anual y de los 75 años en adelante ya no hay cambio de rango.

Estas son algunas de las características de la nueva linea de productos.

50 Ways I Can Improve Myself

2007-11-23T06:34:00.000-06:00

Traducir al Español
Physically
1. Simple food, quality, quantity.
2. Regularity in eating and sleep.
3. Masticate (means chew your food); leave table hungry.
4. We are a part of all we have eaten.
5. Exercise, five minutes, three times daily.
6. Air — most important.
7. Sunlight, artificial light.
8. Water inside and outside.
9. Loose clothing.
10. Early to sleep; get plenty.

Mentally
1. Think sanely.
2. Learn from mental superiors.
3. Learn to listen attentively.
4. Read best newspapers and books.
5. Improve the memory.
6. Concentrate.
7. Don’t worry unnecessarily.
8. Be systematic.
9. Weigh both sides.
10. Avoid inferior minds.

Morally
1. Right is right, wrong is wrong.
2. Be truthful.
3. Ignore precedent if wrong.
4. Seek elevating recreation.
5. Don’t deceive yourself.
6. Learn to say “no.”
7. Live up to your principles.
8. Avoid temptation.
9. Form good habits.
10. Have a constitution.

Financially
1. Increase my earnings.
2. Decrease unnecessary expense.
3. Save money, U.S. Postal Bank.
4. Money makes money.
5. Invest — don’t gamble.
6. Make family budget.
7. Hard work.
8. Study the business.
9. Pay cash for everything.
10. Increase credit balance.

Socially
1. Avoid bad associates.
2. Select helpful friends.
3. Think alone.
4. Learn to be happy alone.
5. Family best company.
6. Work out, alone, my problems.
7. Avoid so-called society.
8. Entertain economically.
9. Stand well with neighbors.
10. Do some welfare work.

Napoleon Hill

2007-11-23T06:19:00.000-06:00

Traducir al Español
Napoleon Hill’s Six Ways to Turn Desire Into Gold:

1. Fix in your mind the exact amount of money you desire. it is not sufficient merely to say “I want plenty of money.” Be definite as to the amount. (There is a psychological reason for definiteness.)

2. Determine exactly what you intend to give in return for the money you desire. (There is no such reality as “something for nothing.”)

3. Establish a definite date when you intend to possess the money you desire.

4. Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put his plan into action.

5. Write out a clear, concise statement of th eamount of money you ntend to acquire, name the time limit for its acquisition, state what you intend to give in return for the money, and describe clearly the plan through which you intend to accumulate it.

6. Read your written statement aloud, twice daily, once just before retiring at night, and once after arising in the morning. As you read—seeand feel and believe yourself already in possession of the money.

All the steps are necessary. What’s cool about this method is that it can be used for accomplishing anything, not just the attainment of money. I could see this applied to goals like losing weight, training for a marathon, getting a degree, etc.

Nueva linea de Productos

2007-11-22T14:14:00.000-06:00

En este link pueden encontrar los folletos de la nueva linea de productos de Bupa.

Gift Cards, can cover Insurance and Medical Fees

2007-11-18T08:27:00.000-06:00

Traducir al español
Well Wishes: Highmark's Gift Cards Can Cover Insurance, Medical Fees
by Kris Maher
Monday, November 12, 2007

Wondering what to give your aunt this Christmas? How about paying for her next trip to the chiropractor?

Pittsburgh health insurer Highmark Inc. is selling a Healthcare Visa Gift Card from $25 to $5,000 to cover prescription co-payments, elective surgery, contact lenses and gym membership.

The cards can be used only at providers or merchants that Visa categorizes as health related, including physician's offices, pharmacies and health clubs.

The cards aren't available at grocery or retail stores -- they can only be purchased online or by calling a toll-free number.

Highmark believes that the card fills a need for many people who want to help others -- from college students to baby boomers -- with various expensive health-related needs, but feel uncomfortable about offering cash.

"There's something about a gift card," said Kim Bellard, vice president of e-marketing and customer relations at the insurer, which is marketing the card as a stocking stuffer or as a year-round gift. "They view it as a present, not as charity."

In the case of college students, an added appeal is that students would have to use the card for health expenses, rather than using the funds to buy clothes or an iPod, for instance. "You would give this card if you want to make sure that they have funds for health-related purchases," Mr. Bellard said.

The popularity of gift cards has soared in recent years, as restaurants and specialty stores have begun selling them at supermarkets and other high- traffic retail outlets.

During last year's holiday shopping season, gift-card sales rose by 32% to $25 billion, according to the National Retail Federation, an industry group located in Washington.

Some health-care experts expect the card to have only limited appeal.

"I assume there will be a demand for it, but it's a niche product," said William Custer, director of the Center for Health Services Research at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Highmark expects to sell "several hundred thousand" gift cards, mostly between $75 and $100, during the next year, Mr. Bellard said.

The company is initially marketing the product in Pennsylvania, but expects to expand nationwide at some point in the future.

Highmark administers health plans that cover 4.6 million people.

The Highmark gift card, which contains the Visa logo, is issued by Meta Financial Group Inc.'s MetaBank, a bank and prepaid-card issuer in Sioux Falls, S.D., through a licensing agreement with Visa Inc.'s Visa USA Inc.

Each card has a fee of $4.95, plus shipping and handling.
Copyrighted, Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

Target Date Indices

2007-11-08T11:00:00.000-06:00

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Business Wire - Press Release
Zacks Launches Lifecycle Indices
10.01.07, 12:25 PM ET

Zacks Investment Research, Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of industry's first lifecycle index series. In a lifecycle program, investors simply select the fund whose target date best matches the year they plan to access their money and the rest is on autopilot. At inception, lifecycle balances have a relatively aggressive equities tilt. Then, as the pre-set target date approaches, assets gradually move along a risk "glidepath" towards more conservative fixed income positions. At all points along the glidepath, assets are prudently diversified by sector, capitalization, duration, and country.

The following are the Zacks target date indices: -0- *T Zacks 2040 Lifecycle Index Zacks 2030 Lifecycle Index Zacks 2020 Lifecycle Index Zacks 2010 Lifecycle Index Zacks At Target Lifecycle Index *T

Lifecycle funds have grown in popularity among retirement plan participants, goal-based planners, and more recently, federal regulators, because they remove investor emotions from key reallocation and asset selection decisions. While Zacks agrees that such control of human behavior improves investment outcomes, the firm notes that: -0- *T 1) Most managers assume their lifecycle funds will be used only for retirement planning. Since these glidepaths target actuarial life expectancies, they carry very high levels of risk as stated maturity dates approach. 2) In 401(k) and other qualified retirement plan markets, there is growing demand for lifecycle vehicles that are free of conflicts of interest. *T

Retirement and More: According to Michael Case Smith of the Zacks Index and Allocation Group, "The industry average allocation to equities in 2010 funds is 52%. That may be the right answer for a Monte Carlo simulation but the wrong one for investors with three years to go before they fund a retirement annuity, a vacation home, education, a wedding, or long-term medical care." As target dates near, people care more about return of capital than return on capital, regardless of what computer models say." To solve the problem, Zacks applies proprietary risk utility methodologies to traditional computer simulations for allocations that "work" for the majority of investors at each segment of the reallocation glidepath.

Conflict Free Investing: The Zacks indices are unique because they will be the basis of the industry's first securities-based lifecycle program. With no conflicts of interest or fee layering from sub-sector ETFs or proprietary mutual funds, this securities-based lifecycle program is well suited for 401(k) investing. A securities-based lifecycle program reduces plan sponsor exposure to lawsuits because it complies with the new Pension Protection Act regulations at the highest levels.

Potential index constituents include U.S. equities, international equities, and domestic bonds. The index constituent selection methodology utilizes proprietary selection rules to identify stocks and bonds with risk/return profiles consistent with general market benchmarks. The indexes are adjusted quarterly, or as required, to assure timely constituent selections. The Zacks Lifecycle Indices are published by the New York Stock Exchange, under the ticker symbols TDAXTN, TDAXTW, TDAXTH, TDAXFO, TDAXIT.

About Zacks

The Zacks Lifecycle Indices(TM) complement the firm's alpha-generating quantitative indices used in yield, growth & income, sector rotation, international, style box and market-cap specific products.

Founded in 1978, Zacks Investment Research has more than 25 years of experience in providing institutional and individual investors with the analytical tools and financial information necessary to the success of their investment process. Zacks created the first earnings estimate revision model and originated the concept of the Earnings Surprise. Today, Zacks' models process over 25,000 earnings estimate revisions and changes in broker recommendations weekly from over 200 brokerage firms, produced by more than 3,500 analysts. As one of the top market data and proprietary investment model providers, Zacks clients include some of the most widely known institutions in the financial industry.

$12,106.00 prima promedio de un plan médico familiar

2007-11-07T02:41:00.000-06:00

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Health Insurance Costs Rise Again
By Michelle Andrews
Posted September 14, 2007

Health insurance premiums rose more slowly in 2007 than at any other time since 1999, but the 6.1 percent increase still outstripped the rises in workers' wages (3.7 percent) and inflation (2.6 percent), according to a study released this week. There's no relief in sight for workers, who paid almost $3,300 on average for family coverage this year. Forty-five percent of employers polled say they're likely to increase employee premiums next year, with a significant number reporting they plan to increase employee deductibles, copayments, and drug contributions as well.

The annual survey of employer-sponsored plans, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust, has charted the upward trend in healthcare costs for years. "There's no tipping point at which health insurance becomes scientifically unaffordable," Kaiser President Drew Altman said at a press conference announcing the survey results. "But we have reached a point where it's become more unaffordable for more employers and workers."

This year's survey found that the average family policy cost $12,106, a 78 percent increase since 2001. (The typical single policy cost $4,479 in 2007.) In the past six years, the amount that families pay out of pocket in premiums has increased by about $1,500. One of the consequences of higher health insurance costs, Altman noted, has been the rise in the number of uninsured, which reached 47 million in 2006, a 5 percent increase over the previous year.

Although premium costs are widely used to gauge health plan affordability, other expenses can also take big bites out of workers' wallets. In 2007, the average family-plan deductible ranged from $759 in health maintenance organization plans to $3,596 in high-deductible health plans with a savings account option. Copayments for office visits with doctors in the health plan's network ranged from $18 to $30 on average, depending on the type of plan and doctor.

These other costs are likely to rise next year, too, according to the survey. Forty-four percent of employers said they're likely to increase how much employees pay for prescription drugs. An additional 37 percent said they planned to increase deductibles, and 42 percent said they plan to increase copayments for office visits. The good news, such as it is: Only 3 percent of companies said they were very or somewhat likely to drop coverage altogether.

About 158 million people receive health coverage through their employer. The 2007 Kaiser/HRET study surveyed more than 3,000 randomly selected companies with more than three workers.

The Bush administration has touted health savings accounts, which it says could help bring healthcare costs under control. But employers don't seem to have bought that argument. This year, just 10 percent of companies offered high-deductible health plans with a savings option, which covered about 5 percent of workers. Twenty-four percent of companies said they're at least somewhat likely to offer this type of plan next year. "The [moderate rise] in premiums hasn't pushed employers to make changes as quickly as they might have otherwise," said study coauthor Gary Claxton, a vice president at Kaiser. "But insurers are still trying to sell these. It's really their only new thing. Over the next few years we'll see if it picks up."

10 tips para un discurso exitoso

2007-10-31T12:46:00.000-06:00

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Free Articles

3/22/2006
Ten MUSTS For a Successful Speech
Stephan Schiffman

New York, NY (March 14th): Fear of public speaking ranks high on nearly every study of common anxieties -- higher even than the fear of death!

As someone who has delivered hundreds of speeches before groups of all kinds, and trained many people to do the same, I have some insights on this. What people really fear is not so much public speaking itself as the possibility of being unprepared for a speech.

If you prepare well, you will eliminate most of the fear. Here are the ten “MUSTS” for a successful speech. Cover all ten, and you will be well prepared for the big event.

1. You MUST use humor to establish rapport with the audience very early on in the speech -- and preferably self-deprecating humor. (Abraham Lincoln was once accused of being two-faced. Lincoln replied, “If I had two faces, do you think this is the one I’d be wearing?” )

2. You MUST know your audience and match your content to their world.

3. You MUST know your material thoroughly. In other words, you must practice delivering the major points, in the order you want to cover them, preferably in front of people such as family or friends. (Doing this ahead of time will also help you identify what should be eliminated from the speech.) Consider making an audio or video of your speech and reviewing it closely before you deliver it to a “live” group.

4. You MUST know your own strengths and weaknesses as a speaker. Make sure you are emphasizing your strengths during the speech.

5. You MUST wear appropriate attire for the occasion.

6. You MUST project comfort and confidence to the audience. Erect posture and the ability to take deep breaths is a part of this. Do not confuse “confidence” with “arrogance”—being able to admit that you do not know something, or that you made an error about something, will usually win you attention and interest.

7. You MUST use appropriate body language – hand gestures, walking, spreading your arms – to retain visual interest from the audience.

8. You MUST speak comprehensibly. If this is a problem according to other people who listen to you practice delivering your speech, make a conscious choice to slow down and enunciate. Find ways to remind yourself of this during the speech.

9. You MUST speak loudly enough to be heard by everyone. (If you don’t have a microphone, pitch your voice so that the person in the back of the room will hear what you’re saying.)

10. You MUST speak with enthusiasm and conviction. If the audience does not believe that you believe what you’re saying, they will tune out.

STEPHAN SCHIFFMAN is the president of D.E.I., one of the largest sales training companies in the U.S. He is the author of a number of best-selling books including Cold Calling Techniques (That Really Work!), and The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Effective Salespeople, and Stephan Schiffman’s Telesales. Schiffman’s writings have appeared in many publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and INC. magazine. He has appeared as a guest on CNBC’s “Minding Your Business,” “How to Succeed in Business,” and “Smart Money,” among many other programs. Mr. Schiffman holds degrees from Ithaca College and Cornell, and has taught at New York University, Marymount Collge, and Adelphi University. He is a past president of the New York City Chamber of Commerce.

Herramienta interesante de Fidelity

2007-10-31T06:03:00.000-06:00

My Plan

¿Busca una renta mensual?

2007-10-31T05:24:00.000-06:00

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Fidelity recently introduced a new kind of mutual fund called an income replacement fund. This kind of fund is managed with the goal in mind of maximizing income by balancing growth investing, income investing, and a return of principal.

They give an example in this video of a woman who wants to invest $100,000 for 20 years. Her average monthly income from her $100,000 investment is $540. Here’s a look at her projected monthly income based on the year:

It’s important to note that these monthly income payments ARE NOT guaranteed. That said, the funds are designed based on the time horizon. In other words, as time progresses, the funds become more conservative. These funds carry an expense ratio around .61%, which isn’t too bad especially when you consider the expenses on most annuities that are designed to do essentially the same thing but with some guarantees.

I think this is an interesting concept that is only going to get more popular. In fact, I read last week in the Wall Street Journal that Vanguard is planning their own versions of income replacement funds called “Managed Payout Funds.” From the article:

Vanguard filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission last week to launch Managed Payout Real Growth, Managed Payout Moderate Growth and Managed Payout Capital Preservation.

Vanguard’s expense ratio on these funds is expected to be around .34% or roughly half of what Fidelity charges.

This is only the beginning…

Plata

2007-10-30T07:35:00.000-06:00

Staying High and Dry in a Recession

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by Robert Kiyosaki

Posted on Monday, October 29, 2007, 12:00AM

There's an old saying that goes, "It's a recession if your neighbor loses his job. It's a depression if you lose your job."

Watching the financial news networks and reading the financial publications these days, you'll see many people asking if the U.S. economy is heading into a recession. From my vantage point, the answer is yes. I believe that for many people in certain industries, like real estate, the worst is yet to come.

Economic Ripple Effects

Before getting into why I think there will be a recession, it's important to know the specific definition of the term. Very simply, a recession is a decline in a country's gross domestic product (GDP) for at least two quarters. That means that by Christmas we'll know if we're in a recession or not.

In some ways, the coming recession is a product of the physical phenomenon known as precession. Precession is the effect of bodies in motion upon other bodies in motion -- or, more simply, a ripple effect, like when you throw a stone into a still pond and the waves emanating from it overlap.

While there are many such processional "waves" in the coming recession, one is the lack of integrity in the U.S. monetary system. The United States has defaulted on its financial promises many times in recent history. In 1934, we defaulted on domestic gold redemption. That year, it became illegal for U.S. citizens to own gold. Instead, the government required Americans to turn in their gold, and they were paid $20 in paper money for every ounce of gold they surrendered.

Once the gold was collected, the government raised the price of gold to $35 an ounce. Talk about a lack of integrity. And in 1968, the U.S. defaulted on silver redemption, taking U.S. dollars backed by silver out of circulation. Finally, in 1971, the U.S. defaulted on international gold redemption.

International Impact

Another reason for the coming recession is the subprime mess. And while issues related to the subprime fiasco may seem domestic, they actually have severe international consequences. The subprime mess seems to be a problem associated with lower-income people who can't afford their homes, yet it's really the tip of a very large international iceberg, and it'll affect all of us. Here's why.

In the Sept. 12, 2007, issue of Business Week, Kerry Capell asked the question, "Could any country be more exposed to the credit crunch than the U.S.?" The answer: "You bet, and that place is Britain."

Unlike many of its European neighbors, Britain shares many of America's financial traits. In the last few years, access to cheap credit in Britain has fueled a decade of economic growth, with home prices tripling in 10 years -- an even faster rise than in the United States. With cheap borrowed money, the English consumer has caused the British economy to boom; consumers are responsible for two-thirds of the British economy.

Today, Britain is more dependent upon financial services than we are. So what will happen to the world if both England and the United States go into a recession? The precessional effect is bound to be dire -- especially for working people.

Too Much Money

As strange as it may seem to the average person, the problem is not a shortage of money -- it's too much money. The world is choking on too many U.S. dollars.

Normally, when a currency gets into trouble as the dollar is now, all the country has to do is raise the interest rates on their bonds and things are fine again. But because of the subprime meltdown, the Federal Reserve can't simply raise or lower interest rates.

In simplified terms, the Fed must keep rates low in order to save the domestic economy. This causes the international economy to dump the dollar by not buying our bonds, which is one reason why the price of gold keeps going up -- it's the true international money. And the rise in its price (and in the price of oil) signals the loss of the purchasing power of the dollar; the world simply doesn't want any more dollars. This is a ripple effect from 1971, when the dollar came off the gold standard.

Less for More

The tragedy of this excess of money is that most of the world's workers have to work harder to earn less. This is because the currencies of the world are becoming less and less valuable. Even if workers get pay raises, the boost won't be able to keep pace with declines in the purchasing power of money, increases in expenses such as oil, decreases in the value of homes, declines in the value of stocks, and increases in taxes.

Just look at what's happened in the last decade. Ten years ago, gold was about $275 an ounce. Today, it's over $700. That means that, compared to gold, your income would've had to go up by 250 percent just to keep up with the loss in purchasing power of the dollar. Or, compared to oil -- which was about $10 a barrel 10 years ago and today is over $80 a barrel -- your income would've had to go up by 800 percent.

Sure, there are many people whose incomes have gone up way beyond 800 percent in the last 10 years. The problem is that most people's incomes haven't kept pace, and they're technically in a state of personal recession with no way out.

Throw Yourself a Lifeline

As the global economy continues to gyrate, you'll hear more and more people calling for the Federal Reserve to either lower or raise interest rates. The problem is that the Fed has less and less power to do much.

If it tries to save the domestic economy, the international economy will pound us. If the Fed tries to save the dollar internationally by raising interest rates, it'll kill the domestic economy.

Instead of looking to the Fed to save you, then, I recommend you save yourself by investing in real international money. One way to do so is by purchasing silver. Gold is expensive, but silver is still a bargain even for the little guy. When the recession comes, the ripple effect on your financial future will be immeasurable.

Dollar-cost averaging

2007-10-25T08:44:00.000-06:00

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In turbulent times, resist the urge to mess with your retirement plan and you'll come out ahead.

With dreary news coming out of the banking and real estate scenes almost daily, and the dreaded "r" word (as in recession) getting tossed around, roller-coaster madness is the new normal in the stock market.

It's a scary situation. But it doesn't have to wreck your retirement.

The single most important thing you can do in a turbulent market is stick to your retirement game plan - that means contributing regularly and definitely not panicking and selling.

In fact, if you had stayed the course when the stock market was tanking in July and August, you actually would have made a far better return on your money than if the stock market had stayed flat - or even increased modestly.

The reason comes down to dollar-cost averaging. Let's say, for example, that you contribute $500 from your paycheck every two weeks to your retirement plan. Of that amount, let's further assume that you are allocating 80%, or $400, to a low-cost stock fund, such as Vanguard's S&P 500 index fund.

Looking back at the third quarter, you would have made seven contributions (assuming you get paid every other Thursday). Each $400 allocation to the index fund would have purchased a different number of shares. (see table)

On July 19, for instance, when the fund was trading at $143 per share, you would have bought 2.8 shares. On Aug. 16, when the price had tanked to $130, you would have picked up 3.1 shares. All told, by the end of the quarter you would have purchased 20.46 shares for a total cost of $2,800.

How did the market overall do during that time? By the end of September, it had just barely recovered from the 10% plunge it took in July and August, when the credit crisis was in full swing. As a result, the Vanguard S&P 500 index fund managed to eke out a gain of just 0.8% for the third quarter.

But you would have done much, much better. On Sept. 27, the 20.46 shares you purchased were worth $141 each, for a total of $2,885. That translates into a 3% gain on your retirement plan contributions for the third quarter - a return that most professional money managers would have killed for.

And you would have gotten it because you had the courage to keep buying as the market fell.

By the way, you would have gotten the same type of great returns if you had been buying stocks right after the Crash of 1987 - or after any other big drop. As long as your investing timeframe is long enough to allow the market to climb back from a potentially severe plunge - about 7-10 years - then you will usually be far better off contributing to your retirement plan.

That's not to suggest that dollar-cost averaging alone is a panacea for anything that might ail your retirement plan. If we get another prolonged bear market and you don't have a lot of time on your side (if you're planning to retire in 5 years' time, for instance), your stock investments are going to take a hit no matter what.

So to be truly shock-resistant, your retirement plan must hold a diversified mix of stocks and bonds. And you have to rebalance every year. I'll get into those issues in future columns.

In the meantime, just remember that if you have a decent time horizon and you're diversified, your best bet in a volatile market is to simply let your retirement plan do its thing. Resist the urge to mess with it. You won't regret it.

Questions or comments about retirement? Send e-mails to jrevell@moneymail.com.
Copyrighted, CNNMoney. All Rights Reserved.

Primas de Seguros de Gastos Médicos

2007-10-23T05:53:00.000-06:00

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2007-09-24
Companies Focusing on Health Plan Designs and Keeping Employees Healthy to Help Mitigate Impact of Rate Increases

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. – U.S. companies enjoyed a nine-year low in health care cost rate increases this year, but employers and employees should not expect to see that trend continue in 2008, according to Hewitt Associates, a global human resources services company. In 2007, average health care rate increases were 5.3 percent, down from 7.9 percent in 2006. However, Hewitt is projecting an 8.7 percent average increase for employers in 2008.

Outlook for 2008

According to Hewitt, the average health cost per person for major companies will increase from $7,982 in 2007 to $8,676 in 2008. The amount employees are being asked to contribute in 2008 will be $1,859, representing approximately 21 percent of the overall health care premium and up from $1,690 in 2007. Average employee out-of-pocket costs, such as copayments, coinsurance and deductibles, are also expected to increase from $1,576 in 2007 to $1,738 in 2008. Overall, employees' total health care costs — including employee contribution and out-of-pocket costs — are projected to be $3,597 in 2008, up 10.1 percent from $3,266 in 2007.

"It's encouraging to see rate increases soften because it means that companies are making a concerted effort to manage health care costs," said Jim Winkler, practice leader of Hewitt's Health Management Consulting business. "However, one of the primary ways employers have been accomplishing this is by passing a significant percentage of costs to employees, and we're seeing evidence that this strategy is prompting an increasing number of employees to forego necessary preventative care and/or not comply with prescribed medications. While some cost shifting is appropriate, it's critical that companies design their health care programs in a way that encourages employees to use them — and use them wisely. Otherwise, they are essentially trading preventative care now for 'rescue care' later, which will lead to unhealthy employee populations, a decrease in employee productivity and ultimately — higher health care costs."

2007 Cost Increases by Major Metropolitan Area

While Hewitt's data shows a decline in overall cost increases in 2007, a few major U.S. markets experienced rate increases two-to-three times higher than the average: Nashville (14.1 percent), San Diego (11.5 percent) and San Francisco (11.5 percent).

"It's hard to pinpoint the exact reasons why health care cost increases vary in each region, but differences in health plan competition, demographics and market dynamics of health care providers are all factors," said Bob Tate, chief actuary of Hewitt's Health Management Consulting business. "We've noticed that several of the cities with the highest rate increases this year have a large number of employees enrolled in HMO plans, and these plans have experienced higher cost increases in recent years."

2007 Cost Increases by Plan Type

On average, Hewitt saw average cost increases in 2007 of 9.1 percent for traditional indemnity plans, 8.7 percent for health maintenance organizations (HMOs), 3.9 percent for point-of-service (POS) plans and 2.4 percent for preferred provider organizations (PPOs).

For 2008, Hewitt forecasts that companies will receive cost increases of 9.0 percent for traditional indemnity plans, 8.5 percent for POS plans, 9.0 percent for HMOs, and 8.5 percent for PPOs. That means from 2007 to 2008, the average cost per person for major companies will increase from $7,957 to $8,673 for HMOs; $7,790 to $8,452 for PPOs; $8,573 to $9,302 for POS plans; and $9,277 to $10,112 for indemnity plans.

"We believe the 2007 rates of increase for POS and PPO plans represent somewhat of a 'market correction' from prior-year, conservative pricing assumptions, especially for self-insured plans," said Tate. "Actual experience has been trending favorably relative to employer forecasts, resulting in less of a need for an increase for 2007."

Employer Response to Rate Increases

While rate increases remain moderate, employers continue to take proactive steps to mitigate costs and enable employees to make smarter and more effective health care decisions, including:

Adopting best practices and creating more stringent requirements around vendor selection. As employers adopt leading-edge strategies to impact the health of their workforce, they are increasingly contracting with an array of vendor partners, each focused on specific elements of the health care program. "Choosing best-in-class vendors can help make programs more cost-effective as long as the employer has built in an appropriate degree of cross-program accountability for the vendors," noted Winkler.

Pinpointing the drivers of costs. More companies are taking a closer look at the health risks and needs of their employee population and offering more focused programs and solutions targeted to employees who incur the majority of health care costs. According to recent Hewitt research, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of responding companies profiled the chronic health conditions prevalent in their workforce in 2007, compared with just 43 percent in 2006. In addition, between 65 percent and 79 percent of companies gave employees — or planned to give them in 2007 — access to targeted condition management or wellness programs through health plans or focused programs.

"By obtaining insight into the health risks and chronic conditions of at-risk populations in their workforce, employers can identify portions of the employee population that are currently — or likely to become — the most costly and make changes to their plan designs that will drive employees to make better, more consistent decisions about their health," said Winkler. "These types of programs not only influence healthy employee behaviors through integrated health management, but they provide companies with significant opportunities for short- and long-term cost savings."

Offering new health plans. Account-based plan designs are gaining traction by employers as a way to control costs. Hewitt's research found that more than 20 percent of companies offer, or plan to offer, a high-deductible health plan with a health savings account (HSA) by the end of this year and almost half are considering offering one at a future date. While just 3 percent of employees elected these plans last year, most companies anticipate that enrollment will grow to 20 percent in five years.

In addition, as fully insured HMO rates increase in excess of overall medical cost increases, an increasing number of companies are eliminating local HMO offerings and are now offering HMOs under a self-insured arrangement. This enables companies to offer more consistent plan designs and health care programs across their entire employee population, reducing administrative costs and simplifying communication messages to employees during annual enrollment.

Encouraging use of health care via "value-based" plan design changes. While still an emerging concept, more companies are beginning to incorporate value-based design changes into their health care programs. These types of plans remove the unnecessary barriers to care that employees face by providing them with incentives to use appropriate care/services to manage their health.

According to recent Hewitt research, almost one in five (19 percent) large companies has implemented a value-based plan design, and another 40 percent are interested in learning more about them. Hewitt recently introduced a Value-Based Design Model that enables companies, in real time, to analyze the compliance effects and financial impact of reducing employee cost sharing for specific health care services and increasing employee cost sharing for others. Using companies' existing prescription drug utilization and cost data, the tool also helps them understand how to make these clinically desirable plan design changes without increasing overall health care costs.

Changing prescription drug coverage. Companies are focusing more on generic and value drug programs, aggressive Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) contracting and coinsurance in their drug plans to continue to influence utilization and costs. They are also taking more interest in measuring employee compliance with prescription drug usage so that they can make changes to their plans – including adding incentives – in order to encourage employees to take medications for which they were prescribed.

About Hewitt's Data

Hewitt's health care cost data is derived from the Hewitt Health Value Initiative, a cost and performance analysis database of more than 1,800 health plans throughout the U.S., including 400 major employers and more than 18 million health plan participants.

About Hewitt Associates

With more than 65 years of experience, Hewitt Associates (NYSE: HEW) is the world's foremost provider of human resources outsourcing and consulting services. The company consults with more than 2,300 organizations and administers human resources, health care, payroll and retirement programs on behalf of more than 340 companies to millions of employees and retirees worldwide. Located in 35 countries, Hewitt employs approximately 24,000 associates. For more information, please visit www.hewitt.com.

Sub Prime

2007-10-22T13:24:00.000-06:00

Retiro

2007-10-22T09:07:00.000-06:00

New ETFs Target Retirement Market
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Sponsored by
by John Spence
Monday, October 22, 2007provided byMarketWatch

First 'lifecycle' ETFs aimed at long-term investors in retirement plans.

The first target-date exchange-traded funds might just lift the velvet rope that has kept ETFs from the biggest party of all: retirement plans.

ETFs listed on U.S. exchanges have grown to more than $500 billion in assets, but they've been unable to make significant inroads into the retirement-plan market, long seen as a cash cow for traditional mutual funds.

At the end of 2006, retirement plans
assets grew to about $2.7 trillion, according to Investment Company Institute, the main trade group for the mutual fund industry. About 50 million American workers participated in retirement plans
at year-end.

Mutual funds have enjoyed a tremendous boost from the rise of the retirement plans because, along with other products such as annuities, they account for most retirement investment options.

ETFs, meanwhile, face several barriers to entry. ETFs are structured as baskets of securities that trade like individual stocks, and broker commissions are required to buy and sell shares. Many wonder if the ability to trade frequently is relevant for long-term investors in retirement plans.

Some firms are working on platforms that would aggregate ETF trades to reduce trading fees. However, the administration and record-keeping of retirement plans is geared to mutual funds.

Tracking the life cycle

In a bid to crack the retirement plans nut, TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (AMTD) subsidiary Amerivest Investment Management LLC and XShares Advisors have partnered to create a family of the first "lifecycle" ETFs.

Also known as target-date funds, these offerings have been extremely popular choices in retirement plans when offered as mutual funds. The investment products are designed to provide investors with diversified exposure to bonds, U.S. stocks, foreign companies and other asset classes.

Target-date funds are classified by the year in which the worker plans to retire or reach some other major financial goal. These products are designed to automatically scale back risk as the investor gets closer to the target date, typically by selling stocks and buying income-producing bonds.

So-called balanced funds, which include lifecyle offerings and invest in both stocks and bonds, are increasingly popular with younger workers in retirement plans.

"More recently hired participants hold balanced funds and are more likely to hold a high concentration of their accounts in balanced funds," wrote the ICI in its latest review of the retirement plans market.

"In addition, at year-end 2006, 24% of the account balances of recently hired participants in their twenties is invested in balanced funds, compared with 19% in 2005, and about 7% among that age group in 1998," the group said. "A similar pattern occurs across all age groups."

Apart from target-date funds, the ETF business has been trying to break into the retirement-plan market for years. There are already "funds of funds" and separate accounts that use ETFs for the underlying investments.

Additionally, BenefitStreet Inc. and money manager Barclays Global Investors earlier this year struck a deal to distribute ETFs to corporate sponsors.

BenefitStreet, which handles record-keeping and many client-support functions, last month launched a new retirement plans platform enabling investors to choose both ETFs and mutual funds in the same plan.

WisdomTree Investments Inc. (WSDT) recently unveiled a retirement plans platform designed for retirement plans, while Invest n Retire LLC in Portland, Ore., is a back-office specialists offering ETFs directly to employers.

Long-term horizon

TD Ameritrade and XShares have launched five new target-date ETFs: TDAX Independence 2010 ETF (TDD), TDAX Independence 2020 ETF (TDH), TDAX Independence 2030 ETF (TDN) and TDAX Independence 2040 ETF (TDV) and TDAX In-Target ETF (TDX).

The lifecycle funds get progressively more aggressive the further out the target date. For example, TDAX Independence 2010 ETF has an initial allocation to 8% in international stocks, 25% in U.S. stocks and 67% in fixed-income, although the allocations change over time.

However, the TDAX Independence 2040 ETF has an initial 24% stake in international, 73% in domestic stocks and 3% in bonds. The TDAX In-Target ETF is the most conservative, with 89% earmarked for fixed-income.

Bill Vulpis, president of Amerivest, said the new TDAX Independence ETFs are unique because they're not structured as funds of funds like most target-date offerings. Rather, they invest in proprietary indexes designed by Zacks Investment Research. He touted the low costs, transparency and flexibility of ETFs as a natural fit. The target-date ETFs have expense ratios of 0.65%, compared with about 1.3% for the average comparable mutual fund, Vulpis said.

Each of the new TDAX Independence ETFs tracks a Zacks index holding 500 securities -- 300 U.S. stocks, 100 international developed-markets equities and 100 debt securities.

"We wanted to provide a product that was simple yet diversified, with modest fees," Vulpis said. "We want to help investors with automatic asset allocation and rebalancing, and an ETF was the best way to go about that."

Michael Case Smith, managing director at Zacks IFE, added that the indexes result in lifecycle ETFs that are more aggressive in the "out" years when the target date is distant, by allocating relatively more to stocks than bonds, relative to comparable funds. Meanwhile, the Zacks indexes get relatively more conservative when they get close to the target date, Smith said.

The indexes are more aggressive in the "out" years because people have many more working years ahead, he explained. The benchmarks are more conservative closer to the target date because investors then are concerned with preserving capital, he added.

Pension reform alters landscape

Assets in target-date funds are expected to grow with the passage of the Pension Protection Act. Although the Labor Department is still finalizing its rules, many companies have been automatically enrolling employees in retirement plans. More importantly, target-date funds are seen as logical "default" options if the workers don't choose their investments.

Congress is also considering mandating greater fee disclosure in retirement plans, and the Labor Department is working on improving disclosure between plans and workers.

Tony Dudzinski, chief executive at XShares Advisors, said the indexed ETF structure offers advantages in that regard. He said managers may face conflicts of interest because most target-date funds own in-house funds that may be expensive or have poor performance. The fund of funds structure also layers on extra management fees on top of the expenses for the underlying funds, he said.

Also, ETFs can bring more transparency to the target-date fund market because the holdings are disclosed daily, Dudzinski said.

"Based on what the Labor Department is doing, we see big changes for the retirement plans and defined-contribution markets," the executive said, adding he expects more disclosure on fees that mutual funds pay to retirement plans.

XShares' move into diversified target-date funds is somewhat surprising because the firm is best known for its ETFs that break the health-care industry into narrow slices.

Dudzinski said the company is building multiple business lines and a wider spectrum of products. Last month, XShares listed a family of specialized real estate ETFs with Adelante Shares LLC.

John Spence is a reporter for MarketWatch in Boston.
Copyrighted, MarketWatch. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of MarketWatch content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of MarketWatch. MarketWatch shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

CTA index

2007-10-08T17:18:00.000-06:00

Notas estructuradas

2007-09-27T14:56:00.000-06:00

Traducir al español
Yale university endowment announced their returns for the fiscal year ended June 30. The fund returned 28% compared to 20.7% return for the S&P 500 Index.. This makes them the top performer in their class over the past two decades. Yale has demonstrated that asset class diversification works extremely well and has allocated 28% of the fund to Real Assets (Commodities, Timber, Property, etc.). Large US University endowment funds have been allocating more assets to alternative and commodity assets as a means of diversification and return enhancement. We were at a Wharton leadership conference last spring where the University of Pennsylvania head of endowments broke down how Penn was invested. 22% domestic stocks, 28% foreign stocks, and approximately 30% alternative investments..

This all fits in with our strategy of structured notes. In this environment structured notes that focus on commodities and currencies make the most sense. With commodities up over 9.5% this month alone, we think a structured note that strategically identifies the most active commodities coupled with a principal guarantee are the most attractive. According to the World Gold Council in India, the January to August imports of gold were up over 87% more than 1 year ago. International accounts are diversifying into commodities and non dollar assets at a record pace. Secondly, the US Dollar will continue to weaken. When we put our strategy piece out last week after the fed ease, we said the Dollar would decline as it has. We think the Dollar will continue to weaken versus the BRIIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia and China). Here again a strategy that couples these currencies with a principal guarantee make sense.

Accounts worldwide are using structured notes strategically to benefit from these trends. We can work with your clients to fit their specific outlooks… The trend is in place, it is now time to make money.

Recesión en USA

2007-09-26T09:52:00.000-06:00

National Western

2007-09-21T15:39:00.000-06:00

Le damos la bienvenida a National Western a nuestro portafolio de productos. En el siguiente link pueden descargar información de la Cia. y sus productos.

Recesión en USA para el 2008

2007-09-19T09:43:00.001-06:00

De acuerdo a los especuladores, la probabilidad que se de una recesión en USA en el 2008, se a ido incrementado en el transcurso del año. Esta ultima reducción de tasas, que algunos piensan que fue muy agresiva, permite pensar que aún no esta al descubierto toda la versión de cual es la situación real de la economía.

Aetna adquiere a Goodhealth

2007-09-07T09:02:00.001-06:00

Interesante adquisición. Aetna es uno de los grupos aseguradores (de seguros médicos) más prestigiosos de USA. Esta adquisición la posiciona para poder explotar el mercado internacional. Buenas noticias para el mercado. Puede descargar aqui el comunicado.

Asset Allocation

2007-09-05T09:23:00.000-06:00

Traducir al español
Summary: The Super Endowment funds of Harvard and Yale have consistently achieved high investment returns and low volatility due to their multi-asset approach to investing and exposure to alternative asset classes. While most investors cannot invest like the Super Endowment funds, this research note shows that by applying their multi-asset principles to an index based portfolio, returns have historically been superior to those of traditional portfolios and even the average top rated managed funds. Frontier takes inspiration from Super Endowment funds when determining our asset allocations. The current asset weighting of Frontier’s three funds (Conservative, Moderate, and Plus) is designed to contain slightly less risk than the Super Endowments allocations, as the Super Endowments have a longer investment horizon and lower liquidity requirements (See Appendix B for Frontier’s current asset weighting). Our small minimum investment requirements and high levels of liquidity means that it is possible for even smaller investors to adopt a multi-asset approach to portfolio management just like the Super Endowments. Should you wish to obtain any further information on index investing or to learn about the range of Frontier’s products please visit our website at www.FrontierCM.com or contact Michael Azlen at Azlen@FrontierCM.com

Risk Profile Questionnarie

2007-09-04T15:00:00.000-06:00

Descargar Interesante herramienta para conocer el perfil de sus clientes en cuanto a su tolerancia al riesgo.

Finance Quiz - Answer - Yahoo! Finance

2007-08-29T16:16:00.000-06:00

20 Timeless Money Rules

2007-08-28T07:08:00.000-06:00

Link
Traducir al español
20 Timeless Money Rules
by Carla Fried
Thursday, August 23, 2007 provided byCNNMoney.com

Money Magazine collected the best advice from some of the smartest investors (and other people) who have ever lived.

1. Be humble

When you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it--this is knowledge.
--Confucius

Investing is a big bet on an unknowable future. The mark of wisdom is accepting just how unknowable it is. Granted, that's not easy. Our brains are built to think the future will be like the near past. And we're too ready to act on the predictions of pundits, who are no more clued in than we are about what lies ahead.

Being humble in the face of uncertainty keeps you from costly mistakes. You won't jump on yesterday's bandwagon. And before you invest, you'll be more likely to ask a key question: "What if I'm wrong?"

2. Take calculated risks

He that is overcautious will accomplish little.
--Friedrich von Schiller

The returns you get are proportionate to the risk you take. This is a fundamental law of the markets. It's why five-year CDs typically pay more than six-month ones and why you're disappointed if your emerging markets fund does no better than its stodgy blue-chip stablemate. History unequivocally supports this "no free lunch" principle. Going back to 1926, stocks (high risk) have paid more than government bonds (medium risk), which in turn have beaten low-risk Treasury bills.

Among many, many other things, this law suggests:

* To earn returns high enough to build true wealth, you have to put some of your money in risky assets like stocks--the only investment to handily beat inflation over time.
* If a financial salesperson tries to tell you his product offers a high return with no risk, get that claim in writing. Then send it and his business card to the SEC.

3. Have an emergency fun.

For age and want, save while you may; no morning sun lasts a whole day.
--Benjamin Franklin

The first step in constructing any serious financial plan is to create an emergency cash fund--ideally, three to six months' living expenses--stashed in a low-cost ultrasafe bank account or money-market fund. Without this financial cushion, any unexpected expense can derail your long-term plans.

These days, happily, that emergency stash won't just sit idle. Top bank accounts like the one at UFB Direct (888-580-0049) and perennially competitive money funds like Vanguard Prime (800-851-4999) now pay more than 5%.

4. Mix it up

It is the part of a wise man to keep himself today for tomorrow and not to venture all his eggs in one basket.
--Miguel de Cervantes

Nothing can break the law of risk and reward, but a diversified portfolio can bend it. When you spread your money properly among different asset types, a rise in some will offset a fall in others, muting your overall risk without a commensurate drop in return. It's the closest thing to a free lunch there is in investing. To make the alchemy work, you must load up on assets whose up and down cycles don't run in sync: stocks (both U.S. and foreign, as well as large-company and small), bonds (of varying maturities), cash, real estate and commodities.

5. It's the portfolio, stupid

Asset allocation...is the overwhelmingly dominant contributor to total return.
--Gary Brinson, Brian Singer and Gilbert Beebower

Most investors concentrate on trying to choose the best stock and pick the perfect moment to buy or sell. It's a waste. What really matters to your long-term returns is asset allocation--that is, how you split up your portfolio.

Since researchers dropped this bombshell 20 years ago, experts have debated the size of the asset-allocation factor. Some say it accounts for 40% of the variation in investors' returns; others (like the original researchers) say 90%. But no one refutes that it's major.

6. Average is the new best

The best way to own common stocks is through an index fund.
--Warren Buffett

Here's the logic behind index funds, which aim simply to match the return of a market index: The average fund in any market will always earn that market's return (because in aggregate investors are the market) minus expenses. Since index funds match the market but have much smaller expenses than other funds, they will always beat the average fund in the long run. It's hard to argue with the math, and history bears it out (see the performance stat at right). Besides, if the Greatest Investor of Our Time believes that index funds are superior for most investors, shouldn't you?

7. Practice patience

It never was my thinking that made the big money for me. It was always my sitting. Got that? My sitting tight!
--Edwin Lefevre

This blunt warning was issued in Lefevre's 1923 fictional memoir, reportedly based on legendary trader Jesse Livermore and treated by many financial advisers like the Bible. Some 77 years later, behavioral finance professors Terrance Odean and Brad Barber's research into transactions by some 66,000 households between 1991 and 1996 found that those who traded least earned seven percentage points a year more than the most frequent traders. Moral: Once you arrange your assets into your ideal allocation, don't tinker. Rebalance once a year to keep your mix on track, but otherwise, listen to Livermore and sit tight.

8. Don't time the market

The real key to making money in stocks is not to get scared out of them.
--Peter Lynch

It would be so nice, wouldn't it, to sell before every market downdraft and then get back in just as the good times roll again. But it's too hard to pull off. Nobody knows when markets will turn (see Rule No. 1). And when they do, they tend to move in quick bursts. By the time you realize an advance has begun, most of it's over. Miss that initial stretch and you'll miss out on most of the gains. The lesson: The surest way to investing success is to buy, then stick to your guns.

9. Be a cheapskate

Performance comes and goes, but costs roll on forever.
--Jack Bogle

If you choose a fund that eats up 1.5% a year in expenses over one that costs 1% (let alone the 0.2% that index funds may charge), your fund's return will have to beat the other's by half a point a year just for you to come out even. Past returns are no guarantee of the future, but today's low-cost funds are likely to stay low cost. Buying them is the only sure way of giving yourself a leg up.

10. Don't follow the crowd

Fashion is made to become unfashionable.
--Coco Chanel

Or, as the legendary financier Sir James Goldsmith has said, "If you see a bandwagon, it's too late."

In the late 1990s, there was no more fashionable bandwagon for investors than Firsthand Technology Value fund. It returned 23.7% in 1998, but investors really piled into it after it rocketed an incredible 190.4% in 1999. But by then, the bust of 2000 was about to unfold, and Firsthand was soon to become as passé as plaid trousers. The result was a chilling example of the perils of following the herd: While the fund posted a respectable 16% annualized gain over the four years through 2001, the average shareholder in the fund actually lost more than 31.6% a year.

11. Buy low

If a business is worth a dollar and I can buy it for 40 cents, something good may happen to me.
--Warren Buffett

The best Dow stocks of the past 10 years don't include Microsoft or Intel. But Caterpillar (Cat) makes the cut with a 212% return. In 1997, in the midst of tech madness, the market was so bored by the company's industrial-machinery business that investors paid just $11.50 for each dollar of earnings. If the stock's current value of 16.1 times earnings is right, that's nearly a 30% discount. Smart investors didn't need to foresee the coming construction boom. They only needed to call a bargain a bargain and trust the market to eventually wise up.

12. Invest abroad

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
--St. Augustine

Over the 10 years through 2006, a portfolio split 80%-20% between U.S. and international large-cap stocks would have returned an average 8.4% a year, roughly the same as a portfolio invested 100% in domestic stocks. But because U.S. and foreign markets partially offset one another's ups and downs, the global portfolio was 4% less risky than the all-American (see Rule No. 4). Most Americans have less money in foreign funds than the 15% to 25% experts recommend. But you don't have to be like most Americans.

13. Keep perspective

There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know.
--Harry Truman

When the Dow sheds 300 points in a day, it's natural to feel doomed. And when the market surges, it's easy to be convinced that stocks have entered "a new paradigm," to echo a bubble-era phrase. Don't delude yourself. As Sir John Templeton notes, "The four most expensive words in the English language are, `This time it's different.' "

To keep your perspective, remember:

* In every bull market since 1970, stocks have dropped by 10% or more at least once. Average time to get back to even: 107 days.
* Over time, markets tend to stick close to their long-term trends, called "regression to the mean." Manias and panics never last.

14. Just do it

It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.
--Eleanor Roosevelt

Financial planning is an unnatural act. The brain is wired to make us undervalue long-term goals and exaggerate the cost of short-term sacrifice. Yet studies show that people who do even a little retirement planning had twice the savings of those who did almost none. Heed the words attributed to Mrs. Roosevelt by doing the following:

* Set concrete, attainable goals. "I'll pay an extra $100 a month on my credit card" is more likely to succeed than "I'm going to get my act together."
* Then commit. Tell someone your plan and agree to a penalty--you'll do your spouse's chores for a month if you haven't saved $10,000 extra by June.

15. Borrow responsibly

As life closes in on someone who has borrowed far too much money on the strength of far too little income, there are no fire escapes.
--John Kenneth Galbraith

Face this truth: If you let them, lenders are only too willing to advance you more than is good for your family. Mortgage banks and credit-card issuers don't care if your monthly payment makes it impossible for you to sock away money in your 401(k) or fund your kid's 529 plan. You need to set your own rules, including:

* No credit-card debt. Period. It's never okay to pay 15% to borrow for consumption.
* Borrow only to buy assets that appreciate. A home, yes. Education, sure. A vacation, a fancy dinner or even a 50-inch flat-screen TV? No way.

16. Talk to your spouse

In every house of marriage there's room for an interpreter.
--Stanley Kunitz

Your most important financial partner isn't your broker. It's your spouse--you know, the one who probably owns half of all you do and whose fate is inextricably linked with yours. But research shows that spouses often don't agree on even such basic info as their income and savings. Wake-up call: To make smart decisions, you need to talk, and if you're like most couples, to do a better job at it.

* Men: Don't assume she doesn't care about this stuff. She does. But you need to lay off the jargon and speak English.
* Women: Don't just leave it all to him. At a minimum, know where the key papers are and how your money is invested.
* Both: Focus on goals, not on being right. It's not a contest.

17. Exit gracefully

Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.
--Pablo Picasso

Despite the words he reportedly uttered, Picasso was willing to die without planning his estate. It took years for his heirs to reach a settlement with French authorities. Although you may not have masterpieces to bequeath, you have no excuse not to take elementary steps to make life easier on those you'd leave behind. Covering the basics shouldn't cost more than $1,500.

To find a lawyer, ask friends and colleagues for recommendations or get referrals online at the website of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys. For tips on dividing emotion-laden personal belongings--more often the flash point for family tension than money or big-ticket items--check out the website Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate?

18. Pay only your share

The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that carries any reward.
--John Maynard Keynes

It's all well and good to put time into choosing the right investments. But being conscious of taxes puts money in your pocket too (at least it keeps it from being taken from your pocket, which amounts to the same thing), and the payoff is swift, certain and there for the taking. So take full advantage of tax-deferred benefits at work, like 401(k)s and flexible spending accounts. Stick with tax-efficient investments like index funds. And claim every deduction you're entitled to. According to the Government Accountability Office, taxpayers who could itemize but chose not to ended up overpaying by $450. Don't be one of them.

19. Give wisely

The time is always right to do the right thing.
--Martin Luther King Jr.

Granted, Dr. King did not have money on his mind when he spoke these words. But they also ring true in your financial life, since giving back is always the right thing. Still, there are more right and less right ways to do it.

* Look beyond the headlines. It's fine to give money to disasters like the tsunami, but don't forget about smaller charities that go wanting.
* Don't give over the phone. Telemarketers often take a cut of 50% or more.
* Focus. Identify a cause that really speaks to you. Then devote most of your energy and charitable dollars to the organizations that best support it.

20. Keep money in its place

A wise man should have money in his head, but not in his heart.
--Jonathan Swift

People who say they value money highly report that they are less happy in life than those who care more about love and friends. Enough said.

Seguro de Viaje Corporativo

2007-08-24T08:22:00.000-06:00

MNU acaba de lanzar al mercado su seguro de viaje corporativo. Este producto le permite a las empresas tener un inventario de dias a precios muy competitivos. Adicionalmente, este producto tiene la opción de contratar, mediante pago de prima adicional, que las preexistencias esten cubiertas. Adjunto el folleto de ventas y el formulario que hay que llenar para proveer una cotización.

Tasa de Interés

2007-08-20T03:30:00.000-06:00

La posiblidad que la tasa de interés termine a fin de año encima de 5%, bajo sustancialmente despues del recorte que realizo la Fed. la semana pasada. Esta gráfica parece montaña rusa.

Más sobre las Calificadoras

2007-08-16T08:54:00.001-06:00

http://ca-bi.com/blackbox/?p=320

2007-08-14T11:05:00.000-06:00

En datos adjuntos estoy enviándoles información sobre el plan extra vida de American Fidelity. Se los explico en un par de líneas, para verificar detalles, favor leer el adjunto.

Este plan está creado para trasladar coberturas o incrementar la cobertura para clientes que tienen ya un seguro con otra compañía sin examen médico hasta $ 250,000.00

Traslado de Cobertura: Pueden trasladar las coberturas de pólizas emitidas de Enero 01 de 1995 en adelante en otras compañías a American Fidelity hasta un monto máximo de $ 250,000 sin examen médico, a los planes Platinum, Ultra u Optima.

Incremento: Pueden vender adicionalmente un incremento a personas que tengan seguro con otra aseguradora hasta $ 250,000 siempre y cuando hayan pasado exámenes médicos en los últimos 36 meses.

Para detalles favor leer el adjunto o comunicarse con nosotros.

2007-08-14T05:57:00.001-06:00

My blog is worth $1,129.08.
How much is your blog worth?

Presentación de American Fidelity

2007-08-13T12:01:00.001-06:00

FWIW

Moody´s y S&P, el asme reir de Wall Street

2007-08-09T08:07:00.000-06:00

http://ca-bi.com/blackbox/?p=312

Registro de Pólizas de Seguros

2007-08-08T09:12:00.000-06:00

Por: Eduardo Zumbado

Las aseguradoras comúnmente deben registrar pólizas estándares previo a su comercialización. El registro usualmente incluye el clausulado, la ficha técnica de cómo se llegó a la prima y capacidad financiera de la compañía que asume el riesgo. Un atentado al libre mercado, arguyen algunos, pero considerado reiteradamente necesario por las autoridades reguladoras de la industria de diversos países.

El registro de productos no se da solo en la industria aseguradora, vemos casos más claros con menos polémica en la industria alimenticia y en la farmacéutica. Quizás la polémica sea menor en estas últimas porque incide en la salud de las personas, casos más prioritarios y evidentes que la salud financiera, que es el objeto de los seguros.

Las autoridades usualmente escogen regular aquellos riesgos que tienen una amplia base de asegurados. Siendo el seguro un bien intangible y su contrato uno de adhesión, su principal preocupación es evitar el abuso de la compañía incluyendo cláusulas “leoninas” que hagan prácticamente inoperante la póliza. Esto cobra mayor relevancia cuando existen pólizas complicadas inclusive para un técnico; así, el registro de pólizas procura evitar el abuso, pudiendo la autoridad solicitar la variación de una cláusula que considere abusiva, inoperante o contraria a la ley.

Otro aspecto fundamental en el registro es la tarifa o tasa que se cobra por el seguro. En términos generales, al registrar una póliza, la compañía debe adjuntar la ficha técnica que explica cómo llegó a la tarífa que cobra. Se busca que la prima no sea excesiva, que no discrimine injustamente, que no sea inadecuada o irracional. Nuevamente el objetivo del ente regulador es buscar la protección del asegurado. No es solo que obtenga la tarifa más baja sino, aquella que no sea excesiva para él como riesgo (no sea excesiva ni que discrimine injustamente) y que permita al asegurador sobrevivir para llegar a cumplir con sus obligaciones (adecuada y racional).

¿Que prefiero, un producto registrado o uno no registrado? Mediante el contrato de seguros transfiero el riesgo que no deseo conservar, a una empresa aseguradora. No quiero asumir el riesgo adicional de tener problemas en el momento que mi familia mas lo necesite, sencillamente porque contraté quien sabe qué producto con que compañía; así como que tampoco compraría una pasta de dientes no registrada que recientemente sacaron del mercado porque fue hecha con materiales no aptos para humanos.

2007-08-06T07:45:00.000-06:00

Adjunto una presentación interesante de Lloyd´s de Londres. Entre las cosas que me llamaron la atención de la presentación esta que Lloyd´s hace seguro directo en 74 países/territorios. Así mismo esta regulada por el FSA (Financial Service Authority); por consiguiente aquellas personas que cuenten con una póliza emitida por Lloyd´s (cómo es en el caso de los clientes de Multinational Underwriters) cuentan con la protección que brinda el Financial Ombudsman Service en Inglaterra.

Something to think about....

2007-08-03T07:14:00.000-06:00

There was a one hour interview on CNBC with Warren Buffet, the second richest man who has donated $31 billion to charity Here are some very
interesting aspects of his life:

1. He bought his first share at age 11 and he now regrets that he started too late!
2. He bought a small farm at age 14 with savings from delivering newspapers.
3. He still lives in the same small 3-bedroom house in mid-town Omaha, that he bought after he got married 50 years ago. He says that he has everything he
needs in that house. His house does not have a wall or a fence.
4. He drives his own car everywhere and does not have a driver or security people around him.
5. He never travels by private jet, although he owns the world's largest private jet company.
6. His company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns 63 companies. He writes only one letter each year to the CEOs of these companies, giving them goals for the year.
He never holds meetings or calls them on a regular basis. He has given his CEO's only two rules. Rule number 1: do not lose any of your share holder's money.
Rule number 2: Do not forget rule number 1.
7. He does not socialize with the high society crowd. His past time after he gets home is to make himself some pop corn and watch Television.
8. Bill Gates, the world's richest man met him for the first time only 5 years ago. Bill Gates did not think he had anything in common with Warren Buffet. So he had
scheduled his meeting only for half hour. But when Gates met him, the meeting lasted for ten hours and Bill Gates
became a devotee of Warren Buffet.
9. Warren Buffet does not carry a cell phone, nor has a computer on his desk.

His advice to young people: "Stay away from credit cards and invest in yourself and
Remember:
A. Money doesn't create man but it is the man who created money.
B. Live your life as simple as you are.
C. Don't do what others say, just listen to them, but do what you feel good.
D. Don't go on brand name; just wear those things in which you feel comfortable.
E. Don't waste your money on unnecessary things; just spend on them who are really in need rather.
F. After all it's your life then why give chance to others to rule our life."

Insurance Facts 2007

2007-08-02T16:32:00.001-06:00

Adjunto los insurance facts del 2007.

Managed Futures

2007-07-26T11:01:00.001-06:00

Adjunto brochure.

2007-07-25T08:07:00.000-06:00

Adjunto una presentación de los productos de Amedex. FWIW

Seminario en Cartagena AF

2007-07-18T12:02:00.000-06:00

Adjunto carta de invitación de American Fidelity. FWIW

Encuesta electrónica

2007-07-18T07:54:00.001-06:00

Fondos Mutuos

2007-07-10T09:36:00.000-06:00

Entre los fondos disponibles para invertir en US Pension Trust encontramos los siguientes: FDGRX, FDFFX, FECAX, JANSX, FDGFX, FSLCX, FMAGX, FLPSX, FGRIX, VWUSX, FFFDX, FFFEX. Considero que tener acceso a esto fondos mediante inversiones regulares es interesante, pues nos permite a nosotros los Latinoamericanos, diversificar nuestras inversiones que financiarán nuestra jubilación.

Opciones de Migración

2007-07-03T09:59:00.000-06:00

El plan de Bupa Platinum Individual da la opción de migrar a los planes de Amedex e IHI Danmark, sin pasar por undrwriting, de acuerdo a la matriz que adjunto. Cualquier consulta al respecto, no dude en preguntarnos al mail claudia@saisacorp.org

Optimun Global

2007-07-03T07:59:00.000-06:00

No cabe duda que el mercado Latinoamericano esta despertando interés entre los grandes jugadores de seguros médicos. Recientemente tuvimos la visita de el agente general de Templeton Insurance Ltd, aseguradora basada en la Isla de Man que cuenta con el respaldo (reaseguro) de Aviva Limited, subsidiara de Aviva plc; ellos estuvieron con nosotros informandonos del lanzamiento de Optimum Global. Esta viene a ser una opción más que tienen para considerar los usuarios de seguros médicos internacionales. En el siguiente folder pueden descargar la solicitud, cuadro de beneficios y las condiciones generales de la póliza. Le damos la bienvenida a Optimum Global a Latinoamerica.

US Pension Trust

2007-07-02T15:01:00.000-06:00

Recien llego a mis manos este producto de pensiones. Por lo que he podido ver es un producto interesante con buenos costos y fondos con muy buenos retornos. Para más información pueden consultar la página web.

Enfermedades Críticas

2007-06-29T09:27:00.000-06:00

Esta semana tuvimos la oportunidad de asistir al seminario de American Fidelity donde se presento su nuevo producto de Enfermedades Críticas. En el folder pueden descargar la presentación. Nuevamente agradecemos a American Fidelity estos seminarios que nos ayudan a ser mejores asesores.

Tasa de Interés para fines de año

2007-06-15T10:48:00.000-06:00

El 20 de Marzo del presente año publicamos esta misma gráfica. De esa época para el día de hoy los especuladores han aumentado en un 48% la posibilidad de que la tasa de la reserva federal termine arriba de 5.00% para fin de año.

Ebay

2007-06-15T08:16:00.000-06:00

Basados en la recomendacion actual de los economistas del banco de que la accion de EBAY debe subir su precio hasta alcanzar niveles de $36 a $44 por accion y tomando en cuenta que la accion esta hoy a $31.51, les adjunto idea de inversion con las siguientes caracteristicas:

E-Bay
7 meses
Cantidad a invertir: 50k
Tasa de interes anualizado: 13.23%
Precio de la accion hoy: $31.51
Barrera: $23.64 (equivalente al 75% de su precio actual)

Para los que no conocen los KICK IN GOALS, este producto funciona de la siguiente forma, cerramos por ejemplo hoy un contrato, diciendo que el precio de la accion de E-Bay deberia subir y que si acaso baja, NO tocara $23.64, entonces pueden suceder las siguientes 3 opciones:

- Si NUNCA toca $23.64, es decir si baja hasta $23.70, pero sin tocar la barrera, entonces nos devuelven los 50K + el 13.23% del interes anualizado

- Si toca $23.64, pero luego vuelve a subir a $31.51 o mas alto antes de que venza el contrato, entonces TAMBIEN nos devuelven los 50K + el 13.23% de interes anualizado

- Si toca $23.64 y NUNCA sube hasta $31.51, entonces le convierten los 50K a acciones al precio de $31.51, es decir que si en ese momento el precio de la accion estuviera a $27, usted podria vender sus acciones, pero perderia en el precio de compra; obviamente que en lugar de vender las acciones, se las puede quedar hasta que suban su precio. Sin embargo en el tercer caso TAMBIEN recibe el 13.23% de interes anualizado.

Tambien estoy adjuntando otro ejemplo para la misma accion pero con un 10% de interes anualizado, obviamente es mas conservador y la barrera seria al 67% o al precio de $21.16 y por ultimo adjunto reporte de nuestros economistas sobre Ebay.

Nota Garantizada (90% del Capital)

2007-06-04T07:27:00.000-06:00

Ahora con un mínimo de inversión de $5,000.00 usted puede invertir en el reconocido fondo de Man AHL Diversified y con garantía de capital por HSBC. El retorno interanual desde 1998 de este fondo ha sido del 12.3%. En este folder puede descargar más información.

NDX Capital Management

2007-05-25T16:40:00.000-06:00

NDX Capital Management tiene 2 programas de traiding que transa futuros del mercado de ganado en pie. Los resultados son interesantes. En el siguiente folder pueden descargar más información al respecto.

¿Cuanto debo de ahorrar?

2007-05-25T11:43:00.001-06:00

¿Cuanto seguro de vida necesito? ¿Cuanto debo de ahorrar para la educación de mis hijos? En esta dirección podrá encontrar una herramienta que puede ayudarle a determinar esas cantidades.

¿Irá seguir subiendo el Dow Jones?

2007-05-04T17:52:00.000-06:00

Encuesta de Yahoo Finance

Seguro de Vida Entera

2007-05-04T12:38:00.000-06:00

En el siguiente folder pueden descargar la información sobre el plan de Vida Entera de Colonial Life. El plan brida protección hasta edad de 95 años y en caso de ser diagnosticado con una enfermedad terminal, la aseguradora adelanta la totalidad de la suma asegurada. Uno puede elegir invertir en 2 fondos de Fidelity, 1 fondo de GAM, 1 fondo de Vanguard, 3 de MFS y 1 fondo de Steginsky Capital; o si lo prefiere en una combinación de todos los anteriores. Bajo una misma póliza se pueden asegurar hasta 2 personas y elegir el pago del beneficio con la muerte del primero o el segundo. El beneficio de doble indemnización por muerte accidental, también esta disponible mediante pago de prima adicional. Es posible programar pagar el plan en un mínimo de 10 años, o decidir pagar primas durante toda la vigencia del plan (hasta edad 95). La suma asegurada mínima es de $16,000.00. Puede contartarse en Dólares, Libras Esterlinas o Euros.

Ombudsman, Reino Unido

2007-05-04T09:41:00.000-06:00

¿Qué ayuda proporciona el Servicio de protección y defensa del usuario del sector financiero?

Nuestro objetivo es solucionar conflictos con la mayor equidad y brevedad posibles. Siempre intervienen dos partes en un conflicto, de modo que tenemos en cuenta ambas versiones de los hechos y valoramos los hechos que se aportan.

Puede que opinemos que la empresa sobre la que reclama le ha tratado de forma justa. Si fuera así, se lo comunicaremos.

Puede que decidamos que la empresa ha actuado de forma incorrecta y que usted ha sufrido un perjuicio a consecuencia de ello. En este caso, podemos solicitarle a la empresa que solucione su problema. En general, nuestro objetivo es devolverle a la posición en la que hubiera estado si no hubieran fallado las cosas.

¿Cuál es el primer paso a dar en una reclamación?

Si tiene un problema con un producto o servicio financiero, en primer lugar debería quejarse a la empresa que cree responsable. Déles la oportunidad de corregir la situación.

Si tiene dificultades para ponerse en contacto con la empresa o tiene alguna duda, consúltenos. Le explicaremos el próximo paso que tiene que dar.

Llámenos al teléfono 0845 080 1800

¿Cuándo puede intervenir el servicio de protección y defensa del usuario?

Podemos intervenir y empezar a estudiar su reclamación si:

* la empresa le ha enviado una carta con su respuesta final a su reclamación, pero usted sigue insatisfecho o
* en el caso de que la empresa haya tenido ocho semanas de plazo y no haya emitido su dictamen final.

¿Cómo se presenta una reclamación?

Necesitaremos que nos proporcione algunos datos, para ver si le podemos ser de ayuda. Puede informarnos de su reclamación llamándonos al número 0845 080 1800. Puede que necesitemos que nos rellene una hoja de reclamaciones. Esto nos proporciona sus datos personales, incluyendo la solución que usted propone como correctivo para su problema.

Si lo prefiere, imprima el formulario desde esta Web.

Cuando nos llame podremos completar algunos datos para usted por teléfono. Sólo necesitaremos que nos dé una breve explicación de su reclamación cuando nos llame, y será de ayuda que nos proporcione cualquier información relevante sobre números de cuenta o póliza etc.

¿Cuál es el siguiente paso?

Si podemos intervenir para solucionar su reclamación, lo primero que haremos será ver si podemos ayudar a que usted y la empresa lleguen a un acuerdo informal.

Tendremos en cuenta:

* su versión de los hechos
* nos pondremos en contacto con la empresa para que nos cuente la suya
* valorar los hechos e
* informarle a usted y a la empresa de nuestro dictamen.

Puede que decidamos que la empresa le ha tratado de forma justa y que usted no ha sufrido perjuicio alguno a consecuencia de sus actos. En este último caso, le diremos por qué opinamos así.

A veces la cuestión de quién tiene la razón no es blanco o negro. Si fuera así, sugeriremos un camino intermedio para ayudarle a usted y a la empresa a llegar a un acuerdo.

Sin embargo, si ha sufrido un claro perjuicio a consecuencia de acciones u omisiones de la empresa, informaremos a la empresa de lo que tiene que hacer para corregir la situación.

¿Qué ocurre si esto no resuelve el problema?

En muchos casos, un tratamiento informal le ayudará a resolver el conflicto. En caso contrario, necesitaremos contemplar los hechos desde un punto de vista más formal. Esto podría suponer que tengamos más preguntas, tanto para usted como para la empresa. Puede que también le solicitemos otros documentos o información. Podría llevar algún tiempo llegar hasta el fondo de la cuestión.

Como término medio, podemos solucionar la mayoría de los conflictos en un plazo de seis a nueve meses. Le mantendremos informado en todo momento para que sepa lo que está ocurriendo con su caso.

Podemos solucionar la mayoría de las reclamaciones sin necesidad de que un defensor del usuario deba tomar una decisión oficial. Sin embargo, si la decisión de un defensor del usuario fuese necesaria en su caso, esta decisión será definitiva.

No está obligado a acatar nuestra decisión. También puede acudir a los tribunales si lo desea. No le podremos proporcionar asesoramiento jurídico sobre requisitos o restricciones de carácter procesal (por ejemplo, plazos).

¿Existe una fecha límite para llevar un conflicto ante el servicio de protección y defensa del usuario?

Sí. Necesitará informarnos de su conflicto en el plazo de seis meses desde la fecha del "dictamen final" de la empresa a la que desea reclamar.

Puede haber otros plazos temporales si:

* el hecho objeto de reclamación ocurrió hace algún tiempo y/o
* espera demasiado tiempo a reclamar una vez que sabe (o estuviera en posición de saber) que existía un problema.

Le informaremos sobre normas o restricciones que puedan ser de aplicación a su caso.

¿Puede poner otra persona una reclamación en mi nombre?

Cualquier persona puede poner una reclamación por usted. Por ejemplo: un familiar, un amigo o Citizens Advice [Oficina de Atención Ciudadana]. Se le solicitará una autorización escrita por usted.

¿Necesito la ayuda de un especialista para llevar un conflicto al servicio de protección y defensa del usuario?

No. No debería necesitar asesoramiento especializado, por ejemplo de un abogado o de una empresa de gestión de reclamaciones. Estudiaremos los hechos del caso y no lo bien que exponga su reclamación. Preferimos que nos lo cuente usted, en sus propias palabras.

Si contrata a alguien para representarle, puede que tenga que abonarles una minuta. Esto significa que podría tener que darles una parte de la indemnización que le correspondiera.

¿Llevar un conflicto al Servicio de protección y defensa del usuario del sector financiero es como ir a juicio?

El servicio de protección y defensa del usuario no es tan formal como los tribunales. Como norma general, fundamentamos nuestras decisiones en la información que nos proporcionan usted y la empresa objeto de la reclamación, tanto si ésta se produce por escrito o por teléfono. Solucionamos la mayor parte de los conflictos sin que sean necesarios los encuentros cara a cara (que, a veces, se denominan "vistas") entre las partes.

Nuestro tratamiento del caso podría no ser adecuado si usted desea inspeccionar todos los documentos personalmente, formular sus propias preguntas o mantener una reunión como parte del proceso. Si esto tiene relevancia para usted, puede que prefiera llevar su conflicto a los tribunales.

Normalmente no intervenimos en casos que ya han sido objeto de juicio (o en el caso de que vaya a tener lugar un juicio).

¿Puede ayudar el servicio de protección y defensa del usuario con reclamaciones provenientes de PYMES?

Sí. Podemos estudiar reclamaciones de PYMES que tengan una facturación anual de menos de 1 millón de libras esterlinas.

¿Puede imponer sanciones o multas el servicio de protección y defensa del usuario?

No. Nuestra labor es ayudar a resolver conflictos puntuales entre empresas que proporcionan servicios financieros y sus clientes.

Nuestro servicio es confidencial. No publicamos los nombres de las empresas o consumidores cuyas reclamaciones gestionamos.

Tampoco decidimos nosotros las normas que rigen los negocios. Y no supervisamos (ni “regulamos”) a las empresas para asegurarnos de que cumplan las normas. Esto es labor de organismos reguladores tales como el Financial Services Authority (FSA) [Departamento de Servicios Financieros] y la Office of Fair Trading (OFT) [Oficina de Defensa de la Competencia]

Este folleto es sólo una guía general.

HSBC

2007-04-27T12:05:00.000-06:00

Desde amediados del 2003 a Marzo del 2006 el diferencial de tasa entre el bono de 30 años y el de 10 años a osiclado entre 100 puntos a -1. Al día de hoy tenemos aprox. +20bps de diferencia.

HSBC y Man Financial han estructurado este producto donde se puede uno beneficiar, hasta con tasas del 18.00%, siempre y cuando la tasa no este invertida, es decir, que la tasa del bono de 10 años no sea mayor que la del bono de 30 años) En el siguiente folder puede descargar más información.

S&P 500 Fun Facts

2007-04-24T11:17:00.000-06:00

Nuevos Kick in Goal, Apple y Newmont

2007-04-24T09:39:00.000-06:00

1. Kick in Goal Apple:
10% anualizado
7 meses

Partiendo de que el precio esta a $90.30 y de que la recomendacion de nuestros analistas es que la accion oscilara durante los siguientes meses entre $93 y $121, le damos a la accion la posibilidad de que baje hasta un 30% de su precio, es decir hasta $63.98, entonces si NO toca este nivel de $63.98, el inversor recibe su capital invertido mas el 10% anualizado. Por favor lean el ejemplo y el reporte de los analistas adjuntos.

2. Kick in Goal Newmont:
10% anualizado
7 meses

Partiendo de que el precio esta a $43.63 y de que la recomendacion de nuestros analistas es que la accion oscilara durante los siguientes meses entre $53 y $60, le damos a la accion la posibilidad de que baje hasta casi un 20% de su precio, es decir hasta $35.64, entonces si NO toca este nivel de $35.64, el inversor recibe su capital invertido mas el 10% anualizado. Adjuntamos ejemplo y reportes de los analistas. Ya saben que de tocar el nivel bajo y no subir su precio como estaba al inicio, se les convertira el capital a acciones al precio al que estaban el dia que se cerro el contrato.

En el siguiente folder pueden descargar los reportes de los analistas.

Factor 14.09

2007-04-24T06:22:00.000-06:00

¿Cuanto dinero debo de tener ahorrado para generar US$50,000.00 al año de renta durante 25 años, considerando una tasa de interés del 5% anual? Una manera sencilla para calcular esto es multiplicando la renta deseada por el factor 14.09. Este tip le puede ayudar para tener una idea del capital que debe usted de disponer para financierse su jubilación.

Video sobre ventas

2007-04-20T11:04:00.000-06:00

Proyecto 100

2007-04-20T07:45:00.000-06:00

Proyecto 100 es una herramienta que permite identificar el mercado natural del prospeto productor. Básicamente consiste en que el prospecto productor provee 100 nombres de personas conocidas y por la manera en que estos son colocados en el folleto, permite al Agente General tener una radiografía del potencial económico del prospecto. Estos folletos pueden ser adquiridos en Limra. Investigue sobre esta herramienta, le pude ser de mucha utilidad a su agencia.

El costo de esperar (Procrastination)

2007-04-18T15:03:00.000-06:00

¿Cuenta usted con un plan de retiro? Posponer esta desición tiene costos. Le adjunto esta tabla donde pueden apreciar cuanto sería necesario ahorrar demás, por cada año que posponga la desición de contratar su fondo de jubilación.

Si lo vemos de otra forma, esta tabla lo muestra en terminos de tasa de interés.

¿Que esta esperando? Empiece lo antes posible.

Colonial Insurance Group

2007-04-17T12:50:00.000-06:00

Recien me tope con Colonial Insurance Group. Esta aseguradadora esta basada en Bermunda y cuenta con una clificación por AMBest de A-. Pude revisar en su sitio-web y cuenta con produtos interesantes de inversión de primas regulares y de primas únicas. También tienen un plan de vida entera. En cuanto a las opciones de inversión cuentan con fondos de Fidelity, Vanguard y GAM entre otros. Entre las empresas del grupo cuentan con un banco, Capital-G, que ofrece servicios en línea. Indagaré un poco más sobre este grupo financiero de Bermudas y les comentaré mis impresiones.

Segregated Accounts Companies

2007-04-16T10:19:00.000-06:00

Esta es la estructura que brinda más seguridad a sus ahorros. Los activos y pasivos de su cuenta estan legalmente separados de la cuenta general de la Compania. La idea de estructurarse de esta manera, es la de proteger los activos de su cuenta de los pasivos de la cuenta general de la compania. Bermuda es una de las juridicciones con más experiencia en este tipo de estructuras. Hoy en día, Bermuda es el centro de seguros más importante de mundo, despúes de Londres y Nueva York.

Traded Endowment Policies

2007-04-11T16:48:00.000-06:00

No he encontrado una traducción exacta al castellano para este instrumento de inversión. Pero les cuento de que se trata. En inglaterra existen lo que ellos llaman With-Profit Endowment Policies. Estas pólizas de seguros garantizan una suma asegurada (seguro de vida) durante el tiempo de vigencia y/o un pago en efectivo al final de la vigencia en caso de sobrevivencia, equivalente a la suma asegurada. El cliente por su parte debe de mantener al día las primas. Por lo general esta polizas se contartan con vigencias entre 20 y 25 años. Se estima que sólo el 30% de los asegurados mantienen vigente su póliza hasta la fecha de maduración; el otro 70% rescatan prematuramente la póliza o dejan de pagar la primas. Debido a esta situación, se ha creado un mercado secundario donde los asegurados en lugar de rescatar la póliza con la aseguradora, se les da la opción de venderle los derechos de la poliza a un inversionista (se constituyen en beneficiarios de la poliza), por supuesto a un valor mayor a lo que la aseguradora esta dispuesta a reconocer por el recaste prematuro. Los inversionistas pagan el valor presente de estas polizas, aplicando tasas de descuentos atractivas para ellos. Se han creado fondos mutos donde los activos adyacentes son este tipo de pólizas. Los retornos son interesantes (7% anual en $US) y garantizados por las aseguradoras que emiten las pólizas. En este folder pueden descargar el último boletin mensual de uno de los fondo existentes.

Technorati tags: Traded Endowment Policies, With Profit Endowment Policies, TEP,s, Life Settlements

Plan de Protección del Negocio

2007-03-31T11:19:00.000-06:00

Un concepto interesante de venta para seguro de vida, que se toco en el seminario de American Fidelity, es el de asegurar a los socios de un negocio. En caso del fallecimiento de uno de los socios, la empresa debería de contar con los recursos necesarios para comprarle a los herederos del fallecido, su participación en la empresa. Puede darse el caso que las personalidades de los herederos de una persona, no necesariamente son compatibles con las personalidades de los socios sobrevivientes. De esta cuenta, un seguro de vida es la solución para proteger a la empresa de esa eventualidad específica. Les adjunto una tabla donde pueden encontrar las probabilidades existentes de que muera uno de los socios del negocio.

Reporte Financiero

2007-03-31T09:23:00.000-06:00

Les adjunto el ultimo reporte financiero de UBS. Encontraran muy interesante el análisis que hacen de la reciente crisis de los mercados y lo que esperan durante los siguientes meses, comentarios sobre el mercado de bonos, acciones, "commodities", bienes inmuebles, divisas, etc.

T-Bills

2007-03-30T09:09:00.000-06:00

El día de ayer compre T-Bills a 6 meses plazo. La tasa que obtuve fue de 4.8% (anualizada). Por hacer la transacción Man Financial cobra una comisión de US$50.00. Estos T-Bills sirven de colateral para poder transar derivativos (programas de traiding), como lo son Prudent o Diamond.

Seminario de American Fidelity

2007-03-30T08:47:00.000-06:00

La semana pasada tuvimos la oportunidad de asistir a un seminario de American Fidelity, el cual fue muy interesante. Se tocaron varios temas como estratégias de ventas, los productos, nos pusieron al tanto de las noticias del mercado asegurador, así cómo tambien se hablo de como calificar a las convenciones. En el siguiente folder pueden descargar la presentación. Agradecemos a los personeros de American Fidelity por estos seminarios que nos ayudan a ser mejores asesores.

Kick in Goal

2007-03-28T09:44:00.000-06:00

UBS acaba de sacar un nuevo kick in goal en CISCO.

Para los que no estan familiarizados con los kick in goals, estos productos funcionan de la siguiente forma, tomemos los siguientes datos como ejemplo:

Compania: CISCO
Periodo: 7 meses
Precio de la Accion de CISCO: $26.78
Kick in Level: $21.42 (equivalente al 80% del precio de 26.78)
Tasa Aproximada: 9.9% anualizada

Basados en estos datos podrian ocurrir los siguientes escenarios:

1. El precio de la accion de CISCO sube o baja durante los siguientes 7 meses, pero sin tocar el "kick in level" o $21.42 en este caso, al final de los 7 meses ustedes reciben su cash invertido MAS el 9.9% anualizado.

2. El precio de la accion de CISCO baja y toca $21.42 o baja mas, PERO al final de los 7 meses se recupera hasta llegar a $26.78 o mas alto, entonces ustedes tambien reciben su cash invertido MAS el 9.9% anualizado.

3. El precio de la accion de CISCO baja y toca $21.42 o baja mas, PERO a pesar de que se recupere, NUNCA llega nuevamente a $26.78 o mas alto, entonces el capital invertido se convierte a acciones de CISCO al precio de $26.78. En este caso TAMBIEN recibe su 9.9% anualizado.

Cabe enfatizar que cuando los analistas de UBS proponen invertir en un Kick in Goal, es porque estan muy positivos en la accion por diversos motivos, es decir que piensan que el precio deberia subir durante los siguientes meses. Les adjunto reciente reporte de los analistas.

Las 5 etapas del vendedor.

2007-03-27T10:36:00.000-06:00

El novicio.

El novicio depende de otros miembros del equipo. El esta en la fase de aprendizaje. El novicio comete la impericia de enfocarse demasiado el un prospecto y se desenfoca en lo verdaderamente importante, la prospectación. Por enfocarse en un árbol, no se da cuenta del bosque.

El contribuidor.

El contribuidor es más autónomo que el novicio, maneja mejor la prospectación y el ciclo de la venta. El contribuidor fija metas y demuestra mucho compromiso en su trabajo. Necesita menos ayuda en lo referente a la administración de su tiempo en lo relativo a recolectar la información del prospecto, elaborar la propuesta correcta y cerrar la venta. Un reto común en el es el de no recurrir a ayuda para lograr ventas más complejas e importantes.

El rompe marcas.

El rompe marcars sirve de ejemplo para otros, y asiste para el logro de las ventas complejas y grandes. El rompe mercas tiende a tener mejores habilidades y experiencia que los otros miembros del equipo. Motiva y brinda soporte para que otros miembros del equipo alcancen sus metas. Algunos de ellos no le tienen paciencia a los vendedores menos experimentados.

El lider.

El líder elije el rol de coordinar las actividades dentro del equipo de ventas. Se siente confortable ayudando a los nuevos talentos del grupo. El líder moldea la visón del equipo y participa en el acoplamiento de las alianzas que surgen en el negocio. El líder sabe como ganarse el apoyo del equipo cuando se necesita superar cualquier reto u obstáculo. El líder sabe que el balance entre trabajo y vida personal es un reto.

El creador.

El creador se vuelca a la creación de la empresa, algunas veces a expensas del tiempo para la familia. Se encuentran tan comprometidos con el éxito de largo plazo del equpio, que es común compararlos con líderes religiosos. Para ellos, en realidad es un asunto de fé el que la empresa supere cualquier meta de crecimiento y competitividad. Muchos de los Presidentes de compañías son vendedores creadores en el final de una carrera de ventas. Estas personas logran conformar equipos de buenos ejecutivos y poseen la habilidad de diseñar estrategias de largo plazo. Sus estándares son altos y su nivel de compromiso son parte de sus activos. Un reto común para ellos es el de no ser percibidos cómo excéntricos, paradójicos y autocráticos.

Esas son las 5 etapas del vendedor. Hay que pasar por todas hasta llegar a la etapa del creador, para experimentar una carrera exitosa. Debes de ser capaz de identificar en cual de las etapas te encuentras y hacia donde debes moverte. No trates de saltarte una etapa sin haberla dominado, hacerlo trae un sentimiento de vació existencial que produce estrés y fatiga. Y finalmente, el tiempo, puede no contar en la carrera de ventas, habilidad no necesariamente significa llegar a ser un Señor en las ventas.

Prudent Futures Portfolio

2007-03-26T11:51:00.000-06:00

Este portafolio transa tres futuros, el del bono de 30 años de USA, el fururo del Dow Jones y el futuro del Euro. Con un record donde el 54.47% de sus transacciones son ganadoras, en los 7 años 9 mes y 10 días de existencia, tiene un retorno total de 539.94%. Viene siendo una rentabilidad interanual de 76.27%. En el siguiente enlace puede bajar la ficha técnica de Prudent. Prudent pude ayudarlo a diversificar su portafolio de inversiones.

Las Ventas

2007-03-23T14:04:00.000-06:00

La venta es el proceso de trasladar bienes y servicios de las manos de quienes los producen, a las manos de quienes pueden obtener el mayor provecho de su utilización. Ventas involucra habilidades de persuasión, en la parte de la presentación, la cual se encuentra apoyada por mensajes impresos y audiovisuales que venden un item en lo particular o una marca, que resulta en el deseo de un cliente en poseerlo.

Una carrera exitosa en ventas esta apuntalada por tres pilares:

-Conocimiento del producto
-Tácticas y estrategias de ventas
-Actitud, entusiasmo, y metas.

En este folder puede descargar el artículo completo.

Período de Espera

2007-03-22T11:58:00.000-06:00

Al momento de contratar su seguro médico, debe de tomar encuenta que existe el período de espera. Esto significa que la cobertura no es inmediata en algúnos de los renglones. Por ejemplo: en caso de maternidad, existe un período de espera de 10 meses (en la mayoría de planes es de 12 meses). Platinum de Bupa, es el plan de seguros más comprensivo en este sentido, sólo tiene período de espera en 2 renglones, maternidad y consultas al psicologo.