Darcy Bergen recently discussed the Restricted Application retirement strategy and how it could work for you.

PEORIA, AZ / Some retirement age individuals might be missing out on some major benefits. Financial advisor Darcy Bergen recently discussed the “Restricted Application” retirement strategy and how it could benefit individuals over the age of 66 considering retirement.

The Restricted Application allows an individual to collect half of his or her spouse’s full Social Security benefit without having to open their own Social Security record. This allows the individual to earn an 8 percent credit on his or her retirement age benefit from the age of 66 to 70. The individual would then switch to his or her benefit at the age of 70.

“The major benefit is that during these four years, the individual can receive a 32 percent increase,” Darcy Bergen said. “However, it’s not available to everyone. This unique strategy was eliminated in the bipartisan budget act of 2015.”

Darcy Bergen explained this means the strategy is only available to a small portion of individuals born on or before Jan. 1, 1954. He added that there are three more pieces of information individuals considering using this strategy must understand. They are as follows:

• You must be of retirement age to take advantage (66). 
• Your spouse must already have opened his or her retirement record and is currently claiming Social Security benefits.
• A divorced individual can also take advantage of this strategy. However, the marriage must have lasted at least 10 years. The individual can not be remarried.

“I advise individuals to pursue this strategy one step at a time,” Bergen said. “Begin by checking that you meet the age criteria, then understand your spouse’s Social Security benefits and so on. It can be especially helpful to speak with a financial advisor about whether this strategy could work for you.”

Bergen explained that he has helped numerous clients locate additional income that can greatly help their families in retirement age. He and his team have the knowledge needed to find which benefits individuals may be missing.

“The most important aspect of filing for retirement benefits is to know your options before you complete filing,” Darcy Bergen concluded. “Filing before understanding your options could cause you to miss out on major benefits. You’ve worked tirelessly for this money, and you deserve all that you can receive in retirement.”

Bergen encouraged individuals in or nearing retirement age to contact DBA Bergen Financial Group to speak with a licensed professional about possible retirement strategies and benefits. Bergen has been in financial planning for decades. He entered the investment business at the age of 24 and began Clear Solutions LLC, DBA Bergen Financial Group in 2003. Bergen became a licensed fiduciary in 2015.

Darcy Bergen and his team currently practice in Peoria, Arizona. Contact them at (602) 652-2665 to set up an appointment and discuss your possible retirement benefits. Bergen and his strategists are also available to handle financial planning needs for clients of all ages, whether near retirement age or not.

Investment advisory and financial planning services offered through Simplicity Wealth, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Sub-advisory services are provided by Advisory Alpha, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Insurance, Consulting and Education services offered through Bergen Financial Group. Bergen Financial Group is a separate and unaffiliated entity from Simplicity Wealth and Advisory Alpha.

Buying a new home can lead to information overload.

Although purchasing a home is exciting, the process can be overwhelming. There are lots to consider. It’s more than just searching for the right place in the ideal neighborhood. It’s beyond aesthetics and amenities. Financing, taxes, and negotiations can leave you overextended. Finding homeowner insurance is often one of the first items overlooked on the to-do list.

But, as Ai Ling Lee AKA Linda Lee of Hacienda Heights points out, it should be a priority. In fact, homeowners insurance may be required by some lending agents. While difficult to assess all your options, homeowners insurance should still be a necessity.

Having served as an independent agent since 1986, Ai Ling Lee wants to help others navigate and better understand home insurance. Using this experience, she offers six insurance tips for new homeowners.

Compare rates

Shop around. Getting quotes from a few different companies is a great place to start. Research online and seek out insurers who routinely rank high in customer service. This should be done early in the process to get all your paperwork together before closing.

Keep a list of belongings

The value of personal possessions will directly influence how much coverage you need. Begin by creating a home inventory. This is a list of belongings, like furniture, clothing, jewelry, and electronics. Include prices for each. This will ensure you have the right coverage and speed up potential claims in the future.

Understand what insurance covers

Differences in coverage and policy type can get confusing. A standard homeowners policy typically includes protection for the structure itself and your belongings inside. It also features liability and “loss of use” provisions. Ai Ling Lee of Hacienda Heights encourages anyone to sit down with a professional to discuss what’s included. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Fill in gaps

Also, don’t assume you’re “fully” protected. As you review what’s included, every policy will have exclusions. Basic homeowners policies usually exclude natural disasters, like earthquakes and floods. To meet your individual needs, fill in these gaps with additional coverage. Extending replacement cost protection or adding an umbrella policy may be options to think about.

Find savings

Avoid being cheap when it comes to insurance. However, there are ways to limit costs or find savings. Bundling life or automobile insurance with the same company can provide significant discounts. Installing smoke detectors and a security system can lower premiums too. Although harder to accomplish, Ai Ling Lee AKA Linda Lee of Hacienda Heights also recommends raising deductibles or paying off a mortgage early to reduce rates.

Review regularly

Update your policy frequently. Ai Ling Lee proposes doing a yearly review. Changes to a home or neighborhood can impact premiums. Document any new renovations. Also, add any new purchases to your home inventory. Keeping this list current will help you maintain sufficient coverage.

Cannabis legalization will likely benefit society in many different ways. Entrepreneur and cannabis expert Michael Candelario of Arizona explains why and how legal weed could be a big boom

Right now, many states are decriminalizing, and increasingly, legalizing marijuana. This means people can not only buy marijuana legally, but in many cases, they can also set up businesses in the cannabis industry. Marijuana expert Michael Candelario of Arizona explains how legal weed benefits society.

“The most important aspect of legal marijuana is perhaps that it keeps people out of jail,” Michael Candelario of Arizona says. “The last estimates I saw showed that 40,000 Americans were in jail for marijuana offenses. These people are being deprived of their freedom and life.”

Legalizing marijuana will prevent people from going to jail for possession of marijuana and other similar crimes. Some states have also released prisoners after marijuana legalization. California alone released thousands of people. Governments in Michigan and elsewhere have released at least some prisoners, but many people remain behind bars.

“Locking people up over weed strikes me as morally wrong,” Michael Candelario says. “It’s perhaps cruel, to be honest. Less importantly, keeping people incarcerated costs a lot of money. First, you have to pay for the jail system, and second, you deprive people of earning an income, which means less tax revenue.”

Finances aren’t as important as freedom. Still, keeping marijuana illegal deprives the government of billions of dollars in tax revenues. And people locked up in jail are deprived of the opportunity to become productive, successful members of society.

Legal weed, on the other hand, provides money. California alone is bringing in more than a billion dollars a year in tax revenues from legalized marijuana. Washington pulls in more than $450 million, while Colorado is closing in on $400 million. It’s not just about money either. More importantly, the money can be invested in society.

“A lot of times, revenues brought in through the legal cannabis industry are spent on education, basic infrastructure, and other areas that benefit society as a whole,” Arizonian Michael Candelario, notes. “This means we can all benefit from legalized weed. Even if you don’t indulge, legalized cannabis may benefit you.”

Michael Candelario Discusses Potential Medical Benefits

So far, cannabis has shown a lot of potential in medical applications. Marijuana is being used to treat pain, for example, offering a safer, less addictive alternative to opioids. Many of the chemicals derived from marijuana have also shown the potential to treat a variety of conditions.

“Marijuana represents an exciting frontier for medicine,” Michael Candelario argues. “It’s possible to conduct research into marijuana and other substances even when and where they are illegal. Still, legalization should make it easier to conduct research.”

As scientists conduct research, they may develop medications that can treat pain, seizures, mental health problems, and more. Already marijuana and cannabis-derived substances have shown promise in treatment. Only time will tell how effective cannabis is for medical applications but the early returns are promising.

Following a thorough, protective, and safe mold removal procedure, it’s important to follow many other moisture control measures and preventive suggestions to ensure you don’t ever experience mold re-occurrences in the future. Basement mold removal, exterior mold removal, and even crawl space mold removal are some of the top mold services required. And since mold likes to grow in dark, damp areas, it must be removed from any site that’s a potential danger for the family or home. Mold Remediation CT companies also offer mold testing as part of their overall mold removal services. This can provide some vital information early on and could save you time, money, and hassle in the long run.

Mold testing can provide clues about the source of moisture in your indoor environments, including leaks and plumbing issues. It can also provide information about the type of mold that is growing in your home. With this valuable information, mold remediation companies can better identify the mold outbreak they are addressing and know the proper mold removal procedures.

One of the most popular methods of removing mold from inside the household is using drywall dust. In most cases, a drywall cleaning service will use a powdered compound to extract the microorganisms from the wall surface. The resulting solution then has to be neutralized with water before applied to any other surface. The drywall dust is so tiny that very few particles can be left behind. But if the drywall is being removed for remodeling or another reason, there’s no need to use a powder to deal with the situation.

Mold Removal CT services specialize in the cleaning and remediation of existing mold infestations and new ones. They have the necessary equipment to do the job well, including HEPA vacuum technology that allows them to pick up tiny spores from the air and deliver them into a particular container. After being diluted with water, the microorganisms are ready for application to any surface where they will start to break down cellulose.

One other option for mold removal services is to hire a mold inspection team to determine if there is a mold problem in the house. The inspector will look for signs such as damaged surfaces, cracks and crevices, and moisture patches. If there is moisture present, the inspector will look for it first and document its location and extent. Then the team can begin to assess the level of moisture in the space. An inspection aims to help homeowners determine whether there is a need to have a mold remediation process or whether simple cleaning and drying techniques can solve the problem.

Once the moisture has been eliminated, homeowners will often choose to contact a mold remediation service to finish the job. Services offered by reputable mold remediation technicians include removing dead molds from the affected areas and replacing them with new materials. Some companies offer a final drying technique to help finish off the job. Either way, when calling a Paul Davis restoration technician for assistance, be sure to provide detailed information about the space and the types of molds that are growing in it.

Pests can cause a lot of trouble for homeowners or business owners. They are unsightly, and they can also be dangerous to your health. If you have had recent problems with bugs in your home or business, then you should consider hiring a professional pest control service to eliminate them quickly and efficiently.

Pest control services will do more than come to your house for treatments once an infestation has been detected. The average cost of treatment can vary by hundreds of dollars depending on the severity of the infestation. For some people, calling service is the only thing that will ensure that they get rid of their Bugs in Las Vegas. Other homeowners call an exterminator because they have tried everything else, and nothing seems to be working. Either way, consumers need to know the average cost of pest control services. This information allows them to make an informed decision when choosing an exterminator or to contact a company for treatments.

The average cost of hiring an exterminator depends on the amount of work that needs to be done. Some companies offer treatments that range from a simple light sprinkling of bug repellant to high technology traps and devices that can get rid of all bugs, including cockroaches, silverfish, and aphids. A light sprinkling of bug repellant is often the first line. They may be sprayed on and will work within hours to deter bugs, but they cannot kill them. The second option in pest control services would be trapped for tiny insects such as silverfish or aphids because these are most likely found around food and water sources. Traps can protect from an infestation soon after it starts by catching one insect at a time until there are none left. The third type of treatment that should always be considered when dealing with bugs is prevention methods—installing screens over windows and doors, good ventilation, caulking cracks where pests might enter your home or business space (such as between floorboards), seal up all entry points.

A service that offers the best Pest Control Las Vegas No Contract services will treat homes and businesses in as little as three hours, so it is essential to choose reputable ones. Any exterminator worth his or her salt will be able to provide information on how to get rid of bugs in a matter of hours, but some bugs cannot be removed quickly. Some companies offer treatments that allow for more extended periods between treatments that are most effective.

Most pest control services offer an exterminator spray and a pesticide that they can use on your home or business. However, some pesticides have been banned from some countries because they have been shown to cause cancer. Some pest control companies may offer you a safe alternative to traditional pesticides, such as non-toxic or organic pesticides. Some of these treatments do not require hoses or tanks because they are placed directly on the pest problem area. A licensed exterminator can help you decide which form of treatment is best for your particular pest problem.