Emerging Trends « Life & Health Advisor Life & Health Advisor

Emerging Trends

Perceived Risk of Critical Illness Diagnosis High Among Middle-Income Americans
A recent study finds middle-income Americans on average give themselves about a 1-in-5 chance of being diagnosed with a critical illness in the next three years and a 1-in-2 chance of being diagnosed with a critical illness within the next 20 years.
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Markets Fall on Fed Worries
Still, economic data was positive

Markets lost ground last week for the third week in the last four, pummeled by ongoing worry about the tapering of the Fed's stimulus programs. Uncertainty about the longevity of Fed programs has contributed to an increase in volatility lately, and we will not be surprised if that continues in coming weeks.
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The Threat of a Declining China
Prospects of late are looking less rosy

By Dr. Mark A. DeWeaver

Many Americans view China’s emergence as the world’s second largest economy with trepidation. The US, it seems, is in decline. China is a ‘rising power’ destined to take over America’s role as global hegemon sometime in the not-too-distant future.
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Three-Fourths of Higher Education Baby Boomer Faculty Members Plan to Delay Retirement, or Never Retire at All
Fidelity® Study Finds Faculty Boomers Likely to Delay Retirement Due to Both Economic and Professional Reasons

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fidelity Investments®, a leading provider of workplace retirement plans in the not-for-profit higher education market, today announced results of its Higher Education Faculty Study1 , which examined the behaviors and attitudes of baby boomer (ages 49-67) faculty members at higher education institutions. The research found that 74 percent of these boomers plan to delay retirement past the age of 65, or never retire at all. When asked the reasons for this delay, they not only cited professional reasons (81 percent), but also economic concerns (69 percent) – suggesting a need for more financial guidance.
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Does Your Leadership Measure Up?
Business Expert Identifies Benefits, Pitfalls of 3 Leadership Styles

The top five leaders most admired by the world’s business executives are Winston Churchill, Steve Jobs, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Jack Welch – in that order, according to the 2013 Global CEO Survey conducted by PwC.
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New Report Examines Key Issues for Public Sector Retirement Reform
Evolving workforce demographics and long-term budget pressures present challenges for public sector pension reform

A report released today by the TIAA-CREF Institute and the Rockefeller Institute of Government shares expert considerations for public sector pension reform. The new report – Public Sector Pension Reform: Addressing Pressing Fiscal Realities from a Long-Term Perspective – is a culmination of insights and experiences from state and local officials and researchers from across the nation that highlights the issues and considerations impacting public sector pension reform.
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Borislow Insurance Honored for Excellence in Workplace Wellness
BI Healthy Advantage Program Wins 3 Major Awards in 2013

Borislow Insurance (BI), a leading provider of benefits solutions, advisory services and corporate wellness services, announced today that the company has received 3 major awards honoring the excellence of their BI Healthy Advantage wellness program.
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Individual Life Insurance Premium Improves in Every Product Line for Q1
A 7% premium spike, though policy count is off

With every major product line experiencing positive premium growth, total individual life new annualized premium grew seven percent in the first quarter of 2013, according to LIMRA’s First Quarter 2013 Individual Life Insurance Sales Survey.
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Small Business Owners Playing It Safer In Rising Trend
Percentage of owners who identify themselves as conservative in risk-taking has steadily increased with a 63 percent rise year-over-year

While the majority of small business owners generally feel successful with how their businesses are operating, they are becoming increasingly more conservative with the overall level of risk they are taking with their business, according to The Hartford 2013 Small Business Pulse, released today.
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Liz Kelley Draws Westward
Providence illustrator embodies a confluence of coastal styles

by PE Kelley, Managing Editor

Pack your bags and head west, young people, to L.A., and witness the emerging talent of Liz Kelley, a Providence illustrator now displaced to the city of Angels.
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Investing in Private Equity
The erstwhile 'LBO' gets a PR facelift; A rose by any other name?

by Charles Smith

‘Private equity’ is an obtuse term that describes a limited partnership that invests in the equity of privately held companies. ‘Private’ refers to the privately held nature of the companies in which these funds invest. But it also intones that it is a ‘private’ - as in exclusive - club. And private it is. Only institutional investors, or accredited investors – those with a net worth greater than a million dollars, excluding their primary residence, or with an income of $200,000 or more – can invest in these limited partnerships. It has indeed been an exclusive club, and many have wanted to join it.
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Time for the Federal Reserve to Taper?
What would Greenspan do?

from NewOak Risk and Financial Services

"Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and a number of other market pros went on the offensive with the suggestion that central bank intervention was actually holding back stocks from achieving even higher levels,” say James Frischling, President and Co-Founder of NewOak.
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