Secure Your Company’s Talent!

[ 0 ] May 20, 2013

Business Challenges for Maryland

By: Eric Gundlach

Even as high unemployment continues to grab headlines, shortages of people in key job categories and turnover are increasingly affecting Maryland business owners. A combination of factors is going to cause this trend to accelerate over the next few months.

First, employees no longer rank job security as their top issue. For the first time in five years, this concern has been replaced by “opportunities to use skills and abilities” as the primary indicator of job satisfaction. Add on top of this the high levels of dissatisfaction reported by employees with their employers and you have a mix that suggests employees will be looking around for new opportunities in numbers we haven’t seen in years. Some surveys indicate the percentage of employees wanting to leave their current jobs is as high as 86 percent. Less fear of quitting combined with pent-up demand means more turnover and labor market churn.

It doesn’t matter to the business owner if the national unemployment rate is 7.5 percent and unemployment in Maryland is 6.6 percent if the job he or she is seeking to fill is experiencing unemployment rates of 1.5-to-2 percent, as is the case with many IT positions. Surveys of  HR professionals indicate hiring difficulty is at the highest level it has been in five years.

In the face of this trend, what’s the best recruitment strategy? Keep the employees you’ve got. A general rule of thumb is that it cost ten times more to recruit, hire, orient and train a new employee and get him or her up to speed than it does to retain a current employee. While competitive compensation is important, retention is more about your employees feeling that they are able to make a contribution utilizing their skills, are given opportunities to learn new ones and are appreciated for their efforts.

The Jordan Group has creative solutions and financial services  for business owners and individuals.

Contact us today for more information. 410-312-0811

 

FacebookGoogle GmailLinkedInMessengerMySpaceTwitterWordPressYahoo MailYahoo MessengerShare
View Post

Are You Ready For Retirement?

[ 0 ] May 17, 2013

Have you planned for retirement?-The Jordan Group

Retirement will come one day.  How can we be sure we will have enough money put away to live on?

Most of us live a little above our means, so here are a few suggestions on how to go about saving a little more.

 

  1. Cut back on everyday expenses.  Eating out and window shopping can add up.
  2. Get rid of or avoid high interest debts.  They can eat up money with no return.
  3. Look for lowest fees, ie. Bank fees etc.
  4. Set aside savings every month as part of your budget.  Even a little will add up.
  5. Contribute as much as you can each month if you have a 401K.
  6. Supplement your income if possible with a few side jobs.
  7. Most importantly, get the advice of a financial planner to help you see how to best maximize your savings. There are many ways to do so we may not have thought of.

Retirement always come sooner than we expect. The Jordan Group can help you prepare now.  Contact them soon!

410-312-0811

FacebookGoogle GmailLinkedInMessengerMySpaceTwitterWordPressYahoo MailYahoo MessengerShare
View Post

Are You Going To Pay or Play?

[ 0 ] May 15, 2013

Over the next few weeks we will be discussing the topic of “Pay or Play” when it comes to the Healthcare Reform and businesses.Healthcare Reform

Why are employers concerned?

  • By not offering a compliance approved health plans to all full time employees could result in a $2,000 penalty per employee per year.
  • By not offering affordable health care to all full time employees could result in a $3,000 penalty for every employee that gets a subsidy on the exchange.
Don’t panic. The Jordan Group is here to help navigate the turbulent waters the industry is experiencing. Be sure to visit our blog regulatory stay up to date as we discuss this topic. Don’t wait to contact us for more information. 
FacebookGoogle GmailLinkedInMessengerMySpaceTwitterWordPressYahoo MailYahoo MessengerShare
View Post

Saving for Retirement

[ 0 ] May 13, 2013

Saving for Retirement Jordan Group

Retirement will come one day.  How can we be sure we will have enough money put away to live on?

Most of us live a little above our means, so here are a few suggestions on how to go about saving a little more.

 

  1. Cut back on everyday expenses.  Eating out and unnecessary shopping trips can add up.
  2. Look for lowest fees, ie. Bank fees, credit cards,etc.
  3. Set aside savings every month as part of your budget.  Over a year, even a little will add up.
  4. Contribute as much as you can each month if you have a 401K at your workplace.
  5. Supplement your income if possible with a few side jobs if you can, then set it aside.
  6. Most importantly, get the advice of a financial planner to help you see how to best maximize your savings. There are many ways to do so we may not have thought of.

Retirement always come sooner than we expect.  The Jordan Group offers the best in Financial Planning.  Call them today.  410-312-0811

FacebookGoogle GmailLinkedInMessengerMySpaceTwitterWordPressYahoo MailYahoo MessengerShare
View Post

17 Year Locusts Return

[ 0 ] May 10, 2013

17 Year Locusts Return to East Coast

A huge number of cicadas,growing underground since 1996, are about to emerge along much of the U.S. East Coast to begin passionately singing and mating as their remarkable life cycle restarts.  Magicicada septendecim, should arrive in late May or June.

Their emergence produces such overwhelming numbers at once that predators, such as birds, spiders, snakes, and even dogs, can’t eat them all.

Every 17th year, a few weeks before emerging, the cicadas build exit tunnels to the surface. When the soil temperature exceeds 64 degrees Fahrenheit (18 Celsius), nymphs leave their burrows, usually after sunset, settle on a nearby tree or shrub, and start their final molt to adulthood.

Although boisterous, cicadas do not sting or bite, and they aren’t harmful to crops. But they may cause damage to young, small trees or shrubs, if too many feed from the plants or lay eggs in their twigs.

After mating occurs, females lay their eggs on twigs; the eggs hatch later in the season, and the nymphs drop to the ground and burrow underground to restart the 17-year cycle. They are next due in 2030.

The Jordan Group is your local firm for financial planning and retirement goals through creative solutions. Contact them for more information.

410-312-0811

FacebookGoogle GmailLinkedInMessengerMySpaceTwitterWordPressYahoo MailYahoo MessengerShare
View Post

Ten Money Tips for Women

[ 0 ] May 8, 2013

Financial Planning for Women

 

Why do so many women delegate their financial security to a spouse or signficant other and allow divorce or death to plunge them into poverty? Why do so many women spend more than they earn and become mired in debt?  Here are 10 ways to avoid that trap!

 

 

1.  Don’t rely on someone else, like a husband or boyfriend, for your financial security-you could end up on your own unexpectedly.

2.  Set goals – it’s key to financial success. Think about where you are going.

3.  Don’t use money to make yourself feel good. Tomorrow will come soon.

4.  Spend less than you earn – it’s the secret to creating wealth for anyone, not just women.

5.  Get an education. Getting paid more will go a long way.

6.  Build an emergency fund. Rainy days come occasionally.

7.  Be involved in the day-to-day management of your family’s finances. Know what it takes to live.

8.  Don’t take on your partner’s or spouse’s debt when you marry.

9.  Don’t let the fear of losing money, fear of failure, or fear of the unknown stop you from investing.

10.  Learn from your money mistakes.

The Jordan Group can help you see how to make wise decisions with your money and financial planning. Contact them today and get started on your future.

410-312-0811

FacebookGoogle GmailLinkedInMessengerMySpaceTwitterWordPressYahoo MailYahoo MessengerShare
View Post

Want to Open a Restaurant?

[ 0 ] May 6, 2013

Business Owner's Policy

Whether your food service business is a cafe. deli, diner or gourmet restaurant all food service businesses have certain risks in common.

Your most cost effective and efficient way to obtain property and liability coverage will probably be with a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) especially tailored to food service risks.

 

Though marketed under a number of names, these policies will typically have provisions similar to the property insurance and liability insurance sections of the BOP.

Insurance provided includes, but is not limited to:

  • Property Damage
  •  General Liability
  • Employment Practices Liability
  • Food Spoilage
  • Liquor Liability
  • Liquor Bonds
  • Worker’s Compensation & Dividends Plans
  • Disability Insurance
  • Business Income Interruption
  • Umbrella
  • Assault and Battery Coverage
  • Coat check and Checkroom Theft Insurance
  • Business Personal Property
  • Commercial Auto Insurance Policy
  • Equipment Breakdown Insurance
The Jordan Group  has the policies and solutions you need to protect your investment.  Call them today!   410-312-0811
FacebookGoogle GmailLinkedInMessengerMySpaceTwitterWordPressYahoo MailYahoo MessengerShare
View Post

Maryland Consumer Advisory Explains Basics of Umbrella Insurance

[ 0 ] May 3, 2013

Umbrella Insurance The Jordan Group

According to The Insurance Journal, May 1, 2013,

The Maryland Insurance Administration on Tuesday issued a consumer advisory explaining the basics of umbrella insurance and how consumers may benefit from the coverage. Maryland regulators explained in its advisory that an umbrella insurance policy provides extra liability insurance protection above the policy limits of the policyholder’s homeowners and automobile insurance policy.

Liability coverage pays for personal injury or property damage to a third party due to the negligence of a policyholder or insured person under the terms of the policy. If the amount of the liability claim exceeds the limit of the underlying automobile or homeowners insurance policy, then the umbrella policy will pay up to its policy limits.

Regulators said the umbrella policy typically pays for medical expenses and the lost wages of the injured person as well as the insured’s legal fees. For example, if a driver were to be at fault in an auto accident and caused $250,000 in bodily injury, lost wages and pain and suffering, but only had automobile bodily injury liability coverage limits of $100,000, the at-fault driver could still be held liable for the additional $150,000 — which would have to be paid from the person’s other assets such as savings accounts, investments or property.

However, if a consumer purchased an umbrella policy with limits of $1,000,000, the excess $150,000 would be paid by the umbrella liability insurer. Therefore, an umbrella policy provides an additional level of protection for the consumer’s assets. Consumers can contact their insurance companies or agents for more information on what an umbrella policy covers and how much it will cost.

The Jordan Group has the information and the insurance you need to protect your valuable assets.  Call them today to ask about umbrella coverage.  410-312-0811

FacebookGoogle GmailLinkedInMessengerMySpaceTwitterWordPressYahoo MailYahoo MessengerShare
View Post

When A Student Borrower Needs Life Insurance

[ 0 ] May 1, 2013

2If you’re young, healthy, and have no dependents, you might think that you don’t need Life Insurance. However, if you have taken out private student loans you might buy a Life policy to repay this debt.

Although federal student loans allow a “death discharge” which releases the borrower’s survivors and heirs from responsibility for the debt, private lenders generally require repayment by the borrower’s estate. What’s more, most private loans involve a co-signer who is legally obligated to pay this debt – and if the borrower is married, the surviving spouse could even be held responsible for it.

If you have student loans from a private lender, review your loan papers to determine the consequences for your family should you die before the debt has been repaid. You can protect your co-signer(s) and/or spouse by making them the beneficiary of a Life policy that covers the loan debt. Students under age 40 who need less than $500,000 in coverage can apply for Term Life Insurance. If you have your parents as co-signers, and decide later that you want to protect your spouse, you can just change the name of the beneficiary.

A small Life Insurance premium can be well worth the extra peace of mind for your co-signer(s) or spouse.

There’s no cut and dried answer on using Life Insurance to repay private student loans. Our agency’s specialists are always ready to offer their professional advice based on your individual situation.

FacebookGoogle GmailLinkedInMessengerMySpaceTwitterWordPressYahoo MailYahoo MessengerShare
View Post

Will I Need Long Term Care?

[ 0 ] April 29, 2013

Old Woman looking out windowLong Term Care is a variety of services that includes medical and non-medical care to people who have a chronic illness or disability. Long-term care helps meet health or personal needs.

 

 

Most long-term care is to assist people with support services such as activities of daily living like dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living or in nursing homes. It is important to remember that you may need long-term care at any age.

A study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that people who reach age 65 will likely have a 40 percent chance of entering a nursing home. About 10 percent of the people who enter a nursing home will stay there five years or more.

Generally, Medicare doesn’t pay for long-term care. Medicare pays only for medically necessary skilled nursing facility or home health care. However, you must meet certain conditions for Medicare to pay for these types of care. Most long-term care is to assist people with support services such as activities of daily living like dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom. Medicare doesn’t pay for this type of care called “custodial care”. Custodial care (non-skilled care) is care that helps you with activities of daily living.

Choosing Long Term Care is an important decision. Planning for long-term care requires you to think about possible future health care needs. It is important to look at all of your choices. You will have more control over decisions and be able to stay independent. It is important to think about long-term care before you may need care or before a crisis occurs. Even if you plan ahead, making long-term care decisions can be hard.

The Jordan Group can give you the information you need to make a wise decision.  Contact them today to see how you can protect yourself and your family in any unforeseen circumstance.  410-312-0811

FacebookGoogle GmailLinkedInMessengerMySpaceTwitterWordPressYahoo MailYahoo MessengerShare
View Post
Next Page »