On the eve of their 65th birthday, the first generation of Baby Boomers say they are satisfied with their life choices and remain optimistic about the years to come, according to a recent AARP survey.

While the boomers, born in 1946, are approaching retirement age, more than 34 percent are still in the workforce. Of those still employed or looking for work, 29 percent said the earliest they expect to retire is by age 70, and four-in-ten (40 percent) reported that they, “plan to work until [they] drop.”

“Some are staying on the job to shore up their nest eggs; others just can’t imagine life without work,” said AARP executive president Steve Cone.

Today’s Baby Boomers are considered to be more active than the generations before them. The AARP survey reported that in their retirement years, Boomers have no plans of slowing down or getting bored. In fact, 84 percent of the Boomers surveyed plan to take better care of their health, while 81 percent plan to spend more time with loved ones, and 74 percent plan to set aside more time to do the things they always wanted to do. Those plans include traveling more (61 percent), volunteering (54 percent), and taking classes to learn something new (44 percent).

Boomers reported that their health and personal finances are the most predominant concerns in their lives. Thirty percent of the Boomers surveyed said their health and finances are in worse shape than they previously expected. However, even with the recent recession, they feel hopeful about what the next five years will bring.

Thousands of baby boomers will turn 65 every year with a new life expectancy of 75.65 years for men and 80.69 years for women, according to 2010 estimates by the CIA World Factbook. Life insurance is one of the more feasible purchases that can prevent a loved one from struggling financially when a spouse dies. In addition to this, some whole life insurance products provide a cash value component that can help baby boomers save up money for their retirement years.

This article was originally published by Life Quotes, Inc.

The habits people have in adulthood are often developed when they are young, which is why it’s important for parents to instill good eating behaviors in their children.

According to the 2010 Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey by the American Dietetic Association, many children are engaging in the healthy habit of snacking, but their efforts fall flat and they end up skipping meals.

The survey indicates that instead of eating meals such as dinner, children are consuming more snacks to fill themselves. The eating habit is troublesome because children may be missing out on the nutrients they need.

Dr. Katie Brown, ADA Foundation national education director, says the survey highlights other findings in addition to children’s eating behaviors.

“We also learned from the survey that families are interested in meeting with registered dietitians – professionals with the expertise essential to success – who can teach families how to create both snacks and meals rich in those nutrients critical to a child’s healthy growth and development,” says Brown.

Eating a healthy diet may help people live longer and save money on life insurance as they are less likely to have serous medical conditions.

By Life Quotes, Inc. Staff

Most people are misinformed about life insurance and other financial products, according to a survey by Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. Almost two out of three respondents failed a financial products knowledge quiz.

In particular, many seemed to lack an understanding of life insurance plans. Almost 50 percent have the false notion that permanent coverage is less likely to have a cash value in comparison to a term policy.

A representative from the company, Dave Simbro, says many investors are missing out on valuable money planning options by not understanding how life insurance policies work.

“It’s ironic that most people only see the guaranteed protection, and miss the array of benefits permanent life insurance offers throughout someone’s life,” says Simbro.

Depending on the type of policy purchased, life insurance can provide income during retirement. Having funds available during later years can be particularly helpful when covering medical expenses. Furthermore, the coverage can be extremely valuable to those with young families. Funds from a policy can help ensure children will have money for college and other necessities growing up.

In the next five years, workers see voluntary benefits such as life and health insurance playing a major role in their lives.

According to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 82 percent of employees said having life insurance will be important in the next five years. Furthermore, 77 percent felt that way about disability policies, while 76 said as much about critical illness coverage.

“Employees clearly see the need for many types of insurance protection, especially as they get older,” says Randy Horn, CEO of the insurance company that commissioned the poll.

However, only 62 percent of workers surveyed said they had coverage through their employer’s or their spouse’s life insurance policy.

The survey also showed many workers are concerned about whether or not voluntary benefits will still be available five years in the future. Almost half (48 percent) expressed this worry when polled.

Life insurance can provide a number of financial benefits to workers, including ensuring their family will have a source of income should they die. Providers also offer annuities, which can act as an investment vehicle for participants.

This article was originally published by Life Quotes, Inc.

While more than four out of five U.S. workers have some form of life insurance coverage, many of them are unsure that their families are sufficiently well-protected in the case of some sudden tragedy, according to the results of a survey released by Principal Financial Group.

The survey, which was performed by Harris Interactive on behalf of the Des Moines, Iowa-based insurance company, found that 38 percent of the American workforce is not secure in the knowledge that the amount of life insurance coverage they have purchased will adequately cover their families.

Principal vice president for individual life Greg Linde emphasized the importance of this type of financial protection, saying that “working with a financial professional to put together a comprehensive financial strategy helps ensure that no matter what life sends your way, your family’s goals and financial dreams will remain on track.”

The company is one of many participating in Life Insurance Awareness Month, which is being coordinated by the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education, a non-profit industry group.

This article was originally published by Life Quotes, Inc.

Data from a recent survey is serving as a reminder that as people become more saddled with obesity, the more likely they are to come down with related conditions like high blood pressure.

According to Gallup, 35.7 percent of the combined population of the 10 most obese states in the country has had high blood pressure during their lifetime. Another 29.5 percent of this population has been diagnosed with high cholesterol at some point in their life, and 13.4 percent have been diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes.

Also, 30.4 percent of the population of the 10 most obese states reported that their health has been preventing them from engaging in simple activities. In contrast, only 26.1 percent of the least obese states reported that this was the case.

In the 10 least obese states, there was also a substantial decline in the percentage of people with high blood pressure and cholesterol problems – a respective 26.1 and 25 percent.

Americans know all too well the health risks they face from obesity and high blood pressure and cholesterol. However, many of them may be far less likely to realize that these conditions can also result in higher life insurance premiums.

This article was originally published by Life Quotes, Inc.

By Life Quotes, Inc. Staff

Public health officials who have been warning of the dangers of skin cancer may be dismayed by recent polling data showing that relatively few people routinely follow their advice.

To avoid deadly forms of skin cancer like melanoma, people are advised to avoid the sun for prolonged periods of time and to use sunscreen when spending time outdoors. Health experts have also been warning people against the skin cancer dangers associated with the regular use of tanning beds.

More recently, a recent Marist poll found that only about 9 percent of those surveyed use sunscreen on a daily basis. Another 20 percent indicated that they use it most days, while 31 percent said they use it on occasion.

In what may be an alarming development for healthcare professionals, 40 percent of those surveyed said that they never use sunscreen. Along with using sunscreen, people are advised to bring sunglasses and brimmed hats when going somewhere like the beach.

Skin cancer is a dangerous disease that kills thousands each year. Since it can strike even those who are in good health, it also serves as a reminder of the importance of investing in life insurance coverage.

This article was originally published by Life Quotes, Inc.

A growing number of Americans are working hard to stick to a diet and exercise routine in an effort to improve their quality of life and their overall life expectancy. By doing so, people can save considerably on their future medical bills and life insurance premiums as well.

Unfortunately, all people tend to face a higher risk for heart attacks and other cardiac events as they get older, although diet and lifestyle factors can go a long way toward preventing this.

In fact, recent survey data from the Gallup organization finds that about 15 percent of people aged 81 and up have had a heart attack. In contrast, 10 percent of people aged 67 have had a heart attack, with the risks generally increasing on a yearly basis starting when a person reaches their 40s.

The report added that men are significantly more likely than women over the long run to have a heart attack, and that for them, the risk starts to grow upon reaching one’s mid-30s. By age 60, about 12 percent of men have had a heart attack, while this figure does not apply to the female population until they are about 76.

Given the risk of unexpected events like heart attacks, life insurance is a useful financial protection for families and loved ones.

This article was originally published by Life Quotes, Inc.

According to a survey sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer HealthCare, smokers believe that “light” and “mild” cigarettes aren’t as detrimental to their health as regular cigarettes and make it easier to quit smoking.

Nearly half of survey respondents said that they smoked “light” cigarettes, with one-quarter of these smokers saying they do so because they believe they are less harmful. More than one-third of the respondents misunderstood how “light” cigarettes affect their health.

Additionally, sixty-eight percent of the smokers felt that removing the word “light” or “mild” would have no effect on how difficult it is for them to identify their preferred type of cigarettes.  A large majority responded that they would still be able to identify “light” cigarettes without the label based on the color and design of the package.

“Repackaged light cigarettes with different colors are just as deadly as packs bearing the lights descriptors,” says Saul Shiffman, Ph.D., professor in the departments of psychology and pharmaceutical science at the University of Pittsburgh and Senior Scientific Advisor at Pinney Associates.

According to the American Cancer Society, health risks associated with smoking include lung disease, heart disease, emphysema, aneurysms, bronchitis, stroke, and lung cancer. The ACS says that 9 out of 10 lung cancer deaths are due to smoking and it is one of the hardest cancers to treat.

People who smoke are also likely to be charged more for life insurance because it’s linked to these life-threatening conditions.

This article was originally published by Life Quotes, Inc.

A survey conducted by the Spectrem Group shows the number of retirement plan participants seeking advice about retirement rose from 26 percent in 2008 to 58 percent last year.

The studies also showed that defined-benefit plans and defined-contribution plans increased rose from $7.9 trillion in 2008 to $9.3 trillion in 2009. Participant 401(k) plans increased by 20 percent in 2009, totaling $2.3 trillion.

“The number was about the same for the better part of 16 years, and it suddenly jumped. Now participants want somebody to bounce ideas off of and to validate their thinking, and some of them want really in-depth advice,” Spectrem director Gerry O’Connor told Investment News.

Growing healthcare concerns and the economic climate in the United States have many Americans concerned with retirement planning and financial security. In addition to 401(k)s and Social Security benefits, Americans may better protect their assets by investing in a long-term care plan as well as a life insurance plan to protect their family members and survivors from financial hardship when they are gone.