With much dispute in the news, the issue of H.R. 4173 has finally come to a decision. Recently, Senator Tom Harkin spoke with and persuaded a congressional conference committee to add a provision to this bill, classifying indexed annuitites as state-regulated insurance products. This is great news!

On another positive note, the United States Court of Appeals presented rulings of null and void on the topic of the SEC Rule 151A. Being stated on July 12, 2010, this showed victory for agents and consumers who rely on the Fixed Index Annuitities’ guarantees. Although the SEC will more than likely drop efforts to regulate these products, organizations like NAFA (National Association of Fixed Annuities) will continue until complete assurance arrives that the threat has passed.

On July 20th, 1969, where were you? Perhaps you can remember it vividly or not at all. Or maybe you weren’t even born yet, but one thing’s for certain - this date will go down in the history books forever.

Today marks the 41st anniversary for the landing of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. It was on this fateful day that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took the first steps on the lunar surface and propelled the USA forward in the space race. It had started with John F. Kennedy’s mission to land on the moon before the 1960′s were over. By the time Richard Nixon was president, this  mission became a reality, and the first fateful steps were broadcasted to over 600 million viewers via television with those fateful words said by Commander Armstrong: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

If this topic interests you, take time to read more about the historic events that took place 41 years ago today. The world is always revolutionizing itself, but we can keep history alive if we remember and honor this fateful day that celebrated victory for the USA.

As many Iowans tuned in, the 2010 ESPY awards took place last night, and the show highlighted Northeast Iowa with much honor.  The ESPY’s, an annual award show created by ESPN,  highlights athletic performances throughout the year.  Our very own UNI Panthers men’s basketball team and the family of Ed Thomas were both highly honored, taking home awards.

The Panther men took home the Best Upset ESPY Award, with their game-winning performance in the NCAA tournament, beating #1 seed Kansas.  Coach Ben Jacobson, alongside Ali Farokhmanesh, who made the famous 3 pointer, and senior Adam Koch, accepted the award. In his speech, Jacobson thanks the towns of Cedar Falls and Waterloo, along with all the proud alums all over the world.

Another memorable moment on the ESPY’s includes the presentation of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, which is presented to the sports related personage who has made the most significant and humanitarian impact in relation to athletics in the given year.  The family of Ed Thomas was there to receive this prestigious award, only after a beautiful video looked back on the strength of Ed Thomas, his family, and the people of the Aplington-Parkersburg community during the tornado and times of grief proceeding Thomas’ murder.  The strength shown by the Thomas family gave hope to people across the world, as ESPN honored Ed Thomas’ life.

All in all, Northeast Iowa made a positive impact not only in the sporting world, but across the country. These awards gave us pride to be a part of such a great community, state, and country.

June 2010 Newsletter

May 2010 Newsletter

The staff at Yantis & Associates would like to wish everyone a happy belated Fourth of July. As we celebrated our independence, we hope you had a wonderful time with family, friends, or whomever you chose to spend the day with, and stayed safe in whatever you chose to do.

Perhaps seeing all your loved ones made you think about your insurance needs and where they’ll be once your gone? Or with traveling to see family, you realized just how important dependable car insurance can be? Give Yantis a call at 277-3787, for quotes on both your life and auto insurance needs, along with much more to offer.

Again, stay safe this summer and we hope to hear from you soon!

With the downturn of the economy, many of us found it difficult to maintain the savings necessary to cover the bills and stay debt-free. Many fingers have been pointed to our lower incomes, yet a 2000 study, “Choice, Chance and Wealth Dispersion at Retirement”, found that the fingers should be turned around and pointed at ourselves, especially when it comes to saving for our retirements. With the right plan, people with the lowest tier of income were able to save more money than those making more than them, only proving a rational point. The result of this study seemed too simple, yet true: spend less than you earn.

Although it looks easy on paper, we can all sympathize that this is not the case. Lower incomes DO place a burden on meeting all expenses, but with some simple changes made in your everday life, you can save up to $12,000 yearly!

1. Rid yourself of unused items within your home- by looking at clothes alone, base your decision to keep/sell on whether you have used this particular item within the past 6 months. If not, hold a garage sale and start reaping the benefits of selling items not often used, or join with a friend and hold a dual-garage sale. The more items that are available, the larger the crowd and the higher potential of selling.

2. Quit smoking- you know it’s a bad habit, so why not stop not only for your health, but for your pocketbook as well? In the state of Iowa, the average pack costs around $4.50. If your smoking habits constitute an entire pack per day, this can amount to over $1,600.00 each year.

3. Reduce the time you spend driving- if available, cut back on personal transportation and rely on public instead. This can cut costs like gas, insurance, and maintenance costs. The Cedar Valley offers the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MET) and their schedule can be found at www.mettransit.org.

4. Buy used clothing- your expenses on clothing can be cut in half by simply shopping at gently-worn clothing stores or auctions.

5. Cut up your credit cards- too often, credit cards are used for large expenses, virtually taking future money out of your pocket. Instead of ending up on a dead-end road and constantly paying back credit, cut all of your credit cards up except one. Use this only for a large emergency, and instead, put aside money for an emergency fund for other large purchases. If you have the patience to wait until you actually have the money for purchases, you could save around $1,000 on interest alone, on an APR of 14.4%.

With the world constantly evolving, Yantis & Associates has decided the time has come to join Facebook. Check out our page by searching Yantis & Associates and help us get our page started by posting comments, reviews, or even discussions if you’d like! We’re excited to be a part of the Facebook community!

“Starting in January of this year, I had the opportunity to join the Yantis team. As an intern, I was given the chance to provide a helping hand to the people who work at this business. It was amazing that even from the very beginning, I was able to see what kind of business Yantis was. They care about each customer, knowing them by name, rather than just another number and they keep a positive attitude throughout the workday, which shines through their reputation. I have learned great things from their reputable business practices and their customer service, allowing for an even greater internship opportunity to be earned. I am proud to be part of a business like this.”

Lindsay Guenther/Cedar Falls, IA/Intern at Yantis & Associates

The summer months provide a great opportunity for outdoor activities, and luckily, the fourth week in June constitutes National Camping Week. This means it’s the perfect time to step away from that television, take some time from work, and create some great memories with family and friends. There are many camping opportunities in the Cedar Valley and throughout the state of Iowa, but it’s important to remember some tips before you venture into the wilderness.

-When it comes to a campsite, place yourself at higher ground. With rain always being a possibility, low areas may accumulate water. Staying higher in elevation will eliminate those wet mornings.

-Wear bright colors and avoid perfumed scents. Mosquitoes and biting flies are attracted to dark articles of clothing, along with the scents of simple soaps, hair products, and colognes.

-The best material to camp in is polypropylene, as it draws moisture away from the body and dries quickly when wet.

-Keep your fire environmentally friendly with the use of biodegradable items- take an empty toilet paper role filled with lint from your clothes dryer. Once your fire has started, never throw plastic plates or containers into the fire, as these will melt and become messy for clean up, not to mention the toxic fumes they produce.

-Always pack an extra pair of socks. Wet socks provide discomfort and may lead to common colds.

-If the weather is windy, throw some leaves up in the air before putting up your tent. Face the entrance flap away from the wind, as to avoid any cold wind chills during the night.

-Before bringing your pet along, check your campsite’s rules as some camping areas do not allow domestic animals. And always clean up after your pet, keeping the campsite clean and ready for the next visitors.