Everyone enjoys catching up with family – having the children and grandchildren come for a visit or spending time with nieces and nephews whom you aren’t able to see very often. Many people arrange time specifically to make that connection by scheduling a weekly phone call, planning a holiday visit, or taking a trip together every summer. So when budgets are tightened and there is less money to spend on trips, long-distance calls, or visits, what should you do?

Luckily, the technology age offers us many different ways to stay close with family and friends without breaking the bank. And your children, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces are probably already familiar with them. Here are a few budget-friendly ways you can keep in touch:

Getting the most from phone calls: Talking with your young loved ones on the phone gives you a firsthand account of their loose tooth, first day of school, or driver’s license exam. But the long-distance bill can make a serious dent in any budget. Fortunately, most major cell phone providers and some telecommunications companies offer competitively priced plans that include unlimited long-distance service as part of the monthly service fee. You can get information on the range of plans available and the different features they include from a customer service representative for your provider or by visiting its Web site.

Catching up over the Internet: This is probably the easiest and fastest way to catch up with your faraway family and friends. There are several different ways to do it. E-mail is one of the most popular. It allows you to give updates, include things such as articles they may find interesting, and even attach photos or video clips. Instant Messaging (IM) is another fun way to communicate: it works similarly to e-mail, with the entire exchange occurring on screen, but much more rapidly, allowing you and the recipient to have a real conversation. Major providers such as Yahoo, MSN, and AOL all have this application.

Exchanging photos/videos online: Since a picture is worth a thousand words, this is an excellent way not to miss one milestone when you can’t be there in person. There are a number of different ways to do it. Many national drugstores and discount superstores will upload your photos to an album, which you can share with family and friends. If you’re not able to save photos directly from your camera to your home computer, these retailers can also give you a disk with your photos on it, so you can save them on your computer and attach them to an e-mail or post them to a Web site, which you can share. Of course, if you don’t have online access, you can still just as easily stay in close touch with your family. For just the cost of a stamp, you can send letters or postcards and include photos, updates, and anything else you might send online. To the important people in your life, it won’t matter how you keep in touch – just that you do.

During our working years, we’re given advice and financial vehicles to help us save and grow our hard-earned money to help pave the way to a comfortable retirement. But when it comes to making that money last for a retirement that could span 30 years or more, it’s a whole different ballgame.

We’re often left to our own devices to manage the income we’ve set aside for retirement to ensure it will last for life. But we can’t predict how long we’ll live, which makes it difficult to plan and budget. If you underestimate, you may deplete your savings sooner than expected.

That’s why many financial planners recommend a fixed immediate annuity be part of a balanced retirement portfolio. You make a one-time purchase with a portion of your savings. In return, you’ll receive a fixed-income payment month after month, which can help cover expenses for the rest of your life no matter how long you live.

And, there’s no need to worry about declining interest rates or the impact of a down market. Your payments are always fixed, making it easier for you to stay on budget. No other type of financial product can promise to do this.

If you have any concern that you may outlive your assets, look at supplementing your retirement income with a fixed immediate annuity – a guaranteed source of income you can rely on for the rest of your life. And before you make a purchase, it’s important to review the financial ratings of the insurance company promising your lifelong income – because that promise is only as good as the company that stands behind it.

The AARP Lifetime Income Program
from New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corporation
For information about our fixed annuities,
call 1-800-923-0091 or visit
lifetimeincome.nylaarp.com/newsletter

Every day, people are making important changes to their lifestyles to promote better health. With all of the information we have available through the news, magazines and the Internet, it isn’t hard to find ways to increase our physical activity and mental awareness, and improve our diets.

When it comes to diet, people are trying to prepare healthy, nutritious meals that are also tasty and satisfying. Avoiding high-fat or sodium-laden dishes can sometimes make people feel that they are limited to the same few staple ingredients, meal after meal.

The good news is that you don’t have to sacrifice taste for nutrition. Here are a few ways to keep meals healthy and delicious, from Rachael Ray, star of her own cooking show and author of a series of cookbooks:

• Add low-sodium, no-salt stock to a sauce to make it taste as if it has been simmering all day. Likewise, cook rice in chicken or vegetable stock rather than water, or try replacing cream with stock when making mashed potatoes for a flavorful, low-fat alternative.
• Fresh herbs are a no-fat addition and brighten the flavor of salads, dressing and sauces.
• Purchase quality cuts of meat for better flavor and less fat. Less-expensive, fatty beef will have to be trimmed. The amount of waste, balanced against lean meat, evens out the expense. A small amount of lean protein is better than a larger amount of fatty protein.
• Stock up on fresh meats and vegetables when they’re on sale, then divide and freeze them. Prepared foods, such as microwave meals, are not as healthy an option because they can be high in sodium, fats and additives.

With these easy tips, your meals can include plenty of flavor and nutrition – and cooking can be an enjoyable way to stay healthy.

As a member of the AARP Life Insurance Program, you are able to make a number of important decisions about your coverage. Naturally, one of the most important is naming your beneficiaries.

While the vast majority of members name a loved one or estate, the AARP Life Insurance Program from New York Life recognizes a variety of beneficiary designations. These designations are particularly important during the claims process, as they provide specific legal instructions that can help make sure your final wishes are fulfilled as quickly and easily as possible.

First, Second and Third Beneficiaries: These designations allow you to name your primary or “first” beneficiaries, and assign multiple “backups” just in case. Should you outlive the first beneficiary, the benefit would automatically go to the second beneficiary, and so on.

Irrevocable Beneficiary: Most commonly seen in divorce settlements, irrevocable designations are arrangements that cannot be changed without the consent of the beneficiary. They specifically forbid anyone but the beneficiary from surrendering the policy, taking out loans, assigning new beneficiaries, etc.

Per Stirpes: This designation is a way of dividing the death benefit among family branches, even if the beneficiary in one branch dies beforehand. For example: if the certificate owner has two children and one passes away, the descendants of the deceased child would automatically inherit his or her portion of the benefit.

Collateral Assignments: Since some certificate owners use their life insurance as collateral to secure a loan, these assignments give the creditor the right to claim the cash value, dividends, and death benefit should the loan go into default. Any excess benefit will be paid to the surviving beneficiaries.

Beneficiary For Value: This designation guarantees that the death benefit will be used to pay for services rendered by a specific business or creditor (such as a funeral home). The benefit will cover the exact cost of the service, or services, provided. Once this is done, the remaining benefit will be paid to the surviving beneficiaries. While these are just a few of the designations available through our Program, it’s easy to see how helpful they can be if you have multiple beneficiaries and needs.

For more information about assigning beneficiary designations, please call our toll-free customer service number: 1-800-695-5164.

Estate planning is a useful tool that helps you make the most of your estate in the event that you become incapacitated or pass away. It’s an all-encompassing plan that details your intentions for your will, trusts, beneficiary designations, powers of appointment, property ownership, powers of attorney, and more. It’s a critical element in preventing any uncertainties over your wishes for the handling of your estate.

With all that is involved, beginning your plan may seem a little overwhelming at first. Here are some tips to help make it easier to establish your own estate plan:

1. Make a detailed list of your assets.
2. Determine your beneficiaries, and designate them in order.
3. Name a power of attorney in the event that you become incapacitated.
4. Select the executor of your estate.
5. Talk to a trusted financial planner and an estate attorney.

Your selected planner and attorney can advise you on the best way to distribute your estate with the least amount of difficulty, and help you put your wishes into writing. Finally, be sure to periodically check your estate plan and will to keep them up to date.

Many customers of the AARP Life Insurance Program from New York Life are choosing the ease of the EFT (electronic funds transfer) method of payment for their life insurance plans. This convenient way to pay your premiums can help ensure that your coverage continues without interruption. You never have to worry about a late or missing payment. Once enrolled, your premiums will be electronically transferred from your bank, so you can rest assured your payment will arrive on time, every time. Best of all, with most plans you can choose from a variety of convenient payment schedules, including a monthly plan that may help you save as much as $1.00 on every payment. To enroll, simply check the EFT option box in the payment section of your next monthly bill, or visit our customer service Web site: www.nylaarp.newyorklife.com and select the Automatic Premium Payment button found on the second screen. To learn more about the money-saving discounts available with this plan, just call the toll-free number below:

1-800-695-5164
8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (ET)
Monday through Friday,
or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

While New York Life’s headquarters may be located in New York, its heart can be found in the communities we serve. Through our Volunteers for Life program, employees of the AARP Life Insurance Program in Tampa, Florida, donate their time, money, and talent on behalf of local residents and deserving organizations. Last year alone, Volunteers for Life contributed more than 1,400 hours of service, delivering a selfless gift to a number of charitable organizations.

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While other books exploring career change focus primarily on how to land a good job, the AARP® Crash Course in Finding the Work You Love specifically examines the growing trend toward 50+ re-careering.

With this handbook to guide them, readers can make the leap to a brand-new and satisfying career. AARP members can save 35% on AARP books and 10% on list- price paperbacks at Borders. Visit www.aarp.org/borders for more information.