Sylvia Insurance Agency

Please Join Us for a Seminar on May 3rd

marlene — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:42:28 +0000

Are You Prepared for the Increasing Costs of Long Term Care?

You may have sufficient assets to pay for long term care, but using your retirement income may not be the most efficient way to handle these costs. At Sylvia Insurance, we want to keep you updated on new and innovative products so you can make fully informed financial planning decisions.

Please join us for an informative seminar on Linked Benefits, a life insurance product designed to help cover long term care expenses.

This product is best suited for indiviuals who are:

* Insurable and between the ages of 40 and 80

* Planning to self-insure for LTC needs

* Want liquidity; control of and access to assets

* May be adverse to incurring new, on-going premiums

Please Join Us

Thursday, May 3rd at 4:00pm

at the Sylvia Group

500 Faunce Corner Road

Bldg 100, Suite 120

Dartmouth, MA

Guest Speaker: Ray Paola, LTCP

Refreshments will be served

Please call or email Paula Tavares by May 1st to register:

508-742-9212

ptavares@sylviainsurance.com

Space is limited for this private event

The Road to Maximizing Your Pension: Understanding Your Options Beyond A-B-C.

marlene — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:30:35 +0000

In this recorded webinar, Stephen Mitchell, our Business Development Executive, reviews the long-term impact of your retirement income choice. He will also explain a long overlooked life insurance strategy designed at maximizing your decision called “Pension Maximization”.

Click the link below to watch this informative webinar and contact us with questions at any time.

http://vzaar.com/videos/963500

Scholarships Available from MAIW

marlene — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:28:01 +0000

With five of our employees holding leadership roles within the MA Association of
Insurance Women (MAIW), we are pleased to share information regarding available scholarships from MAIW. All graduating seniors applying for enrollment to a four year institution and live in or attend high school in Bristol County are eligible and applications must be postmarked by March 31st. View the application and tell your friends about this opportunity.

Sylvia Employees Hold Leadership Roles

marlene — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:38:47 +0000

Sylvia & Company Insurance Agency has always been dedicated to community service and this is exemplified in five of our employees that hold leadership positions within the Bristol Chapter of the MA Association of Insurance Women (MAIW). With a focus on providing educational topics to its members as well as being involved in community service, they are a busy chapter.

Current positions held by our employees are Jessica Bussiere – Treasurer, Tami Furtado – Safety Committee Chair, Zenaide Noia – Public Relations Chair, Sandra Owens – Scholarship Committee Chair and Paula Tavares – Director.

MAIW was chartered in 1940 and serves its members by providing professional education, an environment in which to build business alliances, and the opportunity to make connections with people of differing career paths and levels of experience in the insurance and risk management industry. More information about MAIW can be found at http://www.maiw.org/about_maiw.html.

Our Team & Value Proposition

marlene — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:59:35 +0000

The Sylvia Financial Team will provide a level of service and expertise locally that you are currently not receiving. Included in this level of service will be a series of free educational webinars that have teachers and administrators in mind which include:

* Investing for Retirement
* Retirement Cash Flow Planning
* Pension Payout Options (understanding and maximizing your options)
* Life, Long Term Care and Disability Insurance
* Basics of Estate Planning

View our recorded webinars dealing with Retirement Cash Flow and Understanding the Fundamentals of Investing.

It is important to develop a comfort level and relationship with anyone who is providing financial planning guidance. For that reason, we will be offering the opportunity to schedule a meeting with our Advisor, Nick Petronelli, regardless of which provider you are currently using. This complimentary consultation and review of your current retirement assets will include:

* Assistance in understanding your consolidated investment allocation with regards to return potential, exposure for loss and volatility.
* Insight into how your investments “stack up” against their peers with regards to risk, return, volatility and cost.
* Evaluation of the likelihood of achieving your investment goals (i.e. funding retirement).
* Pension payout estimates based on your estimated retirement date.

Our ultimate goal is to make sure we focus on the areas you care about most. Our objective is to create an education program and delivery method that is as effective and convenient as possible.

If you would like to schedule a complimentary consultation, receive our free monthly e-newsletter or would like to be added to our invitation list for our upcoming webinars, please e-mail or call Paula Tavares.

ING Custom Choice Voluntary Taxed Deferred Annuity

marlene — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:59:11 +0000

A flexible retirement option for Massachusetts Public School Districts

The ING Custom Choice Voluntary Tax Deferred Annuity (TDA) is a new option available to you through your Fairhaven, Fall River or New Bedford district 403(b) plan. With this variable annuity, issued by ING Life Insurance and Annuity Company, you can build a portfolio from an extensive menu of variable investment options managed by well-known portfolio managers. There are also separate fixed interest options available. The program offers a variety of employee services to assist you from enrollment to retirement and beyond.

Features of the ING Custom Choice Voluntary TDA include:

* Low costING Custom Choice Information Sheet
* No annual maintenance fee
* Investment options that allow you to customize your portfolio
* No restrictions for transfers among variable investment options
* Access to accounts 24 hours a day

Fairhaven Enrollment Form

Fall River Enrollment Form

New Bedford Enrollment Form

ING Unsung Heroes

marlene — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:58:35 +0000

Are you an educator with a class project that is short on funding but long on potential? Do you know a teacher looking for grant dollars? ING Unsung Heroes® could help you turn great ideas into reality for students.

For 15 years, and with nearly $3.5 million in awarded grants, ING Unsung Heroes has proven to be an A+ program with educators. Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000.

The application deadline is April 30, 2012. Applicants must submit all application materials following the process outlined in the application.

To learn more please visit http://ing.us/about-ing/citizenship/childrens-education/ing-unsung-heroes.

The Sylvia Financial Connection

marlene — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:56:55 +0000

ING is proud to announce that Paul “Nick” Petronelli and Sylvia Financial have been appointed as your local ING representative. Your advisory team is available to help you build a retirement strategy to help meet your objectives. Nick is a Financial Advisor with Sylvia Financial, the investment services arm of the Sylvia Group of Insurance Agencies, and is an Investment Advisor Representative with ING Financial Partners, Inc, Member SIPC.

The Sylvia Group is a local, family-owned and operated independent insurance agency and financial services company located in Dartmouth, MA. In addition to financial services, our agency also offers personal and commercial insurance and employee benefits.

Sylvia Financial has been providing people in the community financial planning direction for many years. Although most of us have similar concerns with regards to retirement and other financial planning topics, we recognize that teachers and administrators confront issues that are fairly unique. It has been our observation that this demographic seems to be missing a local resource to assist in making smart financial planning decisions. We are here to help. Please visit our website at www.sylviafinancial.com.

MA Bans Hand-Held Mobile Phone Use While Driving a Commercial Vehicle

marlene — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:32:28 +0000

The US Department of Transportation ruled last month that the use of hand-held mobile phones should be banned in commercial motor vehicles. This ruling is now in effect and being enforced in Massachusetts.

“Commercial Motor Vehicle” is defined as…

(a) motor carriers operating commercial motor vehicles and persons who drive commercial motor vehicles as, for, or on behalf of motor carriers, upon the ways of the Commonwealth.

(b) all motor carriers and shippers transporting hazardous materials, under the Hazardous Materials Regulations of the United States Department of Transportation, Parts 171 through 179 of Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, by motor vehicles upon the ways of the Commonwealth.

(d) a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more used for the transportation of property, or

(e) a motor vehicle designed to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, or

(f) a motor vehicle used in the transportation of hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placarding under the Federal Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. App.1801-1813).

(g) It is the intent that the term “commercial motor vehicle” as used in 540 CMR 14.00 shall have the same meaning as in Part 390.5 of Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, as it may be amended, and to the extent there is a conflict between the two at any time, the definition in 49 CFR Part 390.5 shall control.

Note that…

This rule does not prohibit a driver from using a mounted mobile phone which can be easily accessed from the driver’s seat and activated with a single button.
Driving means operating a commercial vehicle while on a public road, and when stopped in traffic on such a road. Driving does not include instances when the driver is safely parked. Emergency use is permitted.
The term mobile telephone does not include two way or Citizens Band Radio services, however the term mobile telephone does include mobile services which are provided for profit, have inter-connected service and is available to a substantial portion of the public.

Penalty:

The Driver is disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for 60 days with the second offense in 3 years. (120 days for each subsequent offense within 3 years) Only applies if violation occurred while driving a CMV.

Understanding the Fundaments of Investing – Webinar Recording Available

marlene — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:47:40 +0000

If you missed our webinar on November 30th, you can view the recorded version here.
Nick Petronelli, Financial Advisor at Sylvia Financial, reviewed the basics of investment planning, fundamental investment concepts, available investment options and general investment strategies. Watching this webinar will assist you in thinking about your own investment needs and may help you in determining whether you might benefit from working with a financial planning professional.