If you haven’t heard of it, you are not alone. Currently there is a ground swell effort to inform veterans about this benefit. The Governor of Illinois felt it was such a serious situation that he created a non-profit corporation to work with other corporations, service groups and individuals like us, to get the word out and to educate Veterans and the families on this benefit. There are about 22 million veterans in the United States and about two billion dollars of benefits that go untouched every year. And a lot of it has to do with the fact that people just don’t know that the benefits are available. They don’t know that they qualify and they don’t know how to apply.

Life Insurance Calming Down Since Surge
However, despite all the hysteria, Hunter a former insurance regulator said the current situation is not as bad as everyone thinks: "I'd say most companies are in OK shape" because of the capital they built up before the financial markets went into a tailspin, he said.

Still, the number of troubled life insurers is increasing. So far in 2009, three have been put into receivership by state regulators, and lack of financial strength has not helped the situation, with $50 million being lost linked to related investments in the preferred stock of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

In an attempt to aid the life insurance sector, the industry asked the National Association of Insurance Commissioners late last year to ease some of the organisations regulations for measuring capital and surplus. A January hearing turned down this request.

Increase Your Pension
People who are retiring have to become much more savvy in their choice of pension products as rates on normal annuities continue to fall in the current economic downturn.

This is because of two main reasons the fact that Interest rates are at historic lows and retired people are living for much longer. These factors are resulting in a large increase of enhanced life annuities which pay increased annuities to those who for example, smoke, are over weight, or have some other medical condition that may impair their life expectancy.

It has been estimated that sales of enhanced annuities will continue to increase by more than 20% on an annual basis and that they currently account for some 17% of the current market share.

It is not at all surprising that those who are nearing retirement are having to maximise the return on their pension investments.

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