Apple recently released iOS 14.5, along with security fixes for a whopping 50 vulnerabilities.

The fixes in iOS 14.5 are the fourth major security update released by Apple in 2021 and certainly the largest in terms of volume.

Happy Teacher* Appreciation Week! 

*…but here at LifeChanger, we’ll amend that to happy Administrator / Paraprofessional / Custodian / Any and All K-12 school employees appreciation week 😉

We know the educators in your life are probably swimming in a pool of baked treats, mugs, and desk knickknacks this week. So may we propose something a little more easy and a lot more significant (not to mention completely free)?

National Teacher Appreciation Day is May 4, also known as National Teacher Day; a day to recognize the lasting contributions that dedicated educators make in our lives. Eleanor Roosevelt established it in 1953 with a Congressional proclamation for a National Teachers’ Day. The National PTA established Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May and the NEA established the Tuesday of that week as National Teacher Appreciation Day.

After three months in office, the Biden Administration is beginning to build policy and regulatory momentum in a number of areas, including retirement security.

During the Trump years, there were some significant federal legislative achievements in the retirement security area, including most notably, the SECURE Act. However, the pace of federal regulatory activity slowed, and all eyes seemed to be on the Securities and Exchange Commission as its Regulation Best Interest slowly worked its way through the rulemaking process.

While the current low interest environment is great for mortgages and other debts we may hold, it can mean something different for our retirement savings. Now is the time to consider selecting a Fixed Indexed Annuity (FIA) as one of your plans’ allocation options.

A Fixed Indexed Annuity (FIA) is an insurance product designed to accumulate money for retirement. It offers guarantees against loss of what’s in the account (the premiums you have paid, and the interest earned) due to a decline in the index*. 

So, why should you consider adding a fixed indexed annuity to your plan?

After a school year that’s been memorable for all the wrong reasons, let’s give retiring educators something to celebrate instead.

Now that we’ve (finally!) made it through to the home stretch of 2020-21, it’s the right time – and the perfect year – to say thank you. Thank you for the years of service, the mentorship, the good memories. Thank you for being beloved pillars in so many school communities, for teaching three generations and making it look easy.

At National Life connections are at the core of who we are.

Since 1848, our promise at National Life has been to serve others. With a focus on families, business, and communities during the best and worst of times, we work hard to help bring peace of mind to everyone we touch.

Remind them that they can contribute to 2020 IRAs, Roth IRAs and HSAs until May 17!

Most employees understand that they can make a 2020 IRA contribution by May 17,  2021 and have it count as a deduction on their 2020 income tax return.  But they may not know that the same rule applies to making contributions to their Health Savings Account (HSA).  HSA contributions made by May 17 will also apply to their 2020 tax return.

Check out our Foundation’s 2020 Impact Report, available now!

As you may be aware, National Life’s cause is a very simple one, directed at the people who live and work on America’s Main Streets: To Do good in our communities and with the individual families we serve. To see how much good we did through financial and in-kind donations as well as through volunteer time, view the National Life Group Foundation’s 2020 Impact Report.

Plan participants impacted by federally–declared natural disasters during 2020 may qualify for additional relief.

Recently, Congress passed a new Relief Act known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA). The CAA provides relief for individuals affected by natural disasters that occurred between January 1 and December 27, 2020.  A federal disaster declaration must have been declared on or before February 25, 2021 for individuals to be eligible for relief in those areas.