VA expert to answer frequently asked questions for senior veterans

DAVENPORT, IA (October 28, 2014) - Senior Star at Elmore Place invites all Quad City senior veterans and their families to an event with guest speaker David Woods from Veterans Affairs at 11:30 a.m., November 3 at 4502 Elmore Avenue, Davenport.

The presentation will be informational and cover frequently asked questions about senior veterans' benefits and eligibility requirements.  A light lunch will be served.

An RSVP is requested no later than November 2 by calling 563.484.5114.

For more information about Senior Star at Elmore Place or to schedule a tour, call 563.484.5114 or visit the website at www.seniorstar.com.

About Senior Star at Elmore Place

Senior Star at Elmore Place, a Senior Star community, features 236 modernly decorated apartments spanning across 20 acres of beautifully landscaped property with many customized amenities to offer its residents three distinctive living experiences:  independent living, assisted living and memory care.  For more information, visit www.seniorstar.com.

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Local Food and Beverage Vendors Offer Support

DES MOINES, IA (October 28, 2014) - The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - Iowa Chapter will hold their annual Wine Opener event on Friday, November 7, 2014 at Des Moines University to raise funds for cystic fibrosis research. The organization raises funds for critical research for cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening genetic disease.

"This is not just another fundraiser. This is the community coming together to change the course of this disease. We have big goals to find a cure, and we rely on donations to help make this happen. All the proceeds will benefit research that will help find a cure for Iowans living with the disease," said Claire Scholl, executive director of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - Iowa Chapter. "Virtually every CF medication and therapy made available to patients is possible because of the amazing support from donors and events like this across the country."

The 2014 Wine Opener is a relaxed, yet lively tasting event, which offers the opportunity to sample fine wines and beers from around the Des Moines metro. Sip drinks from Ingersoll Wine & Spirit, Prairie Moon, Confluence Brewery, WineStyles Johnston, Raccoon River Brewery, Vintage Wines, Dimitri Wines, Fire Trucker Brewing Co., and more. Plus, great cuisine from 801 Chophouse, RoCA, Gateway Market & South Union Café, Splash Seafood Bar & Grill, Cosi Cucina, Hickory Park, Maytag Dairy Farms, and Scratch Cupcakery.

The auction will feature exciting packages, including a private dinner for eight by Chef George Formaro, a California Trip featuring Calcareous Vineyard and American Airlines, a one-week stay at a Keystone Condo, an exciting 50-person BBQ with beer and a private concert by Chad Elliott, and a Mystery Dinner package.

Cystic Fibrosis affects the lungs, pancreas and other organs, causing a buildup of mucus making it difficult to breathe. In 1955, children born with CF often died before reaching elementary school. Today, nearly half the CF population is age 18 or over.

Registration for the 2014 Wine Opener is open through November 5 at iowa.cff.org/wineopener. Tickets cost $75, of which $55 is tax deductible.

Thanks to sponsors Pivot Wealth Strategies, Keystone Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, The Foster Group, Bridgestone, Mygooi, Ernst & Young, Iowa Realty, UnityPoint at Home, Chiesi USA, Community First Credit Union, Merchants Bonding, Edge Commercial, Reinhardt Properties, European Motors, Andrea's Angels, and the Seydel Family.

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: Formed in 1955, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation funds medical research, develops new drugs and therapies, provides care and, ultimately, works to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. For more information, visit www.cff.org/Chapters/iowa.

We are quickly coming to a reckoning in this country regarding the well-being of retirees, says Jeff Bucher, a financial advisor who helps working-class Americans plan their golden years.

"I suppose it's cliché for the head of a financial firm to say that he cares for his community, but we really do put our money where our mouth is," says Bucher, who, through his firm, Citizen Advisory Group, (www.citizenadvisory.com), has contributed to the local Boys & Girls Club, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and to development of an Olympic training center for wrestling at Ohio State University, his alma mater, where he earned a wrestling scholarship.

"My clients represent the bulk of America: honest, hard-working and typically blue collar or middle class. Most of them weren't executives at Fortune 500 companies, and many are stressed out when they first come to us because they've been sold this idea of needing x-amount for a retirement nest egg."

In reality, you don't need a hulking nest egg to get by in retirement, and you may be better off without one, says Bucher, who explains why.

•  Lifetime income vs. nest egg; reconsider what wealth means to you. What's preferable to you: stockpiling money throughout the entirety of your earning years so that you can have a large nest egg for retirement, or investing your money wisely so that you can both use it during your younger years and receive paychecks during retirement?

"Two million dollars in savings is not the optimal perspective for true wealth," Bucher says. "True wealth is not serving money; it's having your money serve you. I'm more interested in offering folks true wealth via ethical financial structures suited to individual goals."

•  Obsession with a nest egg prevents you from doing things. Consider the mentality of an obsessive nest-egger: Hoard your hard-earned money your entire life, decade after decade, straight through retirement. Don't spend anything on travel, or a vacation home, or anything else you may enjoy, because you have to protect the egg.

Life is short, and by the end of it, these folks haven't done anything but work and save money.

"You don't have to be a millionaire to do so many things for yourself, family and community with your money," he says.

•  Consider supplementing a smaller savings with a part-time job - seriously. You hear the scare tactics - Grandma doesn't want to spend her golden years greeting shoppers at Walmart.

"That's nonsense; retirees are some of the most talented people in our country, working as a greeter is not their only option," he says. "Most of us have something we'd like to do that we couldn't during our earning years. Retirement is the perfect time to indulge that passion! People are better off staying active, no matter who or how old they are."

Supplemental income through a fun, part-time job cuts the income needed from a retirement next egg and adds healthy activity. Teach swimming at the local YMCA, work at a golf course or as an usher at a sports venue. Or start a small business selling the crafts you've developed a skill for creating.

•  Volunteering actually saves retirees money. When you're at a job, you don't have much opportunity to spend money. You won't run up the electric bill at home, nor go to the movies, amusement parks, shopping or use much money getting there. While working, you're too busy, and the same is true when folks volunteer somewhere. Volunteering at the hospital or elsewhere gives retirees purpose, engages their minds and bodies, gives them the happy knowledge that they're helping others, and prevents them from spending money on entertainment to keep from being bored!

About Jeff Bucher

Jeff Bucher is president of Citizen Advisory Group, (www.citizenadvisory.com), and is an Investment Advisor Representative of AlphaStar Capital Management, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. He has a life and health insurance license with the state of Ohio. His membership affiliations include the exclusive Ed Slott's Master Elite IRA Advisor Group™, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), the National Association of Fixed Annuities (NAFA) and the Forum 400. He has earned Top of the Table honors through the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). Bucher is a former standout wrestler at The Ohio State University, where he earned an athletic scholarship and honed his leadership skills en route to earning four varsity letters.

Zion Lutheran Church, Princeton, Iowa, is holding its 10th annual Harvest Feast Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Princeton Community Center, 428 S. River Drive.

The celebration runs from 4:30 until 7:00 p.m.

The dinner features a homemade menu of beef stew made with locally raised Sawyer beef, applesauce, breads, pies, and a wide variety of desserts and drinks. Cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children 5 to 10 years old. Children younger than 4 are admitted for free.

Activities for the evening include a silent auction, wine tasting, a live auction at 6 p.m. and a supervised play table for children, plus the dinner. Teresa Kraft, a Cody Elementary School librarian and Zion Lutheran Sunday School teacher, will provide the children's activities and supervision.