I recently read the article “‘Backwards Beach Days’ Could Be A Game Changer For Your Summer Vacation” by Kelsey Borresen on HuffPost, and while I’ll concede that the mom she was writing about (“content creator” Kelsey Pomeroy) may have coined the term “backwards beach days,” I’ll tell you that she absolutely did not invent the idea, as we have used this basic premise for almost my whole motherhood — and it is indeed a game changer!

This idea assumes that the “normal” beach visit is one that starts in the morning and ends before dinner, which Pomeroy argues “is the literal opposite schedule that works for little kids.” This has been my experience as well! She specifically cites naptime as a key reason for switching up her thinking about beach time (her kids do better at the beach after they’ve had their afternoon nap than if the family tries to manage naptime at the beach), and notes that beaches are usually less crowded and less expensive later in the day, and the sun isn’t as much of an issue. Yes, yes, yes.

My family has spent time at a mountain lake since I was a teenager, which has become the main summer beach time for my own kids as well. Very early on in our parenthood we discovered that heading to the beach after naptime helps the hardest part of the day (that post-nap pre-dinner time often referred to as the witching hour) not be so terrible, and I also don’t have to worry so much about the kids getting sunburned. Most people head back home for dinner around this time, so the beach is emptier, and the water is the warmest it’s been all day. Late afternoon beach time has absolutely been the best for my family of little ones for the majority of my time as a mom, and I would definitely recommend this to parents of young families who’d like to make beach time as stress-free as possible. 

(While we’re on the subject of little ones at the beach, I want to share again something I read when I was a young mother that I found life-changing: if taking your babies and toddlers and preschoolers to the beach is the worst thing you can possibly think of doing, then don’t bring them! Please don’t get caught up in some panicky idea that not bringing your little ones to the beach means you’re depriving them of key important childhood experiences like I did. I spent so much time trying to force us all to have a nice time at the beach when my big boys were tiny and it was basically the worst. Reading an older mom’s advice that trying again in a year or two might make all the difference almost made me cry with relief. And she was right! None of my older boys even remember that we didn’t do a whole lot of that when they were very small; having older kids somehow made it all easier, even with adding more babies to the mix for several more years, and they all have great memories of beachy summers.) 

Now that I’ve shared with you a great tip for making beach time with little ones easier, and hopefully gave you permission to give it up altogether until your littles are older and it’s less traumatic for you, if you feel like you need permission, I also want to share my continued amazement at how quickly we have changed from a family for whom every outing was a stress to a family who can actually do things: we have now become a family who can handle an all-day beach trip! 

We had the great blessing of starting this summer with a trip to the ocean with our extended family — my two brothers and their wives and children, one of my sisters, and my parents (twenty-one of us altogether). None of us have babies anymore (my almost-five-year-old was the youngest), nobody takes a daily nap (except me!), almost all of my kids can sunscreen themselves and swim/play safely on the beach and in the water without my husband and I worrying that someone will drown or run away or fall apart in a sanity-ending tantrum. We had two glorious beach experiences on two different days — we were at the beach for far longer than we’ve ever been able to stay at a beach; my big boys walked up and down the long beach and jumped in the waves; my little guys delighted in the water and the sand. We brought peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chips and iced tea. My dad bought us all ice cream from the snack stand. What an absolute joy it was to go to the beach with our kids and our extended family! 

I’ve been feeling for a while now that I don’t have much new to write about in terms of my motherhood — the constant newness of new babies, even when you’ve already had a bunch of babies, is in my past; there’s only so much to write about the middle-ish years when things often seem pretty reliable and uneventful; and while there’s a lot that can be said about middle school, high school, and the college years, I tread very carefully and try to err on the side of preserving my big boys’ privacy. But these changes to our family dynamic as a whole — less restrictions, new freedoms and abilities — are, I’m finding, a frequent cause of wonder for me and things that I think might give hope to the moms who are in the trenches. If summers are as hard for you as they used to be for me, take heart that one day that will change, and it will feel like the change happened overnight!

Kate and her husband have seven sons ages 18, 16, 15, 13, 11, 9, and 4. Email her at kmtowne23@gmail.com.

Many people realize the damage that smoking can do to their lungs, with those who smoke being thirty times more prone to develop lung cancer or die from this disease than a non-smoker. But what is lesser known is the negative impact that cigarettes can have on the musculoskeletal system, giving you just one more reason to quit the habit. 

Smoking’s Impact on the Musculoskeletal System 

How does smoking hurt our muscles, bones, and other soft tissues? The answer lies, in part, in the way that it affects the circulatory system. 

Generally, tobacco and the components within tobacco smoke damage the small arteries in the body first, this is why it is so detrimental to the heart’s arteries. As it turns out, the spine’s smaller blood vessels are vulnerable to this damage as well, especially those that supply the endplates of the vertebra and tissue surrounding the disc.

This is why smoking and chronic pain in the spine often go hand in hand. A 2016 study of 34,525 American adults found that as exposure to smoking increased, so too did back pain. 

Smoking’s damage to the blood vessels and their surrounding areas is also why a tobacco user is more prone to problems after spinal surgery. In fact, many spine orthopedists won’t operate on someone until they quit smoking as the vast majority of complications and post-surgical infections are in tobacco users.

Smoking can also worsen inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatic diseases that affect the joints. Quitting is even one of the main lifestyle recommendations for people with neck pain, tension headaches, osteoarthritis in the knee and hip, and fibromyalgia.

How Important Is Quitting Smoking for Musculoskeletal Health? 

Many factors contribute to the health of the musculoskeletal system, some of which include getting regular exercise and eating a healthy diet. So, how much does quitting smoking contribute to this health? For smokers, the single most important thing they can do for their health, regardless of whether we are talking about lung health, heart health, or musculoskeletal health, is to stop smoking. This includes not just smokers but also people engaged in any kind of tobacco use, such as chewing or vaping.

Quitting smoking is helpful for people with both acute and chronic back pain. Acute back pain is pain that occurs suddenly and is generally short-lived while chronic back pain tends to come about slowly over time but is long lasting. In the case of acute back pain, smoking can make it harder to heal and may even contribute to the pain turning chronic. In short, if someone smokes, it is complicating their ability to get well and stay well. 

If You’re Ready to Kick the Smoking Habit 

Quitting smoking isn’t easy. This is evidenced by research that reports that out of the smokers in the U.S. who will try to kick the habit this year, only 7.5% will succeed. But this same research also stresses that the earlier a smoker quits, the better. Therefore, if you’re ready to take the next step and stop smoking for good, numerous resources can help. 

One option is to call the Quitline at 1-800-QuitNOW. The Quitline is a joint effort led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute and aims to connect smokers with counselors, local smoking cessation programs, and even free medication to help them quit. 

Other resources include: 

• Nicotine Anonymous: This nonprofit organization offers a 12-step program designed to help people quit all forms of tobacco and nicotine by attending local meetings with others who have the same goal. This provides support while quitting, also enabling you to learn from others who have been successful in stopping tobacco and nicotine use. 

• American Cancer Society’s tips and tools: The American Cancer Society offers many valuable tips and tools for ceasing tobacco use. They include access to a “Guide to Quitting” which covers everything from making a plan to quit to dealing with the mental side of tobacco addiction, access to other smoking cessation resources, or even calling them directly at 800-227-2345 to discuss your particular challenges and which resources may help most. 

• American Heart Association’s quit smoking recommendations: Because smoking is harmful to the heart, the American Heart Association offers the five steps to quitting, which involves setting a quit day, choosing how you’ll quit, and making a plan for your “Quit Day” and to see if some type of medication can help. 

It’s also helpful to talk to your chiropractor about your desire to quit smoking. They can help identify your options, also serving as an ally in your fight to become smoke-free. 

Nearsightedness (myopia) is more than an inconvenience; it is an eye disease. Currently in the US, myopia has reached epidemic proportions in our kids and teens. During the pandemic, practices across the country reported a wide spread increase in the number of young patients with myopia progression. Left untreated myopia leads to other eye diseases such as retinal detachments, glaucoma and cataracts.

Myopia typically starts during childhood or adolescence and can continue to progress until the early adulthood years.

Myopia control refers to various techniques and interventions aimed at slowing down the progression of myopia or nearsightedness. 

There are several methods currently used for myopia control, including:

Multifocal contact lenses: These soft, daily wear contact lenses have different zones with varying levels of prescription power. They can help reduce the progression of myopia by altering the peripheral defocus in the eye. These are specific to children and teens and not the same as multifocal contacts used by adults. Currently there is only one brand that has received FDA Approval for treating myopia. We expect there to be multiple options in the coming years as additional contact lens manufacturers get their designs tested and approved.

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K): This involves using special rigid gas permeable contact lenses that are worn overnight, not unlike wearing a retainer for your teeth while sleeping. These lenses reshape the cornea temporarily, allowing for clear vision during the day without the need for glasses or contact lenses. Ortho-K has been approved by the FDA to treat and slow down myopia progression since 2005.

Multifocal eyeglasses: Similar to multifocal contact lenses, multifocal eyeglasses have different prescription powers in different areas of the lens. They can help control myopia progression by manipulating peripheral defocus. These multifocal lenses are also specific to kids and teens and not comparable to multifocal used by aging adults.

Outdoor activities: Spending more time outdoors, especially in natural light, has been associated with a reduced risk of myopia progression in children. The exact mechanisms behind this effect are not fully understood, but it is believed that increased exposure to outdoor light may play a role along with increased focusing at a distance.

These methods have shown success in controlling myopia progression especially when treatment begins at an early age. It is recommended that children receive a comprehensive eye exam by age three, prior to starting kindergarten and annually thereafter. Consulting with an eye care professional, such as an optometrist who specializes in myopia control, is recommended to determine the most suitable approach for managing myopia and its progression.

Susan Halstead is a Nationally and NYS Licensed Optician and Owner of Family Vision Care Center at 205 Lake Avenue in Saratoga Springs. Susan can be reached at Susan@familyvisioncarecenter.com

We all know that we need to plan for our financial future. Sometimes, though, the thought of even getting started can be overwhelming, and cause people to put it off. When it comes to planning, time is the best friend of your money, so it’s important that you start planning as soon as possible. Let’s look at some basic tasks you should be tackling to give yourself a more solid financial foundation.

Investing in your employer-provided retirement plan is one of the simplest steps you can take. Since your contributions come directly out of your paycheck, many people find it easier to save because they don’t actually have to write a check, and the savings feels more automatic. 

If your company’s plan offers matching contributions, you’ll want to be sure to contribute at least enough to take advantage of the full match. The company match is free money and is often as much as an extra three or four percent of your earnings!

If you’re confused about which investment options to select within your plan, speak with your financial advisor who can help you make sense of your choices. If you don’t have an advisor, many plan providers will offer one-on-one consultations over the phone, or at your worksite. You may also want to consider the so-called “target date funds” that many plans now offer. These funds are intended to become less aggressive as your get closer to retirement, and can be a good choice for people who want a simple solution.

Each time you get a pay increase, consider increasing the percentage of your salary that goes into your retirement plan. Doing this before you’ve allocated these new funds to your budget, can help you put more away without noticing it. 

While saving for retirement is an obvious need, protecting what you’ve got is often overlooked. When we feel healthy, the thought of a long-term disability or premature death seems like remote possibility. Insurance certainly isn’t sexy, but it’s a necessary part of your financial plan. 

Your employer may offer long-term disability and life insurance coverage at rates that may be less expensive than a policy you could purchase privately. Review these coverage options and select one that protects your income stream from the possibility that your become unable to work. Likewise, explore life insurance options that protect your family in the event of your premature death. 

If your employer doesn’t offer adequate insurance coverage, then work with an independent insurance agent who can help you explore options that fit you needs and your budget.

Employers continue to recognize the importance of workplace benefits in the lives of their employees, and often provide important options that you may not even realize are available. Take the time to discuss with your human resources team to find out what you may be missing. These options can go a long way toward helping you create a firm financial foundation.

Stephen Kyne is a Partner at Sterling Manor Financial, LLC in Saratoga Springs. Securities offered through Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Sterling Manor Financial, LLC, or Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc., SEC registered investment advisors. Sterling Manor Financial and Cadaret Grant are separate entities

A moving GoFundMe campaign raises $10,000+ in two weeks.

Alyssa Lewis, 29, of Mechanicville, was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant. 

It has been a harrowing ordeal for Alyssa and her husband, Dustin, compounded by the fact that cancer treatments are expensive. They have been unsure how to make it through. Now, the community has stepped up to help. 

In just two weeks, they have raised $10,333 through a heartfelt GoFundMe campaign, surpassing their $10,000 goal. 

When the Unthinkable Happens

During her first trimester, Alyssa experienced slight pain and found a lump in her breast. Convinced it was harmless, she tried not to worry. 

Except for awful nausea, Alyssa’s pregnancy went relatively smoothly, at first. As her breasts swelled, pain increased. She convinced herself these were normal changes until, at 37 weeks pregnant, she finally mentioned the lump to her obstetrician. The biopsy confirmed it was cancerous.

“I’m young, generally healthy, with no breast cancer history… how could this have happened?” Alyssa wondered. 

To begin the cancer treatments as soon as possible, Alyssa was scheduled for an induction the day before her due date. There were complications. After 10 hours of labor, and with the baby’s heart-rate dropping, a C-Section was performed. On May 4th, a healthy baby girl, Harlow, 6lbs 5 oz, 19-inches, was born. 

Several weeks later, imaging detected Alyssa also has a cancerous lymph node. The hormones surging through Alyssa’s body during pregnancy fed the aggressive, fast-growing Stage 2 tumor.  

“The biggest thing I’m afraid of is, unfortunately, I could be losing my life, my daughter could be losing her mother, and my husband could be losing his wife,” said Alyssa.

Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow

Today, Alyssa’s chemotherapy treatments have begun. Surgery will follow and with it, radiation, and long-term hormone therapy medications. 

Unsure of how much the out-of-pocket costs for all this will amount to, Alyssa and Dustin know they are substantial. They are struggling to keep up financially. Also, Alyssa does not have life insurance.

In addition to the typical expenses of all new parents, Harlow must be fed exclusively with formula (costs only partially covered by WIC assistance). The couple, married since 2018, also care for three cats; Mittens, Scarlet, and Xena. Medical copays and the cost of transportation for treatments are adding up. 

On June 13, they launched a GoFundMe campaign. In less than three days, they reached 50% of their $10,000 goal. Within the week, they received nearly $7,500 in donations. 

“We live a private life, have a small circle of friends, and aren’t on social media. That so many people would help – words can’t express what I’m feeling,” said Alyssa, adding, “It’s definitely given me a new sense of strength I didn’t have before. In the beginning, it was hard to feel that way.” 

Immeasurably grateful, this support has pushed Alyssa into a place of empowerment, allowing her the grace to advocate for young breast cancer patients like herself. 

“Seeing the outpouring of support from friends, family, everyone (even strangers!) really has pushed me forward. I have a new sense of wanting to make a difference for others in my condition.”

Alyssa has joined a cancer support group, is participating in a clinical study to test the current standard of care (saving future patients from the awful side-effects of ineffective treatments) and is advocating for more rigorous cancer prevention measures for pregnant women. 

To read more of Alyssa Lewis’ story and contribute, visit gofund.me/77515d0c. 

If you would prefer to send a gift, visit amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/UK5AIRU4Z1PA

Did you know there’s an organization with a .gov web site called “National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse”? 

I sometimes get the feeling from my newsfeed and social media that terms like “mother” and “father” are increasingly considered by some to be outmoded and insensitive — characteristics that the U.S. government doesn’t want to be associated with — and yet, this organization has a .gov address! A .gov URL is considered to signify “trustworthy” and “legitimate” and “unbiased” for those writing academic papers (high school and college students are taught that when using the internet for their research papers, .gov web sites are “good” sources). Indeed, the web site for the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse web site (fatherhood.gov) says that it’s “an official U.S. Government Web site managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services” and that the organization itself is “an Office of Family Assistance (OFA) funded national resource for fathers, practitioners, programs/Federal grantees, states, and the public at-large who are serving or interested in supporting strong fathers and families.”

I’m definitely interested in supporting strong fathers and families! I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that I spend a great amount of time in mothers-only or mothers-predominate arenas (literature, online sites, my daily goings-on with my kids) and will defend with my dying breath the need for mothers, but I want you to know that I feel the same way about fathers! 

One of the things I loved reading on fatherhood.gov is that research shows “fathers tend to be more involved in play than mothers.” I fully admit this is true in our house! Additionally, “they tend to play differently than mothers do — engaging in more physical and challenging games and encouraging independence and risk-taking.” Again, true in our house! It reminds me of a funny story from when my biggest boys were tiny: we were visiting one of my dear friends from college, and her mother was there, too, whom I love. My husband was playing outside with our boys and my friend’s mom got my attention in a conspiratorial sort of way and said with a straight face while chopping vegetables in the kitchen, being careful not to look at me while she was saying it, something like, “I just want to let you know your husband is tossing your son in the air.” Or something like that! I can’t remember the exact details now, fifteen years later, but it made me laugh so hard at the time and it has made me laugh all these years — I loved every detail of that interaction, how she was so serious about letting me know that my husband was playing far too roughly with the boys, and how she even made it seem like she was risking it all to pass along this vital information. It is true, though, that my boys and their dad love doing things that I would never feel comfortable doing.

Another thing I loved reading on the site is that “[p]ositive father involvement has been associated again and again with better social, emotional, and cognitive outcomes for children at all ages. … it is correlated with higher self-esteem, emotional security, academic achievement, school readiness, and math and verbal skills.” Read that again, Dads: it is important and necessary for your kids’ well-being for you to be there, and for you to be a good father. “Present” and “good.” 

We all know “present” isn’t always possible for a variety of reasons, and even “good” can be defined in different ways that are “shaped by cultural and demographic factors,” as the web site noted, which is important to remember. Fatherhood.gov offers “positive engagement” (“direct interaction with children, including caregiving and activities”), “accessibility” (“availability to children”), and “responsibility” (“participation in decision-making and ensuring that children are cared for”) as three ways in which dads can and should be involved with their children whenever possible.

We all also know that there are many children who are growing up and have grown up without a good and present father, my own husband being one of them. His dad, who was a wonderful man by all accounts, died when my husband was too small to really remember what it was like to have a dad around, and his mom did a bang-up job teaching him how to be a good man and father, so I can see all is not lost when the ideal isn’t met. But that doesn’t mean it’s not important to strive for the ideal! Men: try your hardest, within your circumstances and your abilities, to give your children the best possible chance at a healthy and successful life. I’m beyond grateful that my dad did so for my siblings and me, and that my husband is doing so for our children. 

In an article from 2000 — one that would no longer pass muster in academic writing, unfortunately, because it was published too long ago, but which I thought still offered some good things — Stephen Duncan, Ph.D., a Family & Human Development Specialist associated with Montana State University Extension Service, wrote in an article entitled “The Importance of Fathers” that fathers are not “optional family baggage” and that there “is a clear message out there: Dad, you ought to be a more nurturing and involved father and Mom, you need to let Dad get involved.” I will absolutely toast to all that, and I hope all you good dads have a very happy Father’s Day!

Kate and her husband have seven sons ages 18, 16, 14, 13, 11, 9, and 4. Email her at kmtowne23@gmail.com.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a problem of the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand. CTS occurs when the median nerve gets compressed in the carpal tunnel, a narrow tunnel at the wrist made up of bones and soft tissue. Nerves, tendons, and blood vessels travel through this tunnel, which when compressed may result in pain, weakness and/or numbness in the hand and wrist, radiating into the forearm. CTS is the most common of the entrapment neuropathies—compression or trauma of the body’s nerves in the hands or feet.

CTS typically occurs in adults, with women three times more likely to develop it than men. The dominant hand is usually affected first, and the pain is typically severe. CTS is especially common in assembly-line workers in manufacturing, sewing, finishing, cleaning, meat packing and similar industries.

What Are the Symptoms?

Burning, tingling, itching and/or numbness in the thumb, index and middle fingers are common CTS symptoms. Some people with CTS say that their fingers feel useless and swollen, even though little or no swelling is apparent. Since many people sleep with flexed wrists, the symptoms often first appear while sleeping. As symptoms worsen, people may feel tingling during the day. In addition, weakened grip strength may make it difficult to form a fist or grasp small objects. Some people develop wasting of the muscles at the base of the thumb. Some are unable to distinguish hot from cold by touch.

Why Does CTS Develop?

Some people have smaller carpal tunnels than others, which makes the median nerve compression more likely. In others, CTS can develop because of an injury to the wrist that causes swelling, overactivity of the pituitary gland, hypothyroidism, diabetes, inflammatory arthritis, mechanical problems in the wrist joint, poor work ergonomics, repeated use of vibrating hand tools, and fluid retention during pregnancy or menopause.

How Is It Diagnosed?

CTS should be diagnosed and treated early. A standard physical examination of the hands, arms, shoulders and neck can help determine if your symptoms are related to daily activities or to an underlying disorder. Your doctor of chiropractic can use other specific tests to try to produce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

The most common are:

• Phalens Test: Place your knuckles together and point your fingers downward, hold 30-60 seconds.

• Carpal Compression Test: Moderate pressure is applied with both thumbs directly on the carpal tunnel and underlying median nerve at the transverse carpal ligament.

Laboratory tests and x-rays can reveal diabetes, arthritis, fractures and other common causes of wrist and hand pain. Sometimes electrodiagnostic tests, such as nerve conduction testing, are used to help confirm the diagnosis. With these tests, small electrodes placed on your skin measure the speed at which electrical impulses travel across your wrist. CTS will slow the speed of the impulses and will confirm the diagnosis.

What Is the Treatment for CTS?

Initial therapy includes:

• Resting the affected hand and wrist.

• Avoiding activities that may worsen symptoms.

• Immobilizing the wrist in a splint to avoid further damage from twisting or bending.

• Applying cool packs to help reduce swelling from inflammation.

Some medications can help with pain control and inflammation. Studies have shown that vitamin B6 supplements may relieve CTS symptoms.

Chiropractic joint manipulation and mobilization of the wrist and hand, stretching and strengthening exercises, soft-tissue mobilization techniques, and even yoga can be helpful. Scientists are also investigating other therapies, such as acupuncture, that may help prevent and treat this disorder.

Occasionally, patients whose symptoms fail to respond to conservative care may require surgery. The surgeon will release the ligament covering the carpal tunnel. The majority of patients recover completely after treatment, and the recurrence rate is low. Guidance on posture and movement, as instructed by your chiropractor, can also help prevent CTS recurrences.

How Can CTS Be Prevented?

The American Chiropractic Association suggests the following CTS prevention strategies:

• Perform on-the-job conditioning, such as stretching and light exercises every hour.

• Take frequent rest breaks.

• Wear splints to help keep the wrists straight.

• Use fingerless gloves to help keep the hands warm and flexible.

• Use correct posture and wrist position.

• To minimize workplace injuries, jobs can be rotated among workers. Employers can also develop programs in ergonomics, which is the process of adapting workplace conditions and job demands to workers’ physical capabilities.

Please feel free to stop by our office for a complimentary handout of carpel tunnel syndrome stretches and exercises.

Dr. Matt Smith is a chiropractor in Saratoga Springs providing non- surgical treatment of spinal disorders and sports-related injuries. For more information, please visit MySaratogaChiropractor.com or call 518-587-2064.

Life insurance isn’t sexy, but it’s an important component of nearly everyone’s financial plan. When death interrupts life, it provides a blanket of security that allows survivors to, well, survive.

As a Certified Financial Planner®, I find that many people are confused about what kind of life insurance they should have. At its core, insurance falls into two categories: permanent and term.

The type of insurance you have depends on your anticipated need. If you feel your need for insurance will be permanent, meaning you’ll need it whether you die today or at age 95, then permanent insurance should be considered. Most people, however, only need life insurance to cover a specific period of time, making term insurance a preferable option.

Let’s take a closer look:

Term insurance is intended to cover a basic need: to replace the economic loss resulting from a death during a specific period of time. It sounds clinical, but that’s all it is. For example, if I have a child today, I may want to purchase a 25-year term policy to ensure that, if I were to pass away before that child became independent, there would be sufficient assets to provide for my child. Once the child has left home, the need may no longer exist and the insurance term expires. 

With term insurance, you’re only paying for what you need, when you need it. Because of that, the premiums are much lower, relative to many permanent forms of insurance. 

Permanent life insurance is intended to cover a permanent need. The most frequent permanent needs I encounter are: 

1. Estate planning: In order to provide for liquidity at death, or to create a tax-free estate at death, permanent life insurance strategies can be utilized. 

2. Pension replacement: In the event one spouse elected a single-life only pension, a permanent insurance policy can be used to replace the pension in the event of the pensioner’s death. 

In both of these circumstances, a permanent insurance policy is used simply because the insurance need exists for an unknown period of time. It would be unwise to use a term policy in these instances. 

Many people have been sold permanent insurance policies who may not have had a permanent need, on the premise that permanent insurance can build cash value against which tax-free loans can be taken in the future. Truth be told, in my nearly twenty years in private practice, I’ve never encountered a person who funded their retirement using their life insurance cash value. 

This is true for a variety of reasons. 

In order to grow significant cash value, the policy premiums needed are significantly higher than just the cost of insurance (which is all you pay in a term policy). While many people are well-intentioned on the front-end, life happens, and very often people reduce the amount they pay into their policies, which dramatically affects the policy’s performance. 

Another reason these policies often don’t live up to expectations is that life insurance agents may use unrealistic assumptions when illustrating future policy performance. 

The only time I see permanent insurance work as a savings vehicle, is for a client whose cash flow is such that they have maximized contributions to every other retirement savings vehicle, and still have significant money they need to sock away.  So, if you’ve exhausted your ability to contribute to your 401k, 403b, IRAs, and other retirement vehicles, then permanent insurance could be another avenue for saving.

It should be noted that some people start out with a temporary need which evolves into a need that is more permanent. Luckily, many term insurance policies are convertible into a form of permanent insurance for just this reason. 

In the battle between term and permanent, as planners, we overwhelmingly favor term insurance. It is by far the most cost-effective way to solve for a need, while preserving the option to convert to permanent insurance if the need changes. 

Your Certified Financial Planner® will be the best person to help you assess your need by helping you to understand your overall financial circumstances, and can tailor a policy to provide proper coverage. If your advisor is independent, they will also have dozens of carriers to choose from, and can help get you the most competitive rates.

Stephen Kyne, CFP® is a Partner at Sterling Manor Financial, LLC in Saratoga Springs, and Rhinebeck, NY. 

Securities offered through Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Sterling Manor Financial, LLC, or Cadaret Grant & Co, SEC registered investment advisors. Sterling Manor Financial and Cadaret, Grant are separate entities.