FINANCIAL FOCUS
October 2016 Newsletter

HOW TO GET A BIGGER SOCIAL SECURITY RETIREMENT BENEFIT ¹

Many people decide to begin receiving early Social Security retirement benefits. In fact, according to the Social Security Administration, about 72% of retired workers receive benefits prior to their full retirement age.
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QUIZ: TEST YOUR INTEREST RATE KNOWLEDGE ²

Take this 5 question quiz to test your understanding of interest rates! Is your interest rate knowledge up to par? Educate yourself today.
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DON'T FAIL TO TAKE REQUIRED MINIMUM DISTRIBUTIONS

Making sure you have made plans ahead of time for your retirement assets is crucial to a comprehensive financial and estate plan. Call us at (800) 334-0734 today to schedule an appointment to review your account information. If applicable, your RMD must be withdrawn by December 31 – plan ahead now!

HALLOWEEN BY THE NUMBERS ³

46% of American adults carve a pumpkin for Halloween.

A pumpkin grown in 2010 weighed 1,810 pounds.

U.S. growers produce over 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins per year.

50% of Americans decorate their yards for Halloween.

More than 35 million pounds of candy corn are sold annually.

90% of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their kids' Halloween trick-or-treat bags.

120 million Americans dress up in costumes for Halloween. 11.5% dress up their pet.

72% of adult Americans report handing out candy on Halloween.

The average American consumes 24 pounds of candy each year.

CHEESY SQUASH CASSEROLE ⁴

This delicious cheesy dish makes the perfect accompaniment to a fresh autumn meal!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 medium yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 sleeve crackers, crushed medium to fine

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the squash, onion, and butter until soft. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan, Cheddar, and sour cream. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Place in the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the cracker crumbs evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.

Quiz Answers

1. b.False 2. c. Federal funds rate. 3. a. True.  4. b. False. 5. a. True. 

¹ Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2016.
² Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2016.
³ http://www.history.com/topics/halloween/jack-olantern-history/interactives/halloween-by-the-numbers
⁴ http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cheesy-squash-casserole-recipe.html#lightbox-recipe-image

Financial Guideposts is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any government agency.

Investment advisory services offered through JAWCLU, LLC dba Financial Guideposts a Registered Investment Advisor in the state of Georgia. Insurance products and services are offered by John A. White, sole proprietor, Financial Guideposts and John A. White are affiliated entities.Financial Guideposts and its associates do not offer tax and/or legal advice.

This newsletter has information believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed to be true and accurate. The information contained within is for general information only and should not be considered a recommendation of any particular product or service.