Sunday, December 13, 2020

Some Interesting Facts About Woodworking



A business leader, Bill Schantz is the owner and CEO of Mid Atlantic Financial, LLC, a holding company for insurance companies, Harper Financial and Bedrock Financial. Outside of work, one of Bill Schantz’s favorite pastimes is woodworking.

Woodworking has become exceedingly popular in America, especially among senior adults. It is pursued not only as a hobby but also because of the enormous health benefits woodworking offers. Here are some interesting facts about woodworking:

1. The dowel is used by woodworkers to join pieces of wood together. However, in the 1950s a Swiss carpenter named Herman Steiner invented a joiner which was proven to be stronger than the dowel. His invention, called “biscuit joiner,” resembled a wooden disk that looked like a biscuit. The biscuit joiner is inserted into the slots made in the pieces of wood and joined together permanently using glue.

2. A nun belonging to the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, more popularly known as Shakers, was credited for inventing the circular saw in 1813. Sister Tabitha Babbitt saw some men working in a nearby sawmill who struggled with ripping logs into lumber using a two-man pit saw. Sister Tabitha, who was then using a spinning wheel, incorporated the elements of the spinning wheel with a circular disc with sharp teeth in the perimeter.

3. Band saws were used in Britain as early as 1809. However, band saws during those times were not durable because the welds broke quickly. In 1846, a French woman named Anne Crepin solved the welding problems and since then, band saws became a practical tool for ripping logs into lumber. 

Sunday, December 6, 2020

Close to 40 Percent of Americans are Unfamiliar with Life Settlements

 

Monday, November 2, 2020

Why Life Settlements Are Increasingly Becoming Popular



A resident of New Jersey and CEO and owner of Mid-Atlantic Financial, LLC, Bill Schantz has extensive experience in the insurance industry, having worked with a number of Fortune 500 companies. As the company head, Bill Schantz was involved with introducing life settlements to the capital markets.

Life settlements have increasingly become an option for many seniors who are looking for ways to fund future expenses. Life settlement policyholders can, under certain circumstances, sell their insurance policy tax-free, but in the context of the current pandemic, this tactic for asset management has become an option for many in the mainstream.

Outside of its tax benefits, life settlements can culminate in a person selling an unwanted insurance policy for up to three times its surrender value. Moreover, cash settlements can provide an immediate source of income, which prevents them from dipping into other invested accounts. Then, in the time of COVID, life settlements can help some seniors who have been forced to return to work because their portfolios have suffered from economic impacts.

In both 2017 and 2018, the estate tax exemption was increased, making converting an unwanted policy into cash a better choice. The regulatory environment is such that consumers are provided protections where life settlement policies are concerned. Governing organizations in the insurance industry have established initiatives to make sure policyholders are informed, and most, if not all, states have established disclosure policies for these types of transactions.

Finally, insurance carriers have increased the cost of insurance because interest rates are low. To make up for this revenue, carriers have passed on the charge to customers. For this reason, many policyholders have chosen to sell their policies. 

Monday, October 12, 2020

Turning a Business Idea into a Business Reality



Bill Schantz, a New Jersey-based entrepreneur, owns and manages several companies under the umbrella of Mid Atlantic Financial, LLC. Possessing upwards of three decades of experience, he is a pioneer in new business development. Bill Schantz has always believed that business success is driven by good business concepts and ideas.

Almost everyone has thought of a great business idea, but these ideas rarely become a reality. Often, the first step toward realizing an idea is to turn it into something more tangible. This may include writing the idea down on paper or making a short PowerPoint presentation. Either way, it helps prospective entrepreneurs solidify the specifics and commit themselves more to their business idea.

Once prospective entrepreneurs are fully committed, they must begin by examining the market and making sure their idea could be as big as they think it is. They must consider the demand for their product or service, along with their target market and planned price for what they are selling. These basics give prospective entrepreneurs a clearer picture of their business while giving them the chance to refine their idea and concept.

Beyond this, prospective entrepreneurs must compile a financial plan and business model. During this process, there are several things entrepreneurs must ask themselves, including how customers will pay for the product or service, how their business will interact with customers, and who will be assisting with company activities. Further, the model must be tested and the business brand must be advertised and grown before launch.