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Mercurio & Bridgford P.A. is a full service Certified
Public Accounting and Consulting Firm founded in Sarasota, Florida in 1977.
since that time we have rapidly grown in size and experience and expanded the
variety of services we can provide to you in all areas of business and personal
financial affairs.
MB Financial Advisors, LLC, has people who are
also Investment Advisor Representatives with and Securities and
Investment Advisory Services are offered through InterSecurities, Inc. (ISI).
The people at MB Financial Advisors, LLC, have more than 25 years
experience in the financial services industry and are licensed to help
individuals and businesses meet their investment goals through a
complete array of financial products including stocks, bonds, mutual
funds, fixed and variable annuities, and insurance products.
ISI is a full-service firm and a member of the
AEGON Group, one of the largest financial organizations of the world.
Recently, ISI was awarded the prestigious "2003 Broker/Dealer of the
Year" title by Investment Advisor magazine. The magazine conducts
a yearly independent survey, and ISI was ranked #1 among Division IV
Broker Dealers with over 1,000 Representatives. InterSecurities,
Inc. is a Member of NASD, SIPC and Registered Investment Advisor.
Mercurio & Bridgford P.A. and MB Financial
Advisors, LLC have developed a reputation for providing quality
comprehensive tax, accounting, audit and management services, along with
financial planning, portfolio analysis and business benefit solutions.
Our clients utilize these services to meet regulatory requirements and
improve the profitability, efficiency and growth of their investments
and businesses.
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Are you ......
Looking at adding a retirement plan for the first
time?
Considering updating an older plan to make it more
competitive?
Thinking about providing a "little extra" benefit
for key employees or yourself?
If so, MB Financial Advisors, LLC can help by
working with you in the design, coordination and implementation of a
variety of retirement plan options.
MB Financial Advisors, LLC can see you through the
process from beginning to end with a multidisciplinary approach to
retirement plans by coordinating the activities of your human resources
department with your retirement plan Third Party Administrator.
Below are some additional solutions, which can be
addressed with you on a case by case bases.
- 401(K) Safe Harbor & Profit Sharing Plans (Self
Directed Plans)
- Defined Benefit Plans including Section 412(i)
Plans
- Simple IRA & SEP IRS Plans
- Executive Bonus Plans (Section 162 Plans)
- SERPS (Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation
Plans)
- Split Dollar Plans
- Single Employer Welfare Benefit Plans (Section
419 Plans)
- Split Dollar Plans
- Single Employer Welfare Benefit Plans (Section
419 Plans)
- Key Man Insurance
- ESOP's (Business Continuation Plans)
- Group & Individual Life Insurance (Section 79
Plans)
- Group & Individual Health Insurance (HRA's
HSA's & FSA's)
- Supplemental Health Insurance (Deductible
Bridge Plans)
- Disability & Long Term Care Insurance
- Asset Protection Analysis
.
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Whether your business is looking to start a retirement
plan or replace an older plan, MB Financial Advisors, LLC can "quarterback" your
company's retirement plan from start to finish.
- Services provided can include:
- Plan design
- employer / Employee education
- Investment fee analysis
- Investment portfolio analysis
- Annual contract review
401(K) plan is commonly referred to as a deferred
compensation plan. It is established by an employer and a portion of each
enrolled employee's earnings are deducted from his or her compensation and
placed into this qualified retirement plan option. As an employer, you
have the option to match a percentage of the amount contributed by the employee.
The plan we use is Sterling Trust, which allows for self directed investments.
Benefits to the employer can be greater employee
retention and satisfaction. Employees typically benefit by
reducing taxable income as well as allowing their contributions in the
plan to accumulate tax-deferred in investment options of their choosing.
Defined benefit Plans including Section 412(i)
Plans differs from a 401(K) type plan in that the employer funds a fixed
periodic benefit or a specified lump sum amount (all at once) when each
employee retires. The amount available can vary depending on
factors such as compensation level and years of service. Unlike a
defined-contribution plan, a defined benefit plan does not have a per
employee account, but rather a pool of investments set aside to fund the
entire liability to the group.
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At MB Financial Advisors we want to know if
your business is looking for ways to provide a "little extra" in terms
of benefits for select groups of executives? If so then perhaps a
non-qualified type plan offered through MB Financial Advisors can
be one solution to consider. In particular, these Supplemental Executive
Retirement Programs (SERPs) can act as a supplement to an already
existing qualified plan, as well as provide an added benefit to maintain
and attract key executive talent. Some examples of such plans;
Non-qualified deferred compensation:
Typically, these plans are customized to your company's structural
organization and can allow flexible plan funding to best meet your
business's financial position.
Senior and highly compensated individuals benefit
by enhancing their pretax wealth accumulation, while falling outside the
bounds of traditional plan ERISA limits. This ability helps these
individuals prepare for retirement by providing a tool to better meet
their more affluent lifestyle needs.
Executive bonus plan: These plans, often
called "Section 162 Bonus Plans", can help provide select executives
with valuable retirement benefits, while also providing the business
with a valuable tax savings. Typically, the executives procure permanent
life insurance, which they own, and the premiums are usually paid via a
specially arranged taxable bonus provided by the employer.
The employer can benefit by controlling which
employees receive the benefit while also realizing a tax-deductible
expense. The bonus plan recipients benefit by obtaining, for little
out-of-pocket cost to them, a benefit that they control, which can
accumulate tax-deferred, and is not subject to general creditors of the
business.
Split dollar plans: These plans allow an
employer and their key executives to initially share in the cash value
and death benefit of a life insurance policy which is paid for largely
from corporate dollars. While premium is not generally deductible to the
business, the employer benefits by having another tool to retain key
talent. The spilt dollar plan participant has the benefit of permanent
life insurance at a lower cost than if he or she purchased it
individually.
Key Person Insurance Plans: Although you
can't prevent the sudden and unexpected loss of a critical employee, you
can receive compensation through key person insurance. A key person
policy covers or "indemnifies" a company against the loss of a valued
team member's skill and experience. The proceeds can help: provide funds
to recruit, hire, and train a replacement; restore lost profits; and
reassure customers and lenders that business operations will continue
and funds will be available to help repay business loans.
Generally, the company owns the policy, the
premiums are not deductible, and the death proceeds are received by the
company free of income taxes [although there may be alternative minimum
tax (AMT) consequences for businesses organized as C corporations]
Single Employer Welfare Benefit Plans: These plans, often called
"Section 419A Plans" are plans established by an employer, for the
benefit of its employees. A Single Employer Plan is typically designed
using a trust, generally having a bank or trust company functioning as
its trustee, and administered by a third-party plan administrator.
With the Single Employer 419A Plan you, as
the employer, can create a welfare benefit program to provide life
insurance benefits to your selected employees, which may also be used
for other financial needs, such as health care. The Plan provides for
the payment of life, sickness, accident or other benefits to its
participants or their dependents or designated beneficiaries. Depending
on the plan design, a certain portion or all of the plan cost may be
currently tax deductible by the company.
The plan uses a Single Employer Welfare Benefit Trust to Provide:
Buy-Sell Financing
Lifetime Death Benefits to select key employees
Life insurance for Estate Planning
All business entities, except sole proprietorships
can adopt this plan. Each one is individually tailored to fit the
specific goals and objectives of the employer. At termination of an
employee's participation in the plan, the participant may personally
continue the policy in force with full access to all features, benefits
and values. However, in order to do so, the participant must give up
participation in the plan death benefit.
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Making up 90% of all U.S. businesses, small
businesses and their employees face many of the same retirement planning
challenges as larger corporations. MB FINANCIAL ADVISORS, LLC can
help find tailored solutions to meet both your immediate and longer-term
planning goals as a small business. Three of the more common methods
supporting such retirement plans are:
SIMPLE IRA: Organizations with fewer than
100 eligible employees can establish a Simple IRA plan, which can be
ideally suited for:
S Corporations or C Corporations Self-employed or
Single Employee Corporations Professional and Not-For-Profit
Corporations
These plans are funded by a combination of
voluntary employee contributions and mandatory employer matches up to
certain maximum limits. These plans can also contain higher limits for
highly compensated employees. Contributions can be directed into
accounts with a variety of investment options, similar to many
personallRAs available in the marketplace. In addition, the organization
often can establish these plans for minimal cost, compared to a 401 (k)
or other retirement plan.
SEP IRA: A simplified employee pension
(SEP) IRA allows an organization to make direct contributions to the
plan's eligible employees, often with higher contribution limits (i.e.
up to $41,000 or 25% net earnings) than many other types of retirement
plans and IRA products. Similar to a SIMPLE IRA, a SEP IRA results in
exclusion of eligible contributions from both the organization's and
participating employee's current income and the employee's direction of
contributions to various investment choices.
Individual 401 K: Self employed individuals
or one person corporations, who want to contribute the maximum permitted
under a qualified plan, may want to consider a Single K Plan.
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Employer Benefits are a key factor in hiring and
maintaining quality employees. There are numerous plans available that
an MB Financial Advisor will help you evaluate and select, based
on your specific needs
Consumer Driven Health Plans -HRA, HSA, FSA
This is the latest buzzword on health care and is
seen by many as the solution to our nations rising health care. These
plans encourage consumers to take a more active role in making decisions
about when and where to seek medical care and offer incentives for
making wise choices.
Consumer Driven Employment Choices
In this world of cost shifting and complex
programs, a growing concern among employers is employee dissatisfaction
with their benefit package because they don't understand the benefits or
the costs. Economists are predicting improved labor markets and with
this come turnover and rehiring costs.
Why not help employees make wise employment
decisions by showing them customized cost illustrations of each and
every employer sponsored benefit plan including the "Hidden Benefit"
programs?
Why not potentially add thousands, even hundreds
of thousands of dollars back to the employer's bottom line by line by
reducing turnover and retaining key employees?
Critical Issues:
Do employees understand ALL BENEFITS & SERVICES?
Do they know how much is spent on all these benefits and services?
Do they understand the total value of
employee compensation?
Do they consider all employer-sponsored
programs when making employment decision?
Can they see that more money elsewhere may not
equate to greater take home pay? (i.e. Section 125 pre-tax
contributions)
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MB Financial Advisors, LLC are independent
insurance agents, we do not work for an insurance company; we work for
you. We work on Your side when you have a loss and follow through to see
that you get fair, prompt payment. We represent a carefully selected
group of financially sound, reputable insurance companies and we place
Your policy with the company offering the best coverage at a competitive
price.
Our Aims & Services You Can Expect
1. To reduce Your insurance cost and reduce gaps in coverage.
2. To analyze Your insurance requirements from the
viewpoint of RISK MANAGEMENT. Submitting recommendations and cost
comparisons for Your review.
3. A responsible protection program designed for you.
4. The presentation of a competitively priced proposal with the
selection of the companies best Suited to Your situation.
5. A periodic review the adequacy of Your insurance program.
6. Ways to save you money.
Advanced Planning Concepts
Premium Financing Concept Profile -Many
clients require a large amount of life insurance coverage but prefer not
to utilize current cash flow to pay large premiums. Premium Financing is
a funding method that clients can use to fund high fixed life insurance
premiums. Many clients have used this method of financing hefty property
& casualty premiums for years. The use of this method is now becoming
prevalent in the life insurance business.
Account Receivable Financing Concept
Profile -Many professional practices have large non-working assets in
the form of account receivables, which are at risk to their creditors.
We arrange for a loan against the receivables and purchase fixed life
insurance. The cash value grows tax free and also may shelter the
receivables from your creditors.
MB Financial Advisors, LLC is prepared to
provide you with a no cost, no obligation review and comparison of Your
insurance.
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Disability Insurance
At MB Financial Advisors, LLC we offer High
quality Disability Insurance products covering total or partial
disability of professionals, business executives, small business owners
and others.
We realize that no one knows when -or how
-disability will strike. That unpredictability is why the best
disability income insurance policy is the one that generates the most
benefits in the greatest number of disability scenarios. How do you know
which 01 policy is the best for you?
Individual disability insurance is truly a basic
concept. It is an insurance product designed to replace anywhere from
45-60% of your gross income on a tax-free basis should a sickness or
illness prevent you from earning an income in your occupation. Every
disability insurance policy from every insurance company is very
different; this is not a product to simply shop for the most competitive
rate. To buy the cheapest disability insurance policy on the market
could be throwing your money away.
Long-Term Care Insurance
With more dual-income families, a vast number of
baby boomers nearing retirement and a shrinking labor force, employers
are faced with a new issue: LONG-TERM CARE. Many American
families are now in the "sandwich generation", where adult children are
dealing with child rearing and the responsibility of caring for their
parents or grandparents who raised them at the same time. This change in
the family dynamic will have great effects on your work force and the
individuals surrounding them. While many people think long-term care is
a problem for the elderly, 45% of people receiving long-term care are
under the age of 65. (Source: Submitted Testimony of the Honorable
David F Durenberger; Chairman, Citizens For Long Term Care To the United
States Senate Special Committee on Aging, 6/28/01). If employer
participates in premiums, payments are deductible as normal business
expenses.
MB Financial Advisors, LLC is prepared to
provide you with a no cost, no obligation review and comparison of Your
insurance.
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Mercurio & Bridgford P .A. tax planning,
consulting and accounti services that create smart solutions for you and
your business.
Accounting Services
Journalizing and Posting Transactions (Daily,
Monthly, Annually) .Compile or Review un-audited Financial Statements
Quarterly and Annual Payroll Tax Return
Accounts Payable and Check Writing
Accounts Receivable and Payroll Check Writing
Sales Tax Formulation
Operating Policies and Procedures Long Range Planning
Income Tax
Individual and Partnerships
Intangible and Tangible Property Returns
Estate & Trust Planning, Administration & Tax Preparation .IRS Tax
Audits, Tax Planning and Consulting Corporation Organization and
Liquidations
Audit Services
Audits in Accordance with Generally Accepted Auditing Standards
.Audits in Accordance with Governmental Auditing Standards
Audits in Accordance with Agreed Upon Procedures
Quality Review of CPA Firms Operational Audits
Management Services
Accounting System and Design
Budgetary Control, Analysis and Financial Forecasting .Merger and
Acquisition
Internal Control Review and Design
Inventory Methods and Procedures .Purchase/Lease Analysis and Cash
Management
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Valuation of a business should be performed by a
professional who has the knowledge of the appraisal process which
includes understanding value theory and the proper applications of
accepted approaches, methods and procedures. At Mercurio & Bridgford
P.A. we continue to expand our knowledge and experience in this area
of practice through continuing education and providing quality appraisal
reports at reasonable rates.
Business valuations are performed for numerous
reasons:
Why Business Owners Need Appraisals?
A recent IRS study found that stock in small, closely held businesses is
the most valuable asset of the richest Americans -outstripping
exchange-traded stocks, bonds and real estate. This may surprise many
people, but American wealth is created on Main Street much more than
Wall Street. The best-selling book The Millionaire Next Door confirms
this point.
How is the business owner harmed when he does not
know what his or her business is worth? Impending Sales, Mergers and
Acquisitions, Estate Planning, Purchases of Buy-Sell Agreements and Key
Person Insurance, Debt and Equity Financing, ESOPs, Gift and Estate Tax
Planning, Divorce Settlements, Creation of Family Limited Partnership,
Other tax, litigation on transaction based reasons and simple curiosity
- all create needs for appraisals.
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In today's world of uncertainty with regard to
financial and job stability, it is becoming increasingly important for
executives and employees to understand how to best utilize their benefit
offerings. We believe that the companies that not only provide favorable
benefits but help their employees to understand how these offerings will
stand out in the crowd and earn the greatest loyalty among their hires.
These services are offered through InterSecurities,
Inc. We will help you and your employees develop a financial plan
including budgets and projections. We will determine if your assets are
properly valued and safeguarded and are appropriated diverse funds
resulting in the desired return on investments. We will work with your
advisors to evaluate on a regular basis, the efficiency of your
financial portfolio. We will help develop and monitor your estate plan
to verify all estate tax provisions have been considered and that
changes are made as necessary. We will assist you in charitable giving
including annuities.
Investment Philosophy
We believe all investing should start with a PLAN.
We believe that DISCIPLINE & PATIENCE are essential to successful
investing.
We believe that the retired investor's primary financial concern should
be PRESERVATION of their hard earned NEST EGG. We believe that, whenever
possible, retirees should have an investment plan designed to help
produce ACCEPTABLE RESULTS IN GOOD OR BAD MARKETS.
We believe that ASSET Allocation is the single most important factor in
determining long term performance.
We believe in DIVERSIFICATION to help minimize risk.
We believe that for investors seeking higher long term growth rates,
TIME IN THE MARKET, not market timing, is the most important factor.
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STAGE 1
Establish an Overall Financial Plan
This is a comprehensive approach that looks at all aspects of a
client's financial situation. The plan modules includes: Financial
Statements, Cash Flow Analysis Income Tax, Asset Allocation, Portfolio
Analysis, Education, Accumulation Goals, Survivor Needs, Disability,
Financial Independence, LTC and Estate Planning.
STAGE 2
Create an Investment Policy Statement
This covers objectives, expected returns, time horizon, risk
tolerance and liquidity needs.
STAGE 3
Select Investments and Managers
This involves selecting the most appropriate investments and money
managers to accomplish the specific portfolio requirements.
STAGE 4
Implement the Investment Plan and Strategy
Position assets with the selected managers and begin the monitoring
process.
STAGE 5
Continually Monitor and Measure Progress
This is where accountability and measurement against benchmarks
comes in. Are we progressing as planned and are the investments
performing as they should?
STAGE 6
Make Portfolio and Manager Adjustments as Appropriate
If we discover the portfolio is not tracking as it should, we will
make recommendations to bring it back in compliance with the plan and
benchmarks.
As Investment Advisor Representatives
with InterSecurities, Inc., we are prepared to provide you with a no
cost, no obligation review and comparison of Your portfolio.
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Knowing your risk is the first step towards
protecting your financial future Which is why getting a free,
Portfolio Risk Analysis offered through InterSecurities, Inc.
makes so much sense. We use the Morningstar Advisor Workstation with its
robust databases and innovative tools such as the Morningstar Style Box
and Ownership Zone, but also the Advisor Workstation's powerful
presentation and diagnostic tools such as:
Research -This module provides daily
updates on most performance statistics, graphing capabilities for
risk/return, total return and historical performance versus a benchmark
and advance screening capabilities that allow financial advisors to set
"alerts" that notify them of any changes in an investment's
characteristics that fall outside of a predefined range.
Clients & Portfolios -This module analyzes
accounts independently or in aggregate and scans a client's entire
portfolio to create a comprehensive picture of all underlying stocks,
overall sector exposure, and overall investment style. Workstation can
then compile the underlying holdings of each of the positions in a
client's portfolio to determine the actual exposure to individual stocks
using Morningstar's proprietary X-Ray technology.
Sales -This module creates compelling
hypothetical investment illustrations that clearly show how recommended
portfolios or investments would have performed historically, taking into
account taxes, fees, specific investment amounts, and schedules.
Planning -This module includes a risk and
needs assessment questionnaire and reporting features that clearly
illustrate the risks associated with a recommended asset allocation mix,
based on historical performance.
We can help evaluate your risk level, so you can
adjust it to meet your financial goals. They can also provide you with a
personal portfolio plan. A plan which includes specific
recommendations based on your individual financial needs, so you can
balance your portfolio and feel comfortable with your level of risk.
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At MB Financial Advisors, LLC we believe
that your most important fiduciary decision is choosing the right
trustee. There are many complex and time-consuming investment, tax and
other issues, which must be addressed on behalf of your beneficiaries.
Improper administration by an inexperienced individual can lead to
conflicts, unnecessary expenses and taxes, poor investment performance,
even litigation. The act of appointing a corporate trustee helps assure
proper and prudent trust administration.
The Best Service Providers Are Those Who
Specialize
In today's bank mega-merger environment, personal
service has become a rare commodity. At MB Financial Advisors, LLC
we use the trust services of Santa Fe Trust, who are not owned or
operated by a bank, savings and loan, broker/dealer, or insurance
company. They are an independent trust company, concentrating solely on
trust administration; they can devote all of their financial resources,
time and talents to providing our clients with the highest level of
service and maximum amount of personal attention.
Santa Fe Trust operates under the supervision and
regulation of the Financial Institutions Division (FID) of the State of
New Mexico.
A Full Range of Trust Services
Santa Fe Trust specializes in providing fiduciary
services, including trust account administration and record keeping.
Their staff, with over 100 years of combined experience, works closely
with our MB Financial Advisors providing the following trust
services:
Personal trusts (revocable and irrevocable)
Irrevocable life insurance trusts
Charitable remainder trusts
Custodial trusts
Special needs trusts
Special assets trusts
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Mercurio & Bridgford P .A. can assist you
with whatever your payroll and bookkeeping needs and with our trained
staff of bookkeepers and accountants.
We can do all your accounting including account
receivable billing, accounts payroll and check writing, payroll check
writing and quarterly tax reporting, general ledger and financial
statement presentation. We also can reconcile your bank account; prepare
sales tax and excise tax returns and other functions normally performed
by a hired bookkeeper.
We can perform any combination of these services
as needed. If a client has a bookkeeper we can assist the bookkeeper in
performing any of the aforementioned functions and in addition provide
computer software support. Computer software support includes system
design, selection, installations training and Follow up maintenance.
Through use of a modem we can directly access your computer system and
resolve problems, make corrections to your accounting records and print
reports.
Through our knowledge and experience with various
software systems we can support and backup your bookkeeping staff with
training and consulting. We can enhance your accounting record and
assist in preparing monthly financial statements, monthly accounts
receivable and accounts payable statements and quarterly and annual
payroll reports.
We can perform a payroll evaluation of your
current provider comparing the benefits of using a payroll company or a
leasing company. Is it more cost affective to use an unbundled payroll
company or go with a bundled PEO Leasing company? Only, a side by side
comparison will tell the difference.
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IT ONLY TAKES AN HOUR TO START PLANNING
FOR A BETTER FUTURE!
A complimentary initial financial
consultation.
Especially for Small Business Owners!
Empower yourself to spend more time focused on
growing your business when you take time to explore business financial
issues during a complimentary consultation with an MB Financial Advisor.
What can you expect?
A professional, confidential consultation that
addresses both your business and personal financial needs. Educated and
experienced in working with business owners, an MB Financial Advisor can
share insight with you on a variety of topics, including:
-
Retirement Planning *
-
Employee & Executive Benefits *
-
Financial strategies & Portfolio Analysis *
-
Income Tax Planning
-
Business Transition & Estate Planning
-
Life Insurance Valuation
-
Health & disability Insurance Valuation
-
Payroll & Bookkeeping Valuation
One-to-one relationships serve as the basis of our
small business services. Our financial advisors are also small business
owners and understand how time is one of your most valued assets. Take
time today to let us help you plan for both your business and personal
financial goals.
* Certain securities products within these plans
are offered through InterSecurities, Inc., as Broker Dealer, Member NASD,
SIPC and Registered Investment Advisor.
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