03/30/12

Peachtree Planning Corporation Celebrates 25 Years by Exceeding $2.4 billion in Assets Managed and over $15 billion of Face Amount of Life Insurance in Force*

April 1, 2012 Atlanta-based Peachtree Planning Corporation (PPC), a member firm of The Southeast Agency, has celebrated its silver anniversary by topping $2.4 billion of client assets under management and ranking as the 19th largest firm of its kind in the United States.** This milestone occurs as the firm is currently named the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Top 2011 Small Workplace and listed as one of the Atlanta Business Chronicle's Best Workplaces in 2011. Adding to these accolades, in December 2011, Atlanta's Daily Report named PPC the best regional financial advisory and investment firm in a survey conducted of their attorney readership. 

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03/16/12

Josh Cobb, David Fosgate & Tyler Reams recognized by NAIFA Atlanta's Top 40 Under 40 for 2011

Congratulations to Josh Cobb, David Fosgate & Tyler Reams for being recognized by NAIFA Atlanta's Top 40 Under 40 for 2011!

Click to view the recognition from the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

12/14/11

Named #1 Regional Financial Advisory and Investment Firm by the Daily Report

Peachtree Planning Named #1 Regional Financial Advisory and Investment Firm by the Daily Report

11/25/11

Ranked 10th Largest Atlanta Financial Planning & Advisory Firm by Atlanta Business Chronicle

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11/18/11

Ranked 2nd Largest Atlanta Life Insurance Agency by Atlanta Business Chronicle

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09/16/11

Ranked as one of Atlanta's Best Places To Work-Small Category by the Atlanta Business Chronicle

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04/15/11

AJC Names Peachtree Planning Top Small Workplace

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12/24/10

Ranked 9th Largest Atlanta Financial Planning & Advisory Firm by Atlanta Business Chronicle

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Peachtree Planning has been in the top ten since 1997.

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12/24/10

Ranked 2nd Largest Atlanta Life Insurance Agency by Atlanta Business Chronicle

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07/01/10

There is Not a Better Time to Purchase Long Term Care Coverage

by Katharine "Kitty" F. Clark, ChFC

Many Americans who own medical care coverage are concerned that the quality of medical care they receive today will decline in the near future should future health reform legislation become law. Even if it doesn't become law, more government involvement in issues that should be between you and your physician appears certain.

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03/01/10

Peachtree Planning Corporation/The Southeast Agency Ranked #19 out of the Top 125 in Country

Atlanta, Georgia, March 2010 - Peachtree Planning Qualifies for Coveted Master Agency Award - The General Agents and Managers Association (GAMA) has announced that Peachtree Planning Corporation, The Southeast Agency, is a qualifier for the highest award offered by the Association International, the Master Agency Award. Since 1973, GAMA International has recognized management excellence through its awards program. All GAMA International Award recipients are recognized in the GAMA International Journal and at the annual Life Agency Management Program (LAMP).

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02/01/10

Worry-Free Retirement-How a Qualified Plan can Outperform Other Retirement Strategies

Interviewed by Matt McClellan

Retirement plans were confusing even before the market's downturn depleted many Americans' 401(k) plans. Choosing the right qualified plan may be one of the most important decisions you make in your working life.

"Like everybody else, business owners come to a point where they are either unwilling or unable to work as hard as they did at their peak," says Bill Coffey, senior pension consultant with Peachtree Planning Corp. "Making provisions for that eventuality during a business's profitable years is part of the life cycle that begins with acquiring the skills to create that business."

Smart Business learned more from Coffey about how a properly structured qualified plan can become a strong foundation for you and your employees' retirement.

Download February Smart Business Magazine Article

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02/01/10

Peachtree Planning Corporation Named to 2010 Bulldog 100: Fastest Growing Bulldog Businesses

Athens, GA, February 1, 2010 - Peachtree Planning Corporation is among the businesses selected for the inaugural class of the Bulldog 100: Fastest Growing Bulldog Businesses. Sponsored by the University of Georgia Alumni Association, the Bulldog 100 is a program that will determine and award the 100 fastest growing businesses that are owned or operated by UGA Alumni, each year. Rankings are based on compounded annual growth rate of revenues for the past three years.

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01/01/10

Disability Income Insurance - What Every Small Business Owner Needs to Know to be Properly Insured

Interviewed by Matt McClellan

How would your family's financial needs be met if your income were suddenly cut off and replaced by a stack of medical bills? While it isn't a situation that anyone wants to think about, the possibility of becoming seriously ill or injured should be treated just as any other business risk and should be insured accordingly.

"Disability income insurance, often referred to as ‘DI,' is important precisely because so much is riding on your ability to earn an income," says Alfred P. Robertson, CLU®, ChFC®, executive vice president of Peachtree Planning Corporation. "No matter how young or healthy you are, you are at risk of becoming disabled at some point in your life."

Smart Business learned more from Robertson about how disability insurance can protect you and your business if you become disabled.

Download January  Smart Business Magazine Article

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12/25/09

Ranked 3rd Largest Atlanta Life Insurance Agency by Atlanta Business Chronicle

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12/25/09

Ranked 8th Largest Atlanta Financial Planning & Advisory Firm by Atlanta Business Chronicle

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Peachtree Planning has been in the top ten since 1997.

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12/01/09

One Size Doesn’t Fit All - How to Determine which Investment Information is Right for You

Interviewed by Matt McClellan

You can't turn on a radio or TV these days without hearing someone telling you what to do and what not to do with your money.

"Sometimes the amount of information available on investments and financial planning can be overwhelming to someone trying to decide which steps to take with their own financial plans," says Brad Stonecipher, executive vice president and managing partner of Peachtree Planning Corporation's investment department. "Too much information can be harmful to even the best investors and the wrong advice can be devastating to an individual's hopes of reaching a dream or goal."

Smart Business learned more from Stonecipher about how to find an investment strategy that's right for you and what products are getting a bad rap.

Download December Smart Business Magazine Article

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11/01/09

Leaving a Legacy - How to Determine Which Legacy Plan is Right for Your Heirs

Interviewed by Matt McClellan

Recently, there has been a major shift in the way clients feel about legacy planning. Keith Dykes, a vice president and senior partner at Peachtree Planning Corporation says many of his clients are coming into wealth management planning with a different thought process.

"In the past, they may have said ‘I'm okay with my kids working for everything the same way I did," he says. "But many of our clients are not sure the opportunities they had are going to be there in tomorrow's world, based on where we're heading and our tax structure and government. Leaving some money for future generations has become a bigger focus for our affluent clients."

Smart Business spoke with Dykes about the different ways you can leave a legacy.

Download November Smart Business Magazine Article

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10/01/09

DAVID H. FOSGATE WITH PEACHTREE PLANNING CORPORATION, PASSES CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER BOARD OF STANDARDS JULY 2009 NATIONAL EXAM AND EARNS CFP® DESIGNATION

DAVID H. FOSGATE, CFP®, Financial Advisor with Peachtree Planning Corporation in Atlanta, GA has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP Board) to use the certification marks CFP®, Certified Financial PlannerTM and CFP (with flame design)® in accordance with CFP Board certification and renewal requirements. Mr. Fosgate successfully passed the July 2009 CFP Board Exam for which there was a 50.4% national passing rate.

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10/01/09

Healthy Returns - How Life Insurance can Provide a Safe, Solid Investment

Interviewed by Matt McClellan

If you knew that you would win the lottery 20 years from now, would that affect how you spend your money between now and then? Of course it would, and investing in life insurance can give you that security.

"That's what you have with whole life insurance; you have a guaranteed payment coming into your estate," says David Burch, senior partner at Lighthouse Financial Advisors LLC, a branch of Peachtree Planning Corporation. Unlike term insurance which rarely results in the payment of a claim, whole life insurance guarantees a payment will be made".

The strength, safety and versatility of life insurance can make it an ideal investment.

Smart Business spoke with Burch about the renaissance of whole-life insurance.

Download October Smart Business Magazine Article

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09/01/09

Protect your Estate - How to Handle the Opportunities and Pitfalls of Estate Planning

Interviewed by Matt McClellan

Estate planning is a complex process to navigate. John E. Hill, J.D., LL.M., president and director of the estate and business planning practice at Peachtree Planning Corporation, says an estate plan needs maintenance in order to work properly. Changes in your life and in estate tax laws affect whether you can preserve the maximum amount of wealth and pass it on to the intended beneficiaries.

"You might draft and execute a will and not look at it for 10 years," he says. "In that time, you've bought, sold and exchanged property, had or adopted children, divorced or remarried. Unless you're looking at that on a regular basis, the intent of the estate plan may be defeated."

Smart Business learned more from Hill about how to create an effective estate plan.

Download September Smart Business Magazine Article

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08/01/09

Sustained Success - How to Ensure Your Business Continues When You Step Away

Interviewed by Matt McClellan

Leaving a business or professional partnership presents you with many difficult decisions, ranging from determining who will take your place to how you will be compensated when assets transfer.

Ted Welch, a vice president at Peachtree Planning Corporation and founder and owner of Strategic Wealth Group LLC, says developing a succession plan for business continuity can provide solutions.

"A properly developed succession plan helps preserve the value of your business for your heirs," Welch says. "You work hard in your business with the idea it will grow and have greater value, but if you are no longer there, it could lose value quickly."

Smart Business spoke with Welch about how to plan your exit.

Download August Smart Business Magazine Article

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07/01/09

Where’s my bailout? How today’s economy is shaping future investments featuring Josh Cobb - - July Smart Business Magazine

Interviewed by Matt McClellan

Many investors have lost a substantial part of their savings and the possibility of future tax increases and market uncertainty is making business owners rethink the way they save as well as the types of benefits they offer their employees.

"We've obviously seen markets go backward. We know based on current tax laws that without even changing legislation, tax rates are going to increase," says Josh Cobb Vice President of Peachtree Planning Corporation.

Many experts have predicted that the proposed massive increases in government spending will lead to higher inflation in the future. Smart investors can prepare for these future increases by using strategies that coordinate their personal tax and estate planning with insurance and tax-free investment products to help reduce their future tax liabilities.

Smart Business spoke with Cobb about what the future of investments may hold.

Download July Smart Business Magazine Article

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06/01/09

Safe and Sound - How Business Owners can Protect their Investments featuring Gene Lee - - June Smart Business Magazine

Interviewed by Matt McClellan

The market decline has many business owners wondering which tactics to trust to protect their investment portfolio.

"In the past, we've recommended proper asset allocation, diversification and portfolio rebalancing to reduce a portfolio's risk," says Gene Lee, vice president with Peachtree Planning Corporation. "With what we've gone through the past six months, I don't know that these practices have made much of a difference because almost everything has been down. Clients view every investment as riskier than it used to be."

With this business climate, a business owner needs to take extra care in deciding how and where to invest his or her capital. Picking the right financial institution and the right adviser can be as important to your success as keeping your operations and cash flow running smoothly and efficiently.

Smart Business spoke with Lee about the importance of cash flow and how to determine whether a financial institution is a safe place for your money.

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05/01/09

A Safe Haven - Why Whole Life Insurance is Finally Recognized as a Value Added Component of an Asset Allocation featuring Lamar Barden - - May Smart Business Magazine

Interviewed by Matt McClellan

Throughout today's turbulent economic times, there has been at least one safe haven for investors: whole life insurance. Although people have been investing in whole life for more than 150 years, it has experienced a surge in popularity due to its rock-solid dependability.

"Whole life insurance has built-in guarantees that are not subject to daily stock market fluctuations or risk," says Lamar Barden, vice president of Peachtree Planning Corp. "Investors have been watching their 401(k)s and mutual fund assets lose 30 to 40 percent in value over the last year and many are looking for assets with a guaranteed return."

Smart Business spoke with Barden about why investors should consider whole life insurance as an asset class.

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04/01/09

Down the Line - How Business Owners can get Through a Downturn by Thinking Long Term featuring Jim Caswell - - April Smart Business Magazine

Interviewed by Matt McClellan

In the havoc of the economic downturn, many business owners like many private investors have seen their retirement savings decline by 40 to 50 percent in value. Jim Caswell is a founding partner and Vice President with Peachtree Planning Corporation. He is a Certified Financial Planner and has been providing sound financial advice to his clients since 1984.

"If you go back to 1926 the average annual return of the Dow Jones was 10.5 percent," he says. "If you suffered a loss of 40 to 50 % last year it will take almost ten years of 10% annual returns to recoup your 2008 loss. What this means is that if your retirement goal was two to five years, even 10 years, you're probably going to work longer than you thought or you are going to have to start saving at a higher rate than you were." Caswell says your financial planning should reflect this new reality "Everyone needs to be taking stock of their financial health and have a clear understanding of how these market declines will affect their ability to achieve future goals."

Smart Business spoke with Caswell about how to make sure your plan has what it takes to keep your business protected.

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03/31/09

Southeastern Financial Group Partners with The Southeast Agency / Peachtree Planning Corporation to create the Premier Financial Services Firm in Birmingham

March 2009 -Birmingham based Southeastern Financial Group, LLC has partnered with The Southeast Agency / Peachtree Planning Corporation, to provide superior financial knowledge and solutions to individuals and business owners. They develop, implement, and utilize financial strategies to help maximize their clients' time and money. The firm has 13 offices in the Metro Atlanta area, including its corporate headquarters, plus approximately 40 more in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. The firm finished the year by topping $2.313 billion of client assets under management and ranking as one of the top 200 largest firms of its kind in the United States.*

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03/01/09

Peachtree Planning Corporation/The Southeast Agency Ranked #14 out of Top 148 in Country

Atlanta, Georgia, March 2009 - Peachtree Planning Qualifies for Coveted Master Agency Award - The General Agents and Managers Association (GAMA) has announced that Peachtree Planning Corporation, The Southeast Agency, is a qualifier for the highest award offered by the Association International, the Master Agency Award. Since 1973, GAMA International has recognized management excellence through its awards program. All GAMA International Award recipients are recognized in the GAMA International Journal and at the annual Life Agency Management Program (LAMP).

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03/01/09

A Good Investment - Simplifying Finances in a Complex Financial World featuring Bob Mathis - - March Smart Business Magazine

The New Year is well under way, and many of us are still wondering, "What now?" Planning has taken on a whole new meaning in this unpredictable environment. How can investors prepare for what they can't easily predict?

"A crisis can be a good opportunity to make strategic changes. But we have to remember that behind all the negative headlines are people, our friends and neighbors, who have had their lives, jobs, retirements, and dreams for the future affected. Many people are having to make some very tough decisions", says Bob Mathis, CEO of Peachtree Planning. "It's important that, during times like these, people have an integrated view of their financial world and that they get control over their situation and make sure they're continuing to make progress toward their goals."

Smart Business learned more from Mathis about maintaining a level head - and a practical strategy - in a volatile market.

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12/31/08

Ranked 3rd Largest Atlanta Life Insurance Agency by Atlanta Business Chronicle

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Peachtree Planning has been in the top ten since 1997.

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12/31/08

Ranked 6th Largest Atlanta Financial Planning & Advisory Firm by Atlanta Business Chronicle

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11/11/08

2008 "First in Class" Award Recipient by GAMA International

Atlanta, Georgia-2008 First in Class Award Recipient by GAMA International- Atlanta-based Peachtree Planning Corporation (PPC), a member firm of The Southeast Agency, has been recognized as "First in Class" by GAMA International. The firm's CEO and founder, Bob Mathis, was presented the award at the annual GAMA International meeting in San Francisco. Peachtree Planning was nominated for the award for overall achievement in 2007 based on strong production, attraction and recruiting, leadership and retention. The firm finished the year by topping $2 billion of client assets under management and ranking as the 8th largest firm of its kind in the United States.*

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06/24/08

Named a Master Agency by GAMA International-June 2008

Atlanta, Georgia, June 2008 - Peachtree Planning Qualifies for Coveted Master Agency Award - The General Agents and Managers Association (GAMA) has announced that Peachtree Planning Corporation, The Southeast Agency, is a qualifier for the highest award offered by the Association International, the Master Agency Award. Since 1973, GAMA International has recognized management excellence through its awards program. All GAMA International Award recipients are recognized in the GAMA International Journal and at the annual Life Agency Management Program (LAMP).

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02/11/08

2008 President's Cup Winner

Shared Values, Shared Victory Guardian's Southeast Agency Wins the 2008 President's Cup

Winning Guardian's prestigious President's Cup is a professional accomplishment that only a select few General Agencies can list on their credentials. Earning the award requires a collaborative effort that includes the contributions of every member of the agency team. For the Southeast Agency, which received the 2008 President's Cup, being recognized for their outstanding work is all the more special because it was not the result of a concentrated effort to receive recognition - it simply was reflective of what they do every day, which is helping people find solutions for life. Scene recently spoke with Southeast's leadership team, Co-General Agents Bob Mathis, John Hill, Al Robertson, Rick Dobson, and Corky Dawes, to get their view on what it means to them to win the President's Cup, the role that teamwork plays in the Agency's growth, and how the Agency's culture of shared values plays a key role in their continued success.

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02/06/08

Matt Justice Named a Vice President

Atlanta, Georgia, March 2008 - Matt Justice earned the title of Vice President of Peachtree Planning Corporation. This distinction is attained by a select few of top financial representatives with the firm; those with the highest levels of overall client satisfaction and career development. Mr. Justice was recognized in Atlanta, at the firms 21st Annual Awards and Appreciation Luncheon honoring Peachtree Planning's professional excellence.

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11/11/07

Ranked as one of Atlanta's Top 25 Financial Planning & Advisory Firms by Atlanta Business Chronicle

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10/11/07

Ranked 3rd Largest Atlanta Life Insurance Agency by Atlanta Business Chronicle

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