With “Nine Small Financial Steps That Will Pay Off Big in the Future,” financial advisor and  consumer advocate Suze Orman offers readers some valuable advice for 2010.

In a recent article, Orman puts (1) savings, (2) retirement and (3) life insurance among the top priorities for personal financial planning. Orman’s recommendations for savings include admonitions to “save a bit at a time” and exercise more personal financial self discipline. In planning for the future, Orman encourages 401(k) participants to “max out their company match” and to invest in a Roth IRA. She rounds out her 2010 recommendations with a call to create the “most loving documents in existence” — a living trust, a durable power of attorney and a will. She concludes with a recommendation to guarantee “peace of mind” by purchasing a life insurance policy.

Experts note that more one-third of all adults carry no life insurance and the majority of those adults who do carry life insurance rely on more limited group life polices obtained through an employer.

Suze Orman notes, “If a child, a spouse, a life partner, or a parent depends on you and your income, you need life insurance. Keep it simple and buy term life insurance; it’s good only for a specific number of years and then expires. That’s okay — life insurance wasn’t meant to be permanent; it’s there to protect your family before you’ve had a chance to accumulate enough funds (through investments and savings) to do so.”

She adds, “Most people should get a 20-year level term policy that has a value equal to 25 times the amount of annual income your family needs to live securely.”

To ensure that you are getting the best value when purchasing a life insurance policy, experts say to conduct research and compare life insurance quotes and prices online for different policies. Life insurance costs can vary widely depending on variables such as age, health, and whether or not a person smokes. There are a number online sources that a consumer can consult when considering life insurance: The American Council of Life Insurance (www.acli.com) has a range of information and brochures, and Efinancial.com offers a fast, secure and effective way to compare insurance rates at America’s top companies.

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As we prepare to turn the January calendar page of a pivotal new year, and a promising new decade, the Web rings out with the sound of financial resolve and reform, not only for government and institutions, but for families and individuals.  In the Internet age, the best financial advice for the months ahead springs not only from a well of good people and word-of-mouth but a rich trove of Blogs and Websites.

Here are some of the New Year’s most respected financial guides, scouts and trailfinders on the best paths to follow in 2010 (including their Twitter handles):

Enemy of Debt ( @EnemyofDebt)

Nothing provides financial security like having an emergency fund in place. This fund is very important to us because having this it will mean that we can move on to two other very important financial goals we have—which will be to fund our retirement with gazelle intensity and fund our children’s college funds. One goal leads to another.

Out of Your Rut ( @OutofYourRut)

Reducing expenses, building savings and paying off debt. We don’t have much in the way of debt, but even a little is irritating (or worse!)

Best of the Web's New Year Resolutions Continues >>>

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Insurance may not be the first place you look for a significant deduction on your federal income tax return this tax season, but it definitely shouldn’ t be your last.

The most common deduction for medical insurance often goes unnoticed by a large segment of the workforce.  The premiums your employer pays under a group health insurance plan with pre-tax money are never included in your W-2 wages, and so are never taxed.  That’s a deduction you may never have realized you were getting,

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Second in a Series of Posts on the Haitian Earthquake Tragedy and Insurance

The magnitude-7 earthquake that struck just outside Haiti’s capital, killing many, and causing untold  property damage will cost hundreds of millions to repair. But most private insurers will pay little in claims, because the private insurance market is almost non-existent in developing countries such as Haiti.

“Insured losses will be minimal, despite the severity of the event,” said Robert P. Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute, in a Wednesday interview. “The reason is that Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world, with very little private insurance.”

What CAN and IS being done to offset the lack of insurance >>>

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Who doesn’t love a Top 10 List? Especially when it can save you substantial amounts of money and help you protect your family against financial disaster!

Here are the Ten, count ‘em, TEN, top tips on WHY and HOW you should shop for the best in life insurance value.  Think of it as a “T-minus-10 countdown” to your family’s financial security!

1. Don’t wait till you REALLY NEED the coverage! By that time you’ll be that much older, you’ll be sick or you will have encountered a health issue that will cause your premiums to be significantly more than you anticipated. That is of course if you can even qualify for the coverage!

2. The highest financial rating doesn’t necessarily mean better coverage. The important thing is to at least be looking at an “A” rated company. There is little, if any difference between one company’s term policy and another, so basing a decision solely on ratings won’t always get you best deal. The highest rated companies tend to be more conservative in their underwriting and attaining the “best available” with them will be a bit more difficult.

3. Shop online first before (or instead of) meeting individually with an agent! Many online life insurance brokerage companies can be a useful source of information and can save you up to 75% on your premiums. The reason is of course because they are impartial and are not driven to sell you only one company’s product.

Read the rest of our Top 10 SmartShopper Life Insurance Purchasing Tips >>>

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According to the World Bank’s Natural Disaster Hotspot study, Haiti is one of the countries most vulnerable to adverse natural events.  The country’s weak infrastructure, degraded environment, and history of ineffective governments with serious fiscal problems all converge to magnify the size and scope of a natural disaster.

This was clearly displayed during the 2004 hurricane season when over 5,000 Haitians lost their lives following Tropical Storm Jeanne, and in 2008 when Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike inflicted damages estimated at about US$900 million, or around 15 percent of GDP.

The earthquake disaster which has struck Haiti in 2010 has dwarfed even those staggering figures.

Could Haiti have been insured against this magnitude of loss? >>>

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Can the new age of social media and “crowdsourcing” ensure better investment advice? A Website that works more like Digg or StumbleUpon than MarketWatch lets the voice of the people be heard loud and clear.

At Efinancial, we know that getting only one point of view or learning about just one product or company is as limiting as “tunnel vision.”  After all, you can’t choose the right financial value if you don’t have a choice.  The same idea goes for Investimonials.  The goal of the social site is to help users cut through the “spammy” or ” scammy”  financial sites that litter the web, by offering a comprehensive hub of user reviews for each product.

The Best Investment Advice Voted on by Your Peers >>>

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A bride and groom can safeguard their wedding day with insurance for the reception, the caterer, the flowers, the limousine and the honeymoon. Now, a University of Illinois professor is suggesting that the same couple insure their marriage against breaking up.  The innovative new idea? Divorce insurance!

To create such an insurance product, underwriters think like statisticians identifying several “risk factors” associated with divorce that could figure out who would qualify and how much the insurance would cost. These include age, work location and education level, among other factors.

Insuring against Divorce? Will it work?! >>>

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