Life Insurance As An Estate Planning Tool

Have you considered what will happen with your estate when you die?  An estate refers not only to your land and any buildings or structures on that land but also any money or investments that you leave behind when you go.

Handling these affairs can be a huge burden on your family.  Inventorying your assets, investments, and personal possessions.  Assessing total value.  Handling estate taxes, which often really eat into the overall value of what is left when you’re gone.  If you don’t have an adequate plan for taking care of these things, a lot can go wrong.

The Role Of Life Insurance In Estate Planning 

Here’s where life insurance really fits into estate planning – it’s a matter of convenience and flexibility.
Most estates are comprised of very non-liquid assets.  After all, a quick property sale is almost an oxymoron these days, and a business disassembled fast is never a business disassembled properly.  If your beneficiary’s only option is liquidating your holdings to cover costs, a lack of time and inexperience is very likely to result in poor decisions with a negative impact.

Your life insurance policy, meanwhile, frees up the cash needed to handle these affairs in the most favorable manner possible, preserving the integrity of the properties and removing a huge burden.
It’s a crucial tool for making sure your heirs receive or settle your estate without problem.
The insurance policy can be used for a wide variety of different uses.  Paying taxes.  Continued income and support. Disassembling business interests. Funding retirement. Covering the cost of education for your children.

Circumvent Large Estate Taxes

Another critical issue with estate planning is the estate tax.  Though not a huge concern for smaller estates, those with larger estates should take heed.  The problem arises when beneficiaries face the burden of paying taxes on their inheritances, which are then subject to capital gains tax.

When your net worth is unusually high, they may be completely unable to pay the tax and be left with a very insignificant amount of their inheritance, if anything at all.  This is, of course, not what we have in mind for our beneficiaries when we go.

Offset this effect by taking out a policy with an adequate death benefit so the capital gains and estate tax will be taken care of without your beneficiaries being forced to liquidate and sell assets.

Which Type Of Insurance To Consider

All life insurance policies can be used to make sure your heirs end up with your estate in full.

For some, whole life is a good choice because it is permanent but it comes at a hefty cost and can be cost prohibitive.  Term life, on the other hand, can often found at a much cheaper cost.  Just make sure you’re coverage has a renewable option if you expect to keep coverage going after it’s set to expire so you don’t go unprotected. You might even consider sticking to term with a conversion option to minimize the risk of outliving your insurability. Conversion options allow the policy holder to convert to another type of life insurance.

For more information about how life insurance can best help you, give us a call at 800-301-8113 or visit goldcoastlifeinsurance.com

6 Tips For Single People To Get The Most Out Of Life Insurance

If you are unmarried and don't have any dependents, you might consider life insurance a luxury instead of a necessity. In your life and particular situation, life insurance may be the furthest thing from your mind. It simply doesn't take precedent or have high priority in your life. But there are a few reasons why this is not the right way to go about it.

Not everyone needs life insurance – sure.  But one thing is for certain: everyone should at least be thinking about life insurance early on in life.  Because if you don’t know the facts and the possibilities, you cannot make educated decisions about your long-term financial plan, and that can be downright dangerous.

Let’s look at some tips and points of interest when shopping for life insurance as a single adult.

Protect Your Insurability

It’s important to mention one of the greatest incentives for purchasing life insurance when you are young and single; simply put, life insurance is cheaper when you still have your health and vitality.  As you age and health declines, the ability to get these cheap rates disappears – get a head-start and lock in your rates, especially if you plan on getting married and think you’ll have dependents later on.

Term Life Is Always Good For Young People

Term life insurance is typically the best buy for young people who haven’t yet reached the peak of their earning power.  It’s enough to solve any immediate needs should something sudden and tragic occur, and it is very affordable – term comes with no cash value but is guaranteed for the life of the term stated, whether that be three or 30 years.

Consider Term Life With A Conversion Option

Here’s a hot tip: get the best of both worlds by purchasing term insurance with a conversion option.  This allows you to access a dependable term plan now at affordable rates, and then later on when you’re making more money you can convert to a permanent insurance policy.

"Insure" Your Debts

One neat use of a life insurance policy for a single person is to “insure” your debts.  For instance, if someone close to you has co-signed on a house or car for you or is tied to your debts in some other way, the last thing you want to do is leave that hanging over their head when you go.

Behavior Is Your High Leverage Variable

This is an extremely important point for young people. The most easily-controlled variable concerning the cost of your insurance policy is your lifestyle and consistent behavior.  For most of us, basic good health comes along naturally with youth, but if you drink to excess, smoke on a regular basis, drive irresponsibly, and engage in dangerous avocations (sky-diving, stock racing, rock climbing, etc), you can expect to pay higher premiums.

All are high-risk variables that make it more costly to insure your life.  The most obvious way, therefore, to get a cheaper policy is to change these behaviors.

Single Parents and Older Single People

Do you have children?  If so, life insurance may be even more important for you than it is for a married couple, as an unexpected tragedy could leave your child on his or her own.  Life insurance can provide a future even if you’re gone.

As far as older singles go, insurance money can help to leave something behind for grandchildren or provide for long-term care.  Many choose to start an education fund for their grandchildren.

 Want to learn more about how life insurance can be beneficial to you, no matter what your marital status is, then give us a call her at The Storick Group at 800-301-8113 or if you want a life insurance quote, visit goldcoastlifeinsurance.com 

Why I Need A Medical Exam For Life Insurance

The medical exam is something that stops many people from even considering life insurance. The truth is, there’s not much to fear. Most insurance companies require a medical exam because they are taking a risk. A medical exam allows them to lessen the risk by using the results to determine your life expectancy. The results also allow them to determine an appropriate premium rate. The better health you are in, the lower your premium will be.

What Does It Entail

The medical exam is usually short and simple. A typical exam includes collecting your height, weight, blood pressure, a urine sample and blood sample. You may have to answer a series of questions about your health and family history.

A basic exam usually only takes about 15 to 20 minutes, and life insurance companies will make it easy on you, by sending someone to your house to complete the exam. If you go to your doctor’s office, some companies will reimburse the costs.

Do I Have To Take It 

For most insurance policies, yes, a medical exam is a necessity. But there are some exceptions. There are no medical exam life insurance policies, although you will typically pay a higher premium rate for this type of policy, many find it worth it. Not only do you skip the medical exam, but you can receive a decision for the insurance company in as little as 24 hours.

Remember though, in order to find your lowest rates, a medical exam is necessary. If nerves about taking a life insurance medical exam are stopping you from buying life insurance, start by getting a quote online at goldcoastlifeinsurance.com.


Or if you have more questions, give us a call at 800-301-8113

Life Insurance After Marriage

Marriage is one of those milestones in life where life insurance becomes important. Tying the knot, or even maintaining a committed, long-term relationship, provides a strong reason to buy life insurance – even if you don't have children. Spouses or domestic partners who own a home together and share expenses need to consider life insurance to pay off their mortgage or cover outstanding debt in the event one of them dies. For married couples with children, it's an absolute necessity.

If you work outside the home, the value of life insurance is clear. A household that depends on two incomes has to cover the financial loss of one of those incomes. If you work at home caring for your family full time, you still need the protection of life insurance because that work carries a replacement dollar value. In your absence, your family would need to pay for child and home care to replace your loss. Life insurance will take care of those family needs.

During a divorce life insurance may be court-ordered as a condition of the divorce. This ruling is made to provide alimony or child support and ensure that there will be sufficient funds to support the children should the providing parent die while the children are minors. Review your divorce settlement carefully because the premium you pay on your life insurance policy may be considered alimony.

If you have any questions about how best to go about purchasing a life insurance policy to best protect your new family, or simply don't know where to go next and have questions, give us a call at 800-301-8113 or if you just want a quick quote visit goldcoastlifeinsurance.com.

Late Movie Review - The Wolf Of Wall Street

Nearly three hours of unrelenting energy and intensity, Martin Scorsese brings us another masterpiece that will go down as another in a career of hits

This one is a little late, but it was well worth the wait. Martin Scorsese is a living legend. He has the kind of career that most aspiring filmmakers can only dream about. Mr. Scorsese takes us on a trip down a road that is paved with illegal drugs, strippers, and any other manner of depravity you can think of. But it also tells us the story of a man who lets his own ambitions get away from him, and simply can't get out of his own way. Leonardo Dicaprio seems to have made a conscious decision to spend 2013 playing rich guys in the 20th century, and does a damn good job of it in both cases. Like his turn as Jay Gatsby earlier in the year, Leo immerses himself in a role that in the hands of a lesser actor could be deemed almost cartoonish . But he straddles the line perfectly and even makes us feel bad for his character, even when he is at his worst. Wolf is, frame by frame, an exercise in energetic filmmaking. It is ironic that a film made by a 70 year old director has more exuberance than those made by people half his age.

The Wolf of Wall Street tells the true story of Jordan Belfort. Belfort is emblematic of the unrestrained financial shenanigans of the final years of the American century, when the idea of any consequences for lid-off monetary opportunism seemed unthinkable (it's quite likely that Wolf could be a giant hit in China, Russia and other markets where the spectacle of American irresponsibility will be most appreciated). Jordan, in the beginning of the movie, is a well meaning young man who simply wants all the opportunities that working on wall street can afford him. This quickly becomes not enough for him and he forms his own business, Stratton Oakmont with the aide of the incredibly eager Donnie, played by Jonah Hill. Hill should, and probably will, win an Oscar for his performance in this movie.

As the business gains more success and grows more and more, so to do the parties and celebrations become more debauched; throughout, Scorsese pushes to the outer limits of the R rating (the film did require cutting to avoid an NC-17) in showing drug excess perhaps outdone only by Scarface and rampant sex, including in the workplace. Even when the firm grows to a thousand employees, the office filled with white-shirt-and-black-tied men more often resembles a mosh pit more than a place of business. Jordan's ferocious inspirational speeches to his troops are among the film's highlights, and the boss gets his greatest satisfaction from seeing the men (there are a few women) go ape with abandon at the prospect of their unethical practices reaping ever-escalating profits. Greed is all-pervasive and is held as life's greatest virtue.

 With success for Jordan comes a trade-up trophy wife; Naomi Lapaglia ( Margot Robbie) is gorgeous as can be, although her lower-class roots show whenever she opens her mouth. The charter flight to Vegas for a $2 million wedding party sets a new high bar for R-rated debauchery (this was reportedly one of the scenes most heavily trimmed for the ratings board) and the sky's the limit on other expenditures as well: mansions, the fanciest cars, a helicopter and a yacht to which Jordan invites FBI agent Denham (an excellent, low-key Kyle Chandler) when authorities decide to put him in their sights.

One particularly tasty side story involves Jordan's use of Naomi's stylish British aunt Emma (Joanna Lumley) to systematically stash large sums of cash in Swiss banks. A proud survivor of the Swinging Sixties, Emma is a wonderful character in this context, one whose eyebrows are scarcely raised by the younger generation's antics because she's seen it all—and no doubt participated in it—before. An innuendo-laden conversation between the two in the park is a master class inner dialogue.

Scorsese leaves no storytelling device or trick unused except for understatement. The real-life story being told may be dramatic, but much of it is played for comedy, sometimes to the edge of farce, notably in a hilarious scene in which Jordan, under the effect of vintage Quaaludes to "the cerebral palsy stage," agonizingly drags himself out of a country club, tumbles down a flight of stairs and attempts to drive home.

This is a story of  letting greed over take you, and letting your desires get away from you. Another classic from a director who somehow manages to get better and better. Wolf of Wall Street is without question a movie well worth your time, and one of the best, if not the best, films of the year.

10/10

Securing The Lowest Life Insurance Rates

Term life insurance policies already offer the lowest rates you can get. But believe it or not, there are ways to make these policies even cheaper. Take a look at some ways help you save even more money.

Make Sure To Get A Rate While You Are Still Young

You may think you only need term life insurance later on in life, but it is beneficial for you to consider purchasing life insurance while you are still young. Term life policies are much cheaper in your younger years. Looking into getting life insurance when you are still young and in good health is a sound financial decision.

Do Not Buy More Coverage Than Necessary

If you buy more coverage than you really need, later on down the road your rates could skyrocket. Talk to your financial advisor and make sure you get exactly what you need.

Make Wise Decisions On Coverage Length

It’s important that you select an appropriate length of coverage to keep your term life insurance rates affordable. Individuals who have a 30-year home mortgage, for example, might consider a 30-year policy to protect their home throughout the life of the loan. On the other hand, individuals who are nearing retirement may only require a 10-year term.

Take Advantage Of Coverage "Price Breaks"

Many insurance companies offer “price breaks” at certain coverage amounts (e.g., $75,000 vs. $100,000). Pay attention to those levels—you may pay very little for additional coverage.

Look Around For The Lowest Life Insurance Rates

The best way to find cheap term life insurance rates is to shop around. Term life insurance rates vary by hundreds of dollars among different companies, so comparing prices is always worth your time.

Doing these things can and will help you get a lower rate, on something that can already be very affordable. At The Storick Group, not only can we advise you, we can also help you secure a cheaper rate and find the best rate for you and your situation and the best way to protect your family. Give us a call at 800-301-8113, or if you just want a quick quote visit goldcoastlifeinsurance.com and let us help you find the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones. 

Health Conditions That Will Affect Your Life Insurance Rates

Life insurance rates are determined by a lot of factors, including age and gender, but perhaps the biggest factor is your health. It’s a common obstacle in the path to life insurance and many people worry rates will be too high due to pre-existing conditions. We are here to help, so we have found ten health conditions that are most likely to affect your rates.

High Blood Pressure


High blood pressure is a condition that can raise your life insurance rates, but it’s also a condition that is easily controlled through medication and work with your physician. Most insurance companies look favorably on controlled high blood pressure, so your rate may not be as high as you think.

Sleep Apnea

Strange as it may be, yes, it is true, having snoring problem  may affect more than your sleeping habits. Don’t hesitate to have a doctor check it out, as severe or untreated sleep apnea will cause premium rates to rise. If you have your sleep apnea well taken care of, your rates won’t be outrageous.

Asthma

You can breathe easy. If you and your doctor have your asthma well-managed, chances are your rates won’t be too much higher. But if you are not keeping your asthma under control and find yourself in the hospital for breathing problems, you may be considered high risk.


Depression




Like many of the other health hazards, it’s all about the severity of depression and mental illness. If it is a severe condition with many hospitalizations, insurance companies may even choose not to offer a policy. However, if it is a less severe and well-managed condition, some insurance companies may favorably underwrite your policy, and you won’t have a huge rate increase

 High Cholesterol


High cholesterol isn’t considered a disease, but it can contribute to many life-threatening health conditions life insurance companies try to avoid. But like many other health conditions, if high cholesterol is well-managed, there shouldn’t be too many worries about life insurance cost.

Heart Disease

There’s no getting around this one, heart disease is a big red flag for insurance underwriters. Insurance companies also take into consideration family history. There isn’t much you can do to avoid higher rates due to heart disease, but if you are healthy now, consider purchasing life insurance early. The longer you wait, the higher rates can get, and if your heart disease becomes severe, you may struggle to find a life insurance company willing to insure you.

Cancer

Like heart disease, this is a difficult red flag to avoid. But there is some good news. Although cancer will raise a red flag for underwriters, because the illness has so many forms and stages, it’s not a guaranteed rate raise. No two cancers are the same, and no insurance company will underwrite them the same way. 

Obesity

Insurance companies consider obesity a health condition, mostly because it can contribute to many other health hazards. Insurance companies use your body mass index (BMI) when determining your risk class for life insurance. If it is in the obese range, you will likely incur higher premium rates. If you get healthier and lose weight, you can contact your insurance company to review the rates.

Organ Transplants

Hopefully you’ve already secured life insurance if you are the recipient of an organ transplant, but if you haven’t, you may have a hard time finding life insurance. It does depend on the type of organ you received, but many insurance companies don’t insure those with organ transplants

Type 2 Diabetes

Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to a plethora of additional diseases, including coronary artery disease and blindness. It’s the reason diabetes can raise your life insurance rates, but again, insurance underwriters look favorably if your diabetes is well-controlled. This means keeping up with medication and making sure to see your doctor regularly.


Some of these health hazards simply can't be avoided, or they can be difficult to manage, but it is worth it in the long run. Proper management of these issues can help your rates and lead to much lower payments.

If you have questions, or simply want a quote, visit goldcoastlifeinsurance.com.

5 Retirment Mistakes You Don't Want To Make

Preparing for retirement is one of the most important things you will ever do. All too often, we forget to prioritize retirement savings as we focus on everyday living expenses. This practice can be detrimental to your long term financial goals. This is why we’ve compiled our list of retirement mistakes to avoid. After all, a little strategizing today can pay off dividends when you need it most. Stop making excuses and set the stage for a healthy retirement today!

Procrastinating

Procrastination can wreak havoc on your long term goals. From your personal life to your career, preparation is the only way to get ahead. Enjoying a happy and comfortable retirement is no acceptation. Strategizing and having a clear understand of what you can do, from month to month, to prepare for retirement is the best way to stay on track. Don’t put it off for any further Get your retirement plan in order.

Not Revisiting Your Retirement Plan

Retirement planning is not a set it and forget it activity. Just as your income level will change throughout your career, so too should your retirement plan. Take the time, every 2-3 years, to sit down with your financial advisor and review your plan. Are you on track? If not, what can you do to close the gap in your retirement savings? Can you afford to contribute more than you could a few years ago? These are all great questions to consider. By taking just an hour or two every few years, you can rest assured that you’re on the road to a comfortable retirement.

Not Moving Away From Riskier Investments

Assuming you’ve accrued a significant amount of savings at this point, it can be time to move toward a slow and steady approach to retirement investments. Talk to your 401k administrator about the kinds of funds into which you’ve invested and discuss a strategy designed for the long term. Generally, it’s safer to invest in higher-risk, potentially higher payoff stocks in one’s 20s and 30s when there is less to lose. In your 40s, it's better to take a more conservative strategy.

Having Too Much Credit Card Debt

If you have large amounts of revolving credit, it’s time to stop pretending that eventually credit cards will be paid off, especially if “eventually” is still some undefined time in the distant future. The cost of interest on these debts is probably enormous, and it’s time to pay them off.

Consider significantly upping your monthly payment amounts, or consolidate the debts into a lower-interest home equity loan if you have significant equity in your home, and take the loan for only the amount you need to pay off the cards.

Don’t use a home equity line of credit (HELOC) if you don’t have good spending habits with credit and you think you will be tempted to keep charging more. However, if you’re planning any major home improvements, replacing appliances, or other larger expenses, a HELOC might be a good choice for you. If taking out a home equity loan maxes out your equity, then making larger payments on the cards might be a better plan.

If you do decide to use home equity to pay off the debt, develop a payment plan (not the minimum payments) to get the loan paid down long before retirement. Once the cards are paid off, it shouldn’t hurt your credit score to close a few of the accounts up. To keep an active credit history, you’ll want to keep using a few of them and paying them off right away. Any large purchases should be paid off within three months to avoid paying too much in interest.

 Not Taking Into Account Health Care Needs

Accounting for health care costs today, and for years to come, is essential to your retirement plan. If you have not been accounting for medical expenses, now is the time to go back to the drawing board. Though Medicare covers lots of medical expenses, you will likely need supplement insurance. Long Term Care (LTC) coverage is another product to consider. Designed to help protect your assets in the event that you need long term care, LTC can even be purchased as part of a universal life policy.

So when you begin thinking about retirement and planning for the future, remember to keep these things in mind, so that you can relax and enjoy what should be your relaxation years.

For more information give us a call at 800-301-8113 or visit goldcoastlifeinsurance.com 

How Being A Smoker Can Affect Your Life Insurance Premium

As you should know, being a smoker is not only hazardous to your health, but damaging to your wallet. But what may not have occurred to you is the affect it has on your life insurance rates. Take a look at this image that details exactly how much of a difference there is for a smoker and a non-smoker, and how to lower that rate.

For more information or if you just want a quote, visit getnonsmokerrates.com or give us a call at 800-301-8113.

Why A Young Family Should Consider Life Insurance

One of life’s biggest milestones is becoming a parent. Now a small life is in your hands and you want to protect it. But what if the unthinkable happens and you can no longer be there? Parenthood is also a major reason for buying life insurance; so you can continue financial support and ease some of the hardships of spouse or your child losing a parent.

Many young families are finding that term life insurance best fits their needs at an affordable price. It provides flexibility to a growing, changing family. You don’t need to be tied forever to a product that may not remain relevant to your situation. And term life insurance is valuable for many purposes:

• To cover remaining mortgage debt.
• To provide for college.
• To provide continuing income to the remaining spouse and children.
• To pay for medical or funeral expenses.

First of all, what is “term” life insurance? It is insurance coverage purchased for a set amount, of time, or term. Term life insurance can be purchased for different periods of time, it is commonly purchased from as little as 5 years on up to 30 years. During the term, premiums and coverage remain constant regardless of the economy or changes in your life. And, of course, term life insurance is meant to provide death benefits in the case of the insured’s passing.

It's a good idea to consider term life insurance for both parents and not just one or the other. The purchase of term life insurance provides benefits to spouses as well as children. It is easy to think that since a non-working spouse doesn’t have income that there is no need for monetary coverage in the event of his or her death. Nothing could be further from the truth. Remember that the non-working spouse performs tasks and services, such as caring for small children, which may have to be done by a paid service if the remaining spouse cannot stop working.

Something else to learn about and understand is Accelerated Death Benefits. This is a benefit option that starts paying out before the insured’s death in the event of a terminal illness diagnosis. The benefit can come with different payout options, so find out which option you have. It may be a single lump sum payment or it can be paid out in monthly installments before your death to defray costs of medical care or nursing home expenses due to a terminal illness. Upon your passing, a payout will still be made to your beneficiaries.

Annually you should take stock and determine if your life insurance needs have changed, even due to less life-altering reasons than marriage or parenthood. Maybe you just did some calculations and discovered that the policy you have from your employer won’t be enough. Term life insurance can fill in that gap. With the economy the way it has been, you may discover that your old policies no longer suffice to cover increases in prices and costs.

Life insurance is a vital part of a family’s safety net. It is every bit as important as food and shelter to keep survivors from financial burden. And the earlier you apply for coverage, the less expensive it will be. Your peace of mind will be worth it.

If you have any questions, are looking to get started on life insurance and need a quote, visit getnonsmokerrates.com or give us a call at 800-301-8113.

Today's Arts and Crafts Activity - Boogie Monsters

Boogie Monsters!

Materials

Tacky glue
3 (12-inch) pipe cleaners
2 medium pom-poms (ours were 1 1/2 inches in diameter)
2 googly eyes
Felt
Tiny pom-pom
Wooden skewer
Feather
Poster tack
2 pennies
2 penny-size buttons

Directions

1. Glue a 7-inch length of pipe cleaner between the pom-poms for arms. Let the glue dry.

2. For legs, fold a 9-inch pipe cleaner length in half and glue the fold to the bottom of the lower pom-pom.

3. Attach each googly eye to a small felt circle, then glue the eyes, felt ears, and a tiny pom-pom nose to the face.

4. For each horn, coil a 4-inch pipe cleaner length around the skewer, then glue the horn onto the head. Fold the ends of each arm to form hands. Glue the feather tail in place.

5. Add a foot to each leg by using a small ball of poster tack to sandwich each end between a button and a penny, as shown.

Interview - Coach Mike Jarvis

Hey everyone, starting this week we are going to do weekly interviews with people in around Boca Raton that is having a positive impact on the community. Whether it is someone who works with kids, a restaurant, a coach, health food store, if they are doing something positive we will sit down and talk to them.

This week's interview is with the head coach of FAU Men's basketball, Mike Jarvis. Now I have to be honest, this one is personal to me. I played for Coach Jarvis for 3 years, as you can see in the picture below. His impact is much, much more than just on the court. He helps nurture young men, and helps them grow into successful adults. He stresses an importance on winning in life, not just on the basketball court. In our sit down with Coach, he touches on his beginnings as a coach, his thoughts on family and fatherhood, how his son helped put Matt Damon on his path to acting, and who his favorite player he ever coached ( *cough* ahem), and what he focuses on when recruiting.

My senior year team picture 

What made you decide to move to Boca Raton?

(Laughs) Well like most married guys most decisions are made for them by their wife. So first of all my wife and I decided it was time for us to move from New York after we were through coaching at St. Johns. We had lived in New York for maybe another 6 months and we said 'You know what, let's get out of this crazy place, let's go someplace warm'. And I said to my wife 'where would you life to live' and through  process of elimination my wife said we should come to Florida. Now, we had never spent any time in Florida, so it was really just on faith I guess, and we moved to Florida. 

What are the most important things to remember when you have a family?

Well first of all, the first thing you have to remember when you have a child, you realize what a spiritual experience that is. The first thing is to be grateful, to the mighty God we serve, that you can even have a child. And to have a child that is healthy without any complications is really blessing. So the first thing is to think about how blessed you are, that you're now going to have an opportunity to try and make this world a better place by hopefully being a part of helping to develop and nurture another great human being and a really good American citizen. 

What are some of the most important things to think about before getting married?

Well first of all it would be nice if, before we got married, we realized what a sacred event that was. That basically was put into place by God himself and that it really is one of the most special things that anybody could be blessed with. We need help, all of us do. God knew that man needed a help-mate and provided woman, and vice versa. And that is the first thing that you realize, that God has provided someone to help us. Maybe that is someone to help us fulfill our dreams, or just have a better life. So going into marriage you have to realize it is a full time commitment.It's not a 'let's see how it works out' kind of thing. I think you gotta go in with the idea that when you join you are trying to make it work. And I think when you get married you realize how much work it actually takes, and that is not easy, but it is worth it. 

What is the most difficult thing, in your opinion, about being a father? Especially for you, who a lot of us who have played for you look to as a father figure. 

I think the most difficult thing is the amount of responsibility that you have over your head. You start to realize you are a role model. You start to realize this little person, or these big people as the case may be (laughs), are looking at you and they're trying to figure things out. What to do and a lot of times they do what they see. And when you mess up you go home and start to say 'boy i wish i had done that differently' or 'i wish i hadn't said it that way' and the next day you try to do it a little bit better. So it's difficult to do the most important thing which is doing the right thing so other people to see it. And it is more important for them to see what you're doing than it is for them to hear you tell them what they should be doing.

Now the opposite end of that question, what is your favorite thing about being a father?

My favorite thing about being a father is being able to share so many wonderful and beautiful things with another young human being. Whether it's your son or your daughter, being able to grab their hand and take a walk. Or teach them how to catch and throw a baseball or a basketball. Just to see them be so full of life and be so happy. To watch them as little children play and just be happy brings joy and happiness to your own heart. 

Next is the same question but in regards to being a grandfather.

Well they say grandfathers and grandmothers have the best job of all because they can love their grandchildren and spoil them, then send them home. And that's true I think to a great extent, but I also think there is more to it than that. You're still parenting your own kids. You're still trying to teach them how to be the best parents they can be. And at the same time, for me personally, I still think that I have a responsibility to make sure that my grandchildren understand what faith is, who God is, and in my case as a Christian, who Jesus Christ is. And at the same time spoil them, but in a positive way, and not in such a way that they think they are entitled to anything and that not everything is just going to be given to them. Teach them what work us but at the same time have a lot of fun. 

What do you do in your down time? When you are away from the office, away from practice, and you just take some time to unwind.

Honestly, you know it's funny, basketball and coaching is not only my profession, it is my hobby.It's a lifestyle for me. So I wish I could say that when I'm away from basketball I'm actually away from it. Even if I'm away, or I'm sitting in my courtyard, or getting ready to go for a swim in the ocean, things are still sitting in my mind about what I do. You know work is something that God created, so work is with you. Work is not something that you can escape. But when i can totally get away with it I usually like to do that with my wife. Whether it's with a walk. Or just sitting on the beach reading a book or listening to some really good music.  And we like to, whenever it's possible and we haven't really been able to do this in a couple years, go on a little vacation. Take a little trip somewhere. In fact this spring, in May, hopefully if nothing crazy happens over there, we're scheduled to go to Israel and walk on the same ground that Jesus walked on and I'm really looking forward to that. So just take trips with my wife and hopefully just have some real fun times with my kids and the grandchildren.

Alright now this next one is one that was requested by someone in the office. Apparently there is a story that you tell about Deuce and Matt Damon?


(Laughs) Well you know it's funny how God works. We don't even know things that happen sometimes. One of my favorite pictures I have of Mike is when he's in his Little League uniform. Mike was a very good little baseball player and pitcher in the Little League and also a very good hitter. So his last game as a pitcher in Little League was in an All-Star game in Cambridge and he's doing a real good job and also doing a good job at the plate. And his last at bat was a home run. A friend found the baseball and brought it back to us as a souvenir. So we wrote the date on it which was September 13, 1981. We also put on it "Mike's last at bat" and we put it in the trophy case. So every time we moved whether it was from Cambridge to DC to New York, that ball went with us. And years later we were at St. Johns getting ready for a game on a Saturday afternoon and I get a call the previous night from a friend of mine who says 'I have someone I want to put on the phone and talk to you', and that someone he wanted to put on the phone happened to be one of my former students and Cambridge guy, Matt Damon. So Matt gets on the phone and he says "hey coach, I've been following you and Deuce and I'm really proud of you guys as Cambridge guys. And he says I want to tell you a story about when I was a little kid and I was a pitcher. And my dad thought someday I could pitch for the Red Sox. Well my last game I ever pitched in was in the Little League All-Star game. So I'm pitching and this kid hits this monstrous home run off me." And it happened to be Mike. So he says "when got home my dad says 'you know maybe baseball's not your game' and it wasn't long thereafter that I got into acting". So you know I like to hope that maybe, Mike had a little bit to do with Matt Damon's success as an actor. I still have that baseball and someday I would like to flip that to Matt and say 'hey take a look at this'.

Coach Jarvis and Associate Head Coach Mike "Deuce" Jarvis

Okay now moving into a few more basketball related questions, what is your general philosophy on coaching?

Well you know, my philosophy on question is to take a group of, as we all are, let's face it selfish people. I mean let's face it we're all born selfish. You know it's always about me, myself, and I. So I'm trying, as a coach, to do almost a miracle and take 12 guys that are basically selfish as we all are, and make a team out of them. So that's the challenge and that's what you try to do. And when that happens, when you get a group of guys that can do that and come together as a family and come together as a team. And they give of themselves and they put it all into what the group does collectively, that is probably the greatest thing that can happen as a coach. Just like it would as a dad or a mom raising a family. To really have it be about the family and not the individual.

What made you want to get into coaching?

Well I went into coaching because I was taught by my mom to try to find a profession that I loved. And to try to find a job that I could really look forward to going to every day.And I try to pass that on to my players. Find a job doing something that you really love to do and have a passion for. So I went into coaching because of my love for sport. And I went particularly into coaching particularly basketball at my old high school because I wanted to go back and do something that hadn't been done before. In Cambridge, Massachusetts there were great basketball teams, great basketball players, but very few kids that every went to college. So when I went back to my high school my goal was to try to help every kid that I could go to college. And during my time as the coach in high school every kid that I coached except for two went onto institutes of higher learning. And those two guys became a fireman in Cambridge and the other a policeman so they both had great job. So you know basically mission accomplished .So basically I wanted to give back and i wanted to give back to the place that I grew up in and try to make a difference.

How did you get your start in coaching?

When I left college, I graduated from Northeastern University with my undergraduate degree, I was able to get a teaching job at my old high school, but I couldn't get a coaching job there because it was already filled. Those jobs only opened up every couple of years. But my college coach, God bless him, hired me as his assistant. So when I wasn't teaching I was coaching at Northeastern University. So I would teach during the day or even coach football or baseball right after school. Then I would take my little Volkswagen over to Northeastern and coach the freshman or subvarsity team and then assist with the varsity team.So it was a long day basically starting about 7 in the morning and end about 10 at night, but i loved every second of it. So I got my start thanks to my former college coach, Dick Dukeshire.

Why did you pursue, or want, the FAU head coach position?

You know when we moved to Florida, my wife and I, I wasn't sure if I ever wanted to coach again. Had a little bit of a bitter taste and more importantly my wife was still feeling the effects of my coaching in New York and the way things ended up there. So I think when I came here I was going to work with ESPN and I started going to work with them in the studio and it just wasn't for me. I would prepare all day for a few minutes on television. Soundbites you know. I just never felt fulfilled. So about the fourth year living in Boca, the job opened up at FAU. So I talked to Craig Angelos who was the AD at the time, and thanks to, primarily, the members of my church and the members of my bible study, they put a tremendous amount of pressure on the powers that be at FAU. Made calls. Went and sat in the presidents office. Called the governor. You name it they did it. And eventually I was hired for the head job here at FAU. So I really believe that God brought me to Boca first and got my wife feeling good again about me coaching and to prepare me for the job that would eventually come.

What is your favorite aspect of being the head coach at FAU?

My favorite aspect of working here is that every morning I wake up and get to come to work with my son. My son Mike and I have been together obviously for 44 years. He started out as my batboy at the age of 3. he was my ball boy at 9 with our championship high school teams. He was my assistant coach when he graduated from Boston University where he also played for me. He's my best friend. So I get to work with my best friend and see my son everyday. That is probably the greatest accomplishment that any man could have. To have his son actually want to work with him. No matter how bad things things, he's always going to be with me. Back in 1993 when he graduated from BU he and I were the first African American father-son coaching tandem in the history of division 1 basketball.  We've also been the longest running father-son team in the history of division 1 basketball of any color. So I'm very, very proud of that and I can't wait for the day to come when he is where he is where he deserves to be, which is as a division 1 head basketball coach.

 The longest running father-son duo in division 1 history, still having fun

When you are out recruiting, what in particular are you looking for? What are trying to add?

Well what I'm looking for, Brett, is the right pieces to fight the puzzle. And you don't always do that. And we have made some good choices. Brett Royster was here before we came and if he wasn't I would have recruited him because he won us a lot of games and is a great guy. And that is what I'm looking for; great character guys who are going to come in every day to work, that are going to work as hard as they can, and give whatever special talent that God gave them to the team. You had the talent of blocking shots and making it very difficult for the defense to score and you helped us win a championship. The first championship in FAU basketball history. And we haven't been the same since you left because we haven't found anyone to replace you. So I'm looking for a guy that can be the next Brett Royster. In addition to that I'm looking for players that can fill other holes and roles within the team because it takes that. It takes a village, the whole group doing whatever little thing they can do to add to the team. So I'm looking for the right kinds of pieces. But what I'm looking for is guys with character. And I'm looking for guys that not only want to play ball, I'm also looking for guys that also are looking to get something out of life, that want to get a degree, and that someday want to be good dads. That's what I'm looking for

At any point in your coaching career, we know you have coached at a lot of places in college, but have you ever considered moving to NBA coaching?

At one time I was offered a couple opportunities as a hot young coach, a rising star so to speak in the coaching business. There was a time when any job would open up, college or pro, my name was mentioned for it. Michael Jordan offered me the Wizards job back when I had just started with St. Johns. But I had just started so I didn't want to leave St. Johns and I'm glad I didn't because if I did, I don't know where my path would have taken me, and it wouldn't have taken me where I am today. The most significant thing that happened to me here today was my walk with Jesus and my spiritual life. I don't know if that would have happened if all the other things in my life hadn't happened. The Wizards was the closest that I came to actually going to the NBA. And I have no regrets about not taking it. So people say I probably should have taken it. Most guys that go to the NBA aren't there very long. So I could have gone, made a lot of money, and gone back to college. But I followed my heart and my heart said that I was a teacher and a coach and I belonged on the college level so I stayed.


Most rewarding part of being a coach?

The most rewarding aspect of being a coach is when you go home at night, and think 'the kids are getting it'. They're getting what it means to come together as a team, what it means to put in the work to be a championship team, and you see improvement. You see guys growing. You see guys grow up and graduate and move on and ultimately have great families. One of the things that has been very rewarding for my wife and I, is when we look in, she has a Facebook page she checks into daily, and we see so many of the former players post not just sports things, but also things about their families and to see how much these guys have grown. Seeing your players growing into men, real men, who have families, that to me is what it is all about.

And the last question is, who is your favorite player that you have ever coached ? 

(Laughs)  Well other than you Brett, there are a few, but the one that jumps out the most would be Patrick Ewing. Patrick was a kid that I got to be the primary person in teaching him how to play. I had the opportunity to coach him in high school where we won nothing but championships. He was the best and hardest working player I ever coached, and one of the best players of all time. And for me to have the opportunity to coach one of the best players of all time was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. If I had never coached another kid I would have been alright but God has sent me more than my fair share of great players. But he's the one. He was the first great, great player I ever coached.

One last thing, is there anything you would like our readers to know or that you want to leave them with?

Well the thing I guess I would like to leave the readers with is, whoever reads this story, is to realize that they have a story. And that their story needs to be shared too. Whether that is with their families or friends. And I think that many times we don't share our story. People can grow and learn from our experiences. So I would like everyone to know that you have a story. You have some incredible things that have happened to you in life. And to find ways to share them people. And most importantly enjoy life.