Paula Simmons - Country Financial

11/14/2025

Have a blessed Friday!

11/12/2025

Paying for college isn’t easy. How you choose to save for college depends a lot on your unique situation.

Luckily, there are multiple options available to help you pay for a child’s, loved one’s or your own education. Here are a few things you need to know:

◾ ◾ The benefits of a UGMA/UTMA ◾ ◾

Creating an account for your child under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) or the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) is a common way to save money for college. As the custodian for the account holder (your child), you’d control the fund until your child turns 18 or 21, depending on what state you live in. The account would then be turned over to them.

A UGMA or UTMA can be a good choice if you’re looking for a variety of ways to fund the account and the ability to use the money for things other than education.

◾ ◾ A Roth IRA ◾ ◾

A Roth IRA can be used to pay for qualified education expenses. Only earnings are penalized if withdrawn before you are 59 ½ and if the Roth IRA had not been funded for five years.
A Roth IRA might be good if you want the option of having a retirement fund already in place if all the money isn’t used for education.

There are two ways you can use a Roth IRA for education purposes:

1️⃣ - Your child opens a Roth IRA -

Your child can open a Roth IRA if they have earned income. Since Roth IRAs are funded with after-tax money, the child’s contributions won’t be taxed when the money is withdrawn. The good thing is, the usual 10 percent tax penalty on earnings withdrawn before age 59 ½ is waived when the distribution is used for qualified higher education expenses.

2️⃣ - You open a Roth IRA -

You can open your own Roth IRA and use the assets to pay for qualified education expenses. You can pay those expenses for your child, grandchild, your spouse or yourself. Again, only earnings are penalized if withdrawn before you are 59 ½ and if the Roth IRA had not been funded for five years.

Investment management, retirement, trust and planning services provided by COUNTRY Trust Bank®️.

Interested in learning more about which option is right for you? Contact me today.

11/10/2025

With the holidays coming up, it’s a great time to brush up on fire safety — and make sure you know where your fire extinguisher is and how to use it.

Remember the 3 A’s:
Activate the alarm
Assist anyone in danger
Attempt to extinguish (only if it’s safe!)

To learn more about how to keep your home safe and how home insurance can help, click here: https://bit.ly/474ZKaJ

11/07/2025

We made it to the end of the week. Have a great Friday!

11/05/2025

Did you know that damage caused to your home by a faulty sump pump or backed up sewer drain isn’t covered under basic home insurance? You need additional coverage for that type of protection. Call me today to find out more! 618-659-9000

11/04/2025

Would you like to explore a new opportunity with amazing income potential? Check out this Associate Agent position at my office! Please like and share this post.

Job Location: 115 S. Main St.,Edwardsville,IL,62025,US, Category: Insurance Sales

11/04/2025

We are hiring again! Please like and share with someone you know who may be a good fit!!

Job Location: 115 S. Main St.,Edwardsville,IL,62025,US, Category: Customer Service Representative

11/03/2025

Harvest season is here and so are the risks on rural roads. Your car weighs about 2️⃣,0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ lbs, but a combine? Try 7️⃣0️⃣,0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ lbs.

Patience saves lives. Let’s help keep everyone safe this harvest season.

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we’ve been protecting farmers and their legacies by providing insurance and farm expertise since 1925. Follow us for more on how you can protect your today and plan for tomorrow.

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween! Our team is excited for trick-or-treating tonight. Enjoy the endless candy!

10/29/2025

Halloween is just a few days away! Here are our costumes from last year. Post a photo of your favorite Halloween costume in the comments!

10/27/2025

Life insurance is a vital part of protecting your financial future and it will never be more affordable than it is today.

So, how affordable is life insurance, really?
The truth is, it depends on many factors, like age, health, lifestyle, coverage amount, etc. The good news is that even though the factors influencing your rate may feel extensive, getting life insurance is easier than ever. Life insurance companies use advanced underwriting methods to make the process easy for you.
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How can I lower my life insurance cost?
There are a variety of life insurance options that can fit your needs and budget. But if you want to try to lower your rate, these steps may help:
✅ Purchase a policy at the youngest age possible. Parents may consider purchasing a policy for children as their premiums are typically much lower than an adult’s.
✅ Live a healthy lifestyle. Individuals who live healthy lifestyles generally have lower premiums than those who don’t, as they tend to live longer and have a better quality of life.
✅ Review your insurance options. Term life insurance is typically less expensive than whole life insurance, since you are only paying for it for a certain amount of time.
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If you don’t have life insurance or haven’t reviewed your policy in a while, meet with me to discuss what life insurance is best for you right now and how much you can expect to pay for it. You might be surprised to learn that it’s more affordable than you first thought.