Coffee is one of the U.S.’s largest food imports. It wields an economic impact that starts with farmers from Brazil to Vietnam and ends with the barista at your local coffeehouse, involving hundreds of truckers, shippers, roasters and retail workers in between.2

More than 36 hands touch every coffee bean in the journey from bush to cup. And the original bean farmer can expect between 12 and 25 cents for every pound of gourmet coffee sold.3

Like many agricultural enterprises, coffee is grown on large plantations and small farms alike. Harvests are purchased by coffee mills located proximate to coffee growing regions, either directly from the plantation and farm cooperative, or via a trader who buys from the farmer in the hopes of re-selling at a higher price.

The mills take these “cherries”—so called because the beans are red—and brings them through a milling process that dries them and removes their husks to reveal the inner green bean.

The green beans are brought into the U.S. by importers and sold to roasters and major coffee brands whose roasting facilities are typically located in coastal cities with seaports that can receive the coffee shipments.

Once roasted, coffee will be ground (or left as whole beans), packaged and shipped to distribution centers around the country for eventual delivery to retail outlets.

Coffee’s journey to your table may travel a different path given the rise of specialty roasters and a growing connection between coffee retailers and farmers that removes many of these middlemen.

1. NCAUSA.org, March 26,2020
2. USDA.gov, 2020
3. GroundworkCoffee, 2020

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG Suite is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2023 FMG Suite.

The difference between variable universal life insurance and other types of permanent insurance is that the policyholder directs how premiums are invested. This provides access to the potentially higher returns provided by the financial markets. It also means returns could underperform those provided by other life insurance products.

Generally, there are several subaccounts in which the policyholder may choose to invest. There may be a fixed-interest option as well as various stock, bond, or money-market choices. Guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of the issuing company.

Like other types of permanent life insurance, policyholders can even borrow a portion of their policy’s cash value under fairly favorable terms. And interest payments on policy loans go directly back into the policy’s cash value.*

When the policyholder dies, his or her beneficiaries receive the benefit from the policy. Depending on how the policy is structured, benefits may or may not be taxable.

Variable universal life insurance has unique features that may be attractive to some insurance buyers. However, a variable universal life insurance policy also has options that must be clearly understood before an individual commits to a policy.

*Generally, loans taken from a policy will be free of current income taxes provided certain conditions are met, such as the policy does not lapse or mature. Keep in mind that loans and withdrawals reduce the policy’s cash value and death benefit. Loans also increase the possibility that the policy may lapse. If the policy lapses, matures, or is surrendered, the loan balance will be considered a distribution and will be taxable.

Accessing the cash value in your insurance policy through borrowing—or partial surrenders—has the potential to reduce the policy’s cash value and benefit. Accessing the cash value may also increase the chance that the policy will lapse and may result in a tax liability if the policy terminates before your death.

Variable universal life insurance can be structured so that the cash value that accumulates will eventually cover the premiums. However, additional out-of-pocket payments may be required if the policy’s dividend decreases or if investment returns underperform.

Several factors will affect the cost and availability of life insurance, including age, health, and the type and amount of insurance purchased. Life insurance policies have expenses, including mortality and other charges. If a policy is surrendered prematurely, the policyholder also may pay surrender charges and have income tax implications. You should consider determining whether you are insurable before implementing a strategy involving life insurance. Any guarantees associated with a policy are dependent on the ability of the issuing insurance company to continue making claim payments.

Withdrawals of earnings are fully taxable at ordinary income tax rates. If you are under age 59½ when you make the withdrawal, you may be subject to surrender charges and assessed a 10% federal income tax penalty. Also, withdrawals will reduce the benefits and value of the contract. Life insurance is not FDIC insured. It is not insured by any federal government agency or bank or savings association. Depending on the performance of variable life and variable universal life insurance, the account value will fluctuate with changes in market conditions. At any time, the account value may be worth more or less than the original amount invested in the policy.

Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. Variable life and variable universal life insurance are sold by prospectus only. Information on fees and expenses can be found in the prospectus or obtained from your financial professional. Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest or send money.

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG Suite is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2023 FMG Suite.

1. The Social Security trust fund is huge. It was $2.8 trillion at the end of 2022.¹
2. Most workers are eligible for Social Security benefits, but not all. For example, until 1984, federal government employees were part of the Civil Service Retirement System and were not covered by Social Security.²
3. You don’t have to work long to be eligible. If you were born in 1929 or later, you need to work for 10 or more years to be eligible for benefits.³
4. Benefits are based on an individual’s average earnings during a lifetime of work under the Social Security system. The calculation is based on the 35 highest years of earnings. If an individual has years of low or no earnings, Social Security may count those years to bring the total years to 35.⁴
5. There haven’t always been cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) in Social Security benefits. Before 1975, increasing benefits required an act of Congress; now, increases happen automatically, based on the Consumer Price Index. There was a COLA increase of 8.7% in 2023, but there was an increase of 5.9% in 2022.⁵
6. Social Security is a major source of retirement income for 64% of current retirees.⁶
7. Social Security benefits are subject to federal income taxes – but it wasn’t always that way. In 1983, Amendments to the Social Security Act made benefits taxable, starting with the 1984 tax year.⁷
8. Social Security recipients received a single lump-sum payment from 1937 until 1940. One-time payments were considered “payback” to those people who contributed to the program. Social Security administrators believed these people would not participate long enough to be vested for monthly benefits.⁸
9. In January 1937, Earnest Ackerman became the first person in the U.S. to receive a Social Security benefit – a lump sum of 17 cents.⁸

1. SSA.gov, 2023
2. Investopedia.com, April 4, 2023
3. SSA.gov, 2023
4. SSA.gov, 2023
5. SSA.gov, 2023
6. EBRI.org, 2022
7. SSA.gov, 2023
8. SSA.gov, 2023

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG Suite is not affiliated with the named broker-dealer, state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2023 FMG Suite.