+1 (925) 684-6969

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Have Questions?

Ask Audra.

Financial conversations can come with a lot of questions, including questions you may not even know you should be asking yet.

That’s okay.

Here are answers to some of the questions I hear most often. And if you don’t see yours here:

START YOUR FINANCIAL WELLNESS CHECKUP

WORKING WITH AUDRA

Who will I work with?

You’ll work directly with me. I’m a licensed financial professional and educator who believes education should always come before financial products.

I’ll take the time to understand where you are, what you already have, and what you want to accomplish. My goal is simple: make complicated financial concepts easy to understand so you can make informed decisions with confidence.

What makes working with Audra different?

I believe education comes before financial products. I’ll explain your options in plain language, without pressure or judgment, so you understand before you decide.

Ask questions. Learn. Understand. Then decide.

What happens when I first meet with Audra?

Our first conversation is about you, not a product.

We’ll talk about what brought you to Ask Audra, what you already have, what questions you have, and what you would like to accomplish.

There is no charge for the initial conversation and no expectation that you make a financial decision that day.

The goal is to understand where you are and determine what your next step should be.

Do I have to buy something to meet with Audra?

No. Education comes first.

Your initial conversation is an opportunity to understand where you are, ask questions, and learn about options that may be available to you.

If a financial or insurance solution makes sense for your goals, we can discuss it.

You should understand what you’re considering before making a decision.

Are your services only for high-income individuals?

Absolutely not.

Financial education is for everyone. Whether you’re starting with $100 or $100,000, what matters is understanding where you are and the options available to you.

Your starting point does not determine where you finish.

ABOUT THE CURETON GROUP

What does The Cureton Group LLC offer?

The Cureton Group provides financial education and solutions for individuals, families, educators, small-business owners, and financial professionals.

Our services include life insurance and IUL, long-term care, IRAs, 403(b) and 457(b) plans, annuities, CalSTRS and CalPERS education, precious metals, and small-business retirement and employee benefits.

Education comes first. Understand your options, then decide what fits your goals.

Who does The Cureton Group work with?

We work with individuals, families, educators, public employees, small-business owners, and financial professionals at every stage.

You don’t need a certain amount of money or financial knowledge to begin.

Come as you are. We’ll start there.

FINANCIAL & INSURANCE QUESTIONS

What is an Indexed Universal Life (IUL) policy?

Indexed Universal Life, commonly called IUL, is a type of permanent life insurance that provides a death benefit while also having the potential to build cash value.

Interest credited to the policy’s cash value can be linked to the performance of a market index, subject to the terms of the policy.

The policy is not directly invested in the stock market.

An IUL can be designed in different ways depending on the client’s goals, which is why policy design and funding matter.

Audra specializes in understanding and evaluating IUL policy design and believes you should understand how the policy works, what it costs, how it is funded, and what it is designed to accomplish before deciding whether it belongs in your financial strategy.

Can you review financial or insurance products I already have?

Yes.

You don’t always need something new.

We can review your existing policies, retirement accounts, annuities, and pension information to make sure you understand what you have and how it works.

First, let’s understand what you already have.

RETIREMENT & PENSION EDUCATION

Can you explain my CalSTRS or CalPERS pension?

Yes.

If you participate in CalSTRS or CalPERS, we can walk through your pension information with you and explain concepts such as service credit, retirement formulas, age factors, final compensation, beneficiaries, and retirement estimates.

We can also look at how your pension may fit into your broader retirement picture and identify areas where you may want additional preparation.

The goal is for you to understand your pension rather than simply know that you have one.

When should I start preparing for retirement?

The earlier you begin understanding and preparing for retirement, the more time you generally have to evaluate your options and make adjustments.

But retirement preparation isn’t only for people decades away from retirement.

Whether retirement is 30 years away, 10 years away, or much closer, understanding where you stand today gives you information you can use to make decisions about tomorrow.

Start where you are.

What if I’m getting a late start on retirement?

Start anyway.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is deciding that because you didn’t start earlier, there’s no point in starting now.

We can look at what you already have, including pensions, employer retirement plans, IRAs, annuities, Social Security considerations, insurance, savings, and other available resources, and begin building a clearer picture of where you stand.

You may not be able to change yesterday.

But you can make a more informed decision today.

Can I still work with Audra if I’m already retired?

Yes.

Retirement doesn’t mean financial decisions stop.

You may still have questions about retirement income, existing annuities or life insurance, beneficiaries, long-term care, legacy considerations, or how your existing financial resources fit together.

We can start by understanding what you already have and what questions or concerns you have now.

SMALL-BUSINESS OWNERS

Does The Cureton Group offer solutions for small-business owners?

Yes.

We offer retirement and employee benefit solutions through WellthCare, Colonial Life, and MightyWell.

WellthCare uses a Section 125 strategy that can provide eligible employees access to medical and wellness benefits with no employer contribution and no additional employee payroll deduction to participate in the included benefits.

We also offer voluntary workplace benefits through Colonial Life and additional employee benefit solutions through MightyWell.

Better benefits. Stronger businesses.