• Mortgagelenders,creditcardissuers,insuranceandcellphonecompanies,andlandlordstypicallyaccessyourcreditscorestosetratesanddeterminecreditworthiness.

• Multipleinquirieslowercreditscores,butnotoveraperiodofonetotwoweeksifyouareshoppingforaloan.

NEWSLETTERFirst Quarter - 2016

AmberO’BrienhasbeennamedaprincipalpartneroftheVoyageFinancialGroupbyco-founders

andprincipalsMikeChongandTomRoyce…whichshouldcomeasnosurprisetolongtimeVoyageclients.

“Amberhasbeenwithussincethedayweopenedourdoorsforbusinesstenyearsago,thisyear,”Mikenoted.“Clientstell

metimeandtimeagainhowpleasedtheyarewiththeserviceAmberprovides,andhowfortunateVoyageistohaveher.”

Amber O’Brien is named partner at VoyageTomadds,“Sheistrulythebackboneoftheexcellentserviceweworktoprovide.Inadditiontoservingclients,Amberisresponsibleforprocessingalloftheformsandtransactionsthatwegenerateforourclientsaswellasmakingsurewecomplywiththerulesandregulationsthatgovernourbusiness.

“Amberisavaluedmemberofourteam,andwearedelightedthatshejoinsMikeandmeinleadingourbusiness.”

PriortoVoyage’slaunchin2006,AmberworkedatAdvanceCapitalforsixyearswhereshemanagedclientaccounts.ShegraduatedfromWesternIllinoisUniversitywithabachelor’sdegreeinBusinessManagementandFinance,andthenearnedamaster’sdegreeinAccountingandFinancialManagementfromtheKellerGraduateSchoolofManagement.

AmberisaCubsfanwhoenjoysreadingandspend-ingtimewithherhusband,Joe,andtheirdaughters,Maggie,LiddyandAnnieattheirhomeinWauconda.

Save the datesPleasemarkyourcalendarandplantoattendtheannualHalftimemeet-ingclosesttoyou:

Rockford-June21Schaumburg-June21Urbana-June23Chicago South-June23Peoria-June28Milwaukee-June28

YouwillreceiveapostcardinJunewiththetimesandlocations.

AND,reserveAugust13onyourcalendarfortheKane County Cougarsgame.

TheConsumerFederationofAmerica,whichconductsacreditscoresurveyeveryyear,points

outthesefactsaboutcreditscoresthatyoumightnotbeawareof:

• Experian,Equifax,andTransUnioncollecttheinformationonwhichcreditscoresarefrequentlybased,andeachscorecanbedifferent.

• Age,maritalstatusandethnicityarenotusedtocalculatecreditscores.

• 700isusuallyagoodcreditscore.

• Openingseveralcreditcardsatonetimewillloweracreditscore.

• Alowcreditscoreislikelytoincreasethefinancechargesona$20,000,60-monthcarloanbymorethan$5,000.

Credit Scores: Some things you might not know

(ContinuedonPage3)

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PopularholidayssuchasHalloween,Valentine’sDay,andEasterattractlotsofattentionand

billionsinconsumerspendingeveryyear.

But,accordingtocheapism.com,dealhuntersshouldcircledifferentholidaysontheir2016calendars.Theseninedaysstandoutforfeaturingsomeofthebestsalesandpromotionsoftheyear.

Mother’s Day (May 8)-Manysaleswillfocusonkitchenwaresuchasappliancesandcookware.

Memorial Day (May 30)-Withgraduationsandweddingseasonahead,discountscontinueforcookwareandappliances.

Father’s Day (June 19)-Promotionscenteronclothing,sportinggoodsandoutdooritems.Don’tbetooquicktojumponseasonalitemsthough.

Grills,forinstance,won’tseetheirlowestpricesuntiltheendofthesummer.

Independence Day (July 4)–Mattressestypicallygoonsale,justliketheydoonMemorialDayandLaborDay.

Labor Day (September 5)-SaleskickoffearlyinSeptemberandincludediscountsthatrivalBlackFriday,accordingtoMoneyMagazine.ThisoccursbecauseLaborDaysalesdrawtheremnantsoftheback-to-schoolshoppingcrowdandcleartheshelvesforholidayshopping.

Columbus Day (October 10)-Thisisthebesttimetopickupshoesandaccessories,aswellascampinggearandanythingforusenextsummer,includingairconditioners,grills,andlawnmowers.

Black Friday (November 25)-There’snodoubtthatthisisthedaytopurchaseTVsandotherelectronics.But,therewillalsobesubstantialdiscountsoncookware,beveragessuchasteaandwine,andevencars.

Cyber Monday (November 28)–Onlinetop-sellingitemsaretypicallysought-afterelectronicsforChristmas,trendytoysaswellasluxurybrands.

Boxing Day (December 26)-ThedayafterChristmasbringsbigsalesonlineandinstores.Retailersputunsoldgifts,holidaytrappings,andwinteritemsonclearance.

Best time for deals

TheCentersforDiseaseControl(CDC)worksto

protecthealthandpromotethequalityoflifethroughthepreventionandcontrolofdisease,injury,anddisability.

CDCoffersthefollowingsuggestionstopreventsomeofthemostcommonhealthissuesfacingolderadults.

Screen for Cancer

AmongAmericansaged55-65,canceristhenumberonecauseofdeath,andtheriskformostcancersincreaseasyouage.CDCsupportsscreeningforbreast,cervical,andcolorectal(colon)cancers.

Get Vaccinated

Someadultsincorrectlyassumethatthevaccinestheyreceivedaschildrenwillprotectthemfortherestoftheirlives.CDC’sadultvaccinerecommendationsinclude:

• Anannualinfluenzashot

• Onedoseoftheshingles,orherpeszoster,vaccineforpeopleaged60orolder

• PneumococcalPolysaccharideVaccineafterage65

Eat Right & Stay in Shape

Olderadultsneedanequivalentmixofmoderateandvigorousaerobicactivityandmuscle-strengtheningactivities,twoormoredaysaweek,inordertoworkallmajormuscles.

Prevent High Blood Pressure

Highbloodpressureisoftencalledthe‘silentkiller,’becauseitusuallyhasnonoticeablewarningsignsuntilotherseriousproblemsarisesuchasheartfailureandstoke.Preventionincludesmaintainingahealthyweightanddiet,stayingactive,notsmoking,controllingyouralcoholconsumption,andworkingtopreventorcontroldiabetes.

Recommends

roamingtherange(seephoto).

Clary,whojustturned58inJanuary,doesn’tseetheirtripsendinganytimesoon.

Whennotpreparingforhisnexthike,Claryworkspart-timefortheVillageofGlenEllyndoingstreetsweeping.Healsopatchespotholes,plowssnowandhelpsmakestreetsigns.

Inhisfreetime,heenjoystravelingwithhiswife,Sue,tospendtimewiththeiroldestson,Scott,inSanFrancisco,hisfatherinFloridaandtheiryoungestsonBrian,whonowlivesinChicagoafterafewyearsinDallas.

Page 3

Client Spotlight - Dion ClaryRetirement meant literally ‘taking a hike’ for Clary

• Consumerprotectionofficialsagreethatcreditrepaircompaniesofferpoorvalue.

• TheConsumerFinancialProtectionBureauisthefederalagencybestsuitedtoresolvingproblemsaboutcreditscoresandreports.

• Credit“reports”–thatcontaintheinformationbywhichcreditscoresaredetermined–shouldbecheckedforaccuracyonceayear.Theyareavailableforfreeathttps://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action.Youcanalsoobtainyourcreditscoreatthissiteforafee.

Wanttotestyourknowledgeaboutcreditscores?Takea12-questionquizatwww.CreditScoreQuiz.org.

Consumer Scores ... from Page 1

Onenightmorethanadecadeago,DionClarywasreminiscingwithfellowScoutmastersfromBoy

ScoutTroop45inGlenEllynaboutsomeofthegreathikingtripstheyhadbeenonwiththeirkids.

“Werealizedthatweallmissedbackpackingwiththekids.Then,themorewetalkedaboutit,wewonderedhowmuchfunitwouldbetogowithoutthem,”Clarysaidwithalaugh.

TheideaquicklypickedupsteamandClaryandcrewcreatedclubSOFA(SummerOldFartAdventures)that,for11yearsandcounting,hasmadeanannualsix-day,five-nighthikingexpedition.

Mostoften,thegrouphasgonetonationalparks.MountRainier,GrandTeton,Yellowstone,Glacier,Yosemite,NorthCascadesandOlympicareamongthenotabledestinationsithasvisited.Sofar,thegrouphasnotvisitedthesamelocationstwice.

Thisyear’striplikelywillbeinearlySeptemberatWindRiverRangeinWyoming–andplanningforsuchanarduousundertakinghasbegun.

Clubmembersgoingontheexpeditiontakepracticehikesfirst–onehour,everyweek,fourmonthsinadvance.Thishelpsthemen,ranginginagefrom54to66,builduptheirenduranceandgetusedtohaulinga40-poundbackpack.

Clary,whoretiredfromAT&Tin2014afterspendinghislastfewyearsasatechnicianintheOCSdepartment,saidoneofhismostmemorabletripswastoYellowstoneNationalParkinWyoming,wherehisgroupwasawedbythesiteofsomanybuffaloes

ClientsatisfactionisparamounttousatVoyagebecauseitreflectsonusasateamandasa

business.Ifyou’renothappy,we’renothappy,fortwoveryimportantreasons:

• Youbecameaclientwithusforgoodreasonsandhighexpectations.Ourgoalistoliveuptothosereasonsandexceedyourexpectations.

• Ourbusinessisbuiltonreferrals.Ifyouareanythinglessthancompletelysatisfiedwithourservices,wecan’texpectyoutorecommendustoyourfamily,friends,neighborsandbusinessassociates.

Ourgoalistoprovideoutstandingcustomerservice.So,whilewe’llbeintouch,don’thesitatetoinitiateacalltousforhelpwithanyfinancialadviceorguidance.

Andifyouknowofsomeonewhomaybeinterestedinourservices,wehaveabrochure- Ready ... Set ... Retire-youcanpassontothem.Justcalloremailusandwe’llsendonerightouttoyou.

1011 Warrenville Road, Suite 225, Lisle IL 60532877-353-8999 | www.voyagefg.com

Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, member FINRA/SIPC

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Forecast meetings

1TomRoyce,JimmyandClovisTolliver2DaveHoward,KurtAnderson,George Engelthaler3MikeBrand,RosemarieBauer4MikeChong,MaggieHellems-May,Les Worcester5Wayne&NancySmithwithRyanDragstrem6MikeGorsuch,MarkCorcoran7NancyHagger,NancyWaters8NancySteffen,KarenKorosa9RockfordLuncheonToviewmorephotosfromtheseevents,gotohttp://www.voyagefg.com/p/past-events

300 clients attend Forecast meetings