SPRINGFIELD, IL (01/15/2014)(readMedia)-- The last of the approximately 35 Illinois National Guardsmen who assisted the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and other state agencies completed state active duty Jan. 14 following a snow storm that dropped up to 17 inches of snow in some parts of the state.

"Not only am I glad we can help out, but it's a great learning experience," said Sgt. Eric Thrasher of Clinton, Ill., a mechanic with Company B, 634th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) in Champaign, Ill. "We get to understand their operation and work on non-military equipment and vehicles."

Approximately 400 vehicles were stranded on three different Illinois roads. The Illinois National Guard recovered eight vehicles, allowing more than 200 stranded motorists to exit the roadway.

"Hundreds were rescued thanks to the dedicated Illinois National Guard Soldiers who worked day and night to help stranded motorists," said Ann L. Schneider, IDOT Secretary. "These individuals went above and beyond the call of duty to provide critical services and assistance in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable."

Soldiers from Company B, 634th BSB in Champaign; Company D, 634th BSB in Galva; Company E, 634th BSB in Joliet; Company G, 634th in Crestwood; 3625th Maintenance Company in North Riverside and 3637th Maintenance Company in Springfield; Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 33rd BSTB in Machesney Park; 631st Engineer Company in Lawrenceville; and the 766th Engineer Battalion in Decatur were mobilized to assist in 14 separate locations throughout the state. The Soldiers performed wrecker and maintenance operations of IDOT equipment damaged and stranded during snow removal operations. Wrecker operations concluded on Jan. 8 and maintenance operations concluded Jan. 14.

In all, the Illinois National Guard recovered one IDOT vehicle and repaired 65 IDOT trucks and pieces of equipment. Additionally, 30 trucks were serviced by Illinois National Guard Soldiers.

"There is definitely a need for us here," said 1st Sgt. Corey Heath of Mahomet, Ill., a mechanic with Company B, 634th Brigade Support Battalion in Champaign, Ill. "We have kept busy with plenty of mechanical work and saved them many work hours."

This was Heath's second state active duty. His first was Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

This is the second time in less than two months Illinois National Guard service members have assisted their community. In November, several service members assisted following the deadly tornado in Washington, Ill.

"While defending our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan, some may not have recognized what our National Guardsmen continually do for their communities," said Brig. Gen. Daniel M. Krumrei of Springfield, the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard. "From snow and freezing temperatures to flooding and tornados or any emergency, our citizen-Soldiers are here to help their neighbors and protect their community."

If current trends continue, 2014 will be the year of mega lottery jackpots and generous (if not millionaire-making) inheritances, says Ted Bernstein, (www.lifeinsuranceconcepts.com), a longtime life insurance consumer advocate.

Five of the top six biggest lottery jackpots in the United States occurred in 2013 - from  No. 2, the $648 million Mega Millions jackpot before Christmas,to No. 6, a $399.4 million Powerball pot.

Talk about striking it rich!

Odds are slightly better that you'll claim a nice inheritance, whether it's an estate or life insurance benefits, Bernstein says.

"American retirees plan to leave their beneficiaries some of the biggest estates in the world," he says, citing a recent HSBC survey, the Future of Retirement Report. "A fifth of those polled will leave legacies of more than $390,000."

Most who strike it richin the lottery - 98 percent, according to some experts - opt for a lump-sum cash payout versus guaranteed checks over 30 years, Bernstein says.

"Those who receive life insurance benefits almost always opt for the big cash up front, too," he says. "But in both cases, you're almost always better off financially if you choose the payout over the lump sum."

Here's why:

• An estimated 70 percent of people who experience a sudden financial windfall are broke within a few years. That's according to the non-profit National Endowment for Financial Education, Bernstein says. "First, you have the unexpected emotions that go along with suddenly having more money than you ever expected," he says. "People react in unpredictable ways - and that leads to a lot of bad decision-making.

"Second, people want control of the money, even if they have zero experience managing large finances. That's a recipe for disaster!"

Having a guaranteed check from a life insurance company provides valuable safeguards, he says.

• Generally, you'll get more money if it's paid to you over time. "If lottery and life insurance benefits are paid over time or by installment, they will pay more as the money is allowed time to grow," Bernstein says.

For a $400 million win, you'd get only $223.6 million if you took the lump sum option. You'll get the full $400 million only if you choose deferred payments, he says.

If you own a life insurance policy, you can now opt to purchase a policy that instructs the insurance company to pay the proceeds over time, and your beneficiaries may get more because of guaranteed interest, he says.

"Since the insurance company knows it will have more time to pay, you can either choose to pay a lower premium or get up to 50 percent more in face value for the same premium."

• The tax hit - lump sum versus checks over time. In most cases, for a huge lottery jackpot, you can expect to pay the highest federal income tax rate, which is 39.6 percent in 2014 after the first $450,000 or so for a married couple filing jointly.

"On the $400 million jackpot, you'll have a net $135.1 million after federal income taxes," Bernstein says. "If you take the win in checks over 30 years, you'll have $242.9 million after federal taxes."

With life insurance benefits, there are some caveats, but generally you won't pay taxes on the lump sum. "If you take the benefit over time, you won't pay tax on the life insurance portion, but you will on the excess interest. You still come out ahead because you'll have more money over time!" he says.

Almost any way you slice it, if you have a choice of taking your windfall in a lump sum versus deferred payment, you're safer and potentially better off opting for the latter, Bernstein says.

"If the payments are spread over time, you don't have to worry that it won't be there 20 years from now," he says. "It's not like the stock market - the payments are guaranteed."

About Ted Bernstein

Ted Bernstein is a third-generation life insurance specialist with decades of speaking out and advocating for changes on behalf of consumers. He was the first to introduce life insurance without commissions, or "no-load" life insurance, in the mid-1980s and developed the Installment Life Option in response to concerns expressed by his clients. Bernstein is a nationally recognized expert in alternative distribution strategies and life insurance product development. In the late 1980s, he launched the first fee-based Life Insurance Policy Audit and Review service for Trust companies and life insurance fiduciaries.  He is a member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting.

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - Truman State University has released the Fall 2013 Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs List. To qualify for this list, an undergraduate student must attain a semester 3.50-3.99 grade point average and must complete 12 semester hours of credit.


Area students include :

Davenport, IA

Alexandria Louise Avila from Davenport, IA, Agricultural Science

William Thomas Daniel from Davenport, IA, Business Administration

Scott Joseph McKillip from Davenport, IA, Business Administration

Alexandria Nicole Carmack from Moline, IL, Communication;

Founded in 1867, Truman is Missouri's highly selective public liberal arts and sciences university. Truman has the highest graduation rate among the state's public colleges and universities and approximately 50 percent of Truman students pursue an advanced degree immediately upon graduating. U.S. News & World Report has rated Truman as the No. 1 public university in the Midwest region for 17 consecutive years, and Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine places Truman at No. 12 in the nation on its list of "100 Best Values in Public Colleges." The University, located in Kirksville, enrolls more than 6,100 students.


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AMES, Iowa - At Iowa State University's winter commencement ceremonies, 1,821 students received degrees. Iowa State awarded 1,515 undergraduate degrees, 198 master's degrees, and 108 doctor of philosophy degrees.

Of the students receiving bachelor's degrees, 297 graduated "With Distinction" (cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude). Twenty-one students graduated "With Distinction" and as members of the Honors Program.

Bettendorf, IA

Brice Ballentine, B.A. - Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies
Steven Cavanagh, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Supply Chain Management
Elizabeth Coffman, B.A. - Bachelor of Arts, English
Taylor Finney, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Apparel, Merchandising, and Design, Magna Cum Laude
Jenna Fussell, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Biology, Magna Cum Laude
Bryce Johnson, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Accounting
Kyle Morris, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Supply Chain Management
Benjamin Palczynski, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Horticulture
Nishan Singh, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Finance, Management
Paige Wear, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Apparel, Merchandising, and Design, Cum Laude

Davenport, IA

Brett Ebert, M.Engr - Master of Engineering, Aerospace Engineering
Trevor Fennelly, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Finance, Magna Cum Laude
Ashley Freese, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Event Management, Cum Laude
Sam Jurgena, B.A. - Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
Lance Keltner, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, Cum Laude
Edmund Ly, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering
Megan Maller, B.M. - Bachelor of Music, Music
Nolan Murray, B.A. - Bachelor of Arts, English
Emily Neubauer, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Elementary Education
Hanna Nguyen, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering
Tyler Patzner, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering
Dennis Platt Jr, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Construction Engineering
Kelsey Regan, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Agricultural Engineering, Cum Laude
Bryce Sandry, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Management Information Systems, Cum Laude
Thuong Tran, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Computer Engineering

Delmar, IA

Matthew Wagner, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering

Lost Nation, IA

Rebecca Dickman, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, History, Sociology, Summa Cum Laude, Honors Program Member

Taylor Ridge, IL

Matthew Skorepa, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Management

Walcott, IA

Robert Berger, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, Construction Engineering, Cum Laude