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F&M Newsletter - October 2002
Changing Jobs? Retiring? Rollover 401K funds directly to an IRA!
When you leave your job you may be faced with the dilemma of what to do with the money in your 401K Plan. For most people, rolling over the account into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is probably the best option. By doing so, your money will continue to grow tax-deferred, you will pay no penalty, and you pay no income tax until you begin taking withdrawals at retirement.
Should you elect to receive your 401K funds in a lump sum payable directly to you, beware! The IRS requires your employer to withhold 20% of your balance for federal income tax. If you are under age 59½, you may be assessed a 10% penalty as well.
Before making any decisions, it is always a good idea to consult your tax advisor. The professionals at Trust-Mart® will be happy to discuss your retirement account and IRAs. Just stop by Farmers and Merchants State Bank and see Betsy Powell, Shirley Rapp or Connie Morrow or call (309)772-2171.
Kermit and Helen Oliver of Bushnell recently celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary, while Luther and Nina Klinedinst of Bushnell and Phillip and Betty Haymaker of Avon celebrated their 55th anniversaries. Robert (former F & M employee) and Beverly Ver Steeg of Avon also celebrated their 50th anniversary and Robert and Judith Coultas of Avon celebrated 40 years. Wow! Those are huge anniversaries, and ones to be proud of!! Congratulations!! You can now obtain information, referrals and access to social service agencies right here in Bushnell. Visit with a McDonough County representative at the Greenbrier Apt. Community Room at 770 West Hurst between 8:30 am and 11 am the 4th Wednesday of every month (October 23rd). No appointment is necessary. Our congratulations to a local “friend in motion”, Jerry Winget. In a move to expand and better serve his Macomb area customer base, Jerry purchased On-Time Publications in Macomb. He will be kept busy coordinating his time between the new business and his present site, Winget Printing, in Bushnell. Our best wishes on your new venture, Jerry.
Swede and Sally Borg of London Mills were delighted when their daughter Laura (and Lance) Fox of Columbia, MO delivered Molly Maurene on August 18th!! This was the first little Fox addition, and grandchild number three for the Borgs!! Our best wishes to all!!
For ease in maintaining constant growth of your Christmas Club account, you can authorize an automatic debit from your F & M checking or savings account. Come to the Bookkeeping Department at Farmers & Merchants State Bank now. Carolyn, Susan, Debbie or Becky will help you open your account today.
Snooze, you lose? No way! Daylight savings time ends at 2 AM Sunday October 27th. You’ll gain back that hour of sleep you lost last spring when you set your clocks back an hour Saturday night!!
Let Us Re-Introduce . . . Shirley Rapp! 
Shirley Rapp joined Farmers & Merchants State Bank in June 1980, five years after moving to Bushnell, and has been here ever since. She began as a receptionist, then served in the savings department, computer operations, executive secretary, and is currently an Assistant Trust Officer at Trust-Mart®, the trust department of F & M.
Shirley was born to Lewis and Bernice Barr of Tonica, IL, attended Tonica High School, graduated from Mid State College of Commerce in 1966, and in 2000 graduated from Graduate Trust School at Cannon Financial Institute.
When not working you may find Shirley reading, golfing, traveling to Vegas or Kentucky, or “waiting” until next year when the Chicago Cubs will surely win the World Series!!! A few of Shirley’s favorite recipes are: CARAMEL APPLE DIP
Unwrap caramels and place in microwave-safe glass bowl. Pour Eagle Brand milk over caramels. Heat in microwave on high for one minute. Stir, then heat another minute. Continue heating and stirring every minute until Carmel mixture is smooth and creamy. If refrigerating for later use, reheat again before serving. Serve with apple slices, red or yellow. Great snack for fall weather! DEVILED EGGS
Put eggs in large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low heat, cover and simmer 18 to 20 minutes. Remove to ice water, breaking the shell of each egg immediately. Cool 10 to 15 minutes and carefully peel and cut eggs in half. Crumble yolks well with a fork. Add all ingredients except Miracle Whip. Mix well. Add Miracle Whip until desired consistency is achieved. Fill eggs and garnish with paprika. Enjoy! PRETZEL KISSES
Grease jelly roll pan. Place pretzels on pan. Place a chocolate kiss in the center of each. Put in 125º oven only until chocolate becomes soft (5 to 10 minutes). Remove and immediately place an M & M in center of each kiss, pressing down slightly. Cool. Remove carefully from pan. Use M & M’s in brown, orange and yellow for Halloween or Thanksgiving, green & red at Christmas time, green and white for St. Patrick’s Day, etc.
Note: Kitchen Cooked round pretzels are available only during November and December, so buy extra bags and freeze for later use!
If you’re fishing for a long-term holding with a no-cost dividend reinvestment plan you may want to obtain further information on Brunswick Corp. Their new cruising yachts are made for serious boaters by serious boat people. You can literally boat, cruise and live on these models ranging from 34 to 58 feet. The company stock recently traded at $24.38 per share with a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 34.50, and pays an annual dividend of $0.50 per share in December. For more information on Brunswick Corp. or other investments, please contact Shirley Rapp or any of the professionals of Trust-Mart® to help you implement your investment decisions.
*This column is informational only, with no investment advice given or intended. Investments in securities are not insured by the FDIC, and involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. All material presented is compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Before buying any security, its prospectus should be carefully read. Trust-Mart© is a full-service trust department of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Bushnell, Illinois.
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Benefits of an IRA include: freedom to choose virtually any type of investment, greater flexibility in choosing beneficiaries, and fewer restrictions on how you elect to receive your distributions.
Blanche Kane of Bushnell recently celebrated her 95th birthday, and attributes her health and longevity to remaining active and continuing to work regularly at M & B Furniture. Bruce Bricker of Macomb and Mildred Inman of Bushnell recently celebrated 85th birthdays. We hope the day was great for each of you and we wish you many healthy and happy years ahead.
Are you interested in joining a club that does not require your attendance at any meetings? Ever? Join the Farmers & Merchants State Bank Christmas Club AND enjoy a prepaid Christmas! Open your account with as little as $5 or select an amount that will fit your budget, and have your Christmas paid for before it arrives next year. If you contribute $50 to your club each of the next fifty weeks, you will receive a check next November for $2,500, plus interest!
Shirley and husband Ron celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in June with their daughter Trisha (and Todd) Pardue, grand dog Caly and grand cat Kitty in Bowling Green, KY. The “grand” animals are sure to be replaced when the “grand” kids start to appear!
Illinois based Brunswick has managed to weather recent economic storms. The company had stronger than expected earnings and higher sales of its marine engines, and fitness and bowling equipment. Sales during the last ten years have increased from $2.059 billion to $3.371 billion, with sales-per-share increasing from $21.65 to $38.39. Long-term debt is currently $646.7 million; approximately 34% debt-to-capital ratio.
