Welcome to the Veterans Association of North County

Here For You When You Need Us

Here you will find several resources, programs, services and opportunities for Veterans, Service Members and their families. Our goal is to be your one stop shop for all things, so don’t hesitate to contact us at any time. Programs and services vary, and include additional information for each. We have two Veteran Services Representatives (VSR) here at VANC, read all about them below in Addtional Services at: (www.vanc.me/services-programs)

OUR MISSION

VANC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created and operated by Veterans as a one-stop resource center for all active-duty military, Veterans, and their families. We centralize services from diverse agencies to assist with jobs, education, finances, health, and wellness.

OUR VISION

We seek to honor and support those who have served our country, bridging the past, present, and future. VANC is a vibrant gathering place in North San Diego County, where all Veterans, active-duty military, and their loved ones can reach out for help and community. VANC engages and informs local Veterans organizations, service providers, and individuals, helping them work together. VANC seeks to be a model for other organizations that serve the military community.

Join Us For Amazing Upcoming Events

There’s always engaging things happening at VANC and with our partners. Check our calendar here for regularly scheduled events, meetings and opportunities here at VANC (www.vanc.me/events#calendar) www.vanc.me

WE LOVE OUR ASSOCIATION MEMBERS AND THEY’RE HERE FOR YOU TOO. VANC is open to all military, veterans and friends of the military. If you would like to become a Veterans Association member, Contact Lori at lori@vanc.me to learn more.

Real Estate Tips for Veterans & Active Military

By Michelle Muniz www.sdsellhome.com

Should a Military Member Rent or Buy a Home in this Market?

It is no secret that national real estate prices have flattened considerably, and in some cases declined. At the same time, interest rates are on the rise making homeownership an expensive option. As a result, most people are very reluctant to invest, and begin to search for rentals. Then, we are inevitably reminded of the laws of supply and demand…as the demand for rental homes goes up, inventory decreases, thereby driving up the cost of rent.

So, the dilemma continues, and the looming question remains - which option is best for military families?

Renting or buying?

There is no answer that fits all situations. Here are some factors that can impact the answer to the rent vs. buy question:

• Length of PCS orders and/or likelihood of retirement in the area

• Interest rate trends

• The homebuyer’s total monthly income and cash position

• The homebuyer’s tax bracket

• The homebuyer’s tolerance for risk

There are many pros to both renting and buying. As a renter, you can enjoy flexibility, stress-free relocations, minimal responsibility, and lower home maintenance fees. As a buyer, you can take advantage of the VA Loan for $0 down payment, favorable tax benefits, a fixed monthly payment and equity gain.

You can start your cost comparison with the use a reputable online Rent vs. Buy Calculator. A couple of options are:

• Realtor.com Rent Vs. Buy

• SmartAsset When to Rent vs. Buy www.realtor.com/mortgage/tools/rent-or-buy-calculator https://smartasset.com/mortgage/rent-vs-buy#d2EmJPhXpV www.sdsellhome.com michelle@jmxinvestments.com

No one can predict with certainty where any market will be in two to three years. However, the fact is there is a finite amount of real estate and a growing population. A very safe assumption — based on the “laws of supply and demand”— is despite periodic market fluctuations, real estate prices will continue to increase over time.

The San Diego Veterans Coalition was organized in 2009 and using the Collective Impact Model, SDVC is a premier San Diego County-wide monthly convener of over 160 unique member and participating organizations, businesses, and agencies. The Collective Impact Model is based on leveraging relationships with other veteran and family serving organizations so that we may provide veterans and their families with a complete array of services and other opportunities.

The purpose of the San Diego Veterans Coalition (SDVC) is to serve the needs of San Diego regional Veterans, their families and significant others. We intend to improve collaboration and coordination among community service providers so that delivery of services is more comprehensive and Veteran Family-centric.

The vision of the SDVC is to honor the nation’s commitment to veterans, their families and significant others by leading collaboration among all potential partners, making the San Diego region a national model for a comprehensive, integrated system of community services.

The SDVC is a catalyst that inspires collaboration and cooperation among service partners to deliver premier support for Veterans in the San Diego region.

At the SDVC we have found that collaboration is the key to addressing the needs of San Diego Veterans, their families and significant others. We have four Action Groups:

• Physical and Emotional Health Action Group (PEH)

• Family Life Action Group (FLAG)

• Veterans: Empowered, Successful, and Thriving Action Group (VEST)

• Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship Action Group (E3) www.sdvetscoalition.org

Through these Action Groups we are identifying gaps and creating measurable outcomes to resolve them. These groups are made up of our members and together we are working to strengthen our community.

Insurance Info & Risk Management Tips

By Hadley Wood www.hlinwood-insurance.com

Don’t Trust the Luck of the Irish when it Comes to Driving!

March Madness, St. Patrick’s Day, The Oscars...what do all these have in common? Parties! And what do parties have? Risks! It’s a risky month – especially for driving. Let’s talk about Auto Insurance.

Auto coverage, whether it’s a personal or a commercial auto coverage has insurance options - Liability Only or Liability with Comp & Collision. If you have a 1983 old beater car that you own outright and don’t care if anyone steals or damages, you may just opt for Liability Only coverage – which will save you money on the premium but leave you hanging if something happens to your vehicle.

Liability Only coverage will come into play should you cause bodily injury or property damage to another person. I recommend a minimum of $500,000 in Liability to cover driving exposures. This may sound like a lot but if you hit a car with 4 people in it, their medical costs could well exceed 100K per person. Plus, the vehicle damage (what if it’s a 100K plus car?) and the attorney fees!

Comprehensive and Collision coverage covers your vehicle should it be stollen (up to the amount insured on the policy), damaged in a collision (an accident that you cause) or damaged by weather, vandalism, tree falls, golf ball to the window, etc. I most always recommend paying a bit more and having this coverage – no one wants to be the victim of something beyond their control and then having to buy another vehicle out of pocket.

You may have the option to purchase Combined Single Limits (CSL) or Split Limits (SL) coverage for your policy. If you purchase CSL coverage, you are able to use that limit however you may need to use it. Example: If you have 500K in CSL coverage and you accidently drive though the window of a business and damage that business, but no one was injured, you can use up to 500K to pay for the damages. If you had split limits, you would only be able to use the property damage coverage limit to pay for the property damage. I always recommend having CSL coverage.

Uninsured/Under-insured Motorist Coverage is something I always recommend to my clients. Sadly, there are many people on the road that do not follow the law and do not have auto insurance (or have the state minimums which can be shocking low – California has 15/30/5 limits which equates to 15K medical per person, 30K medical total for all people and 5K for property damage). If they were to hit you and cause bodily injury to you and property damage to your vehicle, and they do not have auto coverage (or have just the minimum limits), you could be out all the money for your medical payments and fixing or replacing your vehicle! I recommend having 500K in Uninsured Motorist coverage.

Hired/Non Owned Coverage – if you have employees that drive their own vehicles during the course of the business day (not to and from work) on an incidental basis – like picking up documents from a client or running an errand, you will want to have this coverage. This coverage acts as an extra layer of protection for your business. If your employee were to get into an accident during the course of a business duty, and they had low limits on their own personal policy, the company could be exposed to the excess liability that damage caused.

TIPS: (1) Always check your new employees MVR records (don’t just rely on their word) if they will be listed on your commercial policy as a driver. If they have DMV points against them, your premium will likely go up (and you may not want them driving anyway) (2) Talk with your Broker/Agent about your policy and make sure you understand your coverage, risks and exposures.

I hope you will find the information relevant and helpful, and I am always open to questions and welcome feedback.

For more information about me and my company, please visit www.hlinwood-insurance.com