HOUSTON, TX -- (Marketwire) -- 09/06/12 -- Military families make countless sacrifices for the greater good of the United States. In many cases, the hardships that military families must go through are underreported, and little known among the rest of the population. For example, a recent study, conducted by First Command, finds that military life places a great deal of stress on many of these families, and that this stress can be greatly compounded by the presence of financial woes or monetary uncertainties. As such, financial planners can play an important role in helping military families combat undue stress -- a finding that has won the attention of NEXT Financial Group, an independent broker-dealer with financial Representatives based all over the country.

The new First Command data suggests that the majority of middle-class military officers say that someone in their family has experienced a mental or physical health problem in the last year, directly linked to economic uncertainty. The same study finds that military officers who work with financial planners have much lower odds of developing these mental or physical problems.

For example, the study finds that an officer who does not use a financial planning service has a 28 percent risk of developing problems falling asleep at night; among those who do use financial planners, the risk is only 18 percent. Similarly, those who do not use financial planners have twice the risk of developing muscle tension. The study reports similar findings for multiple symptoms.

These findings speak volumes about the level of stress that can come from financial worry -- and also to the level of security that comes from working with a financial planner. NEXT Financial Group has issued a press statement in response to the study, noting its own commitment to helping clients ease their financial burdens.

"One of our Representatives' main goals when serving members in their community is to create peace of mind and a heightened sense of security when it comes to their financial situations," says Barry Knight, president of NEXT Financial Group. "By offering sound financial guidance and superior customer service, our Representatives are prepared to alleviate the burden of their customers in any way they can." Knight says that while NEXT's representatives focus largely on business owners, they are also enthusiastic about offering services to members of the military community.

NEXT Financial Group is a broker-dealer with its corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas. Its independent advisors have offices across the country, and are keen to deliver sound financial guidance to a variety of clients.

ABOUT:

NEXT Financial Group Inc. Member FINRA/ SPIC is a broker-dealer based in Houston, Texas, serving the needs of financial services representatives throughout the country. The company prides itself in helping business owners enjoy success and financial independence. The company was founded in 1999, and is currently led by President Barry Knight. More information about the company can be found online at www.nextfinancial.com. NEXT Financial Group Inc. is located at 2500 Wilcrest Drive, Houston, TX 77042. For more information, call 888-876-6398.