CITIZENS INC
DEF 14A, 1997-04-16
LIFE INSURANCE
Previous: COMPUDYNE CORP, DEF 14A, 1997-04-16
Next: CONTINENTAL MATERIALS CORP, DEF 14A, 1997-04-16






























































                                 
                           UNITED STATES
                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                      WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                 
                     SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
    Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
                       Exchange Act of 1934
                        (Amendment No.    )
Filed by the Registrant [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [  ]
Check the appropriate box:
[   ]  Preliminary Proxy Statement
[   ]  Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted
by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)
[X]  Definitive Proxy Statement
[   ]  Definitive Additional Materials
[   ]  Soliciting Material Pursuant to 240.14a-11(c) or 240.14a-12
        

                            CITIZENS, INC.
            (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

                                 
        Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
                      [X]   No fee required.
  [   ]  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-
                         6(i)(1) and 0-11.
      1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction
                             applies:
                                 
      2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
                                 
      3) Per unit price or other underlying value or transaction
 computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount
 on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was
                           determined):
                                 
         4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
                                 
                          5) Total fee paid:
                                 
      [   ]  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
 [   ]  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by
Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the
 offsetting fee was paid previously.  Identify the previous filing
 by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the
                        date of its filing.
                                 
                     1)  Amount Previously Paid:
                        2)  Form, Schedule or
                        Registration Statement No.:
                          3)  Filing Party:
                           4)  Date Filed:
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
             NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                         OF CITIZENS, INC.
                      A COLORADO CORPORATION
                                 
  Executive Office:  400 East Anderson Lane, Austin, Texas 78752
                                 
                                 
To the Stockholders of Citizens, Inc.

Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders  of
Citizens, Inc. will be held Tuesday, June 3, 1997, at 10:00  a.m.,
local  time,  at  the Executive Office of the  Company,  400  East
Anderson Lane, Austin, Texas, for the following purposes:

  (1)To  elect  the  members  of the Board  of  Directors  of  the
     Company; and
  
  (2)To  transact such other business as may properly come  before
     the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

It is important, regardless of the number of shares you hold, that
your stock be represented at the Meeting by a signed proxy card or
personal attendance.

STOCKHOLDERS  ARE  CORDIALLY INVITED  TO  ATTEND  THE  MEETING  IN
PERSON.  PLEASE COMPLETE AND SIGN THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AND MAIL
IT  PROMPTLY  TO THE TRANSFER AGENT.  NO POSTAGE IS REQUIRED.   IF
YOU  ATTEND  THE  MEETING YOU MAY REVOKE YOUR PROXY  AND  VOTE  IN
PERSON.


                         By Order of the Board of Directors





April 25, 1997                  John K. Drisdale, Jr. ,
Secretary




                          CITIZENS, INC.
                      400 East Anderson Lane
                        Austin, Texas 78752
                          April 25, 1997
                                 
 PROXY STATEMENT FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON
                           JUNE 3, 1997
                                 
                      SOLICITATION OF PROXIES

This   proxy  statement  is  furnished  in  connection  with   the
solicitation of proxies by and on behalf of the Board of Directors
of  Citizens,  Inc., for use at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders
to  be held Tuesday, June 3, 1997, at 10:00 a.m., local time, (the
"Meeting")  at  the  Executive Office of  the  Company,  400  East
Anderson  Lane,  Austin, Texas.  This statement was  sent  to  the
stockholders of the Company on or about April 25, 1997.

You  are requested to complete the enclosed proxy card, sign where
indicated,  and  return it to the Transfer Agent in  the  envelope
provided,  which  requires no postage  if  mailed  in  the  United
States.   Solicitation  of proxies will be primarily  through  the
mail.   Proxies  may  also  be solicited  by  personal  interview,
telephone or telegram, by directors, officers and employees of the
Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries at no additional cost to
the  Company.   The Company may also request banking institutions,
brokerage firms, custodians, trustees, nominees and fiduciaries to
forward  soliciting  material  to the  beneficial  owners  of  the
Company's  common stock held of record by such persons, firms,  or
institutions,  and  the  Company  will  reimburse  the  forwarding
expense.   The  cost of this solicitation will  be  borne  by  the
Company.

                              PROXIES

The matters to be brought before the Meeting are: (i) the election
of  directors;  and  (ii) such other matters as  may  properly  be
brought  before  the  Meeting.   Shares  represented  by  properly
executed proxies received by the Company prior to the Meeting will
be voted as specified thereon.  If a proxy fails to specify how it
is to be voted on any proposal it will be voted FOR such proposal.
A  person giving a proxy shall have the power to revoke it at  any
time  before it is voted by notifying the Secretary of the Company
in writing or by personally withdrawing such proxy at the Meeting.
With  regard to election of directors, votes may be cast in  favor
or  withheld;  votes that are withheld will be  excluded  entirely
from  the  vote  and  will have no effect.  Under  American  Stock
Exchange  rules,  brokers who have not received instructions  from
their customers may vote in the election of directors shares  held
in street name.

                            RECORD DATE

Only  stockholders of record at the close of business on April  15,
1997  are entitled to vote at the Meeting.  As of the record  date,
the Company had outstanding and entitled to vote 19,892,159 Class A
shares of common stock and 621,049 Class B shares of common stock.
                                 
                              QUORUM

The  presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority
of  the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company entitled
to  vote at the Meeting is necessary to constitute a quorum at the
Meeting.   Abstentions  and  broker  non-votes  are  counted   for
purposes  of determining the presence or absence of a  quorum  for
the  transaction  of  business.  If a quorum  is  not  present  or
represented  at  the Meeting, the stockholders  entitled  to  vote
thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, have the power
to  adjourn  or  recess the Meeting from time to time  for  up  to
thirty  (30) days without notice, other than announcement  at  the
Meeting,  until  a  quorum  is present or  represented.   At  such
reconvened  Meeting at which a quorum is present  or  represented,
any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at
the Meeting as originally noticed.

Management knows of no matters to be submitted at the Meeting with
respect to which the stockholders are entitled to vote, other than
the  proposals listed below.  In the event other matters  properly
come  before the Meeting, the persons named in the proxy will vote
according to their best judgment.


                 STOCK AND PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS

Both  classes  of  common stock are equal in all respects,  except
that  (i)  Class  B common stock elects a simple majority  of  the
Board  of Directors of the Company and Class A common stock elects
the remaining directors; and (ii) Class A Stockholders receive, on
a  per-share  basis, twice the cash dividends paid on a  per-share
basis  to Class B Stockholders.  Each outstanding share of  common
stock has one vote in all matters to be considered at the Meeting.

The  following table shows the persons known to the Company to  be
the beneficial owners
of  more  than five percent of the Company's Class A and  Class  B
common stock at
April 15, 1997.

                            Shares Owned and        Percent
    Name and Address     Nature of Ownership        of Class
                                                  
    Harold E. Riley      5,399,687  Class A direct and   
    Post Office  Box                 indirect*         27.1% 
    149151              621,049     Class B indirect* 100.0%
    Austin, Texas                                     
    
    Marjorie D.         1,060,000    Class A direct**   
    Riley                                               5.3%
    30222 Briarcrest Drive
    Georgetown,Texas
  _____________
   * See footnote (1) in the table immediately below.
   ** In record name.

The   following  table  shows,  as  of  April  15,  1997,  certain
information  with  regard  to  the  beneficial  ownership  of  the
Company's  Common  Stock  by each director,  the  named  executive
officers and by the executive officers and directors as a group.

                            Shares Owned and              Percent
     Name                Nature of Ownership                of
                                                           Class
Harold E. Riley         5,399,687 Class A direct           27.1%
                                     and indirect (1)    
                          621,049 Class B indirect (1)    100.0%

Rick D. Riley             372,208 Class A direct     
                                     and indirect (2)       1.9%
                      
Randall H. Riley          123,260 Class A direct         
                                     and indirect (4)       (3)

Joe R. Reneau, M.D.        42,652 Class A direct            (3)
                                                         
Flay F. Baugh              34,459 Class A direct         
                                     and indirect (5)       (3)

Timothy T.                 40,800 Class A direct            (3)
Timmerman
                                                         
T. Roby Dollar             31,697 Class A direct         
                                     and indirect (6)       (3)
                          
Ralph M. Smith,            19,772 Class A direct         
Th.D.                                and indirect (7)       (3)
                                      

Steven F. Shelton           3,720 Class A direct            (3)

Clayton D. Dunham             308 Class A direct            (3)
                                                         
Mark A. Oliver                240 Class A direct            (3)
                       
All executive           6,068,841 Class A  direct         30.5%
officers and directors as            and indirect
 a group (eleven)         621,049 Class B indirect       100.0%
____________

(1) Owns  5,144,200  Class  A  shares directly  and  spouse  owns
   255,487 Class A shares.  The Harold E. Riley Trust, of  which
   Mr. Riley is the controlling Trustee, owns all of the 621,049
   issued and outstanding shares of Class B common stock.

(2) Son  of  Harold  E.  Riley.   Owns  264,044  Class  A  shares
   directly, 16,700 Class A shares as joint tenant with  spouse,
   and 89,040 and 2,424 Class A shares indirectly as trustee for
   minor children and spouse, respectively.

(3) Less than one percent (1%).

(4) Son of Harold E. Riley.  Resigned March 7, 1997. Owns 100,209
   Class A shares directly, 4,600 Class A shares as joint tenant
   with  spouse, and 14,706 and 2,424 Class A shares  indirectly
   as  trustee  for  minor  children and  spouse,  respectively;
   spouse owns 1,321 Class A shares.

(5) Owns 8,873 Class A shares directly and 25,586 Class A  shares
   as joint tenant with spouse.

(6) Owns  16,697 Class A shares directly and spouse  owns  15,000
   Class A shares.

(7) Owns  11,088  Class A shares directly and spouse  owns  8,684
   Class A shares.

The  Company is not aware of any arrangement, including any pledge
by any person of securities of the Company, the operation of which
may  at  a  subsequent date result in a change in control  of  the
Company.

                      CONTROL OF THE COMPANY

Harold  E. Riley is deemed to be the "controlling stockholder"  of
the  Company.  Mr. Riley owns, directly and indirectly,  5,399,687
shares (27.1%) of the outstanding Class A common stock and 621,049
shares  (100%) of the Class B common stock, which stock  elects  a
majority of the Company's Board of Directors.
                                 
                       ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Harold  E. Riley has advised the Company that he intends  to  vote
all of his Class A shares in favor of the Class A nominees and all
of  the Class B shares owned by the Harold E. Riley Trust in favor
of  the  Class B nominees.   The Class A nominees will be  elected
directors if the votes cast by the Class A Stockholders for  their
election exceed the votes cast against their election and a quorum
of  Class A Stockholders exists at the Meeting. Cumulative  voting
is  not permitted.  The Class B nominees will be elected directors
upon affirmative vote of the Class B shares by Mr. Harold E. Riley
as controlling trustee of the Harold E. Riley Trust.

If for any reason any nominee herein named is not a candidate when
the  election takes place (which is not expected), the proxy  will
be  voted  for  the  election  of  a  substitute  nominee  at  the
discretion of the persons named in the proxy.
                                 
Listed  below are the persons who have been nominated for election
as  directors of the Company to serve for one year until the  next
Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders proposed to be  held  the  first
Tuesday  of  June 1998, or until their respective  successors  are
duly elected and qualified.  Class A Stockholders will vote on the
nominees indicated below for election by Class A Stockholders, and
Class B Stockholders will vote on the Class B nominees.
                                 
Nominees For Election By Class A Stockholders

                                                          Common
                             Principal       Director     Stock
      Name            Age    Occupation        Since   Beneficially
                                                          Owned
                                                         4/15/97
                                                      
Flay F. Baugh         83   Investments         1989         34,459
                           Temple, Texas                    Class A
                                                            
Steven F. Shelton     41   Farmer/Rancher      1993          3,720
                           Lamar, Colorado                  Class A
                                                      
Ralph M. Smith,       66   Pastor Emeritus     1993         19,772
Th.D.                      Hyde Park Baptist                Class A
                           Church Austin, Texas

Timothy T.     36          President           1989         40,800
Timmerman                  Texas Cable                      Class A
                           Systems, Inc.              
                           TCSI-Huntsville
                           and Timmerman
                           Investments,
                           Inc., Round Rock,
                           Texas

Nominees For Election By Class B Stockholders

                                                      Common Stock
                          Principal        Director   Beneficially
      Name      Age       Occupation         Since       Owned
                                                         4/15/97

T. Roby Dollar  59   Vice Chairman, Chief   1993       31,697
                     Actuary of the Company            Class A
                     Austin, Texas

Mark A. Oliver  38   President of the                     240
                     Company                1997**     Class A
                     Austin, Texas
                                                           
Joe R. Reneau,  65   Physician, Medical     1989       42,652
M.D.                 Consultant                         Class A
                     Austin, Texas
                                                            
Harold E.       68   Chairman of the Board  1987    5,399,687
Riley                of the Company                     Class A
                     Austin, Texas                    621,049
                                                        Class B
                                               
Rick D. Riley   43   Executive Vice         1989      372,208
**                   President                          Class A
                     of the Company
                     Austin, Texas
  _________________
  * Elected March 1997 to fill vacancy on the Board of
     Directors.
  
  **Son of Harold E. Riley. There are no other family
     relationships between or among the nominees to the Board
     and the Executive Officers of the Company.

Information concerning the nominees is set forth below:

Flay  F.  Baugh,  Investments; President,  Baugh's  Inc.,  Temple,
Texas,  from  1954  to  present; Director  of  Citizens  Insurance
Company  of  America (Texas), former parent of the  Company,  from
1978 to 1988.  Director of the Company, from 1989 to present.

T. Roby Dollar, Vice Chairman, Chief Actuary of the Company and its
affiliates from 1994 to present;  President of the Company and  its
affiliates  from 1992 to 1994; Executive Vice President  and  Chief
Actuary of the Company and its affiliates from 1987-1992.

Mark  Oliver,  President of the Company and  its  affiliates  from
March  1997 to present; Executive Vice President, Chief  Financial
Officer, Secretary and Treasurer of the Company and its affiliates
from  1990-1997;  Treasurer and Chief  Financial  Officer  of  the
Company   and   its  affiliates  from  1988-1990;  Treasurer   and
Controller of the Company and its affiliates from 1984-1988.

Joe  R.  Reneau,  M.D.,  Physician -  Medical  Consultant,  Abbott
Laboratories, Austin, Texas, from 1987 to present and IBM, Austin,
Texas,  from 1992 to present; Medical Director of Company and  its
affiliates, from 1987 to present.

Harold E. Riley, controlling stockholder; Chairman of the Board of
the  Company and its affiliates from 1994 to present; Chairman  of
the  Board  and  Chief Executive Officer of the  Company  and  its
affiliates from 1992 to present; President of the Company and  its
affiliates  from  November 1996 to March  1997;  Chairman  of  the
Board,  Chief Executive Officer and President of the  Company  and
its  affiliates,  from  1987  to  1992;  Chairman  of  the  Board,
President and Chief Executive Officer, Continental Investors  Life
Insurance Company, from 1989 to 1992.

Rick  D.  Riley, Executive Vice President of the Company  and  its
affiliates from September 1995 to present; Chief Operating Officer
of  the  Company and its affiliates from September 1995  to  March
1997;  Chief  Administrative  Officer  of  the  Company  and   its
affiliates, from 1994 to June 1995, and President thereafter until
September  1995;  Executive  Vice President  and  Chief  Operating
Officer  of the Company and its affiliates, from 1990 to 1991  and
1992  to 1994; President, Computing Technology, Inc. from 1991  to
1992;  Executive Vice President, Data Processing, the Company  and
its  affiliates,  from  1987  to 1991; Executive  Vice  President,
Continental Investors Life Insurance Company from 1989 to 1992.

Steven  F. Shelton, Rancher/Farmer from 1974 to present; Director,
First  Centennial  Corporation, from January to October  1989  and
August  1990  to  1992.   Director of the  Company  from  1993  to
present.

Ralph  M. Smith, Th.D., Pastor Emeritus, Hyde Park Baptist Church,
Austin,  Texas, from 1960 to March 1996.  Director of the  Company
from  1989 to 1990 and 1993 to present; Advisory Director  of  the
Company from 1991 to 1993.

Timothy  T.  Timmerman,  President,  Texas  Cable  Systems,  Inc.;
President,   TCSI-Huntsville;  President,  Northeast  Cablevision,
Inc.;  President, Timmerman Investments Inc., Round  Rock,  Texas,
from  1984  to  present.  Director of the  Company  from  1989  to
present.

No director of the Company is a director of any other company with
a class of securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act
of  1934 or any investment company registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940.

         MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The  business  affairs  of  the Company are  conducted  under  the
direction of its Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors  held
four meetings during 1996, of which all directors participated  at
least  75%  except  for Flay Baugh, who was unable  to  attend  or
participate in two meetings due to illness. During 1996, the Board
of  Directors had three committees - the Executive Committee,  the
Compensation  Committee  and the Audit Committee.   The  Executive
Committee,  composed of Messrs. Harold E. Riley,  Joe  R.  Reneau,
M.D.  and  Timothy  Timmerman, met 17 times during  1996  and  has
exercised  and may exercise all of the authority of the  Board  of
Directors  in  the  management  of the  business  affairs  of  the
Company, except where action of a majority of all members  of  the
Board  of  Directors is required by statute or by the Articles  of
Incorporation or by the Bylaws of the Company.

The  Audit Committee, composed of Messrs. Joe R. Reneau, Ralph  M.
Smith  and  Timothy  T.  Timmerman,  met  once  during  1996.  The
functions of the Audit Committee include recommending to the Board
each  year the firm of independent auditors to be engaged  by  the
Company, reviewing the annual financial statements issued  by  the
Company  to  its  security  holders, reviewing  and  approving  in
advance  the  plan  and scope of the audit of the  Company  to  be
performed  for  the  following year by the  independent  auditors,
reviewing  with the principal independent auditors upon completion
of   their   audit,   their  findings  and  recommendations,   and
periodically reviewing with them the principal accounting policies
of the Company and other pertinent matters.

The  Compensation Committee, composed of Messrs.  Joe  R.  Reneau,
M.D.,  Timothy  T. Timmerman and Ralph M. Smith, met  once  during
1996.    The  functions  of  the  Compensation  Committee  include
establishing  compensation policies applicable  to  the  Company's
executive officers and making recommendations concerning executive
compensation to the Board of Directors.

                          CERTAIN REPORTS
      Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Section  16  of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934  requires  the
Company's directors, executive officers and persons who  own  more
than  ten  percent  of a registered class of the Company's  equity
securities  to file reports of ownership and changes in  ownership
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Based solely upon  a
review  of  such reports and amendments thereto furnished  to  the
Company,  the  Company believes that during 1996 all such  reports
were filed on a timely basis except that, due to an incapacitating
illness,  Dr.  Ralph  M. Smith filed on November  1996  five  late
reports  regarding two transactions in 1996, two  transactions  in
1995, and one transaction in 1994.


                        EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The  following table sets forth certain information concerning the
executive officers of the Company who are elected annually by  the
Board of Directors at the first meeting of the Board following the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company:


                                     Company Positions &
            Name           Age        Principal Occupation
        
      Harold E. Riley      68        Chairman of the Board
      (1)
                                     
      Mark A. Oliver       38        President
      (2)
                                     
      Clayton D.           53        Executive Vice
      Dunham (3)                     President and Chief
                                     Operating Officer
                                     
      T. Roby Dollar       58        Vice   Chairman,  Chief
      (1)                            Actuary
                                     and Assistant
                                     Treasurer
                                     
      Rick D. Riley        43        Executive Vice
      (4)                            President
                                     
      John K.              42        Vice President, Chief
      Drisdale,                      Counsel and Secretary
      Jr.(5)
                                     
      William P.           45        Vice President and
      Barnhill (6)                   Treasurer
                                 
   ___________

      (1) H. Riley and R. Dollar have served since 1987.  They hold
      similar positions in affiliated subsidiaries.
                                 
      (2) Mark  A.  Oliver has served since 1987 and holds  similar
      positions  in  affiliated subsidiaries.  Prior  to  becoming
      President in March 1997, Mr. Oliver served as Executive Vice
      President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary/Treasurer.
                                 
      (3) Clayton D. Dunham was named Executive Vice President  and
      Chief Operating Officer in March 1997.  Mr. Dunham served as
      Senior  Vice  President and Director  of  Marketing  of  the
      Company and its affiliates from November 1994 to March 1997.
      From   1990  to  1994,  he  served  as  President   of   DIA
      International.   From  1987 through  1990,  he  was  General
      Manager of Negocios Savoy, S.A.
                                 
      (4) Rick  D. Riley has served from 1987 to 1991 and  1992  to
      present   and   holds   similar  positions   in   affiliated
      subsidiaries.   From  1991  to 1992,  he  was  President  of
      Computing Technology, Inc.
                                 
      (5) John K. Drisdale, Jr. joined the Company in December  1995
      as  Vice  President  and Chief Counsel. In  March  1997,  Mr.
      Drisdale  became Secretary. From 1987 to 1992,  he  was  Vice
      President  and General Counsel of Exeter Holdings  Corp.,  an
      acquisition  and investments company.  In 1992, Mr.  Drisdale
      entered  private law practice as a partner in Forman,  Perry,
      Watkins  &  Krutz.   In  1993, he started  the  law  firm  of
      Drisdale & Lindstrom PLLC from which he joined Citizens.
                                 
      (6) William  P. Barnhill joined the Company in June  1996  as
      Vice  President and Controller.  In March 1997, Mr. Barnhill
      became  Treasurer.  From  1981 to June  1996,  Mr.  Barnhill
      worked for Western General Life Insurance Company in various
      capacities ultimately attaining to Senior Vice President and
      Treasurer in 1991, in which capacity he served until joining
      the Company.
                                 

                                 
            EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

The following table presents the aggregate compensation which was
earned by the Chairman  and the Chief Executive Officer for each
of the past three years, and for such other officers whose
aggregate compensation exceeded $100,000 in 1996.  There has been
no compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to any employee
required to be reported in any table or column in any fiscal year,
other than what is set forth in the table below.

                                 
                    SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

                                               Long Term Compensation
                     Annual Compensation           Awards     Payouts
   (a)       (b)   (c)       (d)      (e)      (f)       (g)    (h)      (i)
                                     Other
 Name and                           Annual  Restricted                All Other
 Principal                          Compen    Stock    Option   LTIP   Compen-  
 Position   Year  Salary    Bonus   sation   Award(s)   SARs   Payouts  sation

Harold E.
Riley, 
Chairman    1996 $325,000    N/A      N/A      N/A       N/A    N/A   12,268**  
            1995  312,700    N/A      N/A      N/A       N/A    N/A    3,761**
            1994  260,616    N/A      N/A      N/A       N/A    N/A    6,691**

Randall H.
Riley, *
Vice Chmn   1996 $160,200    N/A      N/A      N/A       N/A    N/A    4,514**
            1995  161,431    N/A      N/A      N/A       N/A    N/A    4,415**
            1994  160,200    N/A      N/A      N/A       N/A    N/A      N/A
Clayton
Dunham,
Chief
Operating
Officer     1996 $143,533    N/A      N/A      N/A        N/A   N/A    3,084**
            1995  120,200    N/A      N/A      N/A        N/A   N/A      0
                                          
Rick D.
Riley,
EVP         1996 $107,680    N/A      N/A      N/A        N/A   N/A    10,709**
            1995  100,200    N/A      N/A      N/A        N/A   N/A     1,903**

Mark A.
Oliver,
President   1996 $103,437    N/A      N/A      N/A        N/A   N/A     3,178**
     
       *     Randall H. Riley, formerly Vice Chairman, resigned
March 7, 1997.
       **   Profit-sharing plan allocation made in year indicated
for the preceding year.

All  employees of the Company are covered under a non-contributory
profit-sharing plan.  Under the terms of the Plan,  all  employees
who   have   completed  one  year  of  service  are  eligible   to
participate.  Vesting begins following completion  of  two  years'
service  and  employees  become fully vested  after  seven  years'
service. Company made $50,000 annual contributions to the Plan  in
1994  and 1995 and a $100,000 annual contribution in 1996. Messrs.
H.E. Riley, R.H. Riley, Dunham, R.D. Riley and Oliver had $68,099,
$1,785,  $0, $64,670, and $7,944, respectively, vested  under  the
Plan as of December 31, 1995, the last allocation date.

During  1996,  the  members  of Board of  Directors  who  are  not
officers  of  the  Company  were  paid  $300  per  meeting,  while
Committee  members  who are not officers were  paid  $150.   Total
directors' fees paid during 1996 were $6,000.  Messrs. Reneau  and
Smith  were  paid  $15,000 and $1,800, respectively  in  1996  for
services performed as consultants to the Company.

                          OTHER BUSINESS
                                 
Should  any other business come before the Meeting, and management
is  not  aware  of any at this time and does not expect  any,  the
persons  named  in the proxy will vote on such business  as  their
best judgment and discretion indicates.

                        PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
                                 
KPMG  Peat  Marwick, 200 Crescent Court, Suite 300, Dallas,  Texas
75201,   is  the  Company's  principal  independent  auditor.    A
representative of KPMG Peat Marwick will be present at the  Annual
Meeting  of Stockholders to answer questions and make any  desired
statement.

                 ANNUAL REPORT AND OTHER MATERIAL
                                 
A  copy  of the Company's Annual Report to Stockholders  has  been
mailed  under  separate  cover.  A  copy  of  the  report  of  the
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors and a Performance
Graph regarding stockholder return accompany this Proxy Statement.
No  part  of  such  material is incorporated herein  and  no  part
thereof is to be considered proxy soliciting material.

                       STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL
                 DEADLINE FOR 1998 ANNUAL MEETING

Any  proposal  by a stockholder to be presented at  the  Company's
next  annual meeting currently scheduled to be held on  the  first
Tuesday  in  June  1998, must be received at the  offices  of  the
Company,  400  East Anderson Lane, Austin, Texas 78752,  no  later
than December 26, 1997.


                       BY THE ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS



Austin, Texas                  John K. Drisdale, Jr.
April 25, 1997                       Secretary
                                 
                                 
                                 
                                 
                        BOARD OF DIRECTORS
                      COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
                                 
                 REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
     
     
     The   compensation  level  of  Citizens'  executives   is
     circumscribed by the present and envisioned growth  plans
     of  the  Company.  The present policy is  a  conservative
     compensation   plan  designed  to  attract   and   retain
     competent  executives who share the Chairman's enthusiasm
     for  continued growth through hard work, dedication,  and
     sound  decision making.  Consideration is also  given  to
     the  compensation levels of comparable positions  in  the
     local and national markets.
     
     Over  the  past  ten years, the Company  has  experienced
     significant  growth.  This history, along with  the  fact
     that such growth has been achieved without the incurrence
     of  significant  debt, is the primary factor  upon  which
     Chairman   Harold  E.  Riley's  compensation   has   been
     determined.   His  personal  contribution  to  the  sound
     management  and  solid growth of the  Company  cannot  be
     measured.    His   creation  of  the  "Ultra   Expansion"
     insurance  products in 1987 has been the  most  important
     factor   contributing  to  the  Company's  growth.    The
     acquisitions that have been made during his  tenure  have
     served  to  provide additional sources of  capitalization
     without  a dilution in stockholder equity.  Additionally,
     his  guidance  and actions have resulted  in  significant
     growth in shareholder value in the marketplace.  In 1987,
     the Company's market value per share times the number  of
     shares  outstanding  was  under $2,000,000,  compared  to
     today's value of over $180,000,000.
     
     When  evaluating  his  overall  contribution  toward  the
     dynamic   growth  of  the  company  and  the   level   of
     compensation  received  by other individuals  in  similar
     positions of responsibility in the insurance industry, we
     recommend  an increase in Mr. Riley's salary to  $360,000
     for 1997 from the present $325,000.
     
     
     November 13, 1996         COMPENSATION COMMITTEE:
     
                             Joe R. Reneau, M.D.
     
                             Timothy T. Timmerman
     


            COMPARATIVE 5-YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN
                       AMONG CITIZENS, INC.,
              AMEX MARKET INDEX AND PEER GROUP INDEX

The  following graph represents a comparison of the preceding  five
year  cumulative total return of the Company, a peer  group  and  a
broad  market  index.  The broad market index chosen was  the  AMEX
Market  Index.  The peer group, which includes life,  accident  and
health companies, was compiled by Media General Financial Services.

                      
                                 
               ASSUMES $100 INVESTED ON JAN. 1, 1992
                    ASSUMES DIVIDEND REINVESTED
                 FISCAL YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1996


COMPANY           1991   1992    1993   1994   1995    1996
CITIZENS, INC.    100    90.91  154.55 150.00  167.05  154.55
PEER GROUP        100   128.03  147.18 135.02  193.10  247.49
BROAD MARKET      100   101.37  120.44 106.39  137.13  144.70
                                      
Source:  Media General Financial Services
         P.O. Box 85333
         Richmond, Virginia 23293





© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission