CITIZENS INC
DEF 14A, 1999-04-20
LIFE INSURANCE
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                           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
                                 
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.

                     (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 1, 1999, 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 16, 1999                  Jeffrey J. Wood, Secretary

                          CITIZENS, INC.
                      400 East Anderson Lane
                        Austin, Texas 78752
                          April 16, 1999
                                 
 PROXY STATEMENT FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON
                           JUNE 1, 1999
                                 
                      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 1, 1999, 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 16, 1999.

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  16,
1999  are entitled to vote at the Meeting.  As of the record  date,
the Company had outstanding and entitled to vote 21,374,357 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 16, 1999.

                            Shares Owned and        Percent
    Name and Address     Nature of Ownership         of
                                                   Class
    Harold E. Riley      4,579,960Class A direct and    indirect*   
    Post Office  Box    621,049Class B indirect*  21.4%
    149151                                        100.0%
    Austin, Texas
    
  _____________
   * See footnote (1) in the table immediately below.

The   following  table  shows,  as  of  April  16,  1999,  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         4,579,960Class A  direct     
                       and indirect       (1)       21.4%
                       621,049Class B  indirect     100.0%
                       (1)
Rick D. Riley           410,326Class  A   direct     
                       and indirect       (2)        1.9%
Joe R. Reneau, M.D.      42,652 Class A direct         (3)
T. Roby Dollar            31,800Class  A  direct         
                       and indirect       (4)         (3)
Timothy          T.      10,800 Class A direct         (3)
Timmerman                                               
Ralph   M.   Smith,       10,348Class  A  direct         
Th.D.                  and indirect       (5)         (3)
James C. Mott               8,132 Class A direct       (3)
                                                        
Steven F. Shelton         3,720 Class A direct         (3)

Mark A. Oliver              964 Class A direct         (3)
                       
Clayton D. Dunham           480 Class A direct         (3)
Jeffrey J. Wood                        0 Class A       (3)
                       direct
All       executive     5,099,182Class A  direct     
officers        and    and indirect                 23.9%
directors   as    a    621,049Class B indirect      100.0%
group       (eleven
persons)
____________

(1)Owns  4,324,473  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  266,263  Class  A  shares
   directly, 15,370 Class A shares as joint tenant with  spouse,
   and  119,313 and 9,380 Class A shares indirectly  as  trustee
   for minor children and spouse, respectively.
(3)Less than one percent (1%).
(4)Owns  16,800 Class A shares directly and spouse owns 15,  000
   Class A shares.
(5)Owns  5,748  Class A shares directly and  spouse  owns  4,600
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,  4,579,960
shares (21.4%) 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 2000, 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        Directo    Stock
      Name            Age    Occupation         r     Beneficiall
                                              Since        y
                                                         Owned
                                                        4/16/99
                                                      
James C. Mott         70   Consultant          1998   8,132  Class
                           Austin, Texas              A
                                                      
Steven F. Shelton     42   Farmer/Rancher      1993   3,720  Class
                           Lamar, Colorado            A
                                                      
Ralph M. Smith,       67   Pastor Emeritus     1993   10,348
Th.D.                      Hyde Park Baptist          Class A
                           Church
                           Austin, Texas
                           
Timothy        T.     37   President           1989   10,800
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          Directo Beneficially
      Name      Ag       Occupation            r    Owned 4/16/99
                e                            Since
                                                                   
T. Roby Dollar  60   Vice Chairman, Chief    1993   31,800 Class
                     Actuary of Citizens            A
                     Insurance Co. of
                     America
                     Austin, Texas
                                                                     
Mark A. Oliver  40   President of the        1997*    964 Class
                     Company                        A
                     Austin, Texas
                                                                 
Joe R. Reneau,  66   Physician, Medical      1989   42,652 Class
M.D.                 Consultant                     A
                     Austin, Texas
                                                             
Harold E.       70   Chairman of the Board   1987  4,579,960 Cl
Riley                of the Company                 ass A
                     Austin, Texas                  621,049 Class
                                                    B
                                                                       
Rick D. Riley   45   Chairman of the Board,  1989  410,326 Class
**                   CEO and President of           A
                     Citizens Insurance Co.
                     of America
                     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:

James C. Mott, Consultant to the Company from December 31, 1997 to
present; Senior Vice President from 1996 until December 31,  1997;
Supervisor  of  the  Policyowner Service  Department  of  Citizens
Insurance   Company  of  America  from  1992  until  his   partial
retirement  in  1995; Coordinator in the Marketing  Department  of
Citizens Insurance Company of America from 1991 to 1992.

T.  Roby  Dollar, Vice Chairman, Chief Actuary, Assistant Secretary
of  Citizens  Insurance Company of America and  affiliates  of  the
Company  1999  to  present; Vice Chairman,  Chief  Actuary  of  the
Company  and  its affiliates from 1994 to 1999;  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 A. Oliver, President of the Company February 1999 to present;
President  of  the Company and its affiliates from March  1997  to
February  1999; 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 1999 to present; Chairman of the Board of the Company
and  its  affiliates from 1994 to 1999; 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, Chairman of the Board of Directors, President  and
CEO of Citizens Insurance Company of America and its affiliates, a
subsidiary  of  the Company, from February 1999 to present;  Chief
Administrative Officer and Secretary of the Company  from  October
1998 to February 1999; Executive Vice President of the Company and
its  affiliates  from  September 1995  to  1998;  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 (4) meetings during 1998, of which all directors participated
at  least  75%.   During 1998, 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 twenty-six (26) times during 1998 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  1998.  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
1998.    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 1998 all such  reports
were filed on a timely basis.


                        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           Ag        Principal Occupation
                            e
                                     
      Harold E. Riley      70        Chairman of the Board
      (1)                            and CEO
                                     
      Mark A. Oliver       40        President
      (2)
      Jeffrey J. Wood      45        Executive Vice
      (3)                            President, CFO,
                                     Secretary and
                                     Treasurer
                                 
   ___________

      (1)Mr. Riley has served since 1987.
                                 
      (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)Jeffrey  J. Wood joined the Company in February,  1999  as
      Executive  Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary
      and  Treasurer.   From July 1987 to February 1999,  Mr.  Wood
      worked at Principal Financial Group as Associate Controller.
                                 

                                 
            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 or employees
whose aggregate compensation exceeded $100,000 in 1998.  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    Payou
                                                     ts
      (a)   (b)     (c)     (d   (e)    (f)    (g    (h)   (i)
                            )    Othe          )             
      Nam                         r     Rest                All
       e                         Annu   rict         LTI   Other
      and   Yea   Salary          al     ed    Op     P   Compen-
      Pri    r              Bo   Comp   Stoc   ti    Pay  sation
      nci                   nu   en-     k     on    out
      pal                   s    sati   Awar   s      s
      Pos                         on    d(s)   SA
      iti                                      Rs
       on
                                                                       
            199   $468,95   N/   N/A    N/A    N/    N/A    $
      Har    8    0         A    N/A    N/A    A     N/A  9,557*
      old   199   $360,00   N/   N/A    N/A    N/    N/A  *
      E.     7    0         A                  A          
      Ril   199   $325,00   N/                 N/         $14,08
      ey,    6    0         A                  A          1**
                                                            $
      Cha                                                 3,847*
      irm                                                 *
      an                                                  
      *Cl   199   $189,20   N/   N/A    N/A    N/    N/A      
        ayt    8    0         A    N/A    N/A    A     N/A  341**
      on    199   $174,20   N/   N/A    N/A    N/    N/A    $
      Dun    7    0         A                  A          352**
      ham   199   $143,53   N/                 N/           $
      ,      6    3         A                  A          3,084*
                                                          *
      E.V                                                 
      .P.                                                 
      /C.
      M.O
      .
      
      Mar   199   $149,38   N/   N/A    N/A    N/    N/A $
      k      8    2         A    N/A    N/A    A     N/A  4,437*
      A.    199   $129,72   N/   N/A    N/A    N/    N/A  *
      Oli    7    7         A                  A            $
      ver   199   $103,43   N/                 N/         6,337*
      ,      6    7         A                  A          *
      Pre                                                   $
      sid                                                 2,458*
      ent                                                 *
                                                          
                                                          
      *Ri   199   $133,53   N/   N/A    N/A    N/    N/A   $
      ck     8    3         A    N/A    N/A    A     N/A  9,557*
      D.    199   $117,28   N/   N/A    N/A    N/    N/A  *
      Ril    7    3         A                  A            $
      ey,   199   $107,68   N/                 N/         14,081
             6    0         A                  A          **
      C.A                                                   $
      .O.                                                 2,567*
                                                          *
                                                          
      *Tho  199   $119,99   N/   N/A    N/A    N/    N/A  $9,55
      mas    8    1         A    N/A    N/A    A     N/A  7**
      Rob   199   $109,47   N/   N/A    N/A    N/    N/A  $14,08
      y      7    0         A                  A          1**
      Dol   199   $         N/                 N/           $
      lar    6    99,618    A                  A          2,477*
      ,                                                   *
      Vic                                                 
      e
      Cha
      irm
      an,
      Chi
      ef
      Act
      uar
      y
      and
      Ass
      ist
      ant
      Sec
      ret
      ary
      

       *     Mssrs. Dunham, R. Riley and Dollar served as officers
of the Company until February, 1999.
      ** 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 a $100,000 annual contribution in 1996,  and
a $200,000 annual contribution in 1997 and 1998. Messrs. HE Riley,
RD  Riley,  and  MA  Oliver  had  $99,463,  $95,692  and  $19,933,
respectively, vested under the Plan as of December 31,  1997,  the
last allocation date.  Mr. Dollar had $95,855.

During  1998,  the  members  of Board of  Directors  who  are  not
officers  of  the  Company  were paid $1,000  per  meeting,  while
Committee  members  who are not officers were  paid  $300.   Total
directors' fees paid during 1998 were $19,950.  Messrs. Reneau and
Smith  were  paid  $15,000 and $1,800, respectively  in  1998  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 2000 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  2000, must be received at the  offices  of  the
Company,  400  East Anderson Lane, Austin, Texas 78752,  no  later
than December 28, 1999.


                       BY THE ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS



Austin, Texas                     Jeffrey J. Wood
April                           16,                           1999
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; however, because of inequities  in  compensation
between  large  and  small to medium sized life insurers,  care  is
taken to insure that Citizens' executive officers are paid salaries
commensurate  with  their respective positions and  experience  and
also  weighed  against  companies  of  similar  size  and  make-up.
Additional  consideration is given to the overall  performance  and
profitability of the Company.  The focus of management should be on
building  the  Company into an entity that affords  value  for  its
shareholders in the marketplace as well as establishing  consistent
profitability.


     
November 19, 1998                     COMPENSATION COMMITTEE:
     
     
     
                                   Joe R. Reneau, M.D.
     
                                   Ralph M. Smith, Th.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. O1, 1994
                    ASSUMES DIVIDEND REINVESTED
                 FISCAL YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 1998

                                 
                                 
  COMPARISON OF CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN OF ONE OR MORE COMPANIES,
        PEER GROUPS, INDUSTRY INDEXES AND/OR BROAD MARKETS


COMPANY      12/31/  12/31/  12/31/1  12/31/  12/31/  12/31/
              1993    1994     995     1996    1997    1998
CITIZENS,    100.00   97.06  108.09   100.00   76.47  66.18
INC.
PEER GROUP   100.00   94.62  139.45   177.83  261.93  388.49
BROAD        100.00  88.33   113.86   120.15  144.57  142.61
MARKET


Source:  Media General Financial Services
      P.O. Box 85333
      Richmond, Virginia 23293





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