SECURE ACT 2.0 – 4 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW

In December 2019, the original SECURE Act was passed, bringing significant changes to the post-death tax treatment of qualified retirement accounts. Now, in its new Final Regulations of the SECURE Act 2.0 issued on July 18, 2024, there are more than 90 provisions that cover all types of retirement savings plans. Some requirements are in […]

A Solution for Stability

As we wrap up 2024, it’s clear the Indexed Universal Life (IUL) market continues to gain serious traction. LIMRA recently reported that the IUL market saw $3.7 billion in new premium in 2024 alone, with a significant portion directed toward protection-focused IULs. This trend is driven by a rising client demand for products that deliver […]

Tap into a Market of Millions: Unlocking the Potential of Federal Employee Benefits for Advisors

KEY POINTS Massive Untapped Market: Federal employees, nearly 3 million in number, represent a largely underserved audience in financial and retirement planning, presenting a unique opportunity for advisors.  Unique Financial Challenges: Many federal employees mistakenly believe their retirement is fully handled, but without proper guidance, they can miss key benefits or make costly errors. Their […]

‘Tis the Season to Talk Life Insurance and Long-Term Care

Autumn ushers in the holiday season — a perfect opportunity to revisit important conversations about insurance reviews and long-term care (LTC). Regular policy reviews ensure that your clients’ financial strategies evolve alongside their lives. Reviews before the holidays give your clients time for more perspective. Either way, ensuring your clients are well-protected and on track […]

THE PERFECT STORM: Why Now’s the Ideal Time for Annuity Refinancing

As a financial advisor, you’re no stranger to the changing tides of the market, and right now we’re in what many are calling a “perfect storm” for annuity refinancing. With interest rates much higher than just a few years ago, surging market values, and evolving product features, there has never been a better time to […]

FROM INTEREST TO ACTION: Unlocking Client Motivation

As a financial professional, answering this question is critical to your success, maintaining a strong mindset, and protecting your most valuable asset, your time: “Interested or Motivated?”.   Interest drives a lot of deal activity. But by itself, it never drives closure unless it’s a “closed lost.” Interest is a state of wanting to know about someone […]

COUNTDOWN TO SUNSET: ‘A Crawl-In’ Estate Planning Strategy

Most discussions surrounding the sunset of the TCJA have focused on ultra-wealthy clients who have long been aware of their potential estate tax obligations. However, another group—those approaching the $20 million mark—will soon face this issue head-on for the first time come January 2026. For example, clients presently valued at $20 million could see their […]

Rescuing a Bank Loan from Rising Interest Rates

IUL AS A REFINANCING TOOL IN A RISING RATE ENVIRONMENT  With the cost of capital increasing dramatically as interest rates have risen, many commercial loans now have terms that are far less favorable, if not punitive. Fortunately, clients with life insurance assets have access to a “refinancing” strategy that can provide relief from higher rates […]

NEW DOL FIDUCIARY RULE HIGHLIGHTS

On April 23, 2024, The U.S. Department of Labor (“the DOL”) issued their latest changes to the definition of an ERISA Investment Advice Fiduciary (“Fiduciary”), and updated several Prohibited Transaction Exemptions (“PTEs”) including PTE 2020-02 and PTE 84-24. The insurance, broker-dealer, and investment adviser worlds often refer to these changes collectively as the “Fiduciary Rule” […]

ASSET ALLOCATION STRATEGY’S MISSING PIECE: ASSET LOCATION

Asset Allocation has been part of the investment professional’s asset management strategy for decades. More recently, a considerable amount of attention has been focused on a natural extension of that approach: Asset Location. KEY TAKEAWAYS Asset location is an investing strategy that has potential to lower your clients’ overall tax bill. There are taxable, tax-deferred, […]