Long Term Care and Disability Insurance

Providing LTC Coverage for an Uninsurable Spouse

Presented by Tim Dreher Long Term Care awareness month is November and I wanted to expand on my last blog where I wrote about adding an insurable spouse/partner to take advantage of the substantial discounts that the carriers provide. In most cases the combined premium when adding the spouse/partner at minimum benefits, is less than if the one applied for coverage by themselves. So what can be done in a situation where a spouse/partner is uninsurable? This can be a challenge to even the most seasoned producer. Many times the prospect will abruptly end the conversation when it is determined that there is an uninsurable spouse/partner.

It is important to point out to the prospect that what we see frequently happen, is the healthy spouse/partner becomes the care giver for that uninsurable spouse/partner. Many times that can happen much sooner than what anyone anticipated. As a result of being that caregiver, the health of the insurable spouse/partner declines rapidly due to the stresses of being that caregiver. It has been reported that up to 60% of caregivers were unprepared for the physical demands of being that caregiver.1 There is probably not a better argument for the healthy spouse/partner to consider and purchase LTCi.

Mutual of Omaha’s MutualCare LTCi policy has a very unique rider, called the Security Benefit Rider that can be added to an LTC policy to provide a solution for just such a situation. If the insured spouse/partner requires long term care services after the policy is in effect, the Rider can be activated to provide additional funds to help pay for the cost of providing care for the uninsurable spouse/partner. Up to 60% of the insured’s monthly reimbursement benefit is made available to help pay for approved care for the uninsured spouse/partner. There is no medical underwriting required for this Rider, and the additional benefits paid out for the approved care do not reduce the insured’s policy limits. It is a separate benefit for an uninsurable spouse. Unfortunately, there will be times when a producer will find themselves in a situation where couples/partners apply for coverage and one is declined. When this happens, we often will hear “If we both can’t get it, than we don’t want it”. You might want to consider this rider, as it might just be the answer to saving the sale. This unique feature when understood, can be a great relief for uninsurable spouses/partners. Talk with one of the LTCi marketing specialists at Financial Brokerage about more details on how this rider works.
  1. Transamerica LTC study 2015
Annuities

Real Benefits of an Index Annuity

Presented by Deb Strong Please look at the attached charts. If you have retirement funds invested in equities, remember how you felt in 2007-2009? Were you nervous? While you may understand that selling during market downturns goes against conventional wisdom, were you concerned about your future retirement security? Did you lose any sleep? I did! If you have clients within 5-10 years of retirement, how did they feel at that time? Did any sell during this time period? If so, they may have lost out on the market recovery that was to follow. How do you think the Index Annuity Owner felt in 2007-2009. While the market was plunging, their return was 0.00%. Did they feel the same anxiety? If you have clients nearing retirement and have 401k and/or IRA funds, they may feel more secure with part of their assets in an Index Annuity where “zero is their hero”! In years where the return is 0.00%, clients can still enjoy an increase in potential income if they have chosen a Lifetime Income Benefit Rider on their contract. If you or your clients can benefit from the security offered by an Index Annuity, please contact Financial Brokerage for more information. Click here for charts.
Long Term Care and Disability Insurance

What has 80 years of Social Security taught us?

Presented by Leonard Berthelsen Looking back on the eighty years since the creation of Social Security, the idea of retirement has changed for many of us, and in some respects, not changed anything at all for others. Understanding that in 1935 when Social Security was established, there weren’t many opportunities for workers to save for the future. Our nation was coming off the worst financial disaster in history just six years earlier and was still struggling to get people back to work and recreate faith and trust in the financial markets and the government. Now here is a president who wants people to save for the future (retirement) when folks were still struggling to put food on the table and pay for basic necessities, a bold move for any elected official. It may have been prudent back then to hold the position of waiting for the economy to improve and more folks were working. However, President Franklin D. Roosevelt saw this as an opportunity to provide some minimum protection and savings for the average American worker when they did want to retire because he knew America was on the verge of enormous growth and prosperity. The average American worker lived to be about 65 in 1935, so when you look at how the program was built it seemed to make actuarial sense. Now we see the average individual living well into their 70’s, 80’s and beyond. It’s no wonder there’s endless pressure on the system. In addition, baby boomers are retiring en masse. We have a system that hasn’t kept pace with the realities of economic changes. And we have a political environment that for over 50 years hasn’t wanted to address the real need for change to the formula or make the tough decision to increase taxes. Seems to be really negative, right? Not so fast. As I watched my grandparents retire and rely on Social Security as their full source of retirement income and then my parents, it became clear early on that it did make a difference for them and it made their quality of life better. It was a simpler time back then. They stayed in the home they bought early in their marriage through those retirement years. No mortgage payments after retirement. They did not live beyond their means and watched their expenses. They were able to take annual vacations and “splurge” every now and then on something special. As pensions became popular with many companies in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s as a way of recruiting good, hard working loyal employees, Social Security quickly became viewed as a secondary source of income for these pensioners when they retired. This was a real game changer in the eyes of many Americans. For those who weren’t lucky enough to have a pension where they worked, they were left to fend for themselves and save for retirement. For the ones who didn’t save, at least Social Security was there. We entered the era of pension elimination in many companies beginning in the 1970’s as a means of scaling back expenses for companies and eliminating the huge liability that kept many companies from expanding and growing due to their obligation on these pension plans. As the pensions slowly faded away, we were introduced to savings via the employer, with both the employer and employee contributing but the employee owning the savings plan, the 401(k) was born. The one thing through all of these changes that remained a staple was Social Security. It’s been there since 1935 providing retirement benefits to millions of American workers. For some it is their only means of financial independence; for others it simply supplements their income during retirement. Whatever group you fall into, Social Security does make a difference. This is a program that, 80 years later, is still delivering on its promises. I want to look at Social Security from the glass half-full perspective, because it is doing what it was designed to do. As we age into the next two decades, certainly some things will need to change. It is being projected that in ten years from now, there will be only three to four workers supporting every one retiree. Technology replaces workers as it has done for decades. We have to be smart and sharp with our attitudes and our actions. I believe Social Security will be there for every working American that contributed the minimum requirement, and will continue to do it through their retirement years. Will the system change, probably? Will we agree or like all the changes, maybe, maybe not? I think the one constant will always be there and that constant is Social Security. President Roosevelt saw a future where American workers could live in retirement with dignity, without worry of where their next meal was coming from, but also recognizing that each individual needed to take personal ownership in how that retirement was going to be financed. Social Security can only do so much. We need to do the rest.
Life Insurance

What Social Security Seminars can do for YOU –…

Presented by Brian Leising Let’s put our two problems (you need more clients, pre-retirees need professional help) together and come up with a plan to help both parties. How many of your clients nearing retirement know their optimal social security filing option? What if you could help them make sense of governmental red tape and demonstrate potential consequences? What if you could sell a lot more permanent life insurance and annuities by doing so? Your clients know they can file for social security when they get older but most people have no idea when it’s best to file, that different filing options exist, or realize the financial consequences of those options. Producers all across the country are experiencing PHENOMENAL SUCCESS implementing Social Security Maximization Seminars. By hosting “no food” seminars at local libraries and community colleges, they are filling rooms with more prospects and at less cost than old-fashioned dinner seminars. The numbers back this up. I interviewed several producers in the past year. Here’s the feedback. A seminar will put you in front of 60-80 people per week on average. One third will say thank you and you will never see them again. One third will request a free social security analysis and may give you another appointment down the road. One third will be interested in a full retirement planning analysis – from YOU! This opens up new multiple annuity, life insurance and long term care sales. How do you get started? Familiarize yourself with the concept first. Financial Brokerage can provide materials to help you learn at your own pace, including written material, training videos, software and actual consumer workbooks. Armed with that knowledge, put it to the test. Call your clients that are approaching retirement but have not yet filed for social security. Target ages 55-62. Walk them through the process. Now you know more than 99% of the country. Pick a date and we’ll discuss how we can help you host your first Social Security Maximization Seminar.
Annuities

What Social Security Seminars can do for YOU –…

Presented by Brian Leising Some things are better together, like peanut butter and jelly, nuts and bolts, I’m sure you’ve seen the commercials. I want to talk about two types of people that go better together: baby boomers nearing retirement age and insurance producers looking for new clients. Do any of these problems apply to you? You have trouble seeing enough new people every year. You are tired of cold calling and the low response rate on your direct mail pieces. You are not internet-savvy enough to prospect via social media. You are not getting enough referrals. You are looking for new ways to get in front of qualified prospects to sell annuities, life insurance and long term care. While there is no magic bullet to get in front of more people, this system may be close. Social Security seminars are driving new prospects in the door and here’s why: Every day 10,000 people turn 65 in the United States. Imagine the number of people closing in on that age, staring retirement in the face. There is a huge demand for knowledge regarding retirement income planning. People are wondering “how long will my money last?” Not all are getting the help they need. Big money managers don’t want to take the time to help the average Joe. The trouble is, America is mostly made up of average Joes. Average Joe also has a deadline. He knows he has to make a decision on Social Security. Whether it’s the Federal government’s age-based deadline or his own desire to retire by a certain age, he has a deadline. People act when they have a deadline. Who’s going to help them? You are. Check back next week to learn how.