Financial

As the budget debate rages on in Washington, it’s becoming clear that Medicaid will be coming under the knife. During the National Governor’s Association (NGA) annual meeting last July, governors of both parties said they are “most worried that both President Obama and Congressional Republicans wanted to cut Medicaid payments to the states by $100 billion over the next decade.” …

The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article entitled “Retirement Income? Annuities Come Up Short.” (April 30th, 2011). The article, written by Brett Arends, makes the case against lifetime income annuities.

If you played baseball as a kid, you’ve heard the term “hurry up and wait” a hundred times. The phrase refers to the wisdom of running as fast as you can to where the ball is going – and being prepared to make the catch when it gets there. Lazy ballplayers will try to time their run to get there …

With unemployment hovering around 9 percent, and underemployment well over 20 percent, millions of Americans have been forced into hunting for new sources of income. The recession is particularly difficult for older workers, who find it more difficult to find work where employers favor younger hires with the potential of longer tenures with the company.   The result: The emergence …

As companies race hybrid LTC or “linked-benefit” plans to market, many are left scratching their heads wondering which products are best for themselves or their clients.  If a warning light is going off in your mind, heed the warning. There are five main traps to avoid while searching for the best hybrid-long term care solutions, though more will likely follow.  …

With millions of baby boomers approaching retirement, it is imperative for us to help this segment understand the potential financial impact of skyrocketing extended healthcare costs.  The coverage this sector receives from Medicare is limited at best. Even if a qualifying event meets Medicare’s stringent guidelines, with both state and federal entitlement programs stretched to their breaking point, many retirees …

Simply put, the service culture is oriented to giving people what they want and the Accountability Culture™ is about holding people accountable to do what needs to be done so they achieve their goals for the reasons that are important to them, especially when they don’t feel like it. Nordstrom is a service culture. If you owned a department store …

The headline reads: “Wall Street wins big as Dodd drops fiduciary provision.” And the first line of that article is “Chalk it up as a win for the securities and insurance industries.” How do the securities and insurance industries win when the client loses? It’s a fascinating way to view the world, but not surprising. Here’s my translation, “the lower …

The insurance industry provides the opportunity for insurance agents to offer an endless variety of products and services to many different client groups.  There is often a temptation for agents to try to do everything for everyone.  It is simply impossible to develop the expertise to professionally service clients if an attempt is made to work on too broad a …

Senior clients often assume they no longer have a need for life insurance. Before they ditch that life insurance plan, it’s important to advise them about the countless benefits life insurance can continue to provide—even in their retirement years. Many clients reach a point in their life when they begin to question the necessity of life insurance. Obviously, their situation …