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Understanding Retirees' Money Mindset Here is some information that may help you understand the money mindset of retirees—something that will come in handy during Retirement Planning Week, which is currently under way. New LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute research finds that pre-retirees and retirees fall into three categories based on their emotional attitude toward savings. The Institute asked 2,000 pre-retirees […] | 04/15/2015 | |||
Retirees to Pre-Retirees: Add Years to the Front End of Your Retirement While You Can During Retirement Planning Week, you might want to share a survey sponsored by New York Life. According to the survey, retirees report a desire to have started retirement earlier. This was based on a survey of 62-70 year old retirees revealing that 46 percent wished they had started their retirement sooner. The survey found that […] | 04/13/2015 | |||
Daniel Granda Wins CFFP Prize During the 2015 NAIFA-Greater Detroit Sales Congress, new NAIFA member Daniel Granda won a College for Financial Planning prize, which will cover the tuition expenses and fees for one LUTCF® course chosen by Granda . "I was excited to hear that I won a complimentary LUTCF course sponsored by the College for Financial Planning at […] | 04/10/2015 | |||
Disability Insurance – A NAIFA Member's Story NAIFA Webinar Wednesday, April 15, 2015 3:00 – 4:00 pm ET According to a Life Happens survey, "a person has a three in 10 chance of suffering a disabling illness or injury that would keep them out of work for three months or more during their career." As we approach Disability Insurance Awareness Month, join […] | 04/08/2015 | |||
Success Strategies Shared by Fearless Female Leaders NAIFA Members-Only Webinar Date: Wed, April 22, 2015 Time: 2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT No one typically says, "When I grow up I want to be a financial services professional." But here you've landed and you want to grow your practice and leadership skills! Now's your chance to gather some helpful success strategies from Juli […] | 04/02/2015 | |||
LTCI Industry Paid $7.8 Billion in Claim Benefits in 2014 The nation's long-term-care-insurance companies paid a record $7.85 billion in claim benefits to 250,000 individuals in 2014, according to a report by the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance. "Total long term care insurance benefit payments increased by five percent from $7.5 billion paid the prior year," reports Jesse Slome, director of the American […] | 04/01/2015 | |||
Deadline for Advisor Today's 2015 Four Under Forty Awards Program is April 3! You have only a few days left to nominate outstanding NAIFA members under the age of 40 for Advisor Today's 2015 Four Under Forty Awards. The deadline to submit all nominations is April 3, 2015. Nominating someone for the Four Under Forty Awards is easy – fill out the PDF linked below. Or you can […] | 03/26/2015 | |||
Tax Planning Is not Just an April Event According to Lincoln Financial Group, tax planning shouldn't be a once-yearly April exercise, but rather an ongoing effort throughout the year. From the client's perspective, the amounts and sources of income, including investment income, along with health and family considerations—short and longer-term—often change throughout the year. Tax rules on the federal and state level rarely […] | 03/24/2015 | |||
Are you a Wild West gunslinger? Help NAIFA set the record straight! Dear NAIFA Member, President Obama said in a recent speech that some financial professionals are "selling snake oil" and bilking their retirement clients out of billions of dollars per year. By implication, he zeroed in on advisors who receive commissions as compensation. He said the financial services industry is not well regulated and that many […] | 03/19/2015 | |||
'Growing need' for industries to engage more with Hispanic market The growth of the U.S. Hispanic population is requiring corporations and leaders across all industries to think about how they can effectively engage with Hispanic employees and consumers to drive new areas of growth, consultant Glenn Llopis writes in Forbes. Llopis, who is partnering with NAIFA to provide members with tools and resources to help […] | 03/17/2015 | |||
In Step with a Winner: Jay Grubb In the almost seven years since Jay Grubb won Advisor Today's Four Under Forty Award, he has grown both personally and professionally. When Advisor Today caught up with Grubb recently, he explained how his practice has grown over the years, and what he has done to stay ahead. Advisor Today: When you won the Four […] | 03/12/2015 | |||
Why Americans Don't Protect Their Income One-third of working adults and 40 percent of Millennials would consider buying disability income insurance if they knew more about it, according to the Council for Disability Awareness' report, "America's Income Protection Picture." CDA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the American public about the chances of experiencing an income-interrupting illness, injury or surgery, […] | 03/10/2015 | |||
Plant Your Seeds and Watch Them Grow! Now is the time when I start to contemplate what I want my garden to look like this year. I review all my perennials that will soon start to sprout new growth, and consider which annuals I would like to plant this season. I think about which ones have done well in the past and […] | 03/06/2015 | |||
More Consumers Positive about the Economy, Financial Services Industry More than a third of consumers have a favorable view of the economy. This is the highest rate measured following the Great Recession, according to a recent LIMRA survey of Americans. The study also found for the first time since October 2008, consumers with a negative view of the economy are in the minority. "Consumer […] | 02/26/2015 | |||
Increasing Savings and Reducing Debt Are Top Financial Goals for Middle-Market African Americans A new LIMRA study about African Americans finds that middle-market African Americans are more likely to consider 'saving for an emergency fund' as a top financial priority than the middle market as a whole (74 percent vs. 62 percent). | 02/24/2015 | |||
Trends in Employers' Health Plans According to the 2014 United Benefit Advisors Health Plan Survey, employers continue to shift a greater share of expenses to employees through out-of-pocket cost increases and reductions in family benefits. They are also delaying many effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) by utilizing an early renewal strategy. United Benefit Advisors is an […] | 02/20/2015 | |||
In Memoriam: John Peterson NAIFA regrets the death of former NAIFA Trustee and Secretary John Peterson, who passed away earlier this month in Tulsa, OK. He was 89 years old. Peterson was a Fuller Brush salesman before joining Tennessee Life Insurance Company. He was the leading agent for Tennessee Life after the first month and maintained that position until […] | 02/13/2015 | |||
Declining Ranks of Financial Advisors Creates Opportunities for Those New to the Profession There are 39,000 fewer financial advisors today than there were in 2008, according to research by Cerulli Associates. The primary cause? An aging advisor force has led to a wave of retirements. The Cerulli data indicate that more than half of current advisors are older than 55, and an additional 100,000 of them will retire […] | 02/12/2015 | |||
Could Life Insurance be the Best Valentine's Day Gift? Roses, chocolate and jewelry immediately come to mind when thinking about gifts on Valentine's Day, but if the point is to show affection for loved ones, why wouldn't life insurance be considered the best Valentine's Day gift one could give? According to the National Retail Federation, Valentine's Day shoppers in 2015 will show their love […] | 02/11/2015 | |||
Top 5 Life Insurance Plans Every Advisor MUST Know Thursday, Feb 26 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST Join Nick Palaveda, MBA, J.D., LL.M and Max A. Coulliette, CFP®, CLU, ChFC as they provide you with a detailed analysis of the top 5 life insurance plans. Their countdown includes the features and benefits of each plan along with important rules that you need to […] | 02/10/2015 | |||
They Buy It Because They Love Someone We all know that stats and numbers don't convince people to buy life insurance. People buy life insurance because they love someone and want to make sure they'd be OK financially if the unexpected were to happen. That is the essence of the Insure Your Love campaign, which Life Happens coordinates in February. It's the […] | 02/10/2015 | |||
The Guardian Names NAIFA-New York State President Managing Director& SVP of Wealth Advisory Group NAIFA-New York State is pleased to congratulate its current President, Lawrence J. Holzberg, LUTCF, (Commack) on his appointment as Managing Director of the Guardian (New York) and Senior Vice President of Wealth Advisory Group LLC., (WAG) (New York; New York City & Albany). Mr. Holzberg joined Guardian and WAG in his new position effective February […] | 02/05/2015 | |||
NAIFA-New York Works to Make Regulation 60 Less Burdensome Thanks largely to the lobbying efforts of NAIFA-New York State, the New York State Department of Finances has amended Regulation 60 to allow insurers to accept applications immediately and issue disclosures later, before the policy goes into effect. This will speed up the processing of applications and reduce the difficulty of complying with the regulation […] | 02/03/2015 | |||
A tribute to Dr. Susan Waters David Woods discusses the life and contributions of late NAIFA CEO Dr. Susan B. Waters. | 01/28/2015 | |||
Understanding Social Security Benefits Date: Wednesday, Jan 28, 2015 Time: 3 PM – 4 PM EST Presenter: Vonda VanTil, Social Security Administration Register here. With 80 million baby boomers eligible for Social Security retirement benefits and many in their disability-prone years, it is inevitable that your clients either already are or will be addressing Social Security questions and concerns […] | 01/27/2015 | |||
NAIFA Member Inducted into International Management Hall of Fame David B. Schulman, CLU, ChFC, a general agent with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), has been named the 2015 inductee into the GAMA International Management Hall of Fame. Schulman will be honored during the Celebration of Excellence Banquet at GAMA's annual LAMP conference, which takes place in March in Orlando, Florida. Induction into the […] | 01/23/2015 | |||
Prudential Launches Update on Ground-Breaking White Paper During an event last week on Capitol Hill, Prudential released an update on its white paper, "Financial Planning Considerations for Same-Sex Couples After Windsor." The paper explores ongoing changes that have taken place since the Windsor decision in several areas, including workplace benefits, Social Security, taxes and life insurance. Named for Edith Windsor, the plaintiff in […] | 01/20/2015 | |||
NARAB Implementation: What You Need to Know New legislation will affect every agent in the U.S. | 01/14/2015 | |||
Americans Ring in 2015 with Financial Optimism On the heels of a successful 2014, Americans are feeling confident about their 2015 financial outlook. | 01/13/2015 | |||
Updates on the new NAIFA LUTCF designation NAIFA is proud to announce next steps in its partnership with the College for Financial Planning to create a new, dynamic and interactive program for the NAIFA's Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF ℠) designation. The new LUTCF ℠ combines dynamic online and classroom learning with field training to equip you with the knowledge and […] | 01/05/2015 | |||
Muscles Top Money in New Year's Resolutions As Americans make their New Year's resolutions for 2015, once again, the majority are more concerned about their waistlines than their wallets, according to the 6th annual New Year's Resolution Survey from Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America. This focus on fitness over finances has been a reoccurring trend, reaching its peak in 2014, […] | 01/05/2015 | |||
What's Ahead for LTCI in 2015? Single-digit growth in long-term-care insurance sales, along with heightened interest in asset-based products, is forecast for 2015, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. "We expect to see sales of traditional long term care insurance grow both in terms of policies and premium written," predicts Jesse Slome, executive director of the AALTCI. "The […] | 12/30/2014 | |||
NAIFA mourns passing of CEO Dr. Susan B. Waters NAIFA statement on the death of CEO Dr. Susan Waters, DM, CAE Falls Church, Va. – Dec. 16, 2014 – The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors is saddened to announce the death of Dr. Susan B. Waters, Chief Executive Officer of NAIFA. Dr. Waters, 63, died unexpectedly today at her home in Washington, […] | 12/16/2014 | |||
Timeless Truisms Every now and then, we come across a phrase or saying that captures our attention. | 12/16/2014 | |||
Permanent or Term Life? There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Answer Different clients have different needs. It's a simple truth, and the main reason the advice and services of insurance and financial advisors is so valuable to American families. How many times have you picked up a magazine or newspaper and read a piece by a personal finance personality advising all of his or her readers […] | 12/12/2014 | |||
New Research Quantifies Value of Long-Term-Care Insurance A new report from the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) finds that private long-term-care insurance (LTCI) can save Medicaid $47.7 billion and reduce consumers' out-of-pocket expenses to pay for care by $69 billion. The report, "Who Will Pay for Our Long-Term Care," also shows that women are at a higher risk of needing long-term care […] | 12/11/2014 | |||
Individual Life Premium Improves Four Percent in Third Quarter 2014 Total individual life insurance new annualized premium improved four percent in the third quarter of 2014, according to LIMRA's Retail Individual Life Insurance Survey. | 12/09/2014 | |||
A Letter to My Colleagues Hello Industry Colleagues: I can't believe it's already December! I remember that almost exactly at this point last yea, I saw an email from the LIFE Foundation (now Life Happens) about its Real Life Stories program. I'll be honest. I didn't give it a lot of thought—it's a pretty busy time of the year. So […] | 12/08/2014 | |||
Many Fear Talking About Long-Term Care One out of every four adults would rather go to the dentist than talk about their long-term-care (LTC) or aging needs. | 12/05/2014 | |||
How to Create Your One Page Marketing Plan Make 2015 Your Best Year Ever! Register today for this members-only, free webinar. | 12/02/2014 | |||
Deadline for Real Life Stories Fast Approaching The deadline to submit an application for Life Happens' Real Life Stories Client Service Recognition Program is January 2, 2015, at 3:00 P.M. Eastern Time. Submit your true client story about how life insurance, disability income insurance or long-term-care insurance saved the day and you could win: A professional video, featuring you and your client, distributed […] | 11/25/2014 | |||
Selling Long-Term-Care Insurance Today My grandfather had a long-term-care event late in his life, which lasted for about five years. Even at a young age, I saw how much this event affected not only my grandfather, but also our family and loved ones around him. Because he didn't have any long-term-care insurance coverage, you could see the strain it […] | 11/25/2014 | |||
Growth Predicted for LTCI Sales As the industry celebrates Long-Term Care Awareness this month, many agents and advisors will be pleased to learn that sales of long-term-care insurance policies are expected to increase next year. "We expect 300,000 Americans will purchase a new traditional long-term care insurance policy or a combo product in 2015," predicts Jesse Slome, executive director of […] | 11/21/2014 | |||
Winning the Hearts and Minds of Today's Consumers While the industry does a good job of providing security for families, things are different today. For starters, the definitions of "family" and "American household" are very different from what they were in the past. | 11/18/2014 | |||
Employment Up in the Insurance Industry The insurance industry saw an increase in employment with the addition of 6,300 jobs for the month of September, according to the latest employment numbers from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics released in October. The insurance career site, InsuranceJobs.com, recently shared these employment trends. The insurance carriers and related activities sub-sector grew by 0.25 […] | 11/12/2014 | |||
The New NAIFA.org: Find what you need, when you need it. For a limited time, non-members are invited to sample members-only content on NAIFA.org. | 11/10/2014 | |||
3 Steps to Grow Your LTCI Sales November is Long-Term-Care Awareness month, a time when the spotlight is on long-term-care insurance (LTCI) and the critical role it can play in your clients' lives. | 11/06/2014 | |||
NAIFA President Qualifies for WIFS Circle of Excellence NAIFA President Juli McNeely, CFP, LUTCF, CLU, has qualified for Women in Insurance & Financial Services' 2014 Circle of Excellence. The Circle of Excellence recognizes WIFS members who achieve significant income levels in the insurance and financial-services industry. This prestigious recognition is based on annual production for the previous year. A record-breaking 157 members qualified […] | 11/04/2014 | |||
Knowledge of Annuities Boosts Ownership The more knowledge someone has about annuities, the more likely he or she is to have a positive attitude about them and eventually own one. | 11/04/2014 | |||
Fed to Support Growth with "Stronger" Statements After the recent decision by the Federal Reserve Board to maintain the target Fed funds rate at zero to 25 basis points, Swiss Re's Chief Economist, Kurt Karl, believes that comments from the Fed will become increasingly aggressive as growth continues at a strong pace and the unemployment rate falls. The Swiss Re Group is […] | 10/31/2014 | |||
LIMRA CEO: Consumers Are Changing–We Must As Well At the 98th LIMRA Annual Conference in New York, Robert A. Kerzner, CLU, ChFC, president and CEO of LIMRA, LOMA and LL Global, examined the changes in consumers' demographics and expectations and explored the impact of their changes on the financial-services industry. Kerzner encouraged executives to adopt new approaches to better engage with consumers to […] | 10/28/2014 | |||
Helpful Hints for Medicare Beneficiaries Being in the practice of selling insurance for over twenty-six years, I have learned a few things about maintaining a level of commitment and proactivity toward my clients. I have found that reaching out to my older clients and/or their loved ones without waiting for them to contact me is a very effective method of […] | 10/24/2014 | |||
The Drive to Help Wise is grateful for a career that lets him use his skills and talents to help others. BY STEVE GUGLIELMO For Mark Wise, CLU, ChFC, perspective is everything. When he was preparing to start his freshman year at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, he was feeling upset and anxious about the student loan debt […] | 10/22/2014 | |||
Employers Interested in Offering Voluntary Benefits A new LIMRA study finds that 7 in 10 employers offer voluntary benefits to improve the morale of their existing employees and attract and retain new talent. "As the economy and the job market improve, employers are finding it more challenging to attract and retain key personnel," said Ron Neyer, MBA, CLU, ChFC, assistant research […] | 10/21/2014 | |||
Advisors adding 'lifestyle management' to their practices As noted in "Advisor 2020," advisors of the future will need to be engaged in "Lifestyle Management," an emerging practice that will require advisors to understand their clients' behaviors and manage their clients' living environments (as well as their financial assets). According to Advisor 2020, examples of lifestyle management include helping senior clients find nutritionists […] | 10/15/2014 | |||
Business Disaster Prevention Join us Thursday, October 30, for an exclusive, Members-Only Webinar | 10/15/2014 | |||
NAIFA Member Joins MetLife in Austin, Texas Capital Strategies of MetLife is pleased to announce that Jeremy David has joined the firm as Financial Adviser and Financial Services Representative. | 10/07/2014 | |||
Americans Staying on the Sideline The stock market might have rebounded since the financial crisis, but according to the latest COUNTRY Financial Security Index survey, many Americans are still wary of investing or simply are unable to get started. Just over half of Americans (51 percent) say they do not invest in the stock or bond markets in any way. […] | 10/02/2014 | |||
401(k) Balances Nearly Double Since Recession While much of the increase reflects a rebounding market, the study found a significant increase in participation and savings rates since the market collapse… | 09/30/2014 | |||
NAIFA-Virginia encourages members to share Code of Ethics as sign of dedication NAIFA-Virginia President Steven Holt mailed 3″x5″ cards featuring NAIFA's Code of Ethics to NAIFA members in Virginia. The project was made possible through a generous gift from the late Colin Govan, a past president of NAIFA-Virginia who inspired the updated version of the code. In his letter, Holt said: "The strength and integrity of our industry […] | 09/26/2014 | |||
Leveraging Strategic Alliances to Get More Referrals Here are five steps you can take to effectively leverage the relationships you have with your strategic alliances. 1. Paint a picture of your ideal client to your referral partners. If you can't clearly paint a picture of your ideal client, how can others know who to refer to you? If you are not clear […] | 09/25/2014 | |||
Total Annuity Sales Improve in Second Quarter 2014 Total U.S. annuity sales reached $61.4 billion in the second quarter of this year, improving eight percent from prior year, according to LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute. In the first six months of 2014, total U.S. annuity sales increased 10 percent, compared with sales in 2013. "This is only the second time we have seen quarterly […] | 09/23/2014 | |||
Americans Underutilizing Permanent Life Insurance As longevity and the cost of living continue to increase, Americans may be overlooking a key opportunity to strengthen their financial foundation. Despite the many advantages of permanent life insurance, only 22% of Americans currently own a permanent life insurance policy, a fraction of the 66% who have savings accounts, according to Northwestern Mutual's 2014 […] | 09/18/2014 | |||
Women More Concerned about Money in Retirement Than Men A LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute survey reveals that among consumers aged 50 -75 with $100,000 or more in household income, women are more likely than men to be concerned about running out of money in retirement (46 percent vs. 35 percent). As more workers are expected to fund their own retirement, women may be expressing […] | 09/16/2014 | |||
MDRT Big Ideas Workshop: Does Ringo Starr Move His Drum Set After a Gig Greg Gagne told attendees at NAIFA's Career Conference and Annual Meeting that owners of financial planning businesses need to focus on what they do best and delegate the rest. "If we want to be more successful, we have to pay people to do things we shouldn't be doing," he said. The owner should work on […] | 09/08/2014 | |||
NAIFA Legislative Forum The NAIFA Government Relations team provided their annual legislative update to attendees at NAIFA's Career Conference and Annual Meeting. Agent Licensing NARAB II is legislation that will create a national, not federal, insurance licensing program. Under the proposed legislation, producers must be licensed in their home states, pay the licensing fee for every other state in […] | 09/08/2014 | |||
Dr. Susan Waters: CEO Report SmileTrain is a cause very close to the heart of NAIFA CEO Dr. Susan Waters. The charity provides sustainable care to children in developing countries in need of corrective surgery for cleft lips and palates by promoting partnerships between local doctors and hospitals. In her CEO Report at NAIFA's Career Conference and Annual Meeting, Dr. Waters […] | 09/07/2014 | |||
Life Happens at 20: Your Most Successful Campaigns Life Happens, formerly known as the Life Foundation, celebrates its 20th anniversary next month. In this workshop, panelists Brock Jolly, Ryan Pinney and Van Muller shared some of the ways they use Life Happens materials to educate clients and grow their businesses. All three use Life Happens materials throughout the year, not just during Life […] | 09/07/2014 | |||
Flirting With the Uninterested: Innovating in a "Sold Not Bought" Category Maria Ferrante-Schepis in her Saturday main stage presentation told NAIFA 2014 attendees that businesses must continually be open to change and innovation. Businesses that don't change aren't likely to survive. In what Ferrante-Schepis calls a "Napster moment," named after the music-sharing web site that lost out to the more innovative Apple, businesses that are not […] | 09/06/2014 | |||
The Inner Game of Prospecting Prospecting remains a critical skill for those wishing to succeed in the insurance and financial services industry, said Connie Kadansky in her educational workshop, "The Inner game of Prospecting: How to Overcome Sales Call Reluctance." One survey found that 70.8 percent of advisors said they are getting most of their business through direct prospecting. Prospecting […] | 09/06/2014 | |||
Engagement Marketing: How Associations Win With Email & Social Media Years ago, social networks and email were called "new media" as they were emerging as marketing tools, Corissa St. Laurent, director of regional development at Constant Contact, told attendees of her Saturday workshop. Today, however, new media is The Media – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Facebook have become a constant, regular part of marketing. The key […] | 09/06/2014 | |||
All Things Government Relations In an interactive workshop, led by Todd Johnson, Joe Pittman, and Diane Boyle, NAIFA local and state executive explored three ways to take government relations to the next level. Political Involvement Committee APIC is about building long-term relationships between members and lawmakers with a goal of inspiring lawmakers to consider NAIFA's point of view on […] | 09/06/2014 | |||
Only 46% of Middle-Market Consumers Own Individual Life Insurance The need for the Life Insurance Awareness Month campaign currently under way is more important than ever—a recent LIMRA study reveals that only 46 percent of middle-market consumers own individual life insurance. While 60 percent of Americans own group life insurance, the coverage often is less than individual policies and is only in place while […] | 09/04/2014 | |||
Boomer Esiason is 2014 LIAM Spokesperson "When a parent dies and there's no life insurance, life becomes very tough, very fast." | 09/02/2014 | |||
Dr. Johnson to Lead The American College The Board of Trustees of The American College of Financial Services has named Robert R. Johnson, Ph.D., CFA, CAIA, as president and CEO, beginning October 1, 2014. Dr. Johnson's extensive scholarship, experience in investment management, and results in building global awareness for financial services education, make him uniquely qualified to lead The American College. "Dr. […] | 08/28/2014 | |||
NAIFA Annual Report Now Available The NAIFA 2013-2014 Annual Report is now available. The report contains messages from the NAIFA President, John Nichols, MSM, CLU, as well as from NAIFA's CEO, Dr. Susan Waters, CAE. Included in the report are also committee updates from several NAIFA volunteers who have taken time from their busy schedules to serve as heads of […] | 08/27/2014 | |||
Kristine M. Wolfe, CAE, Receives NAIFA's 2014 C. Carney Smith Award The NAIFA has recognized Kristine M. Wolfe, CAE, with the association's most prestigious honor in association management: the C. Carney Smith Award. | 08/21/2014 | |||
NAIFA to Kick Off 125th Anniversary Celebration at Career Conference It's official—NAIFA is turning 125 next year! The association is marking this important milestone with a yearlong celebration, which starts at the 2014 Career Conference and Annual Meeting in San Diego. When 70 insurance agents gathered in Boston to form the National Association of Life Underwriters in 1890, little did they know they were sowing the […] | 08/15/2014 | |||
Program to address industry need for more financial advisors The financial services firm Edward Jones is partnering with Securities Training Corporation to help prepare students for a career as a financial advisor, according to a news release issued by Edward Jones. The partnership was formed to encourage more students to consider a career as a financial advisor. Beginning this fall, Kansas State University will […] | 08/14/2014 | |||
Insurers' Use of Social Media Jumps A new LIMRA survey finds that 93 percent of life insurance companies had social media programs in place in 2013, up 55 percent from 2010 (when only 60 percent of companies used social media). More than three quarters of companies report having social media programs targeted at the public (77 percent); while 7 in 10 […] | 08/14/2014 | |||
Many Advisors Misunderstand Total Amount of Fees They Charge Fees are often a main topic of conversation when advisors sit down to meet with their clients. But do advisors paint an accurate picture of the total cost of servicing a client's account? | 08/12/2014 | |||
Why the Life Insurance Industry has a Monopoly on the Baby Boomer Crisis Join us Monday, August 11 for an exclusive, Members-Only Webinar: | 08/07/2014 | |||
Boomer Esiason's Got Your Back MVP quarterback Boomer Esiason will again be the spokesperson for Life Insurance Awareness Month this September, and Life Happens has a wide range of resources you can use to leverage his message. | 08/05/2014 | |||
Choosing the Right Words Language is one of the most vital tools of the trade. | 07/31/2014 | |||
Life Happens Makes Your LIAM Planning Easy Turnkey marketing resources for Life Insurance Awareness Month make putting a campaign together a snap. Many of us dream of an "easy" button. Instantly clean car! Folded laundry put away! Papers on desk magically filed! What about an easy button for a month-long marketing campaign? Done! The nonprofit organization Life Happens, which coordinates September's Life […] | 07/28/2014 | |||
Mind Your (Online) Manners What you need to know about social media etiquette. | 07/24/2014 | |||
Insurance Services Group Joins NAIFA's Independent Advisors Program Insurance Services Group, Inc. is now part of NAIFA's Independent Advisors Partnership Program. "I am a great believer in NAIFA and its ability to help agents and financial advisors come together and build valuable relationships," notes Brendon DeRouin, CLU, President of Insurance Services Group in Wisconsin. "As advisors opt for the independent route, many of […] | 07/22/2014 | |||
The Business Benefits of a Pipeline Mentality Proactively grow your business with these guidelines. | 07/16/2014 | |||
Mark Acre is YAT Team Leader of the Year NAIFA – Springfield Member is the Fifth Recipient of the Award NAIFA has named Mark Acre the 2014 Young Advisors Team Leader of the Year. Acre, 33, is president of the Nixa, Mo.-based OneSource Insurance Group, a company he launched in 2007. "NAIFA-Springfield has benefited from Mark's leadership and service since he joined the NAIFA-Springfield […] | 07/11/2014 | |||
AT Recognizes Outstanding Advisors Profiles of Four Under 40 winners appear in September/October 2014 issue of Advisor Today Advisor Today magazine has recognized four financial advisors with the "Four Under Forty Award," given annually to four outstanding advisors who achieve excellence in their profession by or before the age of 40. The advisors will be profiled in the September/October […] | 07/09/2014 | |||
AT Podcast: Success Strategies from a Leader In this installment of the AT Podcast Series, MDRT President Michelle Hoesly shares her secrets for achieving success in both her personal and professional lives. AT Podcast Series | 07/09/2014 | |||
In Memoriam: Colin Govan, CLU NAIFA regrets to announce the death of Colin Govan, CLU, formerly with AXA Equitable. Govan was an active member of NAIFA-Virginia and was inducted into that association's Hall of Fame in 2012. He was also a member of the Million Dollar Round Table. "During my tenure here, Colin was instrumental in helping us modernize the […] | 07/01/2014 | |||
2014 Real Life Stories Winners Announced Life Happens has announced the winners of its annual Real Life Stories Client Recognition Program, which honors insurance professionals for going beyond the call of duty for clients and their families. Now in its 19th year, the program recognizes exemplary service and expert financial advice and assistance to clients in times of great financial need. "This year, […] | 07/01/2014 | |||
NYT article on shrinking financial workforce echoes 'Advisor 2020′ An article in today's New York Times concludes that the pool of young people entering the field of financial advising is shrinking. Of the 315,000 financial advisers working in the United States, only 5 percent are younger than 30, with the average age 50 or older. Companies are scrambling to attract and retain young workers, […] | 06/25/2014 | |||
401(k) Balances Nearly Double Since Recession 401(k) account balances have gone up 93 percent, nearly double since the economic downturn in 2009, according to the latest research from the Principal Financial Group. While much of the increase reflects a rebounding market, the study found a significant increase in participation and savings rates since the market collapse, with account balances rising 17 […] | 06/24/2014 | |||
Middle America Not Saving Enough A recent LIMRA study has found that 57 percent of middle-market American households are not saving regularly. This number jumps to 69 percent for households with children who are under 18 years old. According to the survey, the top five financial goals of middle-market households are: Saving enough for a comfortable retirement Building an emergency […] | 06/18/2014 | |||
MDRT Annual Meeting Draws Record Attendance The Million Dollar Round Table has set a new record: More than 8,000 members from around the world made their way to Toronto, Canada, last week to attend the association's Annual Meeting. There, the members networked with their peers and colleagues, discovered cutting-edge strategies designed to help propel their practices to new heights of success, and gained the […] | 06/17/2014 | |||
Are You Communicating Effectively? Images and messages used to explain financial products don't seem realistic or relatable to many consumers, according to a recent survey. A new joint study by LIMRA and Maddock Douglass reveals that there are 19 million "stuck shoppers" of life insurance in the United States . "Stuck shoppers" are consumers who believe life insurance is […] | 06/12/2014 | |||
Google Campaign Expands Consumer's Ability to Connect with NAIFA Members Online tool directs consumers to NAIFA members; Members encouraged to update their NAIFA profile today NAIFA has expanded its outreach to consumers with a new Search Engine Marketing (SEM) campaign utilizing a Google ad word/phrase buy of more than 200 keywords related to insurance and financial advising. The campaign leverages consumers' increased use of the […] | 06/06/2014 | |||
Lower Cost Increases for Medical Plans Projected cost increases for all types of medical plans are anticipated to be down by between 0.1 and 0.5 percent in 2014, according to a survey by Buck Consultants. The survey notes that this continues the favorable trend of slow, steady declines generally experienced since 2010. In a national survey of 126 insurers and administrators, […] | 06/05/2014 | |||
CFFP publishes new report on middle income retirement A new report published by the College for Financial Planning concludes that consumers whose household incomes fall in the middle market range ($30,000 to $100,000) have "an uphill battle" to overcome when planning for retirement: low income, low retirement fund balances, and few assets. The report cites the two greatest factors for middle-income retirement: the […] | 06/02/2014 | |||
How to Gain Strategic Insight from Digital Metrics Most social media metrics report tactical results, not strategic impacts that achieve objectives. Few topics give executives more fits than choosing metrics—the counts, percentages and ratios that are supposed to measure the performance of digital marketing initiatives. The great majority of digital metrics put a number on tactical results—the things that campaigns encourage people to […] | 05/29/2014 | |||
Survey Finds Americans Consider Work a Major Aspect of Well-Being Consumers would go to great lengths to get back to work as soon as possible rather than let an injury or illness hold them back. How often do you hear friends, family and colleagues complain about how much they hate their job? Chances are it's quite often, so it may shock you to learn that […] | 05/28/2014 | |||
Companies Struggle to Fill Positions in Financial Services Skills Gap Plays Key Role in Hiring Difficulties | 05/22/2014 | |||
'If I Could Only Get Around to It' A recent blog entry in LIMRA's Industry Trends: "If I Could Only Get Around to It" might help you motivate your prospects into making the critical decision to buy from you. The blog post appears below. 'If I could only get around to it' A common device of motivational speakers is to point out the […] | 05/20/2014 | |||
Success Strategies from a Leader: AT Podcast Series Listen carefully to this podcast interview as NAIFA member and Top Producer Michele Lee Fine describes the critical steps she took on her way to the top. | 05/15/2014 | |||
Safeguard Your Most Important Asset With the Disability Income Awareness Month campaign currently under way, now is a good time to get the NAIFA Advantage Plus Group Disability Income Insurance Protection Plan. NAIFA has teamed up with Kelsey National to offer this plan to its members. The NAIFA Advantage Plus Group Disability Income Insurance Protection Plan has excellent features and […] | 05/14/2014 | |||
NAIFA Member Receives Penn Mutual's Financial Professional of the Year Award The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, a more than 167-year-old company, is pleased to announce that NAIFA member Jason Rucker, CFP, of Cambridge Financial Services in Chandler, Ariz., has been honored with the 2013 Financial Professional of the Year Award. This award recognizes a Penn Mutual financial professional who demonstrates the highest standards of continuing […] | 05/08/2014 | |||
Cong Conf Webinar 2014 | 05/06/2014 | |||
Kick-Off to Disability Insurance Awareness Month Cancer is the leading reason employees stop working and take long-term disability leave, according to claims submitted to Unum, a provider of income insurance. Unum analyzes claims activity each year and shares results during Disability Insurance Awareness Month to help foster a better understanding of the value of DI insurance and other coverage. "Disability insurance […] | 05/06/2014 | |||
May Is Disability Insurance Awareness Month The DIAM campaign is the perfect platform you need to talk to your clients and prospects about this important coverage. | 05/01/2014 | |||
Sy Sternberg Named 2014 John Newton Russell Memorial Award Winner The life insurance industry's highest honor will be presented at the NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting in September as a tribute to his more than 40 years of service and contributions to the industry. The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors is proud to announce Sy Sternberg, former CEO and Chairman of the […] | 04/30/2014 | |||
Millennials Go Old School It's not just beards, butchers and bicycles that Millennials are bringing back. The youngest adults in America, aged 18-29, are also showing signs that they're old souls in the way they manage their money. This finding was uncovered through the 2014 Planning and Progress Study, an annual research project commissioned by Northwestern Mutual. The study […] | 04/29/2014 | |||
Tax Reform Plan Spotlights Urgent Need for NAIFA Members to Educate Their Lawmakers All NAIFA Members Are Encouraged to Attend the May 20-21 Congressional Conference The federal tax reform discussion draft proposed by House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) underscores the urgent need for NAIFA members to educate Congress about the value of maintaining the current tax rules governing life and health insurance, retirement […] | 04/22/2014 | |||
Voluntary Benefits Sales Grow A LIMRA survey shows that new annualized premium of voluntary benefits (benefits purchased at the worksite) grew 9 percent in 2013, totaling $4.3 billion. Voluntary health product sales were $2.6 billion in 2013, a 13 percent increase from the prior year. Accident, critical illness and vision products grew by double-digits for the third straight […] | 04/22/2014 | |||
Tempted to Buy Social Media Followers? Find out why less is more. | 04/16/2014 | |||
NAIFA Member Celebrates 65 Years at MassMutual NAIFA member William J. (Bill) Braun, CLU, AEP, former native of Belleville, Illinois, recently celebrated an important milestone–he has had only one job for the past 65 years and considers himself lucky to have it. Braun started in the life insurance profession in 1949, after serving in the navy during World War II. He joined […] | 04/10/2014 | |||
Communicating Face-to-Face? There's an App for That Technology for video-based applications has improved greatly in recent years. | 04/09/2014 | |||
The Delicate Art of Approaching Friends and Family for Referrals Demonstrate your value by telling stories of client success. | 04/03/2014 | |||
Deadline for Advisor Today's Four Under Forty Awards Program is April 4! You have only a few days left to nominate outstanding NAIFA members under the age of 40 for Advisor Today's 2014 Four Under Forty Awards. The deadline to submit all nominations is April 4, 2014. Nominating someone for the Four Under Forty Awards is easy – fill out the PDF linked below. Or you can […] | 04/01/2014 | |||
NAIFA Trustee Jill Judd Invites You to the NAIFA Congressional Conference NAIFA's premier grassroots event provides an opportunity to learn and make a difference.Register today! | 03/28/2014 | |||
Industry pioneer Al Granum honored The American College created an academic Center to honor industry pioneer and longtime NAIFA member Al Granum, who passed away earlier this year. The Center is funded through gifts from Northwestern Mutual. This month, and every March going forward, the Center will share a sampling of timeless Granum industry principles and best practices. Visit this […] | 03/27/2014 | |||
NAIFA and College for Financial Planning form LUTCF Advisory Group Dear NAIFA Members: I am pleased to announce that NAIFA and the College for Financial Planning have formed an Advisory Group for the Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF) designation in support of the re-launch of the program in July 2015. The group will provide strategic guidance in three areas: subject matter expertise for the […] | 03/26/2014 | |||
Book of the Month: "The Sky is Not the Limit" NAIFA National launched a new Book of the Month Program, and the premier book in this launch is the award-winning book, "The Sky is Not the Limit – Discovering the True North for Your Life's Path" by Phillip C. Richards, CFP, CLU, RHU. The book offers you practical tips for recognizing your strengths and for […] | 03/26/2014 | |||
Podcast Series: Protecting Your Business During the 2013 NAIFA Congressional Conference, NAIFA members educated lawmakers about the value of their business to 75 million American families. As the industry prepares for the 2014 Congressional Conference in May, Tasha Jo Hill describes the benefits she gained from attending last year's conference, what to expect from this year's meeting, and how NAIFA […] | 03/25/2014 | |||
Aflac Named a "World's Most Admired Company" Aflac has again been recognized by FORTUNE magazine as a World's Most Admired Company. This is the 13th time that Aflac has appeared on this prestigious list. The annual survey, conducted by FORTUNE and the Hay Group, a global management consulting firm, is given to top executives, directors and financial analysts, to identify the companies […] | 03/19/2014 | |||
NAIFA Sponsors 'Advisor 2020' to Help Advisors Plan Their Business Future New book presents cutting-edge research on industry trends and identifies opportunities for advisors seeking success in a changing marketplace Visit the NAIFA Bookstore to purchase "Advisor 2020." See coverage in InsuranceNewsNet magazine. FALLS CHURCH, VA – Rapid marketplace and demographic shifts are having profound effects on insurance and financial advisors and will significantly reshape the industry by […] | 03/17/2014 | |||
NAIFA Members Promoted at Penn Mutual Congratulations to Mark Vujevich and Annabelle Lee! | 03/13/2014 | |||
Call for 2014 Four Under Forty Nominations Honor the best and brightest by nominating outstanding NAIFA members under the age of 40 for Advisor Today's 2014 Four Under Forty Awards. The deadline to submit all nominations is April 4, 2014. Nominating someone for the Four Under Forty Awards is easy – fill out the PDF linked below. Or you can find the […] | 03/11/2014 | |||
4 Under 40 Winner Named Agent of the Year NAIFA member Elizabeth Dipp Metzger, a 2013 recipient of Advisor Today's Four Under Forty Awards, has been named Agent of the Year for the third year in a row in the El Paso General Office of New York Life Insurance Company. She received the award in recognition of her outstanding sales achievement and exemplary client […] | 03/06/2014 | |||
5 Things Every Young Advisor Should Know Ashley's been in the business since 2007 and has never looked back. Find out how she got such a great start to a stellar career. | 03/05/2014 | |||
Turn Your Personal March Madness into March Happiness There's a lot of hype about March MADness, and if you're an NCAA fan, or married to one, you know it well. But I'd rather think in terms of March Happiness, training mind and body, just as those basketball players train to remain positive, even when faced with stress, sadness and the cyclicality of life. […] | 03/04/2014 | |||
How to Maximize Your ROI on Life Have you ever felt like you need an upgrade on your life? Most of us have, and there's a way to get it. First, I tell people, "Don't be afraid of making your life clearer." Many argue that life is not simple; therefore, there are no easy answers, but to paraphrase from Chinese philosopher Laozi, […] | 02/27/2014 | |||
NAIFA President Nichols on the Congressional Conference The most effective way to ensure legislators know how the laws they pass affect your business and clients. | 02/25/2014 | |||
Social Media: A Marathon, Not a Sprint Pace yourself, train consistently and don't be afraid to ask others for help. | 02/25/2014 | |||
AT Podcast Series: It's All in the Questions It's All in the Questions You don't want to miss this podcast by top producer Sarah Kaelberer. In it, she explains how to ask the right questions and get the answers that can make a difference in the lives of your clients and in your practice and community. Get the AT Podcast here. | 02/20/2014 | |||
NAIFA, CFFP to create new LUTCF designation program NAIFA and the College for Financial Planning have formed a partnership to create an enhanced, dynamic and interactive curriculum for NAIFA's renowned Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF) designation, established in 1984. "NAIFA is proud to enter into a new partnership with such an esteemed and accredited educational institution as the College for Financial Planning," […] | 02/18/2014 | |||
LIFE Seeks Applications for 2014 Life Lessons Scholarship Program LIFE Seeks Applications for 2014 Life Lessons Scholarship Program The LIFE Foundation is now accepting applications for its annual LIFE Lessons Scholarship Program. The deadline for all applications is March 3, 2014. Now in its 10th year, the scholarship benefits college students and college-bound high school seniors who are facing challenges in achieving a higher […] | 02/12/2014 | |||
NAIFA's Juli McNeely presents Platinum BOBO Award to Cedar Rapids Congratulations to NAIFA-Cedar Rapids, which accepted its fourth consecutive Platinum BOBO Award during a luncheon last month. Pictured (from left): Josh Rice (NAIFA Cedar Rapids President), Ryan Bosch, Joshua Katcher, Juli McNeely, Greg Johnson, Larry Witzel, Eric Kaestner, and Barry Johnson (NAIFA Iowa President). | 02/10/2014 | |||
How to Generate More Leads, More Clients and More Sales One of the most common challenges NAIFA members share is their need for more leads, more clients, and more sales. Here are some insights that will help you achieve this goal. #1: Check Your Beliefs. The most critical element of achieving a goal is a belief that we can do it. Take a minute to […] | 02/06/2014 | |||
Economic Outlook for 2014 For now, the economic and political climate looks favorable. Our article, detailing an overview of our perspective on the economic, investment, tax, and estate planning issues of the New Year, is available on the web at ljpr.com/outlook. In general, we are cautiously optimistic, and as the Outlook covers, we are revising our models to reflect […] | 02/05/2014 | |||
Becoming an Advisor to the Family These helpful hints will come in handy as you sell to family members. | 01/31/2014 | |||
Learning to "Celebritize Yourself" in Business How to get noticed and grow your practice. | 01/28/2014 | |||
Is Fear Keeping You Out of the Spotlight? A fear of the spotlight shouldn't prevent you from getting the visibility and credibility that can build your business. | 01/23/2014 | |||
Register now for the 2014 NAIFA Congressional Conference! Register Now! Registration for the May 20-21, 2014 NAIFA Congressional Conference is now open! The first 600 registrants for the NAIFA Congressional Conference may be eligible to be reimbursed up to $350 to cover their travel and lodging expenses. Don't wait! Click here to register now! To be eligible for the travel and lodging reimbursement, […] | 01/23/2014 | |||
Insure Your Love – Download Campaign Materials Now People buy life insurance because they love someone and want to protect them financially. Life insurance is love insurance, which makes February–the month of love–the perfect time to reach out to consumers about their life insurance needs. The Insure Your Love campaign, coordinated by LIFE, allows you and your producers to use emotion or humor […] | 01/22/2014 | |||
John Kim Elected Vice Chairman of New York Life New York Life announced recently that John Y. Kim, 53, has been elected a vice chairman of the company and will now oversee the company's technology function, in addition to his current responsibilities. Kim will continue as president of New York Life's Investments Group, which includes the investment management, annuities and retirement plan recordkeeping businesses, […] | 01/16/2014 | |||
The 2014 Managers Membership Award – Apply Now! The 2014 Managers Membership Award: The Managers Membership Award (MMA) is a symbol of dedication, leadership and commitment. At NAIFA, we honor and recognize organizations that support a strong financial services industry by investing in NAIFA and its efforts. It's a prestigious award that all agency managers will want to use to showcase to their […] | 01/14/2014 | |||
Americans Enter 2014 with False Sense of Financial Security Although only a few years have passed since the 2008-2009 financial crisis, many Americans seem to have forgotten the trauma it caused to their portfolios and may now have a false sense of security about their current financial well-being. This is according to the 5th annual New Year's Resolution Survey from Allianz Life Insurance Company […] | 01/09/2014 | |||
A message from NAIFA's President and CEO Happy New Year From NAIFA! We hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday season, and we wish you a very healthy, happy and prosperous 2014. As we consider the past year, we are proud of the services NAIFA delivered to our members in many areas. We faced unprecedented legislative and regulatory challenges, including the […] | 01/07/2014 | |||
Can Mindfulness Raise Your Net Worth? Sitting down with the intention of stilling one's mind and body is no longer the sole province of hippies and Eastern medicine aficionados. Nike, 50 Cent and the Marine Corps all embrace the benefits of mindfulness meditation. The benefits of mindfulness meditation do not exist in a vacuum; mindfulness meditation not only lowers your blood […] | 01/07/2014 | |||
Starting the Holiday Party Conversation In the September 23, 2013, issue of Investment News, various advisors were asked how they respond to the question: "What do you do for a living?" Out of the eight who were quoted, two began with: "I am a CFP," and "I am a professional." Three began with: "We are, We believe, or We help." […] | 12/23/2013 | |||
Greatest Financial Concerns for Non-Retirees A new survey of investors who are currently working shows that concerns about rising health-care costs, changes to Social Security and/or Medicare, and running out of money are among the greatest financial worries in retirement. The percentage citing these concerns increased since prior surveys. According to the study, conducted as a part of the John […] | 12/20/2013 | |||
Four Under 40: Nominate A Rising Star Now! Someone you know is a leader. They're successful, giving, and a great example for their peers. Nominate them for Advisor Today's Four Under Forty Award. It's the recognition they deserve and the next step in their amazing career. | 12/17/2013 | |||
Moral and Social Values at Work Rank Highest in the U.S. ECCO International, a network of public relations and marketing communications consultancies in over 40 countries, released its global Index of Corporate Values 2013. The index reports that moral and social values in the workplace rank higher than any other category in the U.S. Alpaytac Public Relations/Marketing Communications participated in gathering information for the report, which […] | 12/12/2013 | |||
MDRT Offers Succession Planning Podcast to Advisors MDRT is making one of its exclusive Talk segment podcasts addressing successful succession planning strategies available to all advisors. | 12/05/2013 | |||
NAILBA recognizes NAIFA-TN's Jack Dewald for 'distinction in brokerage' Congratulations to NAIFA-Memphis Past President Jack Dewald for receiving the 2013 Douglas Mooers Award for Excellence by the National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies. NAILBA presented the award Nov. 22 at its conference in Dallas. Jack also is a past chair of the LIFE Foundation and has served in many leadership positions within NAIFA. […] | 11/27/2013 | |||
NAIFA Member Named Sales Manager at Navigon Financial Group The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company recently announced that Jonathan Self has been appointed sales manager of Navigon Financial Group, Penn Mutual's career agency located in Raleigh, N.C. | 11/26/2013 | |||
NAIFA President-Elect tells NAILBA: Advisors must 'embrace change' NAIFA President-Elect Juli McNeely attended this year's NAILBA Conference in Dallas. In this video, McNeely talks about the challenges facing the industry, from legislative and regulatory threats to our products, to the need for advisors to embrace change and become more engaged in technology and in social media. "Consumers are changing and the industry is […] | 11/22/2013 | |||
Annuity Sales Rebound Total annuity sales were $56.5 billion in the second quarter of 2013 — nine percent higher than the first quarter of 2013, but one percent below 2012 results, according to LIMRA's second quarter 2013 U.S. Individual Annuities Sales survey. | 11/20/2013 | |||
LIFE Foundation accepting applications for realLIFEstories; deadline is Dec. 16 Stories connect us. When we want to motivate prospects and clients, one of the most successful ways is through storytelling. And some of the most powerful stories in the industry are the LIFE Foundation's realLIFEstories videos. In fact, during this past September's Life Insurance Awareness Month, an independent survey found that people who viewed a […] | 11/18/2013 | |||
Three Easy Ways to Start an LTCI Conversation November is Long-Term Care Insurance Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to reach out to your clients to start an LTCI conversation. And it's not as hard as you might think. | 11/14/2013 | |||
Rep. Scott to NAIFA members: 'You have the nobility of purpose and trust' As NAIFA members convene in Washington this week for APIC/IFAPAC training and a "Day on the Hill" event, Rep. David Scott (D-GA) offered practical advice for those meeting with Congress on important industry issues: "Say the right thing" and "speak with clarity." Rep. Scott told NAIFA members that Congress needs information from agents and advisors […] | 11/13/2013 | |||
NAIFA Member Named Managing Director of Central Financial Group "David's extensive knowledge and skills in recruiting, production and sales will be essential to developing well-rounded producers for Centra Financial…" | 11/12/2013 | |||
Hispanics a Natural Market for Life Insurance According to a recent LIMRA study titled, "Financial Protection for Hispanics," Hispanics offer a natural market for life insurance. "While the Hispanic population is complex — they come from many countries — they share a tendency to be young, with large families including children and extended family members," says Nilufer Ahmed, senior research director, LIMRA […] | 11/07/2013 | |||
Small Businesses to Use Advisors to Help Manage Benefits Ninety-four percent of small businesses believe the need for an outside advisor will increase or stay the same in the next two years, according to a recent LIMRA study. In particular, LIMRA found that firms with 10 to 24 employees, companies that are still establishing themselves, and those that are actively looking to expand are […] | 11/07/2013 | |||
What I've Learned about Selling for a Living After 26-plus years as a successful salesperson, here is what I know to be true about sales. | 10/31/2013 | |||
Planning for Long-Term Care Genworth's 2013 Beyond Dollars: A Way Forward study, highlights the fact that adequately planning for long-term care can potentially save money and reduce the stress that is faced by caregivers. In fact, families could save nearly $11,000 annually if long-term-care plans were made earlier. The study, which surveyed a total of 1,208 caregivers and care recipients, also found […] | 10/29/2013 | |||
IS 70 Is the New 65? At the beginning of National Save for Retirement Week, a Swiss Re survey reveals what many Americans suspect—they most likely will be working well into their Golden Years. The Risk perception survey shows that 57 percent of American workers expect to retire from work beyond the age of 65–or to never retire. Nineteen percent of […] | 10/23/2013 | |||
LTCI Industry Expected To Pay Billions in Claims by 2032 The nation's long-term-care insurance companies are expected to pay $15 billion annually to policyholders a decade from now and more than twice that amount in 2032, when today's 60-year olds reach their 80s. | 10/22/2013 | |||
Are You a Woman of Influence? A recent Allianz study reveals the profile of a more financially empowered woman. | 10/18/2013 | |||
NAIFA Podcast: What It Takes to be Successful Listen to veteran producer Ike Trotter as he reviews his illustrious career and describes the path he took on his way to the top. | 10/16/2013 | |||
Confused and Unprepared A large number of American workers remain unaware, confused and unprepared for looming changes to their benefits coverage. | 10/09/2013 | |||
NAIFA members support consumer financial literacy campaign NAIFA serves as a "Mission Partner" publicly supporting the national "Choose to Save" program, a public education and outreach program dedicated to raising awareness about the need to plan and save for long-term personal financial security. "At the heart of NAIFA's code of ethics is a commitment 'to help clients protect their assets and establish […] | 10/04/2013 | |||
NAIFA 2013: Government Relations Workshop The NAIFA Government Relations team's workshop at NAIFA's Career Conference focused on the importance of building relationships with legislators. Advisors are experts when it comes to building relationships with clients. They can use many of the same communication and relationship-building techniques when interacting with Congress. Typically, members of Congress have knowledge across a broad range […] | 10/01/2013 | |||
Taking Your Multiline Agency to the Next Level How do you take your practice to the next level? Everything starts and ends with teamwork. During an educational workshop on Monday, attendees received some helful hints on enhancing their multiline practice from Kenneth Quach, CLU, ChFC, CASL, a producer with State farm. Quach has been an MDRT, Chairman'scircle and Lone Star Leader, as wll […] | 10/01/2013 | |||
'Independence, dignity, control': three 'hot buttons' when discussing long term care The greatest threat to a person's wealth, according to long term care authority Karen Henderson, can be summed up in one word: longevity. "Living too long is a threat to your wealth," Henderson, CEO and founder of the Long Term Care Planning Network, said during a presentation on the topic Monday during the NAIFA Career […] | 09/30/2013 | |||
Tony Boquet – Health Care Reform: Overview, Updates and Opportunities Recent surveys show that 53 percent of the American public does not know what the Affordable Care Act is. Tony Boquet, CLU, ChFC, CASL, CLF, LUTCF, told NAIFA members who attended his workshop at the NAIFA Career Conference that the job of agents and brokers is to take complexity (the ACA is 1,000 pages long […] | 09/30/2013 | |||
NAIFA 2013: NAIFA's Legislative Forum The NAIFA Government Relations Team today provided their annual update to members during the Legislative Forum of the 2013 NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting in San Antonio. NAIFA consultant Danea Kehoe said NAIFA must remain vigilent in its efforts to protect our products as congress works on comprehrensive tax reform. Congress should reaffirm the […] | 09/30/2013 | |||
Advice to managers: Empower your staff Businesses only use about 40 percent of their staff's capabilities in the office, and the biggest obstacle to empowering staff to do more is their own boss, according to consultant Gina Pellegrini. "Supervisors need to know how to let go and empower their staff to help manage their businesses," Pellegrini told attendees of the NAIFA […] | 09/30/2013 | |||
Building A Virtual Office Steve Plewes, CLU, ChFC, did nto get into the financial services industry thinking he would have a virtual office. More than 30 years ago when he first started, the concept of going virtual was unheard of. But by thinking outside the box, he took the leap to create a more efficient, profitable and higher-touch practice […] | 09/29/2013 | |||
NAIFA 2013: Dr. Will Miller Discusses "Refrigerator Rights" Psychologist Dr. Will Miller gave a thought-provoking and often hilarious presentation from the Main Stage at the 2013 NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting in San Antonio this morning. Dr. Miller used the concept of "refrigerator rights" – a circle of friends and family close enough to an individual to comfortably go through the person's […] | 09/29/2013 | |||
The M.O.O.D. of America Lincoln Financial Group has recently released new findings from its recent M.O.O.D. (Measuring Optimism, Outlook, and Direction) of America study, which show a high level of empowerment and a positive outlook on the future among respondents who own life insurance. | 09/26/2013 | |||
Agents and Advisors Set for NAIFA San Antonio Sep 28 Tax reform, healthcare and financial services regulatory reform on the agenda | 09/23/2013 | |||
Don't Be the Cobbler! It is once again the time of year when our industry brings national attention and awareness to the importance of life insurance by celebrating Life Insurance Awareness Month. | 09/19/2013 | |||
NAIFA Treasurer: Dues Increase Does Not Cause Membership Loss Fellow Members, I say this often, but I can't say it enough: I've never been more proud to be a member of NAIFA, and I am proud to serve as your Treasurer. Our association's reach and influence continues to grow and make a difference in our profession. Members of Congress and state legislators know more […] | 09/19/2013 | |||
Life Insurance Premiums Experience Positive Growth Individual life premium grew 4 percent in the second quarter, resulting in a 6 percent increase for the first half of 2013, according to LIMRA's Individual Life Insurance Sales Survey. | 09/17/2013 | |||
John Nichols: 'Keep NAIFA Strong' Support the bylaw amendment to keep NAIFA strong. Contact your State and Local leadership – they will be representing you in San Antonio when the bylaw amendment will come up for a vote at the end of the month. | 09/11/2013 | |||
From Ebb and Flow to G.R.O.W How many times have you had a terrific production month followed by a terrible production month? Take comfort in knowing that there is a way to consistently and sustainably make your business grow. | 09/10/2013 | |||
A letter from NAIFA President Rob Smith Dear NAIFA members: With swimming pools closed, school buses on roads, and Labor Day a summer memory, it can only mean one thing: The NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting is just around the corner! For me, the annual gathering is an opportunity to re-energize, re-engage and re-connect with my best friends and colleagues. This […] | 09/06/2013 | |||
The Many Uses of Permanent Life Insurance While 50 percent of U.S. households say they want more life insurance, 30 percent of them still have no life insurance policy. To help make consumers aware of all that life insurance has to offer, Penn Mutual shared these four ways permanent life insurance can be used: | 09/06/2013 | |||
Life Insurance Awareness Month September is Life Insurance Awareness Month, the public-relations and marketing campaign spearheaded by the LIFE Foundation to encourage all Americans to take stock of their life insurance needs and buy the insurance they need for themselves and their families. | 09/04/2013 | |||
The More Things Change… Generation X is all grown up—and its members are behaving just like their parents. | 08/29/2013 | |||
NAIFA mourns passing of Des Taylor Dear NAIFA Family, It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that NAIFA-Texas must inform you of the passing of Mr. Des Taylor. This morning, August 27, 2013 at 8:23 a.m. at the Christopher House Hospice in Austin, Texas, he succumbed to the cancer, surrounded by his loved ones. On July 30, 2013, Mr. […] | 08/27/2013 | |||
Trends in Income Annuities Study shows companies are adding features in hopes of attracting more customers. | 08/22/2013 | |||
The Best – And Most Basic – Marketing Tool When it comes to marketing yourself and your practice, honesty never fails. | 08/20/2013 | |||
LIFE Announces 2013 realLIFEstories Winners The LIFE Foundation has announced the winners of its 18th annual realLIFEstories Client Recognition Program. This program honors licensed insurance professionals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to client service, and through their insurance advice and assistance, have helped families in times of great financial need. In addition to recognizing the work of these agents, the […] | 08/15/2013 | |||
Be Prepared for Life Insurance Awareness Month Each September, the LIFE Foundation coordinates Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM). It's an industry-wide educational campaign aimed at encouraging all Americans to take stock of their life insurance needs. The resources in LIFE's Producer e-Kit will provide you with everything you need to put together an effective LIAM 2013 marketing campaign. The Marketing Guide provides […] | 08/13/2013 | |||
NAIFA launches new ACA resource site Dear NAIFA Members, On October 1st, 2013, the installation of our new national board will be happening at our national conference in San Antonio. We are humbled and honored to serve our members. We have been counting down the days with great anticipation toward continuing leadership and advocacy efforts for our great federation on behalf […] | 08/07/2013 | |||
NAIFA-San Diego President-Elect Graduates from LILI Nicole Rex, President Elect of the NAIFA San Diego Chapter, recently graduated from the NAIFA Leadership in Life Institute. LILI is a six-month, leadership-development program devoted to advancing one's personal growth and professional success. The LILI curriculum is based on the leadership writings of Stephen Covey, John Maxwell, Jim Collins, and Kouzes & Posner. The […] | 08/06/2013 | |||
NAIFA Member Is Managing Director at Saybrus Partners "Steve's extensive sales, marketing and distribution experience is a great fit for Saybrus as we continue to forge strong, successful partnerships and build our third-party life insurance business," says Edward W. Cassidy, managing principal, Saybrus Partners. | 08/01/2013 | |||
My Father's Passing On July 2, 2013, my father, Thomas Smith, passed away at the age of 68 on his 47th wedding anniversary. I wish to share this with you not as a tale of woe, for eventually all of our fathers will pass, but as a tale of observances and what we need to do as insurance advisors (and human beings) to better connect with our clients and families when they lose a loved one. | 07/31/2013 | |||
NAIFA Past President to be Inducted into The Michigan Insurance Hall of Fame NAIFA Past President David Smithkey, RFC, CLU, will be inducted into the Michigan Insurance Hall of Fame next month. The induction ceremony will take place on August 21 at the Country Club of Lansing in Lansing, Michigan. In 1988, the Olivet College Insurance Program Advisory Committee, consisting of leaders from the insurance and risk-management business […] | 07/25/2013 | |||
Margaret Ellison Simonds Elected Secretary of NAIFA-Massachusetts Margaret Ellison Simonds, Director of New Business and Underwriting at First American Insurance Underwriters, Inc., in Needham, Massachusetts. was recently elected Secretary of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) of Massachusetts. Simonds began her life insurance career in 1990 and has developed extensive knowledge of life insurance, disability income and long-term-care marketing […] | 07/23/2013 | |||
Lost Sales Leads Four common problems and how to correct them. | 07/16/2013 | |||
ASAE recognizes Dr. Susan Waters for excellence in association leadership ASAE – the membership association for association executives — will honor NAIFA CEO Dr. Susan B. Waters, CAE, with the 2013 Key Award. The Key Award recognizes the association CEO who demonstrates exceptional qualities of leadership in his or her own association and displays a deep commitment to voluntary membership organizations as a whole. ASAE will […] | 07/10/2013 | |||
Life Insurance Owners More Upbeat Than Those Without Coverage Owners of life insurance report more fulfillment and optimism in their lives than those without coverage, according to findings from the Keep Good Going Report, sponsored by New York Life. | 07/09/2013 | |||
NAIFA Member Receives Financial Professional of the Year Award "His ability to provide comprehensive financial advice to these clients through his extensive knowledge base and sound ethical principles makes Eric one of Penn Mutual and HTK's most successful advisors." | 07/03/2013 | |||
The Best of Times? On Monday mornings, prospects are too busy. On Friday afternoons, prospects are gone. Don't want to bother the prospect by calling too early? They've probably left the office by mid-afternoon, and by the middle of the week, they're very busy. So what should an advisor do? | 07/02/2013 | |||
NAIFA-San Diego Announces New President "I've spent my whole life building and teaching other financial advisors to become the very best that they can be." | 06/28/2013 | |||
NAIFA's Advisor Today Recognizes Outstanding Advisors with 'Four Under Forty' Award "The advisors who join the ranks of Four Under Forty exhibit strength and character, and an unwavering commitment to professional excellence in our industry," said NAIFA CEO Dr. Susan Waters, CAE. | 06/26/2013 | |||
AT Recognizes Four Outstanding Advisors Advisor Today has recognized four financial advisors with the "Four Under Forty Award," given annually to four outstanding advisors who achieve excellence in their profession by or before the age of 40. The advisors will be profiled in the September/October 2013 issue of Advisor Today, which will be distributed to attendees of NAIFA's 2013 Career […] | 06/21/2013 | |||
The Magic That Is MDRT MDRT has performed its magic again—this time at its Annual Meeting held earlier this week in Philadelphia. | 06/17/2013 | |||
Workers on Uphill Road with Consumer-Driven Health Care Many are not prepared for increased costs, may not want control, and lack education. | 06/14/2013 | |||
NAIFA Member Is VP, Sales Productivity and Business Development, at American General "Joe's more than 33 years of experience in the life insurance and financial planning industries will further strengthen our relationships with our valued institutional and brokerage general agency distribution partners as we concentrate on helping them deliver customized, effective solutions to their clients." | 06/12/2013 | |||
Retirement Income Opportunity to Hit $22 Trillion by 2020 "There is a huge opportunity for the financial services industry to help Americans identify how much income they will need in retirement, develop a plan for investing their portfolio to generate income, while continuing to grow their assets." | 06/05/2013 | |||
LTCI Industry Pays $6.6 Billion in Benefits Some 264,000 individuals were receiving long-term-care insurance benefit payments as of December 31, 2012, according to a report from the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance. | 06/03/2013 | |||
A Clothes Encounter in the Business World The Queen of England is reported to have told Prince Charles: "Dress gives one the outward sign from which people can judge the inward state of mind. One they can see, the other they cannot." People judge us by the way we dress. In all situations, business and social, our outward appearance sends a message. | 05/31/2013 | |||
Teens Take Action According to new study, teenagers are taking action in planning for college costs, helping parents both research how to pay for school and contributing to the family's college savings fund. | 05/29/2013 | |||
Military Families Confident In Financial Planners At a time when defense downsizing is bringing new challenges to the lives of active-duty service members, financial planners are continuing to earn the trust of their military clients. | 05/21/2013 | |||
Reasons for Disability Claims in the Workforce A study by Unum reveals some reasons for long-term disability claims. | 05/17/2013 | |||
AALU Members Elect New Directors and Officers Members of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting elected new officers and three new directors for 2013-14 during the association's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. | 05/14/2013 | |||
Podcast – Expand Your DI Practice Want to sell more DI insurance? Then listen carefully to this podcast, which offers some best practices for selling this valuable product from NAIFA President-Elect John Nichols. | 05/09/2013 | |||
Industries That Need More DI Protection Employees who work in manufacturing, health care and education may be underinsured for the important financial protection they need if they are faced with a disability. | 05/07/2013 | |||
AALU Holds Annual Meeting AALU members are currently attending the 2013 Annual Meeting in the nation's capital, where they are learning from each other, building new relationships, and reinforcing to Congress the value of the life insurance products they sell to their clients. | 05/01/2013 | |||
NAIFA Member Receives National Chairman's Award from Penn Mutual The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company recently presented NAIFA member Susan Cooper, CLU, ChFC, CFP, CDFA, CAP, with a 2012 National Chairman's Award. Cooper is managing director of Penn Mutual's career agency in New York City. | 04/30/2013 | |||
Life Lessons from a NAIFA Member NAIFA member Greg Leonard, CLU, ChFC, is featured in an article published in the April issue of Broker World, about how life insurance has enabled him to navigate the many unexpected challenges he has faced throughout his life. As the owner of the Greg Leonard Agency in Sioux Falls, S.D., Leonard has worked in the business […] | 04/26/2013 | |||
What Will Really Make You Happy? Some people claim that happiness is all in your DNA or bank account. The truth is that happiness is largely a matter of everyday choices and actions. There are straightforward, well-researched and effective things every one of us can do to create greater happiness in our lives and in the lives of those we care about. | 04/25/2013 | |||
Deadline Approaching for the Four Under Forty Awards! You have only a few days to submit your nominations for Advisor Today's 2013 Four Under Forty Awards, which recognize outstanding NAIFA members under the age of 40. All nominations must be received by May 1, 2013. | 04/23/2013 | |||
NAIFA gets 'Good Housekeeping' nod In an article on "Health Insurance for the Self-Employed," Good Housekeeping magazine cites NAIFA and NAHU as valid sources for information about a small-group insurance plan: From the magazine: "A group plan for your business: If you hire an employee (or your spouse), you may be eligible to buy a small-group insurance plan. A full-service […] | 04/17/2013 | |||
2013 Managers Membership Award: Now accepting applications! The Managers Membership Award (MMA) is a symbol of dedication, leadership and commitment and to promote NAIFA membership. Apply now! | 04/16/2013 | |||
Why I Am in Washington, D.C. As the members prepared for the meetings with lawmakers, several of them shared some of the reasons why they left their busy practices and traveled to Washington, D.C., to make their views known. Here are some of these reasons, in their own words: | 04/10/2013 | |||
Women and Younger Investors Lack Financial Literacy According to the first financial literacy flash survey (conducted by AdviceIQ, in recognition of Financial Literacy Month) women and individuals under the age of 45 are much less knowledgeable about personal finance than male and older investors. | 04/09/2013 | |||
Using Kindle to Generate Free Leads The goal is not to sell books, but rather to generate leads from Amazon's huge customer base. | 04/04/2013 | |||
NAIFA-West Virginia Honors Long-Time Member NAIFA-West Virginia recently honored Philip T. Seibert for 77 years of service in the financial-services industry. "What is best for the client will always be the key." | 04/02/2013 | |||
Why Would Anyone Want to Continue to Cold Call? Cold calling has reportedly died. No one cold calls anymore and it doesn't work. Is this true? | 03/28/2013 | |||
Insights in Investment Management Late last year, kasina, a strategy consulting firm in the financial-services industry, conducted its biannual Financial Advisor Vision survey of 2,521 advisors. Read on for the study's findings… | 03/26/2013 | |||
NAIFA-Atlanta Announces Top Financial Advisors Under 40 NAIFA-Atlanta is pleased to introduce the 2013 recipients of its prestigious Top Advisors Under 40 award. | 03/21/2013 | |||
The Secret to Enjoying a Long and Active Life Conventional wisdom has usually sided with the impression that those who retire the earliest—those between 55 to 60 years of age, live longer than those who retire later. Wrong. | 03/19/2013 | |||
NAIFA Member Appointed Financial Advisor at Empire Wealth Strategies The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, a more than 166-year-old company, has appointed Anthony Williams, LUTCF, financial advisor of Empire Wealth Strategies, the company's New York City career agency. | 03/14/2013 | |||
Podcast: Using Social Media to Enhance Your Web Site In this podcast, two Securities America, Inc. experts Kirk Hulett and Chris Hall explain how you can use social media to make your website work harder. | 03/12/2013 | |||
Preparing Members for Political Involvement NAIFA is the only member association in the insurance and financial-services industry to have members in each congressional district in the United States. The grassroots capability for advocacy by our members is one of NAIFA's greatest strengths, and it distinguishes NAIFA from all other industry associations. | 03/06/2013 | |||
In Step with a Winner: Clint Fish, RFC – Four Under Forty Winner The practice of Clint Fish, RFC, has grown significantly since he won Advisor Today's Four Under Forty Award in 2009. We recently caught up with Fish and learned about his company's successes, his plans for the future, and why he thinks NAIFA membership is so valuable. | 03/05/2013 | |||
Upgrade Your Referrals When it comes to referrals, focus on quality instead of quantity | 02/28/2013 | |||
John Meehan, CLU (1922 – 2013) NALU Past President John P. Meehan, who died on February 11 at 90, was one of our association's most colorful and passionate leaders. | 02/26/2013 | |||
The Principles of Effective Closing You can acquire the ability to close sales and, through practice, you can perfect it. | 02/21/2013 | |||
NAIFA Member Is Appointed General Manager of National Life Group In his new post, Barrett will lead market development and agent recruiting in northern New Jersey for National Life Insurance Company, a member of National Life Group. His office is located in Fairfield, New Jersey. | 02/20/2013 | |||
5 Resolutions for Your Business in 2013 No matter what the potentially game-changing information is that is coming out of Washington, D.C., or China, there are winning strategies that not only endure but should be part of every workplace's culture. | 02/14/2013 | |||
LIFE connects love, life insurance with February campaign LIFE urges producers to spread the word about the connection between love and life insurance. With Valentines Day approaching, it's time to engage in "Insure Your Love," an industry-wide public education campaign that reminds Americans of the need to protect the ones they love through proper life insurance planning. "Insure Your Love" is built around […] | 02/07/2013 | |||
NAIFA's Juli McNeely to LifePro advisors: 'Tell our Story' NAIFA Secretary Juli McNeely and LifePro President Bill Zimmerman teamed up Tuesday to brief LifePro advisors on how the challenges facing the industry relate to the value of joining NAIFA. In a session at the San Diego-based general agency's conference of 250 advisors, McNeely updated LifePro advisors on NAIFA's grassroots efforts to educate legislators about […] | 02/06/2013 | |||
Serving up etiquette: Tips for business dining Knowledge of your product or service is crucial to the success of the meeting, but so are manners. | 02/04/2013 | |||
NAIFA Members Ramp Up Their Political Involvement More than 150 members gathered in Washington Jan. 27-29 for NAIFA's annual IFAPAC/APIC Training Meeting and Day on the Hill. | 02/01/2013 | |||
LIFE Names New Officers and Members to Board of Directors LIFE has appointed four new officers and two new members to its Board of Directors, effective January 1… | 01/31/2013 | |||
Health Care Costs Projected to Increase More Slowly "Despite the lower trend, though, health care costs continue to outpace general inflation–creating difficult business decisions for organizations." | 01/30/2013 | |||
Two NAIFA Members Receive American College's Highest Honor "Both Peter and Alan embody the ideals upon which The American College was founded more than 86 years ago. They are living examples of what every financial services professional should aspire to become." | 01/24/2013 | |||
Breaking Through Your Business Plateau Move past stopping points to reach a new level of success. | 01/22/2013 | |||
AT's 4 Under 40: Nominations Now Being Accepted for 2013 Nominate a rising star now! | 01/18/2013 | |||
Five Ways to Get Referrals Without Asking Keep these tips in your back pocket and watch your business grow. | 01/17/2013 | |||
February Marks LIFE's Annual "Insure Your Love" Awareness Campaign Valentine's Day is a day for people to celebrate their love for each other. That's why every February, the LIFE Foundation asks people to look beyond the traditional gifts of chocolates and flowers, and to show their loved ones that they care through the selfless gift of life insurance. | 01/14/2013 | |||
Free NAIFA Webinar: Mastering the Art of Telephone Prospecting Nothing beats having a real conversation with a prospect. But when you reach prospects, you have less than 30 seconds to interest and engage them. Make a mistake and there are no second chances. | 01/14/2013 | |||
NAIFA's Diane Boyle among 'A-team' shaping employer-sponsored health benefits Employee Benefit Adviser magazine sat down with four executives who represent employee benefit brokers and advisers in Washington. When asked about the most important accomplishment of 2012, the leaders agreed that the organizations' ability to obtain the number of co-sponsors on the Medical Loss Ratio legislation in the House was a major win. "We have […] | 01/10/2013 | |||
Engaging Clients on Facebook Avoid common pitfalls when using this popular social media site. | 01/08/2013 | |||
Bob Herum receives W. Harold Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award "Bob's contributions to the disability income insurance industry and consumers are immeasurable." | 01/04/2013 | |||
Americans Make Finances a Low Priority for 2013 "It's alarming that Americans' willingness to ignore financial planning in their New Year's Resolutions continues to go up year after year," says Katie Libbe, vice president of Consumer Insights for Allianz Life. | 01/02/2013 | |||
Sales Idea: Turn Your Knowledge into Sales We often come up with a wonderful idea but don't have a plan to do anything with it. This concept forces you to do something with it. It will definitely generate appointment sales and referrals. | 12/20/2012 | |||
More Consumers Use the Internet for Research "With two-thirds of Americans conducting searches online, it is not surprising that the number of people seeking information about life insurance and annuity products online has increased more than 60 percent over the past six years," said Mary Art, research director, LIMRA technology research. | 12/20/2012 | |||
How to Build a Solid Business Foundation It's never too late to create your 2013 marketing plan and to celebrate your successes, identify your gaps and resolve any challenges that are keeping you from achieving your goals. | 12/20/2012 | |||
Trends in Voluntary Benefits and Resolutions for 2013 As we approach the end of 2012, many health insurance agents and brokers are thinking about upcoming trends in the health insurance industry and what they should consider in 2013. | 12/19/2012 | |||
NAIFA Member Receives Executive Promotion New York Life recently announced that Richard Simonetti and John O'Gara have each been elected senior vice president in the company's Agency Department, reporting to Executive Vice President and Head of Agency Mark Pfaff. | 12/18/2012 | |||
What to Expect in 2013 As 2012 comes to a close, investors are looking forward to 2013 and forecasting the potential direction of the economy and financial markets… | 12/13/2012 | |||
Top 5 Happiness Tips for Business and Sales Professionals Certain keys, while applicable to everyone in creating a life of long-term happiness, are particularly relevant to the sales professional. | 12/11/2012 | |||
OneAmerica Appoints NAIFA Member "We are here to provide families, individuals and businesses with financial protection and services to meet their unique financial needs. Our client-centric process is uniquely designed to empower and educate our clients." | 12/06/2012 | |||
LIFE Foundation Urges Agents to Participate in 2013 realLIFEstories The LIFE Foundation is accepting entries for the 2013 realLIFEstories Client Service Recognition Program. The annual program seeks to gather and publicize compelling stories of the role insurance has played in helping families and businesses in times of great financial need. Four winning stories, chosen by an independent judging panel, will be featured nationally in […] | 12/04/2012 | |||
The 10 Most Overlooked Insurance Coverages Read on to learn about the 10 most overlooked insurance coverages and how to make sure your clients have the proper coverage in place. | 11/29/2012 | |||
No Retirement Planning for One-Third of U.S. Women Although women are more concerned about the potential risks they face in retirement than men, a new study by LIMRA found that fewer women had completed any of the basic retirement-planning activities. | 11/28/2012 | |||
Tap into the Power of Thanks In many organizations, employees go through their days assuming that their coworkers, and especially their bosses, don't notice or appreciate all of the hard work that they do. If that's the way they feel, employees won't have any true motivation or dedication, and productivity will be mediocre at best. In the midst of an already […] | 11/21/2012 | |||
Mining for Sales If your disability income sales are not coming in as fast as you would like them to, don't despair. The following idea by Ryan Petersen with Petersen International Underwriters will help you get more of your existing clients to sign on the dotted line. | 11/20/2012 | |||
NAIFA: The Voice of the Independent Advisor At NAILBA 31, IMOs and BGAs experienced why NAIFA continues to be "The Voice of the Independent Advisor." See how NAIFA helps independents protect their business, grow their business, and make more money. | 11/20/2012 | |||
Penn Mutual and American College Host Maurice Stewart Program The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, together with The American College, last month hosted the annual endowed Maurice L. Stewart Lectureship program in Philadelphia. | 11/19/2012 | |||
Few Americans Own LTC Insurance According to recent research from the LIFE Foundation and LIMRA, paying for long-term care services is a top financial concern for the majority of consumers today; yet, few of them say that they own long-term-care insurance, the very product that can provide them with a financial safety net to help pay for their care. | 11/15/2012 | |||
Small Businesses Upbeat About Finances Despite this upbeat attitude, even the most positive of the small business owners who were surveyed worry. | 11/13/2012 | |||
Call for Entries for 2013 realLIFEstories Program This annual program seeks to gather and publicize compelling stories of the role insurance has played in helping families and businesses in times of great financial need. Insurance agents can send in their success stories about disability income or long-term-care insurance. Four winning stories, chosen by an independent panel of judges, will be featured nationally in the fall of 2013. | 11/08/2012 | |||
NAIFA Statement on the Election "With a NAIFA member in every congressional district, NAIFA stands ready to build new relationships and strengthen existing connections in order to establish a basic level of understanding among all members of Congress about the value of insurance protection and financial planning." | 11/07/2012 | |||
NAIFA Member Dennis Pascarella Joins Futurity First as Sales VP, Eastern Region "I am delighted that Dennis has joined Futurity First," says Michael Kalen, CEO of Futurity First Insurance Group. | 11/06/2012 | |||
November is Long-Term Care Insurance Awareness Month Seven out of 10 people aged 65 and over will require long-term care at some point during their lives, and more than 40 percent will need care in a nursing home, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. | 11/01/2012 | |||
Dr. Susan Waters on Hurricane Sandy Our thoughts are with NAIFA members and their clients in the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as everyone else affected by the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. | 10/31/2012 | |||
5 Things Great Leaders Do Are you a great leader? How do you know? What would your staffers say? What would your own supervisor say? | 10/31/2012 | |||
The BRICs Story Is Not Over For Investors American investors seeking sustained growth in their portfolios should follow in the footsteps of Starbucks and continue to look to the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China), says Nigel Green, the chief executive of the deVere Group, an independent financial advisory group. | 10/25/2012 | |||
How Men and Women Think of Retirement Although they face the prospect of living more years in retirement than men, women nearing retirement underestimate how much they will need to pay for their future health care costs even more so than men nearing retirement, according to a Nationwide Financial survey. | 10/24/2012 | |||
Business Is Improving but Owners Have No Plans to Spend American business owners are optimistic about the health of their businesses but lack confidence in the economy, according to new research from Principal Financial Well Being Index: Business Owners. | 10/23/2012 | |||
In Step with a Winner: John Enright In the six years since John Enright won Advisor Today's Four Under Forty Award, a lot of good things have happened to him. His firm's revenue has increased significantly and he has welcomed a new member to his family. | 10/17/2012 | |||
Despite Party Affiliation, Transition Boomers United in Concerns about Retirement With the presidential election just a few weeks away, a new survey is shedding some light on Americans' retirement outlook. | 10/16/2012 | |||
Members-Only Webinar: The Affordable Care Act – Next Steps Join NAIFA staff members Diane Boyle, Vice President, Federal Government Relations and Matt Solak, Program Manager Government Relations for the latest developments on the Affordable Care Act and its impact on you and your clients since the Supreme Court ruling. | 10/11/2012 | |||
NAIFA Member Named Brokerage Manager at First American Insurance "JoAnn's extensive experience in estate planning and helping life insurance producers in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine to grow their businesses makes her an excellent fit for our company." | 10/11/2012 | |||
Classically Trained Top Producers Know This: Character, Persistence and a Great Sense of Humor Never Go Out of Style | 10/09/2012 | |||
Wealthy Investors Increase Use of Social Media and Mobile Technology A growing number of wealthy investors are using smart phones for talking, texting, and emailing, and are spending more time on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and even Twitter. This is according to new research from the Spectrem Group… | 10/05/2012 | |||
Current Tax and Year-End Insurance Planning Opportunities Despite the benefits, financial advisors often miss the opportunity to speak to their clients about the important role life insurance products can play, according to a survey conducted by Saybrus Partners, Inc. | 10/02/2012 | |||
Podcast: Enhancing Your Value as a DI Broker The Standard's Michael Klachesfky explains health and productivity management practices used by many forward-thinking employers, and how disability income insurance brokers and agents can help their corporate clients maximize these practices and enhance their value. | 09/27/2012 | |||
The Profile of an LTCI Buyer First-hand experience with the challenges of financing long-term care for loved ones, as well as testimonials of hardship resulting from a long-term-care event, are the primary motivators for purchasing long-term-care insurance, but consumers are hungry for more education on this type of coverage, according to recent research from Mutual of Omaha. | 09/25/2012 | |||
Family members describe realLIFEstories Family members described real life stories of love and loss during the LIFE organization's annual presentation at the NAIFA annual meeting in Las Vegas. In realLIEFstories, family members told of how life insurance protected their financial security after the loss of a father, enabled a son to pursue his dream to win a gold medal […] | 09/21/2012 | |||
Brian Ashe Accepts 2012 John Newton Russell Memorial Award "The business of life insurance was the perfect blend of providing private counsel with social good." | 09/21/2012 | |||
For Many Consumers, Life Insurance Is More Important than Ever In support of Life Insurance Awareness Month, ING U.S. recently released findings from a new consumer study that underscores striking disconnects in attitudes and behaviors toward life insurance. | 09/20/2012 | |||
NAIFA Video Marks Upcoming 100-year Anniversary of Tax-Free Life Insurance Benefits A new video released during NAIFA's 2012 Career Conference and Annual Meeting offers a history of NAIFA's important role in ensuring that American families and businesses receive tax-free death benefits and inside build up on their insurance products. | 09/18/2012 | |||
The Nuts and Bolts of Estate Planning Ike Trotter, financial advisor, spoke to NAIFA audience members about the importance and misconceptions of estate planning. The problems with the general opinion on estate planning are: – It's only for the wealthy – It focuses entirely too much on death Trotter submitted a five-step approach on what agents must do to change their clients' […] | 09/11/2012 | |||
Use LIFE to Build Your Practice In a panel discussion on Tuesday, Sept. 11, three advisors described how they use LIFE's education and marketing materials to use in their practice and emphasize the importance of Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM). Beginning with Paul L. Farr, he told the audience that clients like to buy, but don't want to be sold to. […] | 09/11/2012 | |||
Social Security, Retirement and Taxes Robin Mueller, motivational speaker and insurance industry insider, explained during his workshop at the NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting that recent changes to Social Security laws create situations for advisors to interact with clients A recent law change eliminated the government's practice of sending paper Social Security statements. This creates an opening for advisors, […] | 09/11/2012 | |||
Current Trends in Insurance With ongoing tax law changes, product enhancements, insurance carriers entering or leaving different markets and new riders, how do you keep up with all of these changes? NAIFA members who attended one of the 2012 NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting Workshops on Monday received some help in keeping up with these changes from Mike […] | 09/11/2012 | |||
Prospecting: Be Nice, Think Big, Stop the Excuses Robert Krumroy, CLU, ChFC, held an educational session on Monday, Sept. 10, to teach NAIFA members new methods on prospecting and gathering possible clients. "Insurance today is all about prospecting, not selling," Krumroy said. The big rules of prospecting are: be nice, think big and stop the excuses. You must continue relationships with your current, […] | 09/10/2012 | |||
Keep Life Insurance Awareness Month Going All Year The LIFE Foundation created Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM) for the month of September to highlight the importance of life insurance. On Monday, Sept. 10, Warren Barhorst, LUTCF, founder and CEO of Iscential, spoke at length of the importance to make every month Life Insurance Awareness Month, and to have that continuous awareness motivate your […] | 09/10/2012 | |||
Big Presentation: Gather Prospective Clients with Ease Robert E. Krumroy, a NAIFA member for 39 years, spoke during NAIFA's Big Ideas Presentation on Monday, Sept. 10, about the importance and hardships of prospecting. Krumroy, CLU, ChFC, said, "It's harder to attract prospects today than any time in history." The "Age of Skepticism" began with telemarketing, then with advertisements, and the majority of […] | 09/10/2012 | |||
Turning Goals Into Reality During Monday's General Session of the NAIFA 2012 Career Conference and Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, attendees received some valuable information on how to turn their goals into reality from Norman Levine, CLU, ChFC, CSA, who proudly announced that this is his 65th year in the life insurance business. Levine is an internationally recognized speaker, […] | 09/10/2012 | |||
Big Presentation: Big Ideas in Sales, Prospecting and Marketing During NAIFA's general session on Monday, Sept. 10, Anthony Morris spoke during NAIFA's Big Ideas presentation. Morris, a financial services industry speaker, taught the audience new ways to become top advisors in their fields, especially when he knows, "Building your business is not easy." Beginning with the job description, Morris gave four ways to connect […] | 09/10/2012 | |||
Legislative Forum: NAIFA Voices Matter NAIFA Legislative Forum Presentation Edward and Lawrence Woods saw a threat to their industry and took it upon themselves to make a difference. The year was 1913 and there was great uncertainty over whether the new federal income tax would impact death benefits and dividends from life insurance products. Members of the National Association of […] | 09/10/2012 | |||
How to Succeed, No Matter What Marvin LeBlanc, author of the Amazon bestseller "Come Hell or High Water: Life Lessons from Hurricane Katrina: Facing Life's Greatest Challenges, No Matter What," inspired NAIFA conference-goers Sunday afternoon, Sept. 9, to succeed at life's challenges and always be significant. LeBlanc, an insurance agent in Louisiana, lost his home, office and income in 2005 when […] | 09/09/2012 | |||
Dr. Waters: de Tocqueville's appreciation for 'community' is at heart of associations today NAIFA CEO Dr. Susan B. Waters took members on a trip through time today, describing the travels of Alexis de Tocqueville's voyage to America in 1830 on a quest to find what drove the hearts and souls of the American people. His conclusion: America's genius for community. In her CEO Report to NAIFA members at […] | 09/09/2012 | |||
You Can Fascinate! During a General Session at the 2012 NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting on Sunday, September 9, NAIFA members learned how to fascinate their customers and co-workers by using their personality's hardwired advantages from Sally Hogshead, motivational speaker and author of Fascinate. When you fascinate your prospects and clients, she said, you become most worthy […] | 09/09/2012 | |||
Howard Fineman on Politics: From the Top and the Inside Howard Fineman, editorial director of The Huffington Post Media Group, shared with NAIFA members his insights on the upcoming presidential election and the state of politics. Speaking during the NAIFA general session on Sunday, Sept. 9, Fineman opinionated that he was surprised either presidential candidate, President Barack Obama or Mitt Romney, would win the election, […] | 09/09/2012 | |||
With an Assist From Dickens, Robert Miller Offers His View of NAIFA's Present and Future NAIFA President Robert Miller evoked the enduring words of Charles Dickens in his President's Report Sunday at the 2012 NAIFA Career Conference in Las Vegas. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," Mr. Miller said, relating Dickens' masterful opening to the classic novel A Tale of Two Cities to his […] | 09/09/2012 | |||
NAIFA Town Hall Meeting Kicks Off 2012 Conference The NAIFA Executive Committee covered topics from membership numbers to the partnership resolution between state committees and the national group during the 2012 NAIFA Town Hall Meeting, which took place Saturday, Sept. 8, at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. President Robert A. Miller, MS, MA, opened the meeting by reminding members of the importance on serving […] | 09/08/2012 | |||
Sharon Heierman honored with C. Carney Smith Award Association Executive Sharon Heierman was honored with the C. Carney Smith Award during a dinner Friday at the NAIFA AEC Conference in Las Vegas. In presenting the award, NAIFA President Robert Miller said that Sharon is a "proven leader in both outreach and education." For example, when the state of Florida enacted legislation creating a new senior […] | 09/08/2012 | |||
D. Scott Brennan Is New MDRT President D. Scott Brennan has been appointed President of the Million Dollar Round Table. Brennan, of South Bend, Ind., will lead the association of nearly 38,000 international members for a one-year term, effective Sept. 1, 2012. Brian D. Heckert, CLU, ChFC, was appointed Secretary. | 09/06/2012 | |||
Disability Firm To Be Visible at NAIFA Meeting Disability insurance carriers and distribution firms have been talking about the need to bring new blood into disability insurance sales. | 09/05/2012 | |||
Use realLIFEstories to connect with clients during LIAM Here are 4 ways to make realLIFEstories work for you during LIAM and beyond. | 09/04/2012 | |||
Gen Z – The Next Generation of Investors They are patient, collaborative and, contrary to popular belief, do not necessarily prefer electronic communication to personal connections. This is according to a new "Gen Z" survey conducted by TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation. | 08/29/2012 | |||
NAIFA Member Mike Hefferon Receives Award from Lincoln Financial Lincoln Financial Distributors (LFD), the wholesale distribution subsidiary of Lincoln Financial Group, recently announced that the CEO of BRAMCO Financial Resources, Mike Hefferon, has received the prestigious "American Award." | 08/27/2012 | |||
Sharon Heierman Receives 2012 C. Carney Smith Award Heierman served as NAIFA – Florida Executive from 2003-2012 | 08/17/2012 | |||
New Report Examines LTCI Claims The largest long-term-care insurance claim paid totaled $3 million, while the largest claim that is still being paid to an LTCI policyholder has exceeded $1.7 million in paid benefits, according to a report from the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. | 08/16/2012 | |||
NAIFA Member to Lead Prudential Individual Life Insurance Agency Distribution Prudential Individual Life Insurance, a business of Prudential Financial, Inc., recently announced that Caroline Feeney, CLU, ChFC, who is currently Agency Distribution's vice president of the eastern territory, will become president of Agency Distribution. | 08/14/2012 | |||
September is Life Insurance Awareness Month Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM) is an industry-wide educational campaign aimed at encouraging all Americans to take stock of their life insurance needs. The resources in the three sections of LIFE's Producer e-Kit will provide you with everything you need to put together an effective LIAM 2012 marketing campaign. | 08/09/2012 | |||
NAIFA's Robert Miller on 'Educating the SEC' The only fair thing you can ask from your legislator is to listen to your story. We just want our members to be able to tell our story about who we are, what we do, the impact that we have on the American economy, and what role insurance plays there. | 08/07/2012 | |||
NAIFA's advocacy work is keeping me in business. There is no other organization that is on watch for us the way NAIFA is. NAIFA gives me the opportunity to interact with legislators on the state and federal level. The amount I pay for my NAIFA membership is not in proportion to what I receive – in advocacy work alone. | 08/06/2012 | |||
Don't Miss the NAIFA 2012 Career Conference & Annual Meeting Each year NAIFA members come from across the nation to enhance their professional development, connect with colleagues, tend to the governance of your association and support the advocacy and political action work that is protecting your industry. | 08/02/2012 | |||
NAIFA Names Corey Anderson Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors has named Corey Anderson the 2012 Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year. Anderson, 34, is a disability event consultant with Secura Consultants and is the 2011-2012 NAIFA – Minnesota Young Advisors Team (YAT) Chair. | 08/01/2012 | |||
American College to Honor NAIFA Member Maury Stewart A ceremonial tribute to Maurice "Maury" Stewart, CLU, ChFC, CLF, in honor of his recent induction into The American College Alumni Hall of Fame, will take place in Chicago in December. Only seven other individuals have ever been inducted into The American College Alumni Hall of Fame. | 07/26/2012 | |||
The 'Wisdom' of Borrowing for Small Business Borrowing money is often a necessity for growing and expanding a new business, but it's also one of the least understood parts of business management. So, what is the best way to go about it? | 07/25/2012 | |||
The Right Time to Ask for a Referral Ask value-seeking questions and assess personality types to determine when the time is right. | 07/19/2012 | |||
HRAs Celebrate 10th Anniversary Health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), which are an integral component of many organizations' consumer-directed health-care plans (CDHPs), celebrated their 10th anniversary on July 15. | 07/17/2012 | |||
The Importance of COLI Best Practices A recent article in Forbes magazine points out the potential tax liabilities for companies that take out employer-owned life insurance, also known as corporate-owned life insurance (COLI), policies on employees without following notification and consent requirements laid out by federal law. | 07/13/2012 | |||
How to Avoid Failing Elegantly Here are a few leadership mistakes that put your team in danger of failing elegantly, and some remedies to get them back into the winner's mindset. | 07/10/2012 | |||
Nearly Half of Small-Biz Owners Not Ready for Hurricane Season A Travelers Insurance questionnaire posed to small-business owners who recently attended the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Summit shows that most are at risk in the wake of a potential disaster. | 07/05/2012 | |||
NAIFA is the only organization that protects what we do and how we do it. No organization can replace what NAIFA does for me. | 07/02/2012 | |||
NAIFA issues statement on Supreme Court Decision on healthcare reform NAIFA believes Congressional modification is needed and will ask the following of Congress… | 06/28/2012 | |||
Advisors Want Romney, But Expect Victory for President Obama When it comes to what advisors are the most worried about, their concerns are not gas prices, interest rates, unemployment, or the housing market… | 06/27/2012 | |||
Thank you, NAIFA Perhaps the greatest benefit of what we all do is the friendship that grows from the professional relationships formed through NAIFA. | 06/22/2012 | |||
Get Ready for the NAIFA 2012 Career Conference President-Elect Rob Smith is ready for the NAIFA 2012 Career Conference. Are you? | 06/19/2012 | |||
NAIFA's Advisor Today Recognizes Outstanding Advisors with 'Four Under Forty' Award "The four recipients of the 2012 Four Under Forty Award demonstrate what advisors can achieve with dedication and commitment to their industry, and professional participation in NAIFA," noted Dr. Susan Waters, CAE, NAIFA's CEO. "All of them have careers that are firmly on the path to continued growth and success." | 06/15/2012 | |||
Want the Best Business Card Ever? Write a Book Business owners obviously want to grow their business and see it flourish; some people want to build careers as speakers. But often, there's something deeper driving us and we may not even be aware of it. | 06/14/2012 | |||
Insurance Industry Pay Increase Budgets Remain Stagnant "Until it is clear how healthcare reform will ultimately affect insurance providers, employers in the industry will likely continue to take a guarded approach to offering increases." | 06/11/2012 | |||
Retirement Investors Looking for Stability, Open to Getting Help A recent Charles Schwab & Co. survey found that 42 percent of investors are concerned about the potential impact of future legislation on their retirement accounts. | 06/07/2012 | |||
NAIFA Member Phillip C. Richards Inducted into Securian Financial Group's Hall of Fame "The value of Phil Richards' contributions to the growth and success of this company is incalculable." | 06/05/2012 | |||
"NAIFA continues to help me build my practice" It wasn't long before I saw the value of NAIFA and wished I had joined earlier in my career. | 06/04/2012 | |||
Missing an Opportunity Financial advisors often miss the opportunity to speak to their clients about the important role life insurance products can play in financial planning, according to a recent survey by Saybrus Partners, Inc. | 05/31/2012 | |||
Shopping for Insurance at Work According to a recent LIMRA study, "More and more people are turning to their place of work to get the financial products they need." | 05/29/2012 | |||
NAIFA National Council: 2012 Resolution and Amendments On April 20-21, 2012, the Board of Trustees held its spring meeting with the primary focus being the three recommendations from the task force regarding NAIFA Federation Structure, Board Selection Process and Dues Determination. | 05/25/2012 | |||
Do You Know What Your Customers Want? Research shows 90 percent of business owners don't. | 05/24/2012 | |||
NAIFA Members Honored by Gama International Langdon Ford Financial partners John Langdon and Marc Del Gaudio were presented with GAMA International's James H. Krueger First in Class Award for outstanding leadership and production. GAMA also presented North Star Resource Group's vice president and field director Mark Bonnett with its Brian Early Front Line Excellence Award for outstanding leadership. | 05/22/2012 | |||
NAIFA Members Receive Achievement Awards Two NAIFA members are among the recipients of the 2012 National Long Term Care Insurance Sales Achievement Awards, which were announced this month by the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI). | 05/22/2012 | |||
Speaking at Service Clubs Boost your business by presenting informative and entertaining speeches. | 05/16/2012 | |||
Ohio National Elects NAIFA Member to Chairman of the Board "I am very proud to lead the Board of this exceptional company," Huffman notes. "Ohio National is an acknowledged leader in the industry, both in terms of its financial strength and performance and its highly competitive, high consumer value product portfolio." | 05/15/2012 | |||
NAIFA Member Named EVP and Chief Distribution Officer of American General NAIFA member John Deremo joins American General from Protective Life Corporation, where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer. | 05/10/2012 | |||
Using Social Prospecting to Grow Your Business Client appreciation and referral events need not be expensive. The key is handling all the details to the extent that your guests really notice them. Read on for a down-to-earth guide on prospecting through referrals. | 05/08/2012 | |||
Larry Lee Receives NAIFA-California Distinguished Service Award The honor is bestowed on individuals who have demonstrated meritorious service to the insurance and financial-services industry, and the community in ways that enhance the image of the agent/advisor. | 05/04/2012 | |||
"NAIFA has an excellent rapport and name recognition with legislators" John Connell emailed me after the meeting to thank me for stopping by and specifically mentioned wanting us to contact Shaughnessy with any issues NAIFA wished to discuss. Another result from my conversations was learning John R. Hammond, IV (Deputy Chief of Staff for Marlin Stutzman), is very interested in learning more about the estate planning industry… | 05/02/2012 | |||
Selling Disability Insurance: Leverage May's Consumer Awareness Campaign May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month. It's the perfect time to boost your sales of disability insurance by taking advantage of these tools: | 04/27/2012 | |||
4 Under 40: In Step with a Winner – Adam Solano Since he won the Four Under Forty Award three years ago, Adam Solano has been a busy man. He has spoken at industry gatherings, acquired a couple of agencies, and improved the operational efficiency of his firm to enhance his clients' experiences. Here are his thoughts on what it takes to move ahead. | 04/23/2012 | |||
Passion is Required for a Winning Culture Tips for making passion a mandatory part of company culture. | 04/19/2012 | |||
Learn to Lead with LILI "Kudos to NAIFA for developing such a course! LILI ranks at the top in helping prioritize what is important in life, and achieving one's self-determined definition of success." | 04/17/2012 | |||
"From advocacy to member benefits, NAIFA has been my best career investment." NAIFA's opportunities cover so much of what we do, that even though I've been a member a long time I still find benefits that are new and useful. | 04/16/2012 | |||
Brian Ashe Is Named 2012 John Newton Russell Memorial Award Winner The life insurance industry's highest honor will be presented at the NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting in September as a tribute to his more than 40 years of service and contributions to the industry. | 04/11/2012 | |||
4 Under 40: In Step with a Winner – Craig Lytle Exciting things have happened to Craig Lytle since he won Advisor Today's Four Under Forty Award in 2010. He has opened a new agency and has almost earned his CLU designation. Here are some of his thoughts on what it takes to succeed in this business. | 04/11/2012 | |||
Joanne Rodgers is Chief Diversity Officer at New York Life New York Life has announced the appointment of Vice President Joanne Rodgers as Chief Diversity Officer, responsible for overseeing all aspects of New York Life's diversity program. | 04/10/2012 | |||
Free Webinar: Take Your DI Sales to the Next Level To help you prepare for Disability Insurance Awareness Month next month, LIFE is sponsoring the free, hour-long webinar, "Take Your DI Sales to the Next Level." | 04/04/2012 | |||
"I realize now more than ever before the importance of NAIFA." It was an honor for me to participate in the recent APIC Influence Training in Washington DC. I thought the entire program was extremely valuable and helped me to understand things so much better. | 04/02/2012 | |||
NAIFA Congratulates Ron Jerro: 2012 Legacy Award Recipient In announcing this year's award, 2011 Legacy Award Recipient Randy Scritchfield, CFP noted that Ron approached his career and entire life with a strong sense of duty, honor and service. | 03/29/2012 | |||
NAIFA Members Appointed to Expand Insurance Firm "We take great pride in our mutual organization and financial strength because they give us the ability to put our policyholders first." | 03/27/2012 | |||
NAIFA Congratulates Karsten Lundring, a 2012 GAMA International Management Hall of Fame Inductee L. Karsten Lundring, CLU, ChFC, CFP, was inducted into the GAMA International Management Hall of Fame during the association's annual conference in Orlando, Florida. | 03/23/2012 | |||
"NAIFA is the only group that represents everything we do – no one else can compete" NAIFA is the voice in Washington that protects our business, products and clients. I have a lot of different responsibilities in my office, but that's one part of my business I can't do without NAIFA. | 03/23/2012 | |||
The Future of Wealth Management The vast majority of wealth managers plan to add more products through third-party offerings in the near future, according to a new report from Ernst & Young LLP. | 03/22/2012 | |||
Creating Emotion in Your Interviews Emotion produces the motivation to take action on your sales recommendations. Read on to find out how you can create emotion in your interviews and how powerful it can be in motivating your client to take action on your recommendations. | 03/20/2012 | |||
The NAIFA Quality Award: Apply Now! For generations, the NAIFA Quality Award has been a symbol of dedication to client service, ethics and excellence. | 03/16/2012 | |||
Coast to Coast NAIFA Campaign in Full Swing: "It Pays to Be a Member" NAIFA's campaign, "It Pays to Be a Member," launched at the beginning of March and is already attracting attention. | 03/13/2012 | |||
In Step with a Winner: Jennifer Alford Catching up with Jennifer Alford, one of the 2006 winners of Advisor Today's Four Under Forty Awards, was not easy, but it was well worth the effort. In a few short years, Alford's practice has expanded and she is giving more of her time to NAIFA and its Young Advisors Team. | 03/13/2012 | |||
NAIFA Congratulates State Farm's Herman Dixon, Recipient of the GAMA Cy Pick Award Representing the longtime commitment to volunteerism that enables GAMA International to help develop tomorrow's financial industry leaders, Herman L. Dixon, will receive GAMA's prestigious Cy Pick Award at a GAMA reception and dinner in Orlando on Saturday, March 17, 2012, before the kickoff of GAMA's annual LAMP conference. | 03/09/2012 | |||
LIFE Lessons Scholarship Program: Call for Applications The LIFE Foundation is now accepting submissions for its LIFE Lessons Scholarship Program, which recognizes the character and perseverance that young people have shown following the loss of a parent or guardian. | 03/07/2012 | |||
New Jersey Senate and Assembly Honors NAIFA-NJ NAIFA-New Jersey has been recognized by the New Jersey Senate and Assembly with a resolution in recognition of its outstanding efforts in the development of legislation that requires insurance producers to notify the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance of any disciplinary actions take by non-governmental regulatory authorities. | 03/06/2012 | |||
Research Projects in 2000, 2003, 2006 Defined the NAIFA Value Proposition Thanks to the past presidents for their letter of March 1. I'd like to take this opportunity to respond to their recommendations concerning the future of NAIFA. | 03/06/2012 | |||
NAIFA contributes to my success every day We would all be out of business without the daily advocacy efforts of NAIFA and its members. No other insurance industry organization has that type of strength in grassroots political influence. | 03/05/2012 | |||
National Underwriter Talks NAIFA NAIFA President Robert Miller was interviewed by National Underwriter. The article, about NAIFA's "It Pays to Be a Member" campaign, appears on LifeHealthPro.com. | 03/02/2012 | |||
Opportunities in the Voluntary Market Thirty percent of U.S. employers with 10 employees or more say they are considering the idea of adding a new voluntary option within the next two years, according to a LIMRA report titled, Voluntary Worksite Benefits: Penetration and Market Potential (2011). | 03/01/2012 | |||
Robert Miller: Time to Modernize NAIFA The case for the modernization of NAIFA is not founded on emotion nor the pride we take in looking back at a century of significant achievement. It is based on the reality of the present. Let's acknowledge the facts and have an honest debate. | 02/28/2012 | |||
NAIFA weighs in on new bill to address MLR rule "The bill would allow consumers to have access to that very much needed advice and counsel that they receive from health insurance agents,' Ms. Boyle told Employee Benefit Adviser. | 02/28/2012 | |||
In Step with a Winner: Michael Lynch Financial planner Michael Lynch has not been resting on his laurels since he won the Four Under Forty Award in 2007. He was MetLife's number one planner from 2008 to 2010, and wants to continue that winning streak. Here is what he had to say when we caught up with him recently. | 02/23/2012 | |||
How Consumers Use Online Services In a recent study of life insurance policy owners, LIMRA found that one in two consumers have visited their life insurer's website. Read on to find out what they look for once they get there. | 02/21/2012 | |||
Congrats to Kristine Nobilio and son Wade Congrats go out to NAIFA State Exec Kristine Nobilio and her son Wade. | 02/16/2012 | |||
Monumental Nominations Now Being Accepted! Someone you know is a leader. He or she is successful and committed to their community, family and team. Nominate them for Advisor Today's Four Under Forty Awards. It's the recognition they deserve and the next step in their amazing career. | 02/14/2012 | |||
Financial Advisors Optimistic for 2012 Nearly all advisors surveyed in early February said they expect a positive return of the S&P 500 for 2012. | 02/10/2012 | |||
IN MEMORIAM—JEFF TAGGART It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of NAIFA Past President Jeffrey J. Taggart, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF. | 02/07/2012 | |||
Household Wealth Segment Shifts in the U.S. A new report shows that personal savings continue to hit highs. Top destinations for investor savings are treasury securities, mutual fund shares and bank deposits. | 02/05/2012 | |||
In Step with a Winner—Ed Deutschlander Great things are happening to past winners of Advisor Today's Four under Forty Award winners. One of them, Ed Deutschlander, CLU, CLF, is now CEO-elect of a major financial-services firm. Here is what he had to say when we caught up with him recently. | 02/02/2012 | |||
February's National Insurance Awareness Campaign Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and keeping with the theme is the LIFE Foundation's national awareness campaign: Insure Your Love. | 01/31/2012 | |||
Long-Term Care Costs Up Again LTCI products are more important than ever for your clients. A new survey provides additional information regarding various types of LTC in the U.S. and a detailed breakdown of costs by region. | 01/26/2012 | |||
In Step with a Winner-Brion Collins Ever wondered whatever happened to the past winners of Advisor Today's Four Under Forty Award? Well, here is your chance to find out. | 01/24/2012 | |||
Outlook for 2012 2012 won't be boring. Be ready to take advantage of opportunities and avoid the downdrafts. And consider whether this combination of events might cause a "tip" in the market that has had virtually no upward movement since 1999. | 01/19/2012 | |||
Rodger Johnson Is New York Life's Top Agent In all the years that I've worked helping families protect themselves financially, never has the significance of what we do been more clear than in the past few years. | 01/17/2012 | |||
Small Bets and Super Trends Use small bets to achieve growth and avoid big failures. | 01/12/2012 | |||
A Message From NAIFA President Robert Miller Taken together, our aggressive efforts on three fronts – governance, membership, and messaging – form a coordinated strategy to ensure NAIFA's indispensable role in protecting our industry and helping members like you grow their business and protect the financial security of the American public. | 01/11/2012 | |||
LIFE Names New Officers and Members to Board of Directors The Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education has appointed new officers and members to its Board of Directors. | 01/10/2012 | |||
Americans Focus on Waistlines Instead of Wallets in New Year Resolutions The main reason for leaving financial planning out of resolutions was the respondents' belief that they "don't make enough to worry about it" (35 percent), according to a survey by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America. | 01/06/2012 | |||
Compensation Trends for 2012 Workers can expect modest pay raises averaging 2.8 percent next year, compared to 2.7 percent in 2011 and 2.9 percent in 2010, according to a survey by Buck Consultants. | 01/03/2012 | |||
Employee Satisfaction Drives Employer Voluntary Benefits Employees increasingly view the workplace as an important source for personal insurance and savings products. | 12/28/2011 | |||
Do You Take More Than You Give Or Give More Than You Take? By recognizing these elements and trying to practice the principles of giving and taking in equal measure, you can revolutionize your own workspace, no matter what position you may have. | 12/27/2011 | |||
Because of NAIFA, I grew my business and became a better advisor "NAIFA continues to support the growth of our industry and will unwaveringly protect the future of our profession and the clients we represent." | 12/22/2011 | |||
The Ultimate Resolution for Financial Advisors Successful advisors know that New Year's resolutions are merely the first step in the process. It is actually the implementation of goal-related activities that lead you along the journey to your desired destination. Here's how to get there. | 12/20/2011 | |||
Politico: MLR Rule Could Decrease Commissions A new federal health insurance rule in President Barack Obama's health care law was supposed to crack down on wasteful administrative expenses, but insurance agents and brokers say they're about to become unintended casualties. | 12/15/2011 | |||
Robert Petrocelli named Council Vice President at New York Life New York Life Insurance Company has named Robert H. Petrocelli, Jr., as Council Vice President, an honor bestowed annually on the New York Life agent with the second-highest performance achievements in the company. As Council Vice President, Petrocelli is a leader of the company's elite national field force composed of 11,900 licensed New York Life […] | 12/13/2011 | |||
What Producers Want By Ayo Mseka A Life Insurance and Market Research Association (LIMRA) study finds that more than a quarter of producers consider the financial strength of an insurer one of the two most important factors in 2011. The study, What Producers Value: From Companies and Independent Intermediaries in 2011, examined the types of service and support […] | 12/08/2011 | |||
Because of NAIFA, I've succeeded beyond my wildest dreams Because of NAIFA, I have helped my clients in ways they never thought possible. Because of NAIFA, I have helped other people survive the perils inherent in this great business. | 12/06/2011 | |||
NAIFA President Robert Miller on the AT Blog With the launch of the AT blog, I'm looking forward to creating a lively and engaging forum about all things NAIFA. | 11/30/2011 | |||
Welcome to the Advisor Today Blog From the best minds in the industry, the Advisor Today Blog brings you the tools, ideas and techniques you need to build and enhance your financial practice. | 11/29/2011 | |||
NAIFA on Capitol Hill: April 11, 2012 Copy goes here. 37 citizen activists visited with Congress yesterday to tell their representatives about the important role they play in protecting middle-income Americans. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. [nggallery id=1] | 11/23/2011 | |||
NAIFA Helped Me Build a Strong Agency I've been a NAIFA member since 1977. As a new agent, NAIFA provided me with strong mentors, fellow NAIFA members who were willing to provide guidance in the profession not only to assure my own personal growth in knowledge, but my ethical standards as well. | 11/22/2011 | |||
Delivering a Death Claim As agents and advisors, our creed is to help society help itself. We support the American public in the most personal and meaningful ways. When everyone else is at the door with their hands out, we are there to give and aid those who need it the most. | 11/15/2011 | |||
Americans Stay Focused on Their Personal Well-Being By Ayo Mseka Facing an uncertain economic future and critical of government, Americans plan to remain focused on their personal well-being in 2012, according to TD Ameritrade's annual New Year's Resolution survey. Most respondents plan to make at least one personal resolution in 2012, the two most common being "have more fun" and "relax and […] | 11/10/2011 | |||
David Appel Launches People Insurance Firm Most recently a partner in Goldwasser-Appel Insurance Advisors, Appel aims to continue to grow his reach and specialty in serving emerging wealth couples, established families and successful companies. | 11/03/2011 | |||
Seven Strategies for Referral Success Be sure you're doing all you can to attract clients through referrals—the way they prefer to meet you. These seven proven methods will help you stay on the right track. | 11/01/2011 | |||
Leveraging LIFE's Resources The marketing materials developed by the LIFE Foundation can be a great help in our business. I myself didn't have a full understanding, until recently, of the breadth and depth of LIFE's marketing tools, such as the online calculators and the all the resources available for Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM). As a third-party trusted advisor, LIFE provides resources for use in educating and marketing insurance to prospects and clients, so check them out. | 10/25/2011 | |||
Using LinkedIn to Generate Referrals Many advisors are using LinkedIn to identify prospects on from their clients' profiles. Have you found the right words to have a comfortable conversation with these folks without sounding sales-y? Using LinkedIn is a viable strategy, but you need to proceed with caution. | 10/11/2011 | |||
LTCI Is Sold, Not Bought When it comes to long-term-care insurance, thinking outside the box and adopting a less conventional selling system will result in increased sales. The saying "telling is not selling" is particularly true in our business, and producers will often learn this lesson the hard way when emailing a quote, sending out a product brochure or supply a premium price over the phone. LTCI needs an explanation of all its moving parts—therefore, it needs to be agent-delivered. | 10/04/2011 | |||
The True Path to Sales Success Closing a sale requires that you focus not on your prospect's needs, problems or pain, but on what he wants. Whether it's prospecting or closing the sale, sales trainers tell us that we must be prepared to overcome objections. | 09/29/2011 | |||
Why Some Sales Strategies Don't Work Find out why they create problems—and how to fix them. Have you gone to one of those big bookstores and looked at all the books promising a solution to your challenges as a salesperson? If you have, then you know that they all provide essentially the same strategies. | 09/22/2011 | |||
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