Monday, October 24, 2011

My first radio interview!

http://t.co/MXK6geSp Today I was interviewed by the awesome @DebraSimpson on @BlogTalkRadio Re: My success on @Twitter! Very fun

Thursday, June 16, 2011

An IUL provides clients with a unique combination of benefits that they cannot achieve in any other wealth accumulation vehicle.

An IUL provides clients with a unique combination of benefits that they cannot achieve in any other wealth
accumulation vehicle.
1. Tax Free Accumulation
No taxes on annual gains
2. Tax Free Distribution
At retirement distributions are tax-free
3. Tax Free Transfer
No death or inheritance taxes if properly structured and under most circumstances
4. No Risk of Loss of Principle
Market volatility does not affect accumulated value
5. Provides Income Clients Can’t Outlive
Riders allow for guaranteed income for life
6. Provides the traditional benefit of an insurance policy
It is an ideal investment to show a client who is already committed to the concept of life insurance since it
combines excellent wealthy accumulation and income benefits with a death benefit.
Ideal target assets are IRA’s, 401K’s, Pension Plans, CD’s and even some annuities.

No free lunch


HSA enrollment jumps to 11.4 million


The Ins & Outs of Taxable Accounts


Wednesday, May 4, 2011

What Women Want From Health Producers


It's time to protect your paycheck

Take a moment to consider this scenario. Starting tomorrow, you’ll no longer be receiving your paycheck.

It isn’t because you’ve lost your job; it’s because a sudden illness or accident prevents you from showing up to work and earning that paycheck.

Think it can’t happen to you? Think again. You have a three in 10 chance that you will be faced with being out of work for three months or more during your career due to a disabling illness or injury, according to the consulting firm Milliman Inc.

So, your paycheck has stopped. How would you continue to pay your mortgage or rent, buy groceries and pay your monthly bills?

If you answered “dip into savings” or “rely on the government” you may be in for a surprise. Instead, your answer should be: disability insurance. Here’s why.

Savings may not cut it. Most people overestimate what they have to cover their expenses if a disabling illness or injury kept them from earning a pay­check. According to a LIFE Foundation survey, half of working Americans say they couldn’t make it a month before financial difficulties would set in. Keep in mind that disabling illnesses or injuries often last for months or even years.

The government may not be there for you. According to the National Safety Council, 90 percent of long-term disabilities are a result of an injury or illness that is not work-related and therefore wouldn’t qualify for state-based Workers’ Compensation programs.

And if you were hoping for Social Security disabil­ity benefits, know that about 65 percent of those who apply are initially denied, and those who are approved receive an average monthly benefit of just $1,065, which would leave you with an income barely above the poverty line.

That’s why it’s important to have disability insurance. Think of it as insurance for your paycheck. It provides replacement income in case an illness or injury prevents you from working, and it helps you make ends meet until you’re able to return to work.

Take Action
Your next step should be to find out if you have disability insurance coverage through work, and if so how much. Keep in mind that according to the Social Security Administration, 69 percent of workers in the private sector don’t have long-term disability insurance. And short-term or partial coverage wouldn’t be enough if you were unable to work for an extended period of time.

Then you need to find out what your disability insurance needs truly are. Use the free, online Disability Insurance Needs Calculator from the LIFE Foundation, at www.protectyourpaycheck.org, to get a quick snapshot of your situation.

Once you have a sense of your need for disability insurance, it’s important to speak with an expert in your community. With so many options to weigh, an insurance professional will be able to explain the various features of disability insurance policies and help you strike the appropriate balance between the benefits you desire and the money you have to spend.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), which was passed and signed into law on March 23, 2010. The primary reason for the passage of the Act was to address many of the delivery and quality health care short-comings in America, whether real or imagined. Currently, the law is being implemented across multiple agencies within the federal and state governments.
Stages of Implementation
Several federal agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services (HHS), were called on to begin the implementation process for PPACA immediately after the President signed the bill into law. In addition, governors, state legislatures and regulatory branches are now charged with implementing some of the reforms, including the creation of state-run health care exchanges.
Due to the sometimes vague nature of PPACA, the federal regulatory process is ongoing and will continue for years to come. To date, many key provisions have already been enacted. Some of those are:
Extending the age of adult children eligible for coverage under their parents’ health care plan to age 26
Prohibiting individual and group health plans from placing lifetime limits on the dollar value of coverage
Preventing health insurers from rescinding coverage (except in cases of fraud)
Prohibiting health insurers from imposing pre-existing condition exclusions for children
Mandating coverage for recommended immunizations and preventive care
PPACA also established new offices and programs at HHS such as the Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (OCIIO)1 and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)2. In addition to creating new organizations, PPACA also calls for the expansion of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Innovation Center among other initiatives.3
Political & Legal Turmoil
The passage of PPACA in March 2010 prior to the November elections created a dramatic effect on America’s political landscape. Propelled by a somewhat skeptical electorate that doubted the potential benefits and the cost of the Act, Republicans took majority control of the U.S. House of Representatives and cut into the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate. As a result, House Republicans were able to pass H.R. 1, a measure that would repeal PPACA in its entirety. Though the legislation failed in the Democrat-controlled Senate, 200 separate bills have been introduced in the House to address, repeal or defund elements of the Act as Republicans take a mostly symbolic stand against health care reform.
In addition, a host of lawsuits have been filed in an attempt to declare some or all parts of the President’s reform bill unconstitutional. One such argument holds that PPACA is unconstitutional due to its violation of an Interstate Commerce clause that somewhat restricts the federal government’s ability to control states and individuals. One case in particular was filed by more than 26 state attorneys general, and a district judge declared the Act unconstitutional (an appeal is currently in progress) in this trial. Another judge ruled against the Act’s constitutionality due to the lack of a severability clause, which holds that if one section of a piece of legislation is declared unconstitutional, it does not void the rest of the legislation. Since PPACA did not include this clause, it was found unconstitutional as a whole. Three other judges have upheld the legality of PPACA. It is anticipated this case will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court prior to the 2012 elections.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Open enrollment for applicants under age 19 ends on March 1 (Blue Shield of CA IFP only)
The reform law requires that health carriers accept applicants under age 19, regardless of pre-existing conditions.

The initial 60-day open enrollment period started on January 1, 2011 and will end on
March 1, 2011. Note, applicants can only be rated up to twice our standard rate during this enrollment period, their birth month, and other special enrollment periods or qualifying events established by California law.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Oh, Behave!

Do you ever beat up on yourself about not being a better, smarter investor?