News

In a significant development for the life insurance and life settlement industries, the Connecticut Insurance Department has petitioned for an order of rehabilitation for PHL Variable Insurance Company and its subsidiaries, Concord Re and Palisado. This move, driven by financial instability, is poised to have a substantial impact on policyholders and the future of risk-based purchases in the life settlement market.

In the early 1990s, as the life settlement industry was just beginning to emerge, United Parcel Service introduced its iconic slogan, “Moving at the Speed of Business.”

As individuals transition into retirement, particularly those on fixed incomes or concerned about their financial sustainability, the concept of downsizing emerges as a critical strategy for maintaining comfort and security.

In the realm of financial planning, agents and advisors diligently guide their clients through the complexities of retirement savings, investments, and insurance. Yet, there’s a critical aspect that often doesn’t receive the attention it warrants until it’s too late: the cost of dying. Recent data reveals a stark reality: The price tag attached to end-of-life care and funeral expenses is climbing, propelled by inflation and escalating health care costs.

In the landscape of common fears, typical anxieties like public speaking and fear of heights often top the list, with each affecting around one in four Americans. Fears of bugs, snakes, and other animals follow closely, impacting more than 20% of the population.

At this time of the year, seniors, life insurance agents, financial advisors and accounting professionals find themselves immersed in the intricacies of tax preparation. Amid this financial journey, questions about the taxation of life insurance settlements often arise.

The tax notices are flowing in. Seniors, life insurance agents, financial advisors and accounting professionals are thinking about tax preparation. Questions often arise about the taxation of life insurance settlements. It’s essential to seek guidance from a tax professional, but understanding the basics can provide a solid foundation for helping clients make informed decisions.

The concept of retirement has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. The age-old notion of bidding farewell to the workforce in pursuit of leisurely activities no longer reigns supreme among seniors. With the baby boom generation gracefully graying, a trend towards semi-retirement has emerged, epitomizing a more balanced approach to this life phase.

For decades, the life settlement industry has had a complex relationship with agencies and broker-dealers. The business processes associated with the secondary market for life insurance policies have often been arduous and difficult. As the life settlement industry approaches its fourth decade, it still faces reputational challenges and skepticism from the traditional life insurance sector.

As the holiday season approaches and the insurance industry traditionally experiences a slowdown in activity, agents and advisors should use the time to lay the foundation to boost their businesses in the upcoming year.

Life insurance, like other commodities we own, has a “useful life.” In the same way we question how long to keep a car or when to upgrade an appliance, and we must ponder the utility and lifespan of life insurance policies. For agents and financial advisors, understanding and educating their clients on this concept is pivotal.

The life settlement industry in 2024 is a testament to evolution and resilience, shaped by decades of change, technological advancements…

As many baby boomer agents begin to retire and with the downturns brought about by economic strains, a sizable void has been left in the market…

Brace yourselves, dear agents and advisors, for within each of you lies not just business prowess but legendary abilities that can make even caped crusaders green with envy.

The insurance industry has been no stranger to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recent years. Its potential impact on the sector has been a focal point of numerous discussions,

Artificial intelligence is no longer alien to insurance professionals. For several years, discussions revolving around AI and its potential consequences…

Term life insurance is commonly perceived as a financial shield, a measure put in place to safeguard a family’s financial future should an untimely event occur. Many agents have underwritten hundreds, if not thousands, of term life…

For the past five years, I have been actively promoting that agents and advisors should suggest life insurance policy appraisals to clients. Here are the three biggest misconceptions about life insurance policy appraisals and why they’re wrong…

When a marriage breaks up, most people would not immediately think about life insurance. But with the silver divorce, life insurance a much more significant consideration….

Like crypto, the life settlement industry felt like the Wild West during its infancy, yet today, it’s more mature, appropriately regulated, and offers opportunities that make sense…

While there may be concerns about the liquidity and solvency of some banks, the same cannot be said for the life insurance industry…

These are the times that test your navigation skills.

Agents can look at their client’s significant assets and see what other options are available to them. Here are some options to consider…

Here is some essential background regarding taxation to help serve as unofficial guidance…

When I think about it past year, several major themes come to mind: inflation, life expectancy, and the loss of my friend, Betty White…

Here are reasons why a life insurance appraisal and eventual sale on the secondary market could make sense for your clients…

Here are some of the issues that have impacted the life settlement industry in 2022 and a look ahead to the coming year…

The secondary market for life insurance policies typically marches to the beat of its own drum. From an investment perspective, the large-scale marketplace…

Seniors have historically allowed large amounts of life policies to lapse in response to recessions, policies that could have been appraised for potential sale instead…

If there’s a dramatic dip in the economy, seniors will be hurting, according to the company which sees a direct correlation as to why a recession will hit them harder…

Based on conversations with producers, agents, advisors and clients, here are three mid-year resolutions for better client relationships in our current bear market…

As we head into autumn, it’s helpful for agents and advisors to perform a broad assessment of their annual goals and modify their sales and marketing strategies accordingly.

The proceeds from a life insurance settlement can then be invested or used to bridge the gap between a client’s regular interest income and the increases in the cost of living that are impacting everyone…

It’s no secret that policy appraisals and life settlements can now offer aggressive referral fees for agents and advisors. The proceeds of the settlement can then be put to work, and it becomes a whole new level of “Win-Win” transaction.

Life Settlements offer an opportunity for agents and advisors to help ease short-term inflation anxiety, improve long-term financial stability, cement their position with clients as trusted advisors.

Albert Einstein once said: “In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity.” In business, I know this to also be true because everyone who’s in crisis needs a solution.

Betty White began serving as a spokeswoman for life settlements in 2002. The author\’s firm could barely afford her. Then, she went viral.

As we enter a new year, agents and advisors should begin efforts to set new appointments and research ways to leverage existing client relationships to grow their business.

Life insurance settlement brokers and providers are systematically underpaying for life insurance policies, and they continue to advocate for an inefficient and antiquated pricing scheme.

Agents and advisors are unwittingly handing over life insurance policies for sale in a marketplace that chronically undervalues them. “Gray sheeting” is a troubling trend in the world of life insurance settlements.

For agents and advisors who are under 50, the term “inflation” does not have a huge meaning beyond the textbook definition. Most folks from Generation X and younger did not experience the specter of inflation that haunted the 1970s — but their clients did.

Last spring, we had no idea what effect the Covid-19 pandemic would have on life insurance policies. Sadly, we all knew that many people were going to succumb to the coronavirus and that it could have an impact on life expectancies and how insurance companies view individual policyholders.