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There is a dangerous piece of conventional wisdom floating around the financial world right now, and it sounds something like this: "The federal estate tax exemption is $15 million. I don't have $15 million. Therefore, I don't need an estate plan."

On a recent episode of the Future Focus podcast, hosts Troy Branch, Jacob Mesik, and Keali Jo French took a hammer to this myth. In their episode, "Estate Planning in 2026: What Families Really Need to Know," this team of advanced planning professionals mapped out exactly why a high federal tax exemption has lulled the average family into a dangerous state of complacency.

Everyone tries to simplify success in business with an equation. I’ve resisted this simplicity because sometimes an equation complicates business. But at times it can be beneficial.

Consider the success the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had in mitigating diseases in Africa. Through data analysis, their team identified that a large percentage of infections occurred around the borders of African countries. During interviews with medical personnel and country leaders, it was determined that each country thought the other country had taken care of those villages close to their borders with vaccinations and supportive hygiene tools. The solution to reducing the disease by more than 80% was simply identifying where the disease was, putting some energy and coordination behind the effort, and executing on the needed steps.

When you hear the phrase “estate planning,” what image pops into your mind? For most of us, it conjures up visions of sprawling family mansions, high-powered corporate trusts, and multi-millionaires trying to shield their wealth from the federal government.

But on a recent episode of the Future Focus podcast hosted by Troy Branch, along with advanced planning experts Keali Jo French and Jacob Messik, the team shattered that exact myth. They sat down to talk about how a powerful, multi-faceted tool—life insurance—is completely underutilized by families with what they define as a "modest estate."

For many clients, estate planning is not just about transferring assets. It is about creating a legacy that can support children, grandchildren, and future generations in a meaningful and efficient way.

Many clients think of inheritance as a future event. As a financial professional, you can help them view it as a long-term planning opportunity that should begin much earlier.

f you can cut through the trash on social media, you can find leaders, authors and personalities that are worth pausing for. It’s worth taking 30 seconds to determine if an entire video or webinar has is something meaningful to listen to that makes me think and consider how I do business or lead.

In the realm of retirement planning, life insurance often takes a backseat to more traditional investment vehicles like 401(k)s, IRAs and annuities. But that doesn’t mean it’s not an effective retirement planning tool. A life Insurance retirement plan (often referred to as LIRP), besides being fun to say, offers more than just tax advantages.

Life insurance planning changes as your life does. What you need at 35 is not the same as what you’ll need at 55. Knowing how your needs shift can help you make better choices now, save money and help you feel prepared later.

Planning for retirement means more than just saving. It’s about making sure you have a steady income that lasts as long as you do. With people living longer and markets staying unpredictable, many retirees worry about running out of money. An indexed annuity can help by providing guaranteed income for life, helping give you more certainty and confidence in your retirement plan.

January is all about fresh starts, when gym memberships spike, meal plans trend and personal goals take center stage. But what about your financial health? Just like physical wellness, the New Year is a great time to refocus on your long-term financial goals.

To start 2026 right, consider setting some low-stress, high-impact New Year’s Resolutions for your retirement plan. Here are three powerful goals to get you started.

In financial planning, clarity is currency. Clients who understand the strategies behind their finances stay with an advisor longer and invest more confidently. A recent study found that nearly 90% of clients consider an advisor’s engagement style when referring friends and family.

When it comes to navigating clients through a maze of technical terms, unfamiliar acronyms, and convoluted explanations, the stakes are high. The solution? Embracing simplification to help clients feel empowered and to build trust.

Retirement is something clients naturally look forward to, imagining time spent with grandchildren, traveling the world, or finally finishing their novel. But the reality is that the five years before and after retirement—known as the “retirement red zone”—are among the most critical for their financial future.

As the Federal Reserve pivots toward monetary easing, small-cap equities are stepping into the spotlight. With back-to-back rate cuts in September and October 2025, and markets pricing in additional cuts through 2026, financial advisors are reevaluating their small-cap exposures.

Among the leading small-cap indices —Russell 2000, S&P SmallCap 600, and CRSP Small Cap Index —the Russell 2000 stands out as particularly well positioned to capitalize on this environment.

Don’t Be Caught Unprepared for a Potential Market Correction

No one can deny that markets fluctuate routinely. Throughout my 36-year career, the markets have been good at times and poor-performing at times.

I have always taught the concept of proper asset allocation, buy-and-hold for long-term monies, and secure guaranteed income for a portion of your retirement income. Recently, we have been on a significant rise in equity markets.

High-net-worth individuals often seek strategies to transfer wealth efficiently while minimizing gift and estate taxes. Two powerful tools available to you are Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs) and Grantor Retained Unitrusts (GRUTs). Both are irrevocable trusts designed to allow a grantor to retain an income stream for a set term while transferring future appreciation to beneficiaries at a reduced tax cost. While similar in concept, they differ in mechanics and ideal use cases.

Shortly after sitting back down at the resolute desk, President Donald Trump began a program of imposing tariffs to encourage negotiation and to correct trade imbalances. Some were small. Some were huge. Many were later reversed or challenged in court. Economics 101 suggests that tariffs are a tax and should produce both inflation and reduced consumer spending. This time has been different, and financial professionals need to wrestle with why.

In today’s competitive job market, hiring the best employees is only half the battle. Retaining them is just as crucial. The most valuable assets of your business are your top-performing employees and providing them with additional benefits can help secure their loyalty. One approach is to offer supplemental retirement savings plans, tailored to reward and retain key talent.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a side story or something “up and coming.” It is shaping market leadership, corporate strategy, and workflows within financial firms. That opens a real opportunity, but it also concentrates risk. The job for planners and portfolio managers is to harness the wave without letting a few names quietly drive all client outcomes.

Estate planning is essential for everyone, regardless of the size of the estate. Life insurance plays a crucial role in various aspects of estate planning, helping provide financial security to your loved ones. Here are 10 ways to use life insurance in estate planning for modest estates.

Social Security is a big topic. It’s fluid, misunderstood and has a huge impact on your clients’ retirement. Even with beneficial changes in Social Security that took place in December 2024 (specifically, a repeal expected to increase benefits for more than 3,000,000 retirees), the program remains a complex benefit full of irrevocable choices for clients. And the problem is that there is not a good source of answers.

When you pose a question to the Social Security Administration, they are trained to respond to that specific question and nothing else. Unfortunately, even when we seek out advice, clients don’t get the whole story or the answers that are important to their situation.

HR1 creates a solid window of opportunity for life-insurance strategies, NAIFA Trustee Andrew Rinn writes in an article published in Advisor Magazine. “After years of watching tax policy evolve and wondering what comes next, we now have a roadmap and a fresh window of opportunity – and life insurance is a big part of that,” Rinn writes.

NAIFA’s Investment, Retirement, Estate, and Advanced Planning Center (IREAP) hosted its first Impact Day webinar on Thursday, November 6, 2025, "Extraordinary Estate Planning for Ordinary People", which aimed to demystify the estate planning process and highlight its critical importance for everyone, regardless of age or asset level. Moderated by Mat Powers, the discussion featured experts Troy Branch and Andrew Rinn, who emphasized that planning is fundamentally about family and legacy, not just dollars and cents.

Are your clients concerned about their estates but think they don't have "enough" to need a plan? Is the topic confusing or overwhelming to them? Many people with modest assets mistakenly believe estate planning is only for the wealthy, leading to common (and costly) misunderstandings. Join the Investment, Retirement, Estate, and Advanced Planning Center for this informative Impact Day webinar, designed to demystify the process and provide practical steps to secure their future and protect their loved ones. We will focus on the essential components of a basic plan, so you can empower your clients to take control of their legacy, regardless of their current net worth.

“Despite having to navigate various macroeconomic, economic and social challenges, the US life insurance and retirement industry holds significant potential for growth”.

E&Y just published a continuation of a series analyzing the impacts and potential benefits of including insurance products in a retirement plan to help meet the savings and protection needs of consumers.

Markets entered 2025 trading on optimism. Though there was uncertainty due to the changes the new administration would bring, in the first few months, market clarity started to appear. Disinflation seemed on track and was decreasing, rate cuts were assumed inevitable, and AI-driven growth narratives gave investors reason to ignore fundamentals. But as summer winds down, the anticipated relief has yet to materialize. Interest rates remain high, valuations have stretched, and inflation is showing signs of life again.

The global investment landscape has undergone a profound transformation in the 21^st century, driven by the rise of retail investors. This shift has been driven by technological advancements, the democratization of financial information through social media, changing demographics, and a shift in cultural attitudes toward investing. While empowering individuals financially, this movement also brings notable challenges and implications for markets and society.

As a Portfolio Strategist reviewing hundreds of advisor portfolios nationwide, I frequently discuss the role of Alternatives. The most common are actively managed, liquid “alt” funds, often used to reduce drawdowns, volatility, and correlation—ultimately aiming to improve risk-adjusted returns. While these benefits are possible, not all alternative sub-asset classes deliver them equally. This article highlights the characteristics of the most common liquid alternatives and their impact at the portfolio level.

The most common categories of liquid Alternatives I see in portfolios are Multi-Strategy, Hedged Equity, Managed Futures, Event-Driven, Long/Short Equity, and Equity Market Neutral.

Many retirees and even some financial planning practitioners may not be aware of the ability for a specific subset of folks to be able to claim retroactive social security benefits. The benefits come as a lump sum and cover months in which the individual qualified for benefits but had not yet filed a claim. This strategy can be used for both retirement and disability benefits. Supplemental Social Security Income has no retroactive feature. Understanding how these benefits work, who qualifies, and the implications of retroactive payments is crucial for effective retirement or disability planning.

In the growing career of personal finance, understanding the behavioral attitudes of investors is essential for delivering effective and personally tailored advice. One area where differences have been observed is how women and men see and manage investment risk. These gender-based differences are not only shaped by individual preferences but also by psychological and economic factors. As financial advisors, recognizing these patterns can improve communication, client satisfaction, and lead to better investment outcomes for our clients.

With more than 800 pages, the Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) can seem overwhelming. In this blog series, we break down specific segments focused on retirement planning and how they affect your clients. If a topic piques your interest, consider researching it further or reaching out to our team to talk strategy.

First up: The Senior Bonus Deduction.

What is the Senior Bonus Deduction?

A temporary tax deduction available to eligible American taxpayers who are 65 and older. It is included as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law by President Trump in July 2025.

There’s nothing like using the word “great” in a phrase to get people to sit up and take notice, especially in our industry. The Great Depression, the Great Prosperity, and the Great Recession all identified periods in our history with significant economic impacts.

Now, the Great Wealth Transfer is coming. Or, considering that the oldest baby boomers are nearly 80 and the oldest Gen Xers turn 60 this year, it’s no doubt already here. So, what does that mean for you? Two crucial statistics stand out: 1) It’s estimated that $124 trillion will change hands by 2048¹ and 2) More than 80 percent of heirs fire their parents’ advisors after inheritance². This could present a serious risk—but also a “great” opportunity—for the future of your advisory business.

 Ask your clients to rate the life they’re living on a scale from 1 to 10.

Their car? An 8 or 9.
Their home? Maybe a 7 or 8.
Their kids’ school? An 8, maybe higher.

Your clients work hard to provide a life they’re proud of. But when it comes to protecting that lifestyle, too many are only planning for a 3. To me, that’s a disconnect. If your clients are working hard to give their families the best, why would the plan to protect it fall short?

Retirement income planning is one of the most critical, yet misunderstood, aspects of financial advising. Many advisors and clients alike hold on to outdated beliefs that can negatively impact long-term financial security. In a recent McGSpeaks podcast, I interviewed Randy Kitzmiller, ChFC, CLU, FLMI, RICP and tackled five of the biggest myths surrounding income planning and revealed how advisors can better serve their clients by challenging conventional wisdom. Below, we explore these myths and present actionable insights that can transform retirement planning strategies.

Can you identify the “solo agers” among your client base? They’re broadly defined as unmarried, divorced, or widowed adults with no close heirs. It’s a growing demographic and one that’s often overlooked when it comes to financial planning. Given the lack of traditional planning models for this group, there are several things to keep in mind when working with them.

Buy low in one market. Sell high in another.

It’s the basic philosophy of investing, driven by arbitrage. Many clients are taking advantage of arbitrage in some form, be it stocks, bonds, currency, real estate or another leveraged investment to build portfolio wealth.

But what about leveraging the price discrepancies between insurance products?

In a market dominated by meme stocks, crypto surges, and constant noise, it’s easy to lose sight of the fundamentals. But repeatedly, consistent planning, diversification, and disciplined habits outperform impulse and hype.

The role of a financial professional isn’t just to set the course; it’s to help clients stay on it when the water gets rough or distractions emerge. This opportunity is key to reframing the conversation, shifting focus away from short-term speculation, and highlighting the quiet strength of long-term, intentional planning.

In times of market volatility, investors often find themselves riding an emotional roller coaster of uncertainty, fear, and frustration. Sometimes, irrational optimism can also creep in. For financial advisors, these moments are not just about numbers and asset allocations but people and relationships. That’s where a nuanced understanding of communication and conflict resolution becomes just as essential as market analysis, which can be unreliable over short time horizons.

Volatile markets test even the most disciplined investor. Stories are everywhere talking about the potential for a recession (or not), inflation (or not), and rate cuts (or not). Information overload and filtering become real concerns. Hype from news services and social media can lead clients to second-guess their strategy or fight the urge to panic-sell at the wrong time. Advisors serve as the emotional anchors in these moments, providing perspective, patience, and a long-term view.

“Tariff - that’s a beautiful word, isn’t it?” Lately, all we seem to talk about are tariffs, but the discussions rarely focus on orthography. For some, tariffs signify a new beginning, driven by the resurgence of American manufacturing due to re-shoring. For others, tariffs spell inflation, economic uncertainty, and strained diplomatic relations. For those in the first camp, let’s temper our enthusiasm, and for those in the second, let’s lower our defenses. Let’s examine this issue from an apolitical perspective to understand its implications for our economy, especially in the context of client portfolios.

Oftentimes, as clients retire, a window of opportunity opens. If they retire before beginning RMDs, or in some cases even prior to starting Social Security, they may find themselves in the lowest tax bracket they’ve been in since they became employed. This can be a great time to complete Roth conversions, which are the movement of pretax money into a post-tax Roth IRA. The obvious cost at the time is the taxes due on the converted amount, as the money is treated as ordinary income. However, several oft-forgotten costs to Roth conversions may make them less beneficial than previously estimated. Naturally, these are client-dependent and may not affect every individual, nor are they reasons to forgo the conversion, but they are worth investigating when determining if the conversion makes sense.

As our clients approach retirement, the conversation flips from asset accumulation to income distribution, and this change involves new complexities. One of the most important parts of a successful retirement plan is preparing a tax-efficient income withdrawal strategy. This strategy isn’t just about guaranteeing income; it’s about preserving wealth over the client’s lifetime by minimizing their income taxes. A good withdrawal plan can impact the longevity of retirement savings and the total taxes the client pays over their lifetime.

Loan split dollar remains one of those advanced market strategies that engenders two distinct reactions among financial professionals. One reaction sees nearly unlimited opportunity in the executive business market, while another relegates this concept to the esoteric and inapplicable. Though the latter reaction may be natural for those still stuck in an early 2000s mindset, today’s financial professionals would be remiss if they didn’t seize this impactful strategy and place it in their executive benefit toolkit.

The particulars of this technique (sometimes called collateral assignment split dollar) are beyond the constraints of this piece, but a synopsis of the “Why” behind loan split dollar will help to explain the rationale and provide a brief review of this executive benefit strategy.

On the first Sunday in January 2025, President Joe Biden brought some warmth to a very cold time of year by signing the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act into law. This legislation impacts more than 2.5 million Americans, which makes it important for financial advisors to understand. The short version of what happened is that this law repeals both the Windfall Elimination Provision from 1983 and the Government Pension Offset from 1977 (but with an adjustment in 1983).

Despite various headlines, geopolitical tensions, and other risks, the stock market posted a second year of strong returns, with the S&P 500 up 25%. As we look forward to 2025, it is important to understand what happened in 2024 that led us to this point.

Definitions matter. We learn this in elementary school, if not before, as we are tested on our ability to connect vocabulary words to brief descriptions. Then, the definitions feel absolute, unambiguous, and concrete. However, as we develop and progress into reality, we realize that definitions are relative, ambiguous, and abstract in many instances of life. This situation is the case and, therefore, the plight of the investment advisor.

While this subject could take many forms and pursue different avenues, we will focus on Equity allocations within portfolios.

First up: equity capitalization.

Many people view their health savings accounts (HSAs) as a tool to pay for health expenses. It certainly can be used for that, and while that may have been the original intention of their creators, many forget that the funds contributed can end up being used in the same way as retirement plan funds. Withdrawals taken after age 65 are not subject to penalty (in the way they would be if taken before age 65 and used for non-qualified expenses) and can be used at the account owner’s discretion.

The individual must be covered by a high-deductible plan. They can contribute up to the annual maximum limit of $4,300 in 2025 (plus an additional $1,000 if they are age 55 or older by the end of the year) to contribute to an HSA. Suppose the same individual’s family is also covered under the high deductible health plan. In that case, the contribution limit rises to $8,550 (plus an additional $1,000 if they are 55 or older by the end of the year). There are no income limits that apply to HSA contributions. Employers can contribute to an employee's HSA. Just be aware that those contributions count towards the aforementioned annual limit. Because most HSA contributions are made through payroll, they avoid FICA tax and are deductible for federal income tax purposes. Even those who make contributions outside of payroll can take a subsequent deduction for federal taxes when filing their return.

Financial planning has always been an essential part of personal financial success. As artificial intelligence (AI) improves, its potential to change financial planning grows. For financial planners, understanding AI-driven tools is necessary to improve client services, improve decision-making, and remain competitive. This article will explore emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities of AI in the financial planning industry.

AI can improve financial planning by automating tasks, providing predictive analytics, and improving risk assessment. AI-driven tools allow planners to offer more personalized and data-driven visions, increasing their advisory services. The rise of robo-advisors and AI-powered analytics is changing the industry. While these technologies can increase efficiencies, they do not replace human expertise. Instead, financial planners integrate AI into their workflows to enhance decision-making, streamline operations, and offer a hybrid human and machine intelligence model.

The end of one’s life is never easy to talk about. However, many clients may not have an optimal plan to ensure their assets pass efficiently when they are gone. Outside of basic wills and POAs, many higher-net-worth families can take advantage of the higher estate tax exemption from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). This current law is set to expire at the end of 2025.

The estate and gift limits are unified, meaning that gifting above the annual exemption amount ($18,000) counts towards the limit, as do certain assets passed to heirs at death. Before the passing of the TCJA, the lifetime exemption for estates and lifetime gifting went from 5.49 million to $11.18 million and currently sits at $13.61 million in 2024. That is the amount per person. Remember that for a married couple, each spouse gets a $13.61 million lifetime exemption, and any unused amount is portable to the surviving spouse, meaning if a spouse dies and has not used any of their lifetime exemption amounts, the surviving spouse's exemption amount would double to $27.22 million in 2024. Below are a few estate planning strategies you can utilize to help higher-net-worth families transfer their wealth more efficiently.

The comments in this article are inspired by the keynote address of Aaron Klein at the recent Fearless Investing Summit in Nashville, TN. For those in the advising community who know Aaron, he is incredibly passionate about the RIA space. He is the co-founder of Riskalyze, which has recently rebranded to Nitrogen. He presented five great ideas to help financial advisors be forward thinking, and they deserve repeating and sharing with a broader audience.

Medicare open enrollment is the annual period during which our clients eligible for Medicare can make changes or update their Medicare health and prescription drug plans. This period runs every year from October 15 to December 7, and any chosen changes will then take effect the following January 1. During this open enrollment period, clients can switch from Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) to a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or vice versa. They can also change from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another, enroll in a switch, or drop a prescription drug plan (Medicare Part D). This period allows beneficiaries to ensure their current plans meet their needs, especially if their coverage, cost, or provider networks have changed. Reviewing and updating these coverages can help clients save money and ensure their healthcare needs will be covered for the following year. Choosing Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan depends on one’s healthcare needs, finances, and personal preference. In this article, I will present key points to be considered when making this decision.

Over the past decade, the financial landscape has witnessed significant shifts, one of which has gone unnoticed. Correlations. Notably, the correlations between equity and fixed income have increased, and domestic and international equities have become more highly correlated. These trends have profound implications for portfolio diversification and risk management. Important note: correlations change constantly over time.

We have entered a world where stakeholder capitalism is on full display, and it should be no wonder when investors call for investments in a social cause. Whether through the lens of ESG, sustainability, or green-specific investments, there has been an increase in understanding and demand. However, it is important to consider not just the investment but also the investor and their needs. After all, with the rise of social media, a company could find themselves in the middle of a culture war in no time and could be trending online with millions of impressions in mere minutes! If this could have a statistical significance on stock price, it is important to consider the risk companies pose when they speak out!

How workers’ need for lifetime-guaranteed income may drive more Americans to consider annuities

The goal of a successful retirement is to have enough guaranteed income to cover basic living expenses and not have to worry about running out of money for the rest of your life. According to recent LIMRA research, workers today do not feel that their households will receive enough lifetime-guaranteed income to cover basic living expenses throughout retirement.

The decision to buy an annuity or not can be a complex one. Understanding the factors that influence an investor’s decision to buy can help carriers design and market products and guide financial professionals’ approaches when speaking to their clients.

Life insurance and financial services companies faced a tough business climate over the last several years ― from the fallout of the pandemic, to rising interest rates and inflation, to the increased use of technology, to heightened customer expectations. LIMRA spoke with industry executives to see how their companies are handling these challenges and what they see for the future.

Financial literacy is one’s ability to understand the tools and concepts needed to make sound financial decisions. Often, this includes effective budgeting, saving, and investing but extends into income security. A lack of knowledge can inhibit consumers from protecting their income with products like life insurance and annuities.

LIMRA Research Head explains the growing market opportunity for in-plan guarantees and the role of education.

Following the recent passing of the SECURE Act 2.0, the financial services industry expects greater adoption of in-plan guarantees in late 2023 and 2024. In-plan guarantees are plan designs offered by employers that can convert retirement savings into a stream of guaranteed income payments during retirement. Designs of in-plan guarantees include annuities inside a target date fund (TDF), a stand-alone annuity product, and annuity options outside of the plan but linked to it. Educating advisors, plan sponsors, and employees on the value of in-plan annuities will affect their acceptance.

Facing unprecedented long-term market volatility in 2022, consumers sought the protection offered by fixed annuities, propelling a record-high $312.8 billion in total U.S. annuity sales. According to LIMRA’s 2022 Individual Annuity Sales Survey, total 2022 annuity sales increased 23% over 2021 results and were 18% higher than the previous record of $265 billion set in 2008.

In recent years, more Americans realize the importance of holistic wellness. In the workplace, employees look to their employers for wellness offerings to reduce financial, emotional and physical stress. According to LIMRA research, 74% of employees who experience a high degree of financial pressure believe employers should offer programs to address this particular stressor. Employees with moderate financial stress and those with no/very little stress also agree.

With the COVID-19 vaccination rate up and the number of deaths significantly declining, only 1 in 5 adults are “very” or “extremely” concerned about the virus today, according to LIMRA’s October Consumer Sentiment in the Time of COVID-19 study. In the research, more than 3 in 5 adults say their lives are largely back to what they were like before the pandemic ― going from 31% in January to 62% in October.

Long-term care involves services, both medical and non-medical, provided to people who cannot perform basic activities of daily living such as dressing or bathing. People receive long-term support and services at home, in the community, or in a facility. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, someone turning age 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and supports in their remaining years.

What do you get when modernized Long Term Care Insurance products meet changing workplace needs and employee attitudes? An advantageous opportunity to grow your business, reach the middle market, and help protect more families from potential LTC needs.

Worksite benefits have long been a critical tool in helping employers attract top talent. What’s changed is that more employers want a variety of products to build benefit packages that are as diverse as today’s workforce – and there’s room for LTCi in this conversation.

Sure, you’ll face some challenges from decision-makers, but clearing hurdles is nothing new for seasoned LTC professionals. Here are three common objections that you can address with employers to change the way they think about LTCi.

For the second consecutive quarter, annuity sales reached new heights. In the third quarter 2022, total annuity sales were $79.6 billion, a 27% jump from prior year results, according to preliminary results from LIMRA’s U.S. Individual Annuity Sales Survey.

NAIFA is proud to share that long-time partner and champion Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation was named #1 in the 2022 Top Workplaces USA, in an award issued by Energage. Fairway also took the top spot in 2021 as the top-ranked winner for a company with over 2,500 employees.

New annualized premium for workplace life insurance, disability insurance, and supplemental health products increased in the second quarter, according to LIMRA’s workplace benefits sales surveys.

“After a sluggish first quarter, sales for workplace life and disability insurance products experienced solid growth in the second quarter,” said Patrick Leary, corporate vice president, and director of LIMRA workplace benefits research. “Despite inflationary concerns, the awareness among employees of the need for insurance coverage remains even after their concerns about COVID-19 have waned, which helps explain the continued growth in certain voluntary products.”

LIMRA estimates 86 million employees could have access to new insurance benefits within 2 years

Facing a historically tight job market, many employers are looking to bolster their workplace benefits to attract new talent and retain their existing workforce. In a LIMRA survey of U.S. private employers with 10 or more employees, 60% said they are considering adding a new insurance benefit within the next two years ― roughly double the interest employers expressed five years ago.

Join Chief Marketing Officer and Partner at Chalice Connect, Whitney Kendrick, along with Senior PEO Sales Consultant at Paychex/Oasis, Maria Petroni, for a Business Performance Center webinar on Thursday, September 22 at 12 pm eastern.

In this webinar, Whitney and Maria will give you an overview of the Chalice Connect Marketplace, and how it can help your business navigate and save on new benefits such as health insurance, travel options, and succession planning - especially timely with open enrollment periods opening up soon!

Chalice Connect is one of the Business Performance Center's newest partners, and also an affinity discount partner for our NAIFA Members. This webinar is free to attend and will teach you how to access their marketplace, which can save your firm, agency, or practice time and money.

Total U.S. annuity sales increased 16% to $79.4 billion in the second quarter, according to LIMRA’s U.S. Individual Annuity Sales Survey. Fixed-rate deferred (FRD) and registered index-linked (RILA) sales reached an all-time record for the quarter, while fixed index annuity sales fell just short of a record quarter.

“All fixed products showed positive growth as consumers looked for safety from the volatile equity markets,” said Todd Giesing, assistant vice president, LIMRA Annuity Research. “With average yields at or above 3% for fixed-rate deferred annuities, it’s a rate environment we haven’t seen in a long time.”

Total new premium for individual life combination products increased 22% to $4.3 billion, compared with prior year results, and down slightly from the $4.8 billion in premium generated in 2019, according to LIMRA’s 2021 U.S. Individual Life Combination Products Annual Review. Combination products represented 20% of total life insurance premium in 2021.

Total U.S. annuity sales increased 22% to $77.5 billion in the second quarter, according to preliminary results from LIMRA’s U.S. Individual Annuity Sales Survey. This marks the highest quarterly sales ever recorded since LIMRA began tracking annuity sales and nearly $9 billion above the previous record set in the fourth quarter of 2008 during the Great Recession.

In today’s tight job market, companies are focused on how to differentiate themselves to attract and retain the best talent. There has been a lot of attention on salaries and hybrid work arrangements but how do employee benefits figure into the equation?

New annualized premium for supplemental health insurance products, (collectively accident, critical illness, cancer, hospital indemnity, and other supplemental health insurance products) increased 6% in the first quarter of 2022 year-over-year. During the same period, new annualized premiums for workplace life insurance and disability insurance fell, according to LIMRA’s workplace benefits sales surveys.

Despite the continued challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the annuity industry rebounded strongly — with the first quarter of 2022 seeing total U.S. annuity sales increase 4% to $63.3 billion. LIMRA expects this momentum to continue through the next several years.

“The outlook for rising interest rates and fairly level equity markets will have investors continuing to look for the balance between protection, growth, and guaranteed income, creating a strong potential for individual annuity sales to break the all-time record levels of sales experienced in 2008,” says Todd Giesing, assistant vice president, LIMRA Annuity Research.

With the onset of the pandemic, workers became increasingly concerned about their financial security and emotional and physical well-being. According to a new study by LIMRA and EY, there is a growing employee appreciation for non-medical benefits such as paid family medical leave, life insurance, disability insurance, and wellness programs. The study predicts this increased demand, combined with the fierce competition for top talent, will drive non-medical workplace benefits to grow 20% by 2026.

COVID-19 raised consumers’ awareness about the importance of life insurance. According to LIMRA research, half of U.S. workers believe their life insurance benefit is more important due to COVID-19. To ensure every worker who has access to life insurance at their workplace opts in, our industry needs to expand efforts to educate employers about the value their workers place on life insurance and encourage them to highlight this important benefit during their next open enrollment.

After strong results in 2019, the total new premium for individual life combination products decreased 23% to $3.7 billion in 2020, according to LIMRA’s 2020 U.S. Individual Life Combination Products Annual Review. There were approximately 421,000 policies sold in 2020, down 7% compared with 2019 results.

Life combination products provide life insurance coverage with long-term care or chronic illness coverage, an attractive value proposition to consumers, according to LIMRA consumer research.

Employee benefits brokers have served as a long-standing bridge between carriers and their clients. Many employers value working with a trusted benefits professional to help navigate a daunting array of oftentimes similar options. While well established, the broker-employer relationship is evolving at a rapid pace.

LIMRA recently partnered with EY to better understand the future direction of the workplace benefits industry. The research explored the perspectives of key stakeholders in this segment (i.e., employers, employees, brokers, and technology providers) and found that while brokers are still highly regarded, their role is rapidly shifting from a sales-focused, transactional business model toward one that is more consultative in nature. We expect this shift to accelerate over the next five years as several environmental trends driving this change continue to unfold.

With all of the health issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, LIMRA research shows employees are placing greater importance on the benefits offered by their employers, and are more closely examining their benefit needs.

In 2020, LIMRA asked full-time employees with insurance benefits what changes they made to their benefits package during their 2020 open enrollment period. The results highlight the immediate short-term impact of the pandemic.

Healthcare costs have been on the rise over the past decade. In response, some employers have scaled back on their health insurance offerings, at times leaving gaps in coverage. As a result, the voluntary benefits market, where employees pay the premiums, has become more popular among employers.

These voluntary benefits programs, however, have underlying costs to employers, including those related to implementation and administration. Digital tools can help employers reduce these costs by simplifying operations and improving efficiency.

As the pandemic spread, images of nursing homes and assisted care facilities flooded the media. The sick and elderly were particularly vulnerable to this deadly virus and so many families were cut off from their parents and grandparents in the hopes of protecting them from exposure to COVID-19.

With this in mind, LIMRA surveyed more than 2,000 Americans to determine if the pandemic has shifted their thoughts about long-term care and insurance.

The general perception has been that the pandemic would radically increase employees’ appreciation of benefits and possibly increase their need for certain benefits, but how benefits may evolve based on these changes remains unclear.

With the pandemic shaking the country for more than 12 months now, employee benefits experts are trying to gain insights into which actions employees will take as a result of COVID-19 and whether carriers will see a positive impact on participation rates. The general perception has been that the pandemic would radically increase employees’ appreciation of benefits and possibly increase their need for certain benefits, but how benefits may evolve based on these changes remains unclear.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, unpaid caregivers struggled with the demands of work and saving for the future. The pandemic brought on additional work/life disruptions with stay-at-home orders, school closures, and reduced ability to outsource caregiving. The challenges also affect workers’ future retirement security since retirement income is often dependent on one’s ability to work and, through that work, accumulate savings.

A new Secure Retirement Institute^® (SRI^®) study, Staying the Course: Navigating Unpaid Caregiving Obstacles to Retirement Security, explored the impact of caregiving on workers’ retirement savings, as well as the actions and employer benefits that may help caregivers plan for a secure retirement.