Life

Life

Insurance opportunities for the HNW client

Three scenarios that show how insurance can meet the goals of HNW individuals

By Kevin Wark |September 15, 2009

5 min read

Life

How to overfund UL

“What?” you might say, “I didn’t know universal life insurance (UL) had an expiry date!” Relax. You’re right. UL doesn’t come with an expiry date. As long as you pay the premiums on time, you’re covered. “But if lifelong payment seems like a long commitment, universal life has a clause—quick-pay UL insurance—that allows the insured […]

By Jim Otar |August 1, 2009

3 min read

Life

Teams perform better than lone-advisors

A life insurance licence has proven its worth during this downturn. Specifically individual life insurance sales, which held up remarkably well in what has been an extraordinarily bad recession, according to recent data from LIMRA. “Canadian life insurance sales were relatively level, with only a 1% decline for annualized premiums in the first quarter of […]

By Mark Noble |August 1, 2009

5 min read

Life

MGAs can profit by offering lower payouts

Ask an MGA exec what’s troubling their industry and the perennial answer always comes up first: vicious competition is pricing the industry into oblivion. Agencies have been forced into a competitive spiral of higher payouts to advisors—and thinner margins for the MGA. But the somewhat cynical view that advisors will always place their business with […]

By Steven Lamb |August 1, 2009

4 min read

Insurance and the U.S. estate tax

Individuals in Canada often purchase insurance to help fund tax liabilities that arise on death. In addition, some insurance products are purchased as an investment vehicle to shelter income from tax. Generally speaking, estate planning with insurance is effective in Canada because insurance proceeds are received tax-free. However, for U.S. citizens living in Canada, great […]

4 min read

Insurance advisors shake off recession

A life insurance licence has proven its worth during this recession. Individual life insurance sales in Canada specifically held up remarkably well in what has been an extraordinarily bad recession, according to LIMRA. “Canadian life insurance sales were relatively level, actually. With only a 1% decline for annualized premiums in the first quarter of 2009,” […]

By Mark Noble |June 15, 2009

3 min read

Premium Advice: Structuring the buy-sell transaction

Since structuring buy-sell arrangements can be very flexible, and provide unique benefits and challenges to both the buyer and seller, it’s necessary to have a global scope of the needs of each party. Let’s see how our sample clients, Bradley Armbruster and Franklin Jones, structured their buy-sell. Keep in mind that I will be oversimplifying […]

5 min read

Legally speaking: Restrictive covenants in advisor contracts

All restrictive covenants should be negotiated prior to the commencement of the contractual employment or services relationship; Parties must carefully negotiate a clearly defined geographic area as well as a reasonable and limited time for the restrictive covenant; Do not add unnecessary or overly restrictive terms to a restrictive covenant; and Specifically indicate in the […]

4 min read

Premium Advice — Buy-sell arrangements, Part 2

In last month’s column, I discussed the importance of reviewing buy-sell arrangements and the funding for those arrangements. This month, we’ll look at what the structure might look like. Although many advisors or other professionals may have their own biases, a needs-based, client-centric approach is best for all to start with. Consider the case from […]

4 min read

By the numbers: Women in the advisor channel

The traditionally male-dominated financial industry is headed for a female revolution, with statistics suggesting by 2010, 60% of American wealth will likely be controlled by women; and these women prefer to deal with women. In conjunction with our conference for women financial advisors, "Investing in You," Tricia Benn and Elizabeth Hall, director and senior research […]

1 min read