News and Updates
Showing results for: Annuity and Blog
The Annuity Review: How a Simple Process Can Uncover Opportunities for Clients and You
The SMS Financial Solutions Annuity Review Process uses our expertise and industry-leading technology and tools to review any annuity contract to see if you can provide clients better death benefits, lower fees or increased income.
Independent insurance and financial planning professionals often don’t know what they’re missing in an insurance marketing organization (IMO) or that they’re working with a subpar one until it’s too late. Hear what three successful advisors say makes Senior Market Sales an exceptional IMO.
20 Places for Insurance Agents to Find New Business
Agents who wish to keep their sales funnel operating at optimal efficiency need to stop prospecting on the fly, and adopt a system of focused intentionality. This article discusses a webinar resource designed to help agents capitalize on 20 places to find new business and drives sales.
The Growing Importance of Technology to Your Business
Have you struggled to adapt your business amid the COVID-19 pandemic because of subpar technology or your own technophobia? The necessity of technology to advisors during the pandemic has highlighted its many benefits and possibly cemented its role in how the industry will operate moving forward.
What Annuity Agents Need to Know About the New Best Interest Standard
Senior Market Sales® (SMS) is committed to ensuring suitable sales practices when recommending annuity products to consumers and to supporting the fair and equitable treatment of our insurance customers. To that end, SMS has compiled this executive summary of recent revisions and actions to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation (Model #275). These revisions encompass new producer training requirements, updated carrier forms and revised recordkeeping necessities.
Senior Market Sales Service Update
Senior Market Sales® (SMS) wants to assure all of our producers and carrier partners that although we may be operating differently, we are committed to the same service standards to which you have been accustomed.
The SECURE Act: Are You Ready?
On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed into law the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, known as the SECURE Act. This bipartisan bill represents the most sweeping retirement reforms in over a decade and has a variety of provisions that will have an immediate and profound impact on both employer plans and individuals. Many of these changes will take effect on January 1, 2020, and will likely have a wide reaching impact on savers and retirees alike.
Helping Your Clients Through Volatility
Market volatility provides an opportunity for insurance and financial planning professionals to show their value to clients. Senior Market Sales can help you educate clients about market risk and offer solutions to lock in their gains — before the downturn.
Marketing Hours Extended to Provide More Service
The SMS Med Solutions and Financial Solutions teams have extended their hours to better serve agents and advisors.
Using Processes and Tools to Enhance Your Business
There is a way to provide clients more big-picture clarity while also demonstrating the need for the solutions you have to offer. Start using a new process and tools to enhance your business.
Department Of Labor Fiduciary Rule Update: Best Interest Standard Delay
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Labor (DOL) have agreed to delay the Best Interest Standard until July 1, 2019. What does this mean for advisors?
How to Improve Your Customers' Experience: Implement a Structured Planning Process
No matter the industry, everyone’s talking about the importance of the customer experience. But the insurance and financial planning industries especially need to pay attention, according to several trade publications reporting on critical trends in the new year.
Using the "Saw-Tooth" Strategy to Cut RMDs for Clients
Certain fixed indexed annuity solutions can offer a crediting strategy that cuts RMDs. Introduce the saw-tooth strategy to clients and help them keep more funds in qualified accounts.
Discuss issues that are important in the senior market, ask questions, and get immediate access to SMS content and insights by following SMS on social media.
SMS White Paper Reveals New Importance of Social Insurance to Consumers and You
A new SMS white paper finds that financial and insurance professionals should make Medicare and Social Security the foundation of retirement planning.