- What’s In Store For ’24
New year brings new market challenges
by Todd Jablonski
It was only a year ago that many investors were beginning to batten down the hatches. Expectations for slowing equity fundamentals, limited interest rate risk, and additional strains on speculative credit in 2023 prompted them to go underweight on equities and overweight on fixed income.
read more - Risk Dialogues
The pursuit of healthiness and why life expectancy gains matter
With over three decades of experience in the Life & Health insurance industry, I’ve learned that we cannot be complacent in assuming that life expectancy will always be on the up. Steadily improving longevity through advances in healthcare, technology and lifestyle choices has been a gift of the 20th century. The gains have been hard-won……
read more - A Conversation With Benny Goodman
The new scope of financial literacy
by P.E. Kelley
I asked a financial advisor recently to explain how she conveys the urgency of a life insurance or annuity purchase to her clients, and she responded immediately by saying ‘I simply ask them what year they expect to die, so I can begin planning for them accordingly.’ Notwithstanding her stab at stand-up comedy, her point…
read more - The Ups And Downs Of Income Planning
Fundamental strategies for what your your clients may face in 2024
by Steve Scanlon
While financial guidance may have been relatively straightforward in the years of steady returns and rock bottom interest rates, market volatility has become our new normal—and 2024 is no exception. Many young financial advisors are scrambling to provide sound advice amid rising interest rates and rollercoaster markets—headwinds they may not have had to navigate thus…
read more - Survival Of The (Fiscally) Fittest
How will the life-insurance industry survive?
by Bob Gaydos
For those who work in life insurance, it’s no secret that the industry has faced major challenges the last few decades. In many ways, life insurance has simply lost a lot of its appeal both for consumers as well as those working in the field.
read more - Making Income Last
How investors look to mitigate growth, protection and the daunting trek into old age
by Eric J. Thomes
As the country as a whole grows older, it makes sense that the demand for retirement services has grown. A century ago, just one in 20 people in the U.S. were 65 or older. Now, about one in six people in the U.S. are age 65 or older, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. That’s…
read more - Aging Into Uncertainty
How will we navigate the looming long-term care crisis ?
by Melissa Bova
As we confront the realities of an aging population, studies show that, on average, Americans turning 65 today have an almost 70% chance of needing some form of long-term care during their remaining years. This staggering statistic, coupled with Medicaid spending already surpassing $750 billion, highlights the profound challenge the United States must address.
read more - Advising The New Workplace
How employers and employees embrace an evolving reality
by Kristina Welke
How employers and employees embrace an evolving reality by Kristina Welke Ms. Welke is the Head of Product for New York Life Group Benefit Solutions (NYL GBS) where she oversees the development of products, capabilities, and experiences that drive differentiation for employers of all sizes. Visit www.newyorklife.com/. As we stand at the intersection of rapid…
read more - Benefits & Recruitment
How a competitive workplace portfolio wins in the battle for top talent
by Jimmy Reid
Due to rising prices and unsteady markets, research shows Americans are facing several financial challenges, including saving enough for emergencies, paying off student loan debt or managing mounting medical expenses. Additionally, retirement contributions are down, and many people are finding it difficult to save more. The good news is consumers are ready to take action…
read more - Anticipating Economic Uncertainty
Strategies for business resilience in a recessionary climate
by Jay Jung
Few developments are as unsettling for business leaders as a recession, as the economic slowdown that occurs both before and during one typically leads to lower sales and declining revenues. As a result, the adjustments that businesses make to stay solvent can slow growth and innovation, and when recessions linger, business failures are common.
read more - Beyond The Finance Of Life Insurance
After the death benefit, beneficiaries need so much more
by Ron Gura
When a loved one passes away, families have a rush of emotions and responsibilities thrust upon them. An emotionally tumultuous moment becomes even more overwhelming due to the number of tasks and decisions that follow. These responsibilities range from funeral arrangements to legal matters, financial considerations to wider estate management, alongside countless other small tasks…
read more - What Will Insurance Look Like In 20 Years?
How big data and AI will alter the course of the life insurance and benefits market
by Bob Gaydos
Today, the insurance industry stands on the precipice of a new era, one that will be defined by highly personalized insurance plans. As professionals deeply entrenched in this industry, we must confront what this change will mean… both for ourselves and our clients.
read more - Planning In Between
A retirement recipe for the sandwich generation
by Mike Downing
Since the term “Sandwich Generation” was coined in 1981 to describe the crunch caregivers face tending to the needs of their relatives both older and younger, the number of Americans meeting this definition has rapidly grown. In fact, the Pew Research Center estimates that nearly 60 million Americans are currently sharing their homes with their…
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