For clients with assets that are not generating key income, a great conversation starter is "What is your goal for this money?" If the discussion follows the path we commonly see, a few more questions could lead to a more suitable product solution. Follow this flowchart for more.

Clients often hate debt. But not all loans are bad. Super low interest rates and very favorable tax advantages have changed the game. See how fixed-rate loans, withdrawals from fixed loans, and participating loans can provide great sources of retirement income as needs arise.

Health care, including long-term care, is a regular topic of conversation for people in their 60s. It comes up around the dinner table. And it needs to come up in your planning conversations. But these clients don’t just need talk – they need action. Help them create an LTC plan.

Buy-sell agreements are frequently funded with life insurance, assuring that if an owner dies, the surviving family has a buyer with the cash to pay a fair price. Whether it's as stock redemption or cross-purchase agreement, it will help remaining owners retain control of the business.

A product-based bonus plan allows an employer to pay for an insurance product on an employee's life. The employee owns the policy, but the employer may restrict access to cash value through a special policy endorsement, commonly referred to as “golden handcuffs.”

In years when the S&P 500® Index is negative, fixed indexed annuities (FIAs) can be a client's hardest-working asset. Supported by a minimum guarantee, FIAs provide an opportunity to accumulate value on the appreciation of the S&P, without losing premium when the S&P was negative.

For clients who rely on interest from CDs for retirement income, annuities may provide a better alternative. A single premium immediate annuity (SPIA) with a full return of premium (ROP) rider can generate significantly more annual lifetime income. In this example, 6x higher!

Unlike individuals, businesses are not subject to age-based limitations that determine if a long-term care policy is tax-deductible. Even if a company is set up as an S-corp, partnership or sole proprietorship, LTC policies have key tax savings that businesses shouldn’t overlook.

Wealth transfer strategies help ensure your client’s estate will be distributed the way they choose. Yet some of their beneficiaries may be uninterested in the asset, or ill-suited to own it. The solution may be to create an estate equalization plan using life insurance.

When your client’s objective is to increase future retirement cash flow, paying the highest possible premium into a cash-accumulating life insurance policy may make sense. However, before you recommend this strategy, make sure your client meets these five criteria.

During the accumulation phase, assets invested in the market can often recover from losses by simply waiting for a market recovery. Losses are not "realized." But at retirement, even a few down-market years can have a dramatic effect on your clients' portfolios.

Your client is ready to grow their business. Maybe start an expansion, or bring on a new partner. You can help provide them with a safety net in case they get disabled along the way. With a business loan protection (BLP) rider, a disability insurance policy can keep the doors open.