A recent study of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of MDRT, found that 53% of Americans say their top New Year’s resolution was going to be related to their finances.
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Technology Trends Every Agent Should Know
Every American knows how critical video meeting platforms like Zoom have been holding our families and workplaces together in the past year. For many agents, learning how to use such programs was the push they needed to catch up with a key technological trend.
Planners spend their days meeting with clients, working on plans, educating themselves, keeping up with responses to calls and emails, marketing, and trying to find moments to gather their thoughts. The to-do list can feel overwhelming and unapproachable. But, it is possible to organize these tasks and take back control of your time.
Digitalizing processes should not be seen as a replacement for the existing agency model. On the contrary: Digital technology should help insurers to automate standard processes and enable the agent as they advise the client to add an extra layer of personalized services.
According to estimates from recordkeepers and employee benefit research organizations, the average retired couple will spend over a quarter million dollars for healthcare and medical expenses in retirement.
Should Investors Root For Tom Brady Or Pat Mahomes?
The Super Bowl Indicator suggests stocks rise for the full year when the Super Bowl winner has come from the original National Football League (now the NFC), but when an original American Football League (now the AFC) team has won, stocks fall. What does that mean for Sunday’s game?
Retirement planning is a long-term strategy. Here are some ways advisors can support their clients’ retirement readiness during times of market uncertainty.
The economic news has continued to soften in recent days. December saw layoffs go up and the number of jobs decline, and, this morning, the retail sales numbers dropped. Consumer confidence has gone down. Clearly, the economic headwinds from the pandemic are getting worse.
Learn To Recognize Your Penultimate Moment
The diversity of penultimate moments can make them difficult to recognize if you aren’t looking for them. Many people in various industries focus only on an envisioned finish line instead of their personal or professional journeys. Aside from making life duller, this outlook also turns life events from steps to evaluate into obstacles to overcome.
Whether it’s childbirth, adoption, a family health crisis, or a worker’s own health crisis, life insurers believe no one should have to choose between their paycheck and caring for loved ones or themselves.
A way better than expected earnings season, a likely split Congress, and major breakthroughs on the vaccine front all helped stocks soar last month. Add ongoing support from the Federal Reserve as the cherry on top and we are looking at a truly historic month on many levels. But what now?
COVID-19 Outbreaks Threaten Economic Recovery
A new wave of COVID-19 cases threatens to trip up the economy. Increasing cases in Europe and the United States have brought new restrictions on activities, but the market doesn’t appear to be fazed by the recent outbreaks.
As we head into our first COVID-19 winter, and with a vaccine at least several months away, advisors and clients alike must prepare for increased social distancing and additional reliance on virtual meetings.
Heading into the election, polling data and market signals disagreed on how close the presidential election would be, with market signals calling the race much closer—which turned out to be accurate. Now that we have more clarity on the results of the election, we can review what we believe will be some of the key market implications going forward.
In July, 69% of consumers said they had a greater need for adequate health insurance, while 58% said they had a heightened need for adequate life insurance. This level of concern was almost as high as the 72% of people who were concerned about having enough paper products (tissue, toilet paper and paper towels)!
An Election Pattern You Might Not Know About
As shown in the LPL Chart of the Day, since 1952, with surprising regularity, US voters have given each party a second term in the White House to complete its legislative agenda. With equal regularity, they have flipped the party in the White House after eight years, resetting the balance of power in our two-party system.
At some point in their career, a financial advisor is likely going to feel professionally lost. They’ll feel stuck, and most critically, they won’t know how to move forward. These situations can be frustrating and frightening, but with the right balance of acceptance and action, advisors in these situations can get back on track.
Over the course of my career, I have had many opportunities to work and be mentored by amazing women. However, no matter where I worked, what financial planning conferences or networking event I attended, it was clear women are the minority.
Various polls show former Vice President Joe Biden comfortably in the lead in the 2020 presidential race, although in some battleground states the race appears to be quickly tightening. Influential states like Ohio and Pennsylvania may even be a coin toss at this point.
America’s largest banks are steeled for a wave of loan defaults and missed payments that still haven’t arrived. Thanks to an initially immense amount of support from Washington, that pain appears to have been pushed out to next year.
