An aging population needs advisors to cut through the confusion

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Three and a half years remain until 2030, a year in which a significant demographic shift is expected to rock the U.S.

By 2030, the last baby boomer will turn 65, ending the timespan in which 10,000 boomers a day reached age 65. But as the last of the boomers hit that milestone birthday, the first members of Generation X will turn 65.

The aging population of the nation poses significant economic challenges and will lead to brokers and advisors working in a rapidly changing environment, said Chris Orestis, owner and president of Retirement Genius, during a discussion at the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals annual convention.

Orestis looked at key trends impacting aging and retirement in the U.S., and led a panel that discussed the expanding role of advisors in an increasingly older population.

“Being an insurance agent is much different now,” he said. “To succeed, you must be better informed about issues that didn’t exist before. An advisor must have a much broader toolkit.”

Uncoordinated planning is the biggest risk

The biggest risk in aging is uncoordinated planning, said Justin Reinig, executive director at Oberlin Marketing/Integrity.

“The opportunity for an agent will be in coordinating that planning,” he said. “It’s more complex than ever before. It’s not about having more tools but about being able to coordinate those tools.”

Longevity planning is a key part of healthcare planning. Reinig said advisors must look at the longevity risk “as an opportunity to prepare outcomes, not just sell a product.

“Don’t sling a plan; make a plan.”

The answer for the longevity risk is not in more plans, but in connected plans, he added. “Disconnected solutions are the recipe for disaster and debt.”

Consumers are overwhelmed

Consumers are overwhelmed when making decisions about their finances and their healthcare, said Jonas Roeser, cofounder and CEO of Agent Review.  “What becomes a real factor is trust,” he said. “The advisor who is successful is one who earns trust and makes things simpler.”

Andrea Krisztal, vice president of sales (individual and family plans) for the west region at UnitedHealth Group, also called on advisors to help consumers cut through the confusion and plan for life’s uncertainties.

“Consumers have more information than they ever had access to before, but a lot of it is inaccurate, and it is more confusing for consumers to navigate the healthcare system on their own,” she said. “Advisors who can lead them through the process are more valuable than ever.”

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Susan Rupe is editor in chief, magazine, for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at [email protected].