As more companies do away with defined benefit pension plans, the responsibility is left on individuals to ensure that they have enough income saved for retirement. The issue is many people don’t realize the importance of developing a financial strategy now or understand what needs to be done. Help your prospects and clients with a financial strategy that will help them not outlive their savings.
Help Prospects and Clients Plan Ahead
Many may fear outliving their savings, but other threats to both long- and short-term retirement income can include:
• Market uncertainty
• Inflation
• Medical expenses
This is where financial professionals can step in and showcase the importance of preparing for retirement. They can suggest the most suitable products for each individual, as everyone has a different situation with different goals. They can help clients realize possible risks, especially longevity, as living to an older age means that these risks must be managed for a longer period of time. Because of this, many consumers have considered income producing products, as these insurance vehicles can allow them a guaranteed* incoming cash flow, oftentimes without regard to market performance, or even surrounding economic issues. This has led to interest in deferred income annuities (DIAs), fixed indexed annuities (FIAs), and single premium immediate annuities (SPIAs).
Potential Clients for DIAs FIAs and SPIAs
Some of the clients that these products may be well suited for can include those who:
• Are seeking to compliment other income sources such as Social Security
• Do not have any type of guaranteed* income or defined benefit pension plan in place
• Are risk-averse and are seeking to protect the premium
• Are looking for a way to convert large sums of cash from retirement plans into immediate income
Although all clients’ situations are unique, the benefits that are offered through these products can cover a variety of different needs. If you do not offer these vehicles as a supplement to a retirement plan, it is possible that you might be leaving the door open for clients to go elsewhere to take care of their retirement income needs. Becoming familiar with how FIAs, DIAs and SPIAs can provide growth and protection of premium to a client’s portfolio, you build trust and strengthen that client relationship to hopefully last a lifetime.
Also, the clients, who plan for retirement and are able to maintain their standard of living during retirement, have assets for times they may need them, and have the potential to accumulate wealth through different means of retirement savings. But it starts with financial professionals sharing the importance of retirement income planning.
