Insurance Insight by DBS

The life insurance industry continues to see tremendous change as technology develops and advances, and the needs of consumers adapts. In a post-pandemic age, underwriting and new business processes are continually being improved and shortened, which leads to more positive customer experiences. Susan Ghalili, a leader in underwriting transformation for many years, and Lori Walker, DBS VP and Chief Underwriter, will join Chuck Anderson to discuss their perspectives on industry underwriting innovations and how we can continue to build on this period of change.The webinar will cover:Current carrier underwriting strategies to enhance the customer journeyWhat advancements may still be to come in underwritingWhere we may see additional innovationOvercoming client objections to the underwriting and application processTips for embracing change at all points in the buyer’s journeyFeaturing:Chuck AndersonVice President, National SalesDBS, Guest ModeratorSusan GhaliliSenior Vice President, Underwriting Strategy & Customer Journey, Chief UnderwriterPacific Life Lori-Anne WalkerVice President, Chief UnderwriterDBS

When it comes to succession planning, entity purchase agreements are a popular solution for business owners. Under an entity purchase plan, upon the death of an owner, the business buys the deceased owner’s shares, and to fund the obligation, the business frequently owns a life insurance policy on each owner.The recent June 6, 2024 Supreme Court decision in Connelly v. United States has raised concerns and created uncertainty, particularly for family-owned businesses that have stock redemption buy-sell agreements funded with business owned life insurance. In Connelly, the court included the life insurance death proceeds received by the business, thereby increasing the company’s value for estate tax purposes. The holding differs from prior precedent where the insurance was offset by the liability created by the purchase obligation under the stock redemption agreement. So, what should business owners with stock redemption/entity purchase buy-sell agreements funded with business owned life insurance do in a post Connelly world?This webinar will discuss the issues caused by the Connelly decision and offer three alternative solutions. The Connelly decision underscores the importance of strategic estate planning for business owners. The ruling presents a timely opportunity for advisors to shine by helping their clients steer the complex landscape of business succession planning.We’ll cover:Connelly Court Case BackgroundDoesn’t a Buy-Sell Agreement Fix Estate Value?Lessons Learned from ConnellyWhat to do With Existing InsuranceTransfer-for-Value Problems in Changing to a Form of Cross-Purchase Buy-SellThree Solutions in a Post Connelly WorldBook of Business Opportunities Now

Life insurance is often thought of simply as a tool that can help in the event of a death. But In addition to offering death benefit protection, indexed universal life (IUL) insurance policies also have the potential to build tax-deferred accumulation value based on interest received. So, it can create the opportunity for an additional source of funds that may be available to help your clients throughout life so they may be better positioned to respond to needs such as unplanned major expenses, helping with college tuition, or supplementing the lifestyle your clients want in retirement. Corey Luke joins Kurt Fasen to discuss how Indexed Universal Life provides:Join our webinar to learn about:PROTECTION: The death benefit can help loved ones maintain their standard of living and is generally income-tax-free for your beneficiaries.ACCUMULATION: The potential to build tax-deferred accumulation value that is protected from market downturns.FLEXIBLE ACCESS: Any available cash value that’s accumulated in your policy can be accessed via policy loans or withdrawals to help supplement college funding, retirement, or other financial needs.We’ll also share six potential diversified strategies using IUL and take a look at how various strategies would have performed at pivotal economic points in history. And, we’ll also talk about some exciting news about the Allianz product suite with the launch of Allianz Life Accumulator™.

Most days of the week it’s easy to find articles online, radio programs, or other featured segments talking about the importance of saving for retirement. However, it can sometimes be difficult to translate that information into easy-to-understand language when discussing with clients their own planning journey. We’ve invited Vern Carlson, with MassMutual Strategic Distributors to join Kurt Fasen, LLIF, LUTCF, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing at DBS to share some tips for helping clients realize their need for saving and with that a better understanding of the role of life insurance plays in a balanced portfolio of accumulation and protection strategies.Join our webinar to learn about:A simple way to help clients understand the need for savingThe importance of managing risk present during the entire wealth management lifecycleDynamic spendingThe power of introducing non-correlated assetsThe importance of diversificationAnd more!Featuring:Kurt Fasen, LLIF, LUTCFExecutive Vice President, Sales & MarketingDBS, ModeratorVern CarlsonNational Sales Manager, Life DivisionMMSD 

The business market continues to be a big opportunity, but many advisors struggle with understanding what business owners need and therefore don’t know how to pinpoint the solutions that will work. Join our webinar for some interesting insight into business owners and what’s really important to them.Kurt Fasen talks with Corey Cox, of Principal Financial, about their 2024 Principal® Business Owner Insights survey, that asks owners of small and midsize businesses how they’re prioritizing plans for their business and employees. The results provide a snapshot of what’s important to them and the plans they have in place today. Use the tools, resources, and insights from the survey to help start the planning conversation with clients. This information can make it easier to talk with them about their business needs and subsequently suggest life insurance solutions that will be most helpful to them.In this session you’ll learn:Current trends and opportunities for business planning techniquesHow business owners are reacting to the continued uncertain economic environmentGood starting points for conversations with business ownersSolutions that really work – for a variety of needsAnd more!Featuring:Kurt Fasen, LLIF, LUTCFExecutive Vice President, Sales & MarketingDBS, ModeratorCorey CoxSenior Consultant - Business SolutionsPrincipal 

Would your clients like to pay more or less taxes in retirement? One would think that most people would quickly answer that they would like to pay less, yet the retirement planning those same people are doing may be giving them a greater tax exposure in retirement than they realize.Join our webinar to gain a better understanding of the role life insurance can play in retirement planning. The taxes your clients pay on their retirement income varies so it’s important to offer options that allow them to maintain balance and control in retirement. We’ll also talk about some strategies that financial professionals can implement in their practice to close more sales and provide more value to their clients.Featuring:Kurt Fasen, LLIF, LUTCFExecutive Vice President, Sales & MarketingDBS, ModeratorMike CoyleSales Vice President – Life BrokerageLincoln Financial Distributors, Inc  

Join this special session with Kurt Fasen and Kristin Ferguson, as they take a look at the life insurance industry today. Kristin will share some important developments in the life insurance industry, what may be on the horizon, and what you can do as a financial professional to keep pace in today’s world. Learn about the challenges currently facing financial professionals today, but along with that, the silver lining that is presenting itself as an opportunity. On top of that you’ll learn about how life insurance carriers like Securian – and DBS – are making it easier for financial professionals with electronic processing, enhanced processes, and new technology – including AI based solutions. Featuring:Kurt Fasen, LLIF, LUTCFExecutive Vice President, Sales & MarketingDBS, ModeratorKristin Ferguson, FSA, CFA, MAAASenior Vice President, Individual SolutionsSecurian Financial 

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) made sweeping changes to the tax code that affected both businesses and individuals. Most of the TCJA provisions are scheduled to sunset at the end of 2025, and these changes have both income tax and wealth transfer implications. To shed some light on the topic, we’ve invited Tracey Ullom to join Kurt for a lively discussion. They’ll cover:What’s changing from the Tax Cuts and Jobs ActThe impact these changes will have on clientsLife insurance planning strategies after the SECURE ActTax Diversification in Legacy PlanningTax Diversification in Retirement PlanningAnd more!

Women are a significant and underserved demographic in life insurance, but many advisors struggle to connect with them and address their needs. There are over 54 million women in the US who say they need life insurance or more of it, according to the 2023 LIMRA/Life Happens Insurance Barometer Study. Joining our webinar will give you the tools and information that will enable you to help women make their mark and protect their legacy. Casey Castagna, RVP Business Development at Legal & General America joins Kurt Fasen to explore the importance of life insurance for women, the available tools to advance the discussion, and marketing campaigns that can help advisors on this topic.