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Home Care – A Compelling Story

There is a growing movement among health care providers that underscores something we in the Long-Term Care industry have known for years: helping chronically ill people receive the care they need while remaining in their homes is not only what people prefer, but can also be more cost effective than facility care.
 
Compassionate Care
 
According to an article in The Atlantic magazine, home based care is gaining traction as “a more humane, effective, and affordable health care system” than traditional nursing home care.
 
We understand that your clients want to maintain their independence. They want the freedom to make decisions about how and where they receive care.

While health and long-term care insurance differ in services that they provide, we believe that home care benefits are very important.

Today’s LTCi policies contain many benefits that will help your clients remain at home: access to a care coordinator, respite care to give volunteer caregivers a break, homemaker services, caregiver training, as well as extra funds to help pay for home modifications, medical alert systems or durable medical equipment.
 
These built in benefits are a compelling reason to purchase an LTCi policy, especially for high net worth clients, as they provide added peace of mind for family members.
 
Start focusing on the benefits instead of the premiums – call your LTC Sales Reps today for further discussion.
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Why You Need To Talk About LTCI

Most people envision themselves living a long life, investing and planning throughout their working years to create a financially secure future where they can enjoy spending time doing their favorite things.
 
As part of your client’s financial planning process, it’s important to understand the potential impact that needing long-term care may have on their assets, their family, and their future.

The reality is, as people start to live longer, the greater the likelihood is that your clients will require long-term care.

The costs associated with long-term care are significant.
 
While it can take decades to accumulate the assets they’ll need to retire comfortably, just a few years of paying for long-term care may threaten a lifetime of savings.
 
If you’ve ever been in a care-giving situation, you understand the physical and emotional toll it can take. While providing care to loved ones is an act of compassion, placing these burdens on spouses, children and other family members can create a significant emotional and physical strain, and is something that many people would like to avoid.
 
Don’t wait to address your client’s long-term care needs.
 
Incorporating Long-Term Care Insurance into financial plans today can help protect assets, reduce the burden of care that would otherwise fall on family members, and enable clients to receive care in the setting they most prefer, including their home.
 
Perhaps the greatest benefit: Long-Term Care Insurance allows loved ones to care about, rather than care for, each other.
 
We’re here to help you design a plan that is both affordable and the best solution for your clients’ needs – contact your LTCi Sales Reps for guidance.
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Put The Power Of Storytelling To Work For You

You already know that quoting statistics doesn’t sell Long-Term Care Insurance. That’s because most people don’t see themselves needing LTC services, and using statistics to try to tell them otherwise will do little to convince them.

Barraging prospective clients with product benefits and features doesn’t work either. If they don’t believe they need LTC Insurance, touting all the bells and whistles of the product isn’t enough to make the sale.

So how do you get people to sit up and take notice? Tell them a compelling, engaging story about the positive impact an LTC policy had on someone’s life.
 
Find a good story.
 
Chances are you already have a story that will work for you. Draw on your own experiences. If you’ve ever had to care for a parent or grandparent, you know how difficult it can be.
 
Or you can use other people’s stories. A story doesn’t have to be your own. It can be just as powerful to share the experiences of family members, friends or clients.
 
Make it memorable.
 
When telling your story, paint a word picture. Don’t just describe what happened. Instead, talk about how it made you or the people involved feel.
 
Also, you need to make sure your story is relevant. A prospective client with no children probably won’t relate to a story about how difficult an LTC situation is on the kids.
 
Finally, don’t scare people. Make sure your story has a happy ending that comes about because of LTC.
 
Get your clients to share their stories.
 
According to a survey of LTC policyholders, 78% said they had a family member or friend who needed LTC services.
 
So your story may prompt prospective clients to recall stories of their own. Ask questions that invite them to talk about these experiences. Who knows, this might be how you get your next good story.
 
Here are five questions that will help you prompt clients to share their stories:
  • Do you know someone who needed Long-Term Care services?
  • Who provided their care? (Generally, a spouse or child is the primary caregiver.)
  • What effect did this have on the caregiver? On the family?
  • How did they pay for the care they needed?
  • What effect did this have on their finances? On their retirement plans? On the inheritance they hoped to leave for their kids?
For more sales ideas, contact your LTC Specialist today.
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Myth: Long-Term Care Is Just For Nursing Homes

Originally, the primary reason LTC Insurance was created was because it would help cover the high costs of a nursing home. But over the years, the policies have changed dramatically.

Now LTC Insurance is a comprehensive product that helps cover the cost of a variety services.

Consider the real-life Long Term Care example of Joe
 
He had helped care for both his parents for many years. So, he decided to purchase LTCi to help protect his family from the same responsibilities that he had with his parents.
 
Later in life, Joe developed an advanced stage of diabetes and several health problems occurred, including blindness and the amputation of his leg. His LTCi policy helped him stay at home by paying for renovations to his home, including ramps and grab bars.
 
The care coordinator helped walk Joe and his wife through the types of care he needed and provided a referral list of care providers in the area. His wife was able to receive caregiver training and a home health care nurse visits during the day while his wife is at work. LTC Insurance helped Joe stay in his home and have the care he needs.
 
There are many reasons to obtain Long-Term Care coverage, that can benefit both your client and their family.
 
To learn more, contact your Long-Term Care Specialists today.
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Why Tax Season Is The Optimal Time To Discuss LTC Planning

Tax season is coming to an end – people all across the country are in the midst of preparing and filing their returns.
 
But did you know it’s also an opportune time to talk to your clients about the vital importance of Long-Term Care Insurance?

There are numerous tax-related benefits that come with LTCi.

For example, LTC Insurance premiums may be tax deductible. Clients may be eligible to receive deductions or credits on their state tax returns for paid LTC Insurance premiums.
 
Plus, tax refunds are a great way to pay into LTC Insurance premium payments. Doing so on an annual basis can make paying premiums a non-event.
 
LTC Insurance is often the missing piece in many financial plans – and tax preparation provides the opportunity for your clients to review their financial plans and identify any gaps in their coverage.
 
For more information on the potential tax benefits of LTC Insurance or for additional information contact your LTC Sales Rep.
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4 Ways LTC Insurance Provides Tax Advantages

When meeting with clients to discuss the benefit that a Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance policy has on their overall financial plan, tax deductions might not be the first thing you emphasize, but should be one of your top five discussion points.

Taking the time to explain the tax advantages may provide the tipping point for clients who are hesitant about purchasing a policy.

Here are a few scenarios on how to approach each type of client:
 
The Client On The Fence
 
Many states offer a deduction or credit on paid LTC Insurance premiums, which can make purchasing coverage more attractive to your clients. For example, in the state of Ohio, residents are able to deduct the entire annual premium for their LTCI policies on their tax returns.
 
The Planner
 
If you are working with clients on their tax strategy, consider turning their tax refund into an LTC Insurance premium payment. It’s a great way to plan for the cost of the insurance and can make annual premium payments a non-event.
 
Business Owners
 
When a C-Corporation purchases a policy on behalf of its employees, and their spouses or dependents, the corporation is entitled to take 100% deduction as a business expense on the total premiums paid. If self-employed, clients can deduct 100% of their out-of-pocket LTC premiums up to the age-based Eligible Premium amounts*.
 
Current Policyholders
 
Clients who already have an LTC Insurance policy may not know about the tax deductions available to them. So during your annual review, be sure to educate them about a missed opportunity to take a tax deduction.
 
Contact your Long-Term Care Specialist today to learn more about the tax advantages of LTC Insurance.
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The A-B-C’s Of The Cash Benefit

Everyone knows what cash can do. Use this simple concept to demonstrate the value of purchasing a Long-Term Care policy that includes a built-in cash benefit.
 
Take out a piece of paper and write on it vertically: A, B, C.
 
A is for Assets
 
When the need for Long-Term Care first arises, many people worry they may not have assets available to pay for care they need. This is especially true for people who may have to liquidate assets like stocks, CDs or even property to pay for their care.
 
B is for Burden
 
Families typically step in to help a loved one who needs Long-Term Care. But that may be difficult for adult children who have their own family and career responsibilities. If your clients are like most people, the last thing they want to do is to become a burden to their family.
 
C is for Choices
 
A Long-Term Care Insurance policy that offers a cash benefit can help someone receive care in the comfort of their own home.
 
The cash can be used however its needed most. Whether it’s to pay for an airline ticket or a tank of gas so a child can help out or for housekeeping or meal delivery services.
 
With one of our strategic carrier providers, the cash is available to you on day one. That means when you become eligible for benefits under your policy, there’s no waiting period to qualify for cash. This is something you won’t find from other insurance companies.
 
In addition, should your client need a higher level of care someday, they always have the choice to switch from the cash benefit to a traditional reimbursement benefit, which reimburses for the actual Long-Term Care services expenses incurred.
 
For more information about this sales idea, contact your LTC Specialists today.
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Open the Door to Small Business Sales

Selling Long-Term Care Insurance to small business owners is not like the emotional roller coaster sale it is when selling to individuals. Business owners tend to look at this as a logical discussion of how you can help with their business finances.
 
Many are always looking for a way to save on taxes so a great way to open the door to an LTC sale would be, “If I could show you something that could help your business reduce its tax burden, would you be interested?”

All businesses can deduct LTC Insurance premiums paid using business dollars.

Depending on the tax structure of the business, the owner can either deduct the actual premium or eligible premium.  How?
 
Owners of C corporations can deduct the actual premium paid on a LTC Insurance policy for the owner / employee, spouse, dependents and a designated class of employees.
 
Self employed business owners such as sole proprietors, partnerships or LLCs can deduct the eligible premium paid for the owner, spouse and dependents. The eligible premium is established annually based on the medical care components of the Consumer Price Index.
 
This opportunity allows you to approach any type of small business because you are able to offer a money saving solution. Be sure to approach small business owners with a plan that provides essential LTC coverage and allows them to take advantage of federal tax incentives.
 
For more information about selling LTC to small business owners contact your LTC Specialist today.
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Why Family Should Not Be A Long-Term Care Plan

One reason why you need to bring up the topic of Long-Term Care with your clients: family.
 
Past history has shown us that parents who do not plan adequately for their long-term care needs ultimately end up sacrificing their income, assets and financial promises that they have made to pay for their care.
 
Since we are on the topic of history, it is also proven that if a parent does not have a proper plan in place, their family becomes their long-term care plan.

Parents must consider the potential physical, emotional and financial damage that is also done to the family members who are personally involved in delivering their long-term care.

There are a myriad of issues to consider when a family gets involved in their parent’s long-term care plan.
 
Among them:
  • Time Management
  • Geography
  • Funding
Think about how pressed for time your children already are – balancing families, careers and child activities.
 
Ponder also the challenges that could ensue from a care giving perspective geographically speaking if they do not all live in the same city. Then there are funding issues to consider as well, because someone has to pay for the care.
 
Further, multiple polls have taught us that most children do not want to take care of their parents, but when faced with these circumstances – they can and almost always do care for their parents… even if their relationship is not strong with them.
 
Long-Term Care and the challenges associated with it can often require more and more of family members’ involvement as time passes
 
The collateral damage that can be associated with being directly involved in a family member’s long-term care plan can often involve irreversible damage to relationships within the caregivers, and there can also be profound resentment toward the folks that the care is being delivered to.
 
Keep in mind also the opportunity costs that your family could be experiencing as it relates to their career, children, church or synagogue because the time that is usually allocated to these aforementioned items has now been allocated to you.
 
There are a variety of ways available to possibly remove this potential burden from your family.
 
Talk to your LTCi Sales & Marketing Associate today to learn more.
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Cross Selling Long-Term Care Insurance

There are numerous people you know that need Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance, many of them include your current clients. Perhaps you have already sold them a Life Insurance Policy, yet how do you get them interested in LTC?

Cross Selling can be difficult, yet when you present your client with information about LTC, they should understand the benefit of protecting themselves when they may need it.

Begin by talking about the consequences of living a long life will have on their family – and offer to put together a plan to protect them from the biggest risk they face after retirement – one that must be protected with Long-Term Care Insurance.
 
Once the conversation is going, a few good questions to ask include:
  • What percentage of your retirement assets have you set aside to pay for Long-Term Care services?
  • Are you concerned about the impact a chronic illness would have on your retirement savings?
  • If it were necessary to increase your spending by $3,000 or $4,000 a month to pay for LTC services, would that concern you?
To learn more about incorporating Long-Term Care into your product portfolio, or if you need more prospecting tips, contact your LTC Specialists today!

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