1 | Open MIC notes for the Crew

……15 Years and still rolling…….

Open MIC is open for anyone.

9:00: AM Pacific Thursday 800 504-8071 Code is

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US

CALL OR EMAIL

ANTHONY OWEN

888-74AGENT (24368)

tony@annuityagentsalliance.com

OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE

2554567

1 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Open MIC, notes, live discussion, recordings and all materials are intended for

agent use only.

Remember: FFF (Fact Finder First), product second.

Our brand can be your brand”

Sunset: Lost Mountain Range, Mackay Idaho (no photoshop, no filters, it is just as it appears…shot by Kelly Broich, BTW, if you have never been to this part of Idaho, it is truly worth the effort)

2 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Life Insurance: Jenny Lewis jenny@firstannuity.net 877 324-1993

I get 3-4 inquiries about my opinion on the result of the DOL ruling concerning FIA. I feel exactly like I have form the start; it will be thrown out….BB

U.S. Chamber: DOL overstepped its authority with fiduciary rule http://www.lifehealthpro.com/2016/07/24/us-chamber-dol-overstepped-its-authority-with-fidu?

The Department of Labor, in finalizing its fiduciary rule, “has sought to transform the financial services and insurance industries, stepping far beyond its authority” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the IRS Code governing individual retirement accounts.

http://www.looktowink.com/2016/07/ncoil-committee-urges-repeal-of-fiduciary-rule/

National Conference of Insurance Legislators

NCOIL FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEE PASSES RESOLUTION URGING REPEAL OF DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FIDUCIARY RULE Threat to Proven State Based Regulation of Insurance

3 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Editorial and Comment:

Last week I was asked by an agent to join in a conference call with his existing client to help answer question about past policy performance. This is something new to me, I don’t know the agent well and I definitely did not know his client. The agent scanned and emailed me the anniversary policy statement. The topic was fairly straight forward, the annuity had performed to the limits (caps) and not much was needed from me. What really stunned me was the way the agent handled the client. Once we were all on the call and introductions were made, the agent started talking and talking and talking. I tried to intervene once, but to no avail. Finally, the client butted in and got a question out, the agent tried to

4 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

answer with a long and involved conversation when all that was needed was an affirmation of the policy caps. What is my point here? How did this agent ever make a sale to begin with? His selling approach would make any prospect run for the woods, talk and talk and talk. I called the agent back after the conference call and suggested that it was possible to sell more if he kept his mouth shut a little more often. This topic has been on Open MIC often, “keep it simple stupid” but there is a far deeper meaning here.

If you are formulating your next speaking point without actually listening to the question…. how effective a salesperson could he be?

Maybe Harvard Business Review can add something to this conversation:

1. Watch your words: Most salespeople get too caught up in explaining details and small points.

2. Embrace the content of your message, trust of what you say is important. Too many words can indicate lack of knowledge.

3. Clarity trumps persuasion: prospects want a clear picture of how the product works.

(www.thomaskilroy.com/www...com/.../to-keep-your-customers-keep-it-simple.html)

5 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

My second comment:

More Americans are drifting into and dying in poverty

According to 2014 census data, 10% of those 65 and older fell below the official poverty measure. That number rose to 14.4% by 2016. A big reason for this is that older people are more likely to use costly services like staying overnight in a hospital or in a skilled nursing home.

What is most distressing about those stats is not the increase but why we have the increase. Clearly the issue is the Baby Boomers are overpowering the system. With 10,000 of us daily joining the ranks of social security, that percentage will surely increase. Simple math will estimate that the 14.4% will increase until the trailing end of this generation. Those drifting into poverty for the balance of their lives until death could grow as high as 20%, or higher. In numbers of actual people, this is a huge volume of people in poverty.

While a greater number will be in poverty, demand for social services will demand more and more government services, services that will take a larger bite out of state and federal budgets. Where will the money come from?

More and more people looking at retirement will be forced to flock to safety and security, combining that demand with very low interest rate options, places yields less than estimated inflation. The horror of the situation is simple, many people trying to save will look at a greater and increasing loss of purchasing power and force many to stand on the brink of poverty.

6 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Here is an article regarding inflation in one of the few publications I trust: Kiplinger’s.

http://www.kiplinger.com/article/business/T019-C000-S010-inflation-rate-forecast.html

Core inflation, which excludes the especially volatile categories of food and energy, will rise about 2.3% in 2016, slightly above the 2.1% pace posted in 2015.

Look for price increases for medical care to bump up to 4% in 2016 from 3% in 2015:

Premiums for health insurance will rise at a 7% rate as insurance companies reevaluate their costs of participating in the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare.

Prices for shelter will rise 3.5%, up from 3.2%.

In 2017, expect core prices to pick up the pace to 3.5%. A steady upward trend in the core inflation rate will likely help spur the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates sometime next year. Monetary policymakers consider the core rate a more reliable indicator of future inflation than the overall index.

Expect food prices to be fairly flat the rest of the year, ending 2016 up just 0.5% higher than 2015, a modest pickup from last year’s 0.8% gain. Prices of meat, eggs and milk are trending down because production has ramped up now that various viruses that threatened livestock have run their course. Moreover, drought conditions have eased, and the relatively strong value of the U.S. dollar versus other key currencies continues to hold down the costs of imported food.

Read more at http://www.kiplinger.com/article/business/T019-C000-S010-inflation-rate-forecast.html#1vPeP2uOaVuO7tHI.99

7 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

So…..my question is this….if Baby Boomers want to stay out of poverty and must avoid market risk, where should they deposit their important funds?

Here are the highest rates I could find at www.bankrate.com

MYGA rates are higher. Did you know we post up to date rates for you and it is free to crews and all agents……Free!

www.annuity.com/agenttools

Here is a snippet of 5 MYGA year rates, have a look and use this wonderful tool to find an alternative to help those stay out of the poverty level.

8 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

More: Our guest last week, Dan Biagini from Allianz provided us with a terrific sales tip. In addition, he left us with a great sales slogan, thanks much Dan!

ROI: This is not “return on investment”, a far better quote is

“Reliability of Income”….a guarantee you won’t be poor.

More: A recent report for the use of scrubbed leads by our agents (our source) showed application taken 26% of the (sits) time with an average premium issued of $249,369. Call Anthony for more details.

More: Competing against Securities America? http://www.thinkadvisor.com/2016/08/02/securities-america-to-pay-15m-for-fund-overcharges?

Use this ditty to gain an edge

Securities America has agreed to pay over $1.5 million in restitution tied to mutual fund overcharges paid by 1,514 clients over six years, according to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

According to FINRA, the IBD “disadvantaged certain retirement plan and charitable organization customers that were eligible to purchase Class A shares … without a front-end sales charge.”

Instead, between July 2009 and July 2015, the clients were sold A shares with front-end charges as well as B and C shares with back-end sales charges and higher ongoing fees and expenses.

9 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

More:

Sales and Marketing

How Blue Collar prospects can be the best long term clients. By Bill Broich The following is a true story, I did change some names due to privacy. In 2001 I met a couple, Vivian and Barney in Olympia WA. Let me fill in a few important points before I share their story. Outside of their home, travel trailer and cars, Vivian and Barney had, cash, IRAs, 401(k) and 403(b) with a total value of $220,000. This level of

10 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

prospects is completely ignored by brokers and financial planners. And yet, helping this target market is both financially and humanly rewarding. If you could draw a 5-mile circle around where you are now, there are more prospects in this target market than you could see in several lifetimes. Our products are great for them, they appreciate them and guess what? These are the nicest prospects you will ever encounter. They are profitable, they are accessible, they do not come with advisors in tow and their tax preparer is NEVER a CPA. Wonderful story, I am happy to share it with you….BB Barney was a welder, working at a machine shop. He had a good paying job and had set aside money in an IRA. Vivian worked in a school cafeteria and also had a 403(b). They were hard working, practical people and saving for retirement was a big part of their efforts. Barney’s IRA was at a bank being invested in mutual funds managed by the in office securities manager. He had $85,000 in IRA his account, at that time, Barney was 57. His concern was over risk and he never once understood the bank investments. I suggested he move his IRA to a 10-year annuity with Great American, 8% year one and minimum 3% the next 9 years (SP10ST). He jumped at the chance and became a client. Retire Village in 2001 was 8 years old by then, I added Vivian and Barney to the list and began my twice a month drip. In those years, RV was completed via US Mail. Every 2 weeks something new and interesting was mailed to them, over the years, much of that information became critical to their financial evolution. Vivian was 2 years older than Barney and when she was 62, she accessed her social security. They had been so pleased with Barney’s decision that she rolled her 403(B) from her school to an IRA with Great American, the same contract that Barney had selected. Her account was $165,000. (now a total sale of $250,000) RV kept cranking away, drip, drip, drip. About 6 months later, Vivian had given an RV drip to a fellow worker who was also ready to retire, her name was Danny. I met with Danny and

11 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

showed her my approach to safety and security, she loved the idea and mover her 503(b) $105,000 to Great American. Danny was a widow. (now total sale of $$355,000). It was sad news when we were informed that Barney had terminal cancer, he passed away in 2004 leaving Vivian a widow. Once everything in her life settled down, we filled the claim on Barney’s IRA and moved it in Vivian’s name and chose American Equity using a bonus product. His IRA had reached $113,000 in value. (now total sale of $$468,000). RV kept dripping. Vivian had a daughter, Melissa, who worked at a printing plant in Seattle. She was 54 and still working, we met with her and got to know her system. She had $65,000 in a bank account earning a low interest rate (and paying taxes), we suggested a 5 MYGA product, she moved the money and began enjoying a higher interest rate as well as better control over her tax laicity. (now total sale of $533,000). I added Melissa to Retire Village and started the drip. A few years later I sent Melissa a personalized note with the drip. (I added my signature and her name to the article asking if anyone else might have an interest in rollovers. Here is what I wrote: “Melissa, I saw this article and thought you or one of your co-workers might like this information. If anyone needs help, please have them call me….Bill”) (I have a copy in her file) about the IRS allowing rollovers while still working after 59 ½. A week later, George and Janice (married) called my office and asked about roll overs. Melissa had given us a powerful referral. The end result was 2 more clients and $310,000 in rollovers from a 401(k) to an IRA at American Equity. (now total sale of $843,000). When Vivian’s annuity with Great American fell out of surrender expense in 2014, I mover her money to AE with their standard income rider. She is planning to access in a few years and her base for retirement. I was able to

12 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

add a bonus to the product, we rolled over her entire IRA (and Barney’s as a spousal IRA) with an accumulated total of with a total of $320,000. (now total sale of $1.163,000). In 2014, I contacted Melissa about her retirement plans, she said she was was readying for an early retirement and was past age 59 1/2. I rolled her 401(k) to an IRA with American Equity, she planned to work 1 or 2 more years. $205,000 rolled over. (now total sale of $1.368.000). RV kept dripping all those years and the interesting thing was this; Vivian has saved all of them in a file. In 2016, two more things happened, one very sad. I was asked to do a policy review with Melissa at Vivian’s house. I was informed Melissa had terminal cancer and less than 2 years to live. Her concern was now her children and to make sure they would receive the money. I reviewed her beneficiaries and assured her they were in order. Mellissa is still alive, but very ill. Her last remarks to me were one of gratitude, now she could feel better, her children would get her money without probate and without shrinkage. The second thing that happened in 2016 was Vivian’s other daughter and her husband were retiring from Boeing in January 2017, Vivian has sent them RV articles and referred us. I called them just to meet and get acquainted, planned or 2 weeks from now. While I had them on the phone, I suggested we get acquainted first by email and asked if I could add them to the” list.” The answer was yes and so RV goes on its merry way just as it has for the past 23 years. BTW, during my phone call with them, they told me they had $900k in their Boeing VIP account. Just how much could I write from one simple welder and cafeteria workers relationship. The continuing thread for the long term relationship?

13 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

All Retire Village Sites: http://www.retirevillage.com/download/Retire-Village-Delivers.pdf LOGOS Safe Money Radio Logos, Broadcast Stations, and Times Agent BIOGRAPHY

14 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Members Paying $99 or More

Are You Getting The Most from Your Retire Village Membership? Are you taking advantage of all the features Retire Village has to offer? Our new mobile friendly display provides for up to

• 12 Custom Downloads • Social Networking links • Safe Money Radio: Include up to 5 Safe Money Radio Downloads for

your Downloads Library • LinkedIn and more.

Select your Front Page Video from any of those available in our Video Library or a video produced outside our system

15 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

16 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

17 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

http://www.retirevillage.com/download/RetireVillageCustomOptions.pdf

18 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Our new custom video service "wraps" our videos with agent contact information and the agent's specific call to action, and it also provides for unlimited Custom Downloads to be added to your library. Additional Customizations Available to Custom Video Agents http://ral.retirevillage.com/download/RetireVillageCustomVideoAgreement.pdf Unlimited Custom Downloads, including the PDF Video Letters we include with each video. Unlimited Outside Videos can be included in your Videos Library.

19 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

20 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

http://ral.retirevillage.com/download/RetireVillageCustomVideoAgreement.pdf Sherilyn Orr

21 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Introduction

Message

Call to action! “If Retire Village is not part of your basic marketing, you are making a huge mistake.” Jed Mayfield

22 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

BTW….Check out:

“On....The….Fly” Marketing

Just past the “short list” on Open MIC notes.

23 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Questions this week regarding leads. BTW…Thanks for the questions, they help all of us!

Q: Bill, can you clarify, my client is selling her home, she is single, what taxes will she owe? A: My answer is meant only as information. I suggest she ask her tax preparer for advice to her specific situation from her tax preparer. Never give tax advise unless you are licensed and authorized to do so. How Selling Your Home Can Impact Your Taxes Usually, profits you earn are taxable. However, if you sell your home, you may not have to pay taxes on the money you gain. Here are ten tips to keep in mind if you sell your home this year.

1. Exclusion of Gain. You may be able to exclude part or all of the gain from the sale of your home. This rule may apply if you meet the eligibility test. Parts of the test involve your ownership and use of the home. You must have owned and used it as your main home for at least two out of the five years before the date of sale.

2. Exceptions May Apply. There are exceptions to the ownership, use and other rules. One exception applies to persons with a disability. Another applies to certain members of the military. That rule includes certain government and Peace Corps workers. For more on this topic, see Publication 523, Selling Your Home.

24 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

3. Exclusion Limit. The most gain you can exclude from tax is $250,000. This limit is $500,000 for joint returns. The Net Investment Income Tax will not apply to the excluded gain.

4. May Not Need to Report Sale. If the gain is not taxable, you may not need to report the sale to the IRS on your tax return.

5. When You Must Report the Sale. You must report the sale on your tax return if you can’t exclude all or part of the gain. You must report the sale if you choose not to claim the exclusion. That’s also true if you get Form 1099-S, Proceeds From Real Estate Transactions. If you report the sale, you should review the Questions and Answers on the Net Investment Income Tax on IRS.gov.

6. Exclusion Frequency Limit. Generally, you may exclude the gain from the sale of your main home only once every two years. Some exceptions may apply to this rule.

7. Only a Main Home Qualifies. If you own more than one home, you may only exclude the gain on the sale of your main home. Your main home usually is the home that you live in most of the time.

8. First-time Homebuyer Credit. If you claimed the first-time homebuyer credit when you bought the home, special rules apply to the sale. For more on those rules, see Publication 523.

9. Home Sold at a Loss. If you sell your main home at a loss, you can’t deduct the loss on your tax return.

Report Your Address Change. After you sell your home and move, update your address with the IRS. To do this, file Form 8822, Change of Address. Mail it to the address listed on the form’s instructions. If you purchase health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace, you should also notify the Marketplace when you move out of the area covered by your current Marketplace plan

25 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Product Information:

Hello from David Townsend

View in Web Browser

ISSUE DATE: August 1, 2016

Annuity.com David Townsend

253-381-2328

Email Me

View Website

Help Clients Stay on Track

Nationwide knows that your first priority as an advisor is to do what’s best for your clients. You can help them stay on track for the future and identify potential sales opportunities with a simple life insurance policy review. Overview. Checklist.

26 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Learn the Truth about Disability Income Insurance Maybe you've never thought about your income this way, but it's your most valuable asset. Your income helps pay bills, living expenses, and insurance. It’s spent on recreation, vacations, education. It helps build up savings and contributes to retirement plans. And, your income is used for so many things in between! Your lifestyle, financial plans, everything you work for depends on your ability to earn an income. That’s why it’s important to know the facts about disabilities and what you can do to protect your income. To learn more click here.

Reduce RMDs to Help Make Savings Last The American Pathway Deferred Income Annuity (DIA), designated as a qualified longevity annuity contract (QLAC), could potentially extend your clients' savings by reducing RMDs and the amount of taxes they pay. Learn more.

Next week on Open MIC I will show you how to use this powerful tool to gather more clients….BB

Exploring Private Finance & Sale to a Grantor Trust Applicable Federal Rates (AFR) for August 2016 have been released and these rates

have dropped dramatically. In fact, the new long-term AFR is at an all-time low of 1.90%. This is an ideal time for clients to take advantage of these rates by using Private Financing to fund large premiums inside an ILIT. Click here to view the Private Finance Client Guide and learn more about this technique. Don’t have cash to lend? If liquidity is an issue but your client has income producing assets, a sale to a Grantor Trust will still allow your client to benefit from these low AFRs. Click here to learn more about a sale to a Grantor Trust.

"Financial Facts" Client-Friendly Series Kicks Off Don't miss the first installment in the new Financial Facts series! Download this new client-friendly flyer showcasing the impact of taxes and inflation on CD rates. What is the "real" rate of return?

The Customer of Tomorrow, Today

27 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Jason Wellmann, senior vice president of Life Distribution at Allianz, offered his perspective on the growing millennial market for life insurance in the latest issue of Broker World. He shared how convertible term riders can help them meet their protection goals, both now and in the future: “Whether they are risk-averse or simply see the value in saving for the future, there is great potential to connect with this demographic and have productive conversations about the many benefits FIUL can add to their long-term financial plans”. Read more.

Annuity.com David Townsend

253-381-2328

Email Me

View Website

Connect with Us!

Forward

August 1st, 2016

Hi William, Every week, First Annuity sends you an update with any recent, important carrier changes to help you prepare for your week ahead so you'll know exactly which carriers to be mindful of. Only those carriers that have changes are listed. Any interest rate adjustments, product changes and even new state product approvals are included with links to receive complete details.

NEW ANNUITY CARRIER UPDATES Allianz

28 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Effective August 2nd Allianz Life will change rates on several of their top annuities including the 222, 360 and 365i. Please click here for additional details. American Equity Effective August 5th, American Equity will be changing rates on the Choice Series and MYGA product lines. Rates and caps will be decreased on the Choice Series (6, 8 and 10 year options) as well as lowering the payout factors on the Choice Series Lifetime Income Benefit Rider. The interest rates will be lowered on the MYGA 5, 6 and 7 year options. All applications must be received at the home office by Thursday August 4th to get the current rates. Please click here for additional details. Athene Effective August 6th, Athene Annuity will decease rates and caps on the Benefit 10. Applications must be received at the home office no later than 4:00 pm CST on August 5th, 2016 to receive current rates. Please click here for additional details. Effective September 2nd, Athene Annuity will be discontinuing sales of the Target Horizon fixed index annuities in all states. Applications must be received in good order at the home office by September 2nd to receive the product as applied for. Please click here for additional details. North American North American has announced a rate change effective August 2nd. All of the Guarantee Choice II MYGA products will have a rate reduction. Please contact your Advisor consultant at First Annuity for rates on specific surrender periods.

ONGOING ANNUITY CARRIER NEWS F&G Effective on their August 15th buy date F&G will be changing their income roll-up rates to 7% on the Safe Income Plus and 6.25% on the Prosperity Elite Series. They will also adjust the bonus down 1% on the Safe Income Plus and Prosperity Elite 10 product. Policies must be issued (funded and in good order) by August 4th in order to receive the current bonus and roll-ups. Click here for product updates.

29 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Guggenheim Elevate your commission with a 1% Commission Bonus on TriVysta Production issued from 4/4/16 to 8/31/16. Hot new rates just released on TriVysta, see August rate sheet here. Click here for the general rate sheet for 2016. Legacy We just received word that in the middle of this week Legacy will be increasing rates on the full LibertyMark product line. As soon as we receive the new rates we will send them out. Give us a call if you have any questions on the LibertyMark so you are good to write when this increase is official.

The Short List: Articles of interest for the working agent

New Allianz Life Study Shows Strong Interest for Financial Solutions that Offer Opportunity for Increasing Income

MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In order to help address the risks caused by inflation, many Americans are looking to financial products that

30 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

not only provide guaranteed income in retirement, but also offer the opportunity for their income to increase, according to a new […]

Eighty Six Percent of Insurance Professionals Believe the Industry is Making Strides Toward Achieving Gender Equality IICF Study: More Active Recruitment of a Gender-Diverse Workforce Plays Key Role New York (July 26, 2016) – The insurance industry is demonstrating significant progress when it comes to gender equality, according to 86 percent of women attending the Insurance […]

Regulations Batter Independent Agent Channel Over the next two years, the insurance broker-dealer channel is expected to overtake the independent agent channel as the favored conduit for the sale of life insurance and annuities in the eyes of insurance companies, according to a new report. […]

5 alternatives to Indexed Universal Life insurance Insurers and policyowners can configure an Indexed Universal Life (IUL) policy’s premium payments and death benefits to resemble virtually any type of life insurance policy, from annually-renewable term to single premium whole life. Consequently, any other type of policy that […]

The top 50 life & health insurance companies of 2016 Statistics can tell a lot, not only about the financial health of companies, but also how they stack up against one another. In this annual feature, we take the pulse of 50 top-ranking life and health insurers when measured against […]

Why consumers’ attitudes toward life insurance are changing It’s impossible to predict if and how estate taxes could change under a new president and Congress, but for 2016, at least, married clients with joint

31 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

estates under $5.45 million still fall under the taxable threshold. States’ estate taxes are […]

MetLife to divest U.S. life business, rebrand as Brighthouse MetLife announced that it will rebrand its U.S. life insurance business as Brighthouse Financial after it is divested from the firm in the coming months. A timeline regarding the structure and timing of the separation has not been announced. U.S. […]

Heightened mortality, DOL rule take toll on life/annuity sales The U.S. Department of Labor rule affected sales of life and annuity products during the first quarter, according to new research released by rating services company A.M. Best. Sales of variable annuities dropped 18 percent during the quarter and saw $5.6 […]

Low interest rates make some fixed-index annuities shine This is an unusually tricky time to be a prospective annuity buyer. Previously low interest rates have slipped further, to subterranean depths, illustrated by the fact that the yield of the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note closed at a record […]

MetLife shelves 148-year-old U.S. retail brand for ‘Brighthouse (Bloomberg) — MetLife Inc., the New York-based insurer that traces its roots to the 1860s, said it’s come up with a new name for a U.S. retail unit that’s slated for separation. The business will be known as Brighthouse Financial once […]

How Lapsing A Life Insurance Policy With A Loan Can Cause A Tax Bomb Life insurance serves a valuable social purpose, allowing families to protect themselves against the economic consequences of an untimely death of a

32 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

breadwinner. In fact, life insurance is viewed as such a positive that Congress provides significant tax preferences for […]

33 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

BTW…how can you not like this level of marketing?

If you are not using video, re-think that decision.

“On....The….Fly” Marketing With the recent Brexit mess, many clients and prospects are more confused than ever. Many of us have prospects “fence sitting” not quite sure which way to jump. We have added a new feature to our Retire Village marketing services, we have added “on the fly” marketing. OTF provides you with a message that is currently meaningful, a message that allows you to touch your clients and prospects with a meaningful message. This service is provided for you and allows you to be the first with important information.

34 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

A crew member did just that, responded to his prospects and clients (via RV database) and wrote $1,800,000 form two prospects, prospects that were fence sitters and were moved along by the marketing I am showing you below.

1st: Here is the blog post on Annuity.com. BREXIT: What volatility! With the announcement of the United Kingdom (UK) leaving the European Union (EU), markets around the world lost $2 trillion in value, instantly. The question that everyone is asking, what does it really mean? How does the UK divorce from the EU really affect me? One thing is for certain, in the short term, volatility will reign. The longer term view requires a little more understanding on how trade actually exists between America, Europe and now standing alone, the United Kingdom. Trade with the US and the UK is not much when measured against our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is a mere .31% of our overall economy, less than ½ of a percent. One advantage Americans might have from the EU divorce is the strengthening of the dollar against the Euro, of course the downside might also be less trade with the EU. Less trade could mean less American jobs, and the ripple will begin. Trade with the UK and the EU is more substantial, almost 5% of all EU GDP. Concern is great in the EU in regards to a stampede, how many more exits from the EU might there be. For years, Germany has been rattling sabers in that direction and an exit of more EU members would certainly lead to economic chaos. When you consider the market situation and whether it can be monitored in a manner that might be meaningful, that seems a stretch. The wind blowing across the Atlantic might make thoughts of a “bull” market look exactly like a “bear” market. Still a four legged animal but each so different from the other. Fortunately, we offer our clients safety and freedom from market risk.

35 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

2nd Here is “on the fly” marketing.

“On The Fly” Marketing I would like to share with you a new marketing piece that was sent to agents using the “customized” Retire Village system. For members who wish to upgrade (or have) their Retire Village to customization, we provide customization of the videos and now customization of news and current events. This is a new marketing feature to Retire Village. We have the internal ability to provide these "reports" anytime they are needed. Think of the power of the database containing "fence sitters" or the ability to send this out to radio leads, seminar leads, referrals! Think of the ability to provide key and pertinent information which is fully customized. Based on current events, we are now able to provide this level of “on the fly” marketing, which means a quick turnaround. You could call with an idea and wham…there it is! Our custom agents can use this to take advantage of national, international and/or local events. We currently have 16 videos completed, 3 in production and 9 in queue. Next year we will continue to add a new video a month, available for all RV agents. There is no charge for the “on the fly” marketing to agents who have joined the custom upgrade. This will help all agents build relationship and retain clients and generate leads.

36 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

3rd Here is what was prepared for agents using the customized marketing system. The marketing contains information, a video link, inside the link is a call to action. Page 1

Notice how Brexit was mingled with other volatile news?

37 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Page 2

See the link above? It opens a video driving the call to action:

4th Here is the customized video link for the above email drip

https://player.vimeo.com/video/171639734

Here are some snippets of the video:

38 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

(volatility)

(mine fields for retirement)

(sadness and despair)

39 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Are you ready for a fixed annuity?

(a solution and hope)

5th (the Call to Action)

40 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

6th (trust and offer)

7th So…..how did this work out? Any sales?

$1,800,000 The result, 2 “fence sitters” moved forward and he wrote $1,800,000 in premium. All because of this “on the fly” marketing piece. It was prepared for him and delivered for any use he wished FREE!

41 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

$1,800,000 of new annuity premium! Here is an example of what was prepared for those agents using “customized” Retire Village services. This is the drip sent out to the agent’s database. Here is the live link (as example) for Safe Money Ladies: Here is the link, be sure and click the video in it: http://safemoneyladies.retirevillage.com/download/betty-arellano-marilyn-clark/NEWS01_BREXIT.pdf

42 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

We Recommend: www.annuity.com/agenttools If you are not using this "Free" resource you are missing out....did I mention it is free? There is a ton of info here, it requires no password and it is up to date information.

----------------------------------

43 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Disclaimer: David Townsend and I own Annuity.com, but we have a lot of marketing friends, friends that you might be better off if you knew them. Sherilyn Orr at Retire Village and Infofuel, Anthony Owen at Annuity Agents Alliance, Kevin and Allison at FinAuction, Carl, Darin, Tom and all the crew at First Annuity….and many more. My opinion and/or numerous sources complied by me are used in preparing Open MIC. I obtain information from many sources, print, internet, agent gossip and other media. I always try and provide the original source or the link but my note taking habitually is lacking. Much of the content on Open MIC is written by me and is my personal opinion. You should never consider that I am an authority or expert on anything. Always consult professionals who are licensed to give correct advice regarding taxes and securities and other topics of great importance. I probably know more than the average agent when it comes to marketing annuities and am fully licensed as an insurance salesman. I sell state approved annuity products provided by licensed insurance companies. I am also NOT an economist by license, only by hobby. If you decide to make decisions based on my particular view of the world, you should have the information verified by licensed professionals or get your head examined. Open MIC is and was created for the entertainment of our agents, family, friends, guests, industry spies and me. Be careful with the information contained in Open MIC and always get advice from licensed professionals. You never know, sometimes I might make something up….so always verify! Also, the information I create myself and used in Open MIC is free; I assert no copyright or literary rights. Copy away. Our competitors will copy Open MIC anyway so I might just as well give it away, saves so much mental anguish and sleepless nights. Although we may promote and/or recommend the services offered by third party vendors, agents are ultimately responsible for the use of any material or services and agree to comply with the compliance requirements of their broker/dealer or registered investment advisor, (if applicable), and the insurance carriers they represent.

More Legal Stuff...

44 | O p e n M I C : 2 2 y e a r s a n d s t i l l r o l l i n g a l o n g

Be responsible... we cannot know your individual situation, always do your own due diligence before responding to any offer or investing any money.

I can't accept responsibility for the profitability or legality of any published articles or opinions published in Open MIC. Nothing in these Open MIC notes should be considered personalized advice. Although I may answer your general questions, I am not licensed under securities laws to address your particular situation. No communication by me to you should be deemed as personalized advice.

And, although all of the articles have been selected for their content, however in the interests of balanced reporting we often publish articles we may not agree with, the publishing of such articles within Open MIC notes does NOT constitute a recommendation of the products or services mentioned or advertised within those articles.

Did you know that since 2000, Boise State is 97-6 at home? In the past 10 years, Boise State is the winningest football team in division 1. 124 wins.

We make no compensation for the publishing (or hosting) of Open MIC Notes.....in fact it costs us for the phone "call in" system...oh well...