Questions
Questions people actually ask.
Including the uncomfortable ones. If yours isn't here, call or text me and I'll answer it the same way.
Is an indexed universal life policy an investment?
No. It's a life insurance policy with a cash value component whose growth is linked to a market index. It isn't a security, it isn't a brokerage account, and I'm not a registered investment advisor. Anyone who describes it as an investment is overselling it.
How do you get paid?
By the insurance carrier, through a commission, if and when a policy is issued and placed in force. You never write me a check for a consultation. That's true of essentially every insurance agent; most just don't say it out loud.
What does the first call cost?
Nothing, and there's no version of it where you owe me something afterward. It's fifteen minutes, mostly me asking questions.
What actually happens on that first call?
You tell me what you're working with and what you want your money to do. I ask questions. If it looks like something I can help with, I run real illustrations afterward and we go through them together on a second call. Nothing is decided on the first one.
Can you help me where I live?
Almost always. Nearly all of my appointments are virtual, and between my own licensing and the network of agents I work alongside, we cover the country. If for some reason we can't help where you are, I'll say so on the first call rather than waste your time.
Do you handle annuities too?
Yes. Annuities are a core part of what I do, particularly for people within about ten years of retirement who want protection and predictable income rather than more growth. They're a different conversation from life insurance and deserve to be treated as one.
Do I have to give you my Social Security number or medical records?
Not to have a conversation, and not to see illustrations. Those come up only if you decide to apply for a policy, which is a separate step you'd choose deliberately.
What's the catch with the market-linked growth?
The cap. In a year the index falls you're protected from that loss, but in a year it surges your credited growth is limited. You're trading some upside for downside protection. Whether that's a good trade depends entirely on your situation and what you're comparing it to.
Are the numbers in an illustration guaranteed?
The guaranteed columns are. The impressive projected columns are not — they're based on assumptions that can change. I walk through both, because the guaranteed column is the one that matters if everything goes wrong.
Can I really take money out tax-free?
Policy loans are generally not treated as taxable income, but that depends on the policy being structured correctly, staying in force, and not becoming a modified endowment contract. It's a real feature with real conditions attached, and the conditions are where people get hurt.
What if I can't keep paying the premium?
That's the most important question on this page. An indexed policy is a long-term commitment and the costs weigh heaviest early. If there's a realistic chance you'd stop funding it within a few years, it's the wrong tool, and I'd rather tell you that before you start than after.
Am I too old for this to make sense?
For an indexed policy, possibly — age affects the cost of insurance inside it and a short funding horizon works against you. But people who are too old for an IUL are often exactly the right age for an annuity. I'd rather give you a straight answer in fifteen minutes than have you wonder.
Do you only work with teachers?
No. It's where I came from and it's the group I understand fastest, but most of the people I work with have never set foot in a school except to pick up a kid.
Do we have to meet in person?
Only if you want to, and most people don't. Nearly everything I do is by phone or video. I meet in person around Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, and the surrounding communities.
What if I already have a policy and just want a second opinion?
That's a completely fine reason to call, and I won't pressure you to replace anything. Replacing existing coverage is sometimes right and often wrong, and it deserves a careful look rather than an enthusiastic one.
Will you keep calling me if I say no?
No. One conversation, and if it isn't a fit we're done. You won't get dropped into a drip campaign.
Let's have one honest conversation.
Fifteen minutes. You'll walk away understanding more than you did, whether or not you ever buy anything from me.
Would rather just talk? Call or text 269-341-1986. I answer my own phone.