National Underwriter Life & Health Magazine September 13, 2010
Cover Story
Death and Tax Hikes Both are Inevitable... But One is Really Going to Hurt
Many among the affluent are looking ahead to January 1, 2011 with a sense of dread. But for insurance and financial service professionals engaged in wealth transfer planning, the New Year carries a silver lining.
News
-
Health Issues Heat Up for Agents
Congress is expected to take up, as early as this week, a proposed revision to the healthcare reform law designed to limit a stringent tax-reporting mandate scheduled to go into effect in 2012 that is particularly irksome to small businesses.
-
Deluge of Comment Letters Shows Industry Split on Fiduciary Standard
The 30-day comment period out of the way, the Securities and Exchange Commission is now setting to work crafting a study that will ultimately determine the standard of care agents and brokers must use in selling investment products in the future.
-
GOP Poised to Take Back Congress
Polls increasingly show gathering momentum for a Republican takeover of at least the House--and give Republicans an outside chance of taking the Senate as well--in November's mid-term elections.
Features
-
Universal Life Insurance
The editors of Full Disclosure periodically survey life insurers active in upper markets across a wide range of product specifications, illustrations, guaranteed minimum premiums, and more.
-
The Hole in the Ceiling Leaks Upwards
Back in October 2009, when Congress was designing the legislation that became the Affordable Care Act, a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee brought in Nathan Wilkes.
-
Are Annuity Sales Turning the Corner?
Second quarter total annuity sales increased for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2008, growing 11% over the first quarter of 2010 to $57.0 billion, according to LIMRA's quarterly U.S. Individual Annuities sales survey.
-
After a Near-Death Experience, Individual LTC Sales Rise Sharply
Individual long term care (LTC) insurance sales rose 13% in the first half of this year, reversing a sales decline that had endured for most of the previous seven years, LIMRA reports.
Opinion
-
Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are
If you have been following the retained asset account situation - and I can't imagine many of you have not - then you'll know how the life industry has suddenly found itself squarely in the crosshairs of a controversy.
-
A Fond Farewell
A lot of water has gone under the bridge the past 17 years with regards to our business.
