insurance benefits

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  The road to comprehensive tax reform

  By Arthur D. Postal  |  April 23, 2013

  Is the administration’s proposal to cap retirement accounts a prelude to taxing the buildup inside life insurance policies?

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  How to interview an agency

  By Corey Weiner  |  March 29, 2013

  Considering moving to a new organization? Mind these five key considerations.

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  Are HRAs on the chopping block under PPACA?

  By Robert Bloink, William H. Byrnes  |  February 4, 2013

  Employers and employees should begin preparing to lose a valuable tool that provided flexible health benefits before PPACA.

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  Small businesses offering employee benefits dips to new low

  By Warren S. Hersch  |  January 28, 2013

  LIMRA finds only 47 percent of small businesses in the U.S. offer benefits to their employees.

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  Northwestern Mutual reports record dividends, sales gains

  By Warren S. Hersch  |  January 24, 2013

  New premium sales in 2012 totaled $1.03 billion, up 11 percent over 2011; annuity sales increased 11 percent.

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  Wrong name, right product

  By Jerome Krasnow  |  December 11, 2012

  Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Possibly not.

• Industry Survey 2012

  By Maria Wood, David Vogin Illustration  |  December 1, 2012

  What are the biggest challenges to the insurance industry? Where do the experts see their biggest potential for growth next year? What product types do people expect to rise in 2013? These are a few of the highlights from SMA’s 2012 Industry Survey.

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  Taxing life insurance benefits would be bad—up to a point

  By Warren S. Hersch  |  November 27, 2012

  The growing chorus among the nation’s political elite for closing so-called “tax expenditures” or loopholes as part of a bipartisan tax-reform package have placed the tax-favored status of life insurance squarely within Congress’ cross-hairs.

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  John Hancock Companies settle with 6 states

  By Arthur D. Postal  |  November 19, 2012

  The firm agreed with six state insurance regulators to improve the steps that they take to ensure the timely pay out on death benefit claims.

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  Are the boomers impacting your business?

  By Daniel Williams  |  October 10, 2012

  The boomers are hitting retirement by the millions. I recently spoke with advisors and industry experts to learn how this influx of boomers has affected their book of business.