What advisors need to know about Medicare; the certification that generates client leads; FINRA's WFH policies
Financial Planning
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RETIREMENT PLANNING: On paper, Medicare has a simple mission: Provide government-funded health insurance for Americans aged 65 and older. But since it was enacted in 1965, the program has grown far more complicated. Today it includes three components: Part A, for hospital visits, home care and hospice services; Part B, for doctor appointments and other outpatient services; and Part D, for prescription drugs.?
And those are just the public components. In addition, private insurance companies sell so-called Medigap plans, which supplement Medicare's coverage, and Medicare Advantage plans — sometimes referred to as "Part C," although they are not part of the federal program — which replace parts A and B.
The result is a maze of options, combinations and deadlines that can be overwhelming for seniors. Taking a wrong turn can be disastrous —?and that’s where financial advisors can help.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Divorce among older Americans can devastate already complex financial lives as they approach retirement, and the rate of such divorces is rising.
The proliferation of so-called gray divorce — involving couples aged 50 and up — has also led to an increase in financial advisors seeking an industry designation that helps them add value during one of the most high-stakes and vulnerable moments in a client's life.?
Becoming specialized in handling these client situations can generate reliable referrals from divorce attorneys, who can act as centers of influence — a key way to gain leads for any advisor.?
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REGULATION AND COMPLIANCE: ? FINRA has won approval for a pair of remote work policies meant to accommodate practices that became common in the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Together, the two policies should help ensure the continuation of work arrangements that became widely embraced during the pandemic. Although recent surveys have suggested fewer firm employees are now working entirely from home, many are still on hybrid schedules that have them coming into the office for only a few days a week.
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