Module 6: The Academians’ Blog

Latest Blogpost

Roth IRAs: The Simple and the Not-So-Simple

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | April 10, 2022 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Retirement, Skill Level Advanced, Taxes | 0 Comments

Roth IRAs: The Basics and Not-So-Basics With the tax increases that will almost inevitably happen, the entire world is talking about Roth IRA‘s. So, I thought it would be good to give some basic and not-so basic information on Roth IRA‘s, Roth...

Why Only 4% Withdrawal Rates If the Market Has Averaged 10%?

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | April 10, 2022 | GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

Many years ago, I was sitting with a client who had a $500,000 portfolio and was about to retire. He asked me how much I thought he could take in retirement income from his equity mutual funds that would allow his portfolio to last him and his wife their entire...

Reasons To Sharpen Your Estate Planning Axe

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | April 10, 2022 | Estate Planning, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Skill Level Advanced | 0 Comments

The Pig Through the Python Lately I have been conducting trainings for the agents of CG Financial Group on Estate Planning. When I talk with folks to invite them to these webinars, I will occasionally have a few of them question just how useful estate planning...

LTC Annuities: A “Low-Friction” LTC Sale

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | April 10, 2022 | Hybrid LTC Products, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Skill Level Intermediate, Standalone-Traditional LTCI | 0 Comments

As I discuss this particular product type as being a "low friction" LTC sale, I do not want the reader to gather that the main reason to sell it is because it's a “layup” sale whereas the client will give up value versus a better/higher friction product. After all, I...

Medicaid Planning in Plain English

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | February 2, 2022 | Estate Planning, Marketing and Prospecting, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Retirement, Skill Level Advanced | 0 Comments

Last year I had just finished a seminar to thirty pre-retirees on retirement strategies as I was approached by one of the attendees and her husband. For purposes of this article, I will call her Sarah and him John. Sarah and John were both 63 years of age and she...

Recent Blog Posts

Roth IRAs: The Simple and the Not-So-Simple April 10, 2022
Why Only 4% Withdrawal Rates If the Market Has Averaged 10%? April 10, 2022
Reasons To Sharpen Your Estate Planning Axe April 10, 2022
LTC Annuities: A “Low-Friction” LTC Sale April 10, 2022
Medicaid Planning in Plain English February 2, 2022

Other Blogposts

Roth IRAs: The Simple and the Not-So-Simple

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 10, 2022 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Retirement, Skill Level Advanced, Taxes | 0 Comments

Why Only 4% Withdrawal Rates If the Market Has Averaged 10%?

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 10, 2022 | GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

Reasons To Sharpen Your Estate Planning Axe

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 10, 2022 | Estate Planning, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Skill Level Advanced | 0 Comments

LTC Annuities: A “Low-Friction” LTC Sale

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 10, 2022 | Hybrid LTC Products, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Skill Level Intermediate, Standalone-Traditional LTCI | 0 Comments

Medicaid Planning in Plain English

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 2, 2022 | Estate Planning, Marketing and Prospecting, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Retirement, Skill Level Advanced | 0 Comments

Sequence of Returns and Sequence of Inflation Risks

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jan 22, 2022 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Retirement, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

This article is a bit of a preface to an article I am making for you that will come out next month. That article will explore various systematic withdrawal strategies versus GLWBs. Without letting the cat out of the bag on next month’s article, I wanted to write this...

What your clients want to know

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Dec 29, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Retirement, Skill Level Intermediate, Social Security, Whitepapers | 0 Comments

Below is another great whitepaper by our friend and ongoing Retirement Academy contributor, Heather Schreiber.

5 Items Your Clients Should Do Prior to Year-End

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Nov 29, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Skill Level Intermediate, Taxes | 0 Comments

It is that time of year where getting your financial ducks in a row is in order. With that, I created a quick list of 5 items to consider below. Roth IRA Conversions: Many people believe that they have until April of the following year to convert their IRAs to...

Follow the Science!!! Financial Plans

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Nov 20, 2021 | Economics, Module 1: Practice Management, Running an Agency, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

“Follow the Science”!!! Yes, we have heard this a lot over the last 18-months from both sides of the aisle. Because I do not wish to tick off my Retirement Academy subscribers, I am not going to discuss politics here. But I do believe in the power of science and...

Whitepaper: Year End Planning and Tax Uncertainty

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Oct 29, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Skill Level Advanced, Skill Level Intermediate, Taxes, Whitepapers | 0 Comments

Webinar Recording: An Interview With An Estate and Elder-Law Attorney

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Oct 13, 2021 | Estate Planning, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Regulations, Running an Agency, Skill Level Advanced, Taxes, Webinar Recordings | 0 Comments

Wednesday, October 20, 11:00 CST - Noon CST The Retirement Academy (www.retirement-academy.com) was joined by a very accomplished estate and elder-law attorney, Cynthia Letsch. Cynthia owns a law firm in Grimes, Iowa and is extremely accomplished (bio below). Charlie...

“Opportunity For Improvement” In Independent Distribution

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Oct 8, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Running an Agency, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

I have written before about my son, Matthew, who is the most creative kid I have ever seen. So, I will start this article with a quick story about Matthew. A couple of years ago he and his older brother were sent home from school to do a fundraising project...

Case Study: Two IUL Illustrations, Two Completely Different “Minimum DBs”

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Oct 5, 2021 | Case Studies, Indexed Universal Life, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Advanced | 0 Comments

This is a case study video where I was helping an agent figure out why the minimum DBs where so much different on the same illustration basically. I have figured out the disconnect and will soon be posting another video on why the differences....

Case Study: Life Insurance For an 86-Year-Old?

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Sep 27, 2021 | Case Studies, GUL and Fixed Life, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Intermediate, Term Life | 0 Comments

Below is where I discuss insuring an 86 year old as well as what Term options are available for older folks https://youtu.be/kHhQIpp4aaw

Whitepaper: Social Security, Common Consumer Questions Answered

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Sep 27, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Skill Level Intermediate, Social Security, Whitepapers | 0 Comments

Case Study: RMDs, 401ks, IRAs, and SPIAs

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Sep 17, 2021 | Case Studies, GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 3: Annuities Education, MYGAs and Traditional Fixed Annuities, SPIAs & DIAs, Variable Annuities | 0 Comments

Below is a video where I discuss RMDs and SPIAs with IRAs as well as 401ks. There is much more to this than meets the eye and if a financial professional errors, the cost to the client could be substantial. https://youtu.be/CN9rg5O9G5k

The Need For General Contractors

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Sep 6, 2021 | Marketing and Prospecting, Module 1: Practice Management, Running an Agency | 0 Comments

Recently my entire neighborhood here in Iowa was hammered by a storm that came with baseball sized hail. My roof was damaged, gutters destroyed, paint on my house was chipped, the deck was pelted, and my garage door looked like it had been used as a pitching backstop....

Case Study: Estate Planning with an ILIT

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Sep 2, 2021 | Case Studies, Estate Planning, GUL and Fixed Life, Indexed Universal Life, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Term Life, Variable Universal Life, Whole Life | 0 Comments

Below is a case study video on a friend/client of mine that recently had a $10 million buyout from a Private Equity company.. Feel free to discuss below in the "comments". https://youtu.be/PhmicVbd8cw

Guaranteed Streams of Income Make For a Happier Retirement

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Aug 31, 2021 | GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Intermediate, SPIAs & DIAs | 0 Comments

It was a beautiful day, and because it was a weekday morning with no boats on the water - except for us - the water was like glass. It was one of the most beautiful days that I had experienced at the Lake of the Ozarks as I drove my boat through the twists...

Opinion: If They Aren’t “Listening”, Then Run

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Aug 19, 2021 | Marketing and Prospecting, Module 1: Practice Management | 0 Comments

Here is a quick random thought that I posted in one of my social media groups that got a lot of attention. Much of what we do in our business is the balance between continuing to try to help somebody and also understanding when you cannot help somebody. In other...

Webinar Recording From September 8th: The Financial Planning Process

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Aug 15, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Running an Agency, Skill Level Advanced, Technology, Webinar Recordings | 1 Comment

This Retirement Academy Webinar recording is of Charlie demonstrating Financial Planning ideas, Financial Planning technology, and also the process of "Financial Planning". As discussed in The Retirement Academy literature, "Financial Plans" are powerful tools and are...

The Power of Financial Plans: My Awakening

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Aug 15, 2021 | Estate Planning, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 6: The Academians' Blog, Running an Agency, Skill Level Intermediate, Technology | 0 Comments

About 15 years ago I had a “career awakening” moment. I was with ING life insurance at the time and was a Regional Vice President for ING Life Insurance. I was dealing with a client that was a large RIA firm out on the East Coast. This firm was doing a ton of...

Retirement is on sale with annuities by 43%!!

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Aug 4, 2021 | Economics, GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Intermediate | 2 Comments

Many of you “Academians“ know of the 4% rule that I reference here. Some of you also know about the later-published 2.8% rule. Both of these rules I reference in The Retirement Academy quite regularly because I know that those studies from non-biased academics can be...

Webinar Recording from August 10th, 2021: Tom Hegna!! Paychecks and Playchecks!!!

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Aug 4, 2021 | Behavioral Finance, Economics, Estate Planning, GLWBs (Annuity), GUL and Fixed Life, Indexed Annuities, Indexed Universal Life, Marketing and Prospecting, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Motivational, MYGAs and Traditional Fixed Annuities, Presentation Skills, Regulations, Skill Level Intermediate, Social Security, SPIAs & DIAs, Taxes, Technology, Term Life, Variable Annuities, Variable Universal Life, Webinar Recordings, Whole Life | 0 Comments

August 10th (11:30 CST - 12:30 CDT) We all know Tom Hegna!!! We are honored to have him. He is one of the foremost speakers in the industry and has written several books on how to sell annuities, life, and LTC. His flagship book is "Paychecks and Playchecks" in which...

What is Bitcoin??? Does It Have Value?

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jul 28, 2021 | Economics, Module 1: Practice Management, Skill Level Advanced | 3 Comments

First and foremost, the purpose of this article is not to give any advice regarding the validity of investing in Bitcoin. Rather, the purpose is to provide you with a digestible article about what bitcoin is, what is block chain, does bitcoin have value, etc. I’ve...

Why Your Annuity Trumpet Should Get Louder As Interest Rates Decrease

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jul 27, 2021 | Economics, GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, MYGAs and Traditional Fixed Annuities, Skill Level Advanced | 0 Comments

I know the title of this article seems contrary to what you would think but hear me out as I discuss the “relativity game” that annuities play and play very well. You may be thinking that this is year another conversation about how annuities usually pay more than...

Everything is So Expensive!!! Good News and Bad News

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jul 14, 2021 | Economics, Module 1: Practice Management, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

First, the bad news. The bad news is, almost everything is more expensive than what it used to be. For example, my smoked briskets are a lot more expensive than what they used to be! If you know me, you know that I love to smoke food on my RecTeq. And if you know me,...

Agents should be excited about the pig and the Python!!!

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jul 12, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational | 0 Comments

For all of us in financial services and those that plan on being around for the next several years, there are great reasons to be excited. I believe there will be more millionaires created in our industry over the next couple of decades than ever before. This is...

Washington State: “We are the government and we are here to help”

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jul 12, 2021 | Hybrid LTC Products, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Skill Level Intermediate, Standalone-Traditional LTCI | 0 Comments

Although many people, including me, were somewhat excited about the state of Washington mandating that Washingtonians get LTC coverage on their own or be taxed, there have been significant unintended consequences that policymakers should have been aware of. As a...

Video: The Risk/Reward Spectrum

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jul 10, 2021 | Retirement | 0 Comments

The below video is from "The Retirement Academy" which is an educational platform that CG Financial Group also owns. This video discusses the tradeoffs that occur when choosing retirement vehicles. https://youtu.be/Bn0l3q6qn50

Case Study: Section 7702 Changes, Before and After

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jul 7, 2021 | Case Studies, GUL and Fixed Life, Indexed Universal Life, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Whole Life | 0 Comments

Below is a case study video that happened this week. Feel free to discuss below in the "comments".

Webinar Recording From July 7th: Bobby Samuelson Discusses Various Life Insurance Topics.

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jul 7, 2021 | Bobby Samuelson, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Advanced, Webinar Recordings | 0 Comments

Recording from July 7th, 10:30 Central Standard Time - 11:30 Central Standard Time This is a "back and forth" between me and Bobby Samuelson. Bobby is a good friend of mine and one of the foremost experts on life insurance products throughout the industry. Below is is...

Case Study: LTC, Life, and Retirement. Oh, and the Engineer!!!

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jun 30, 2021 | Case Studies, Hybrid LTC Products, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Standalone-Traditional LTCI, Term Life | 2 Comments

Below is a case study video that happened this week. Feel free to discuss below in the "comments".

Suggested Commission Sharing/Split Structures

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jun 26, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Running an Agency | 0 Comments

Many times a "junior agent" might seek to partner with a veteran agent. The reasons for this partnership are obvious; if the junior agent cannot get the sale without the help of a veteran agent, it would be silly to not utilize a veteran agent (assuming one is...

Walkthrough of The Retirement Academy. Webinar Recording

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jun 26, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Promotional, Skill Level Advanced, Skill Level Intermediate, Skill Level Novice, Webinar Recordings | 0 Comments

This webinar is a walkthrough of The Retirement Academy!!! Whether you are already a member or not, you will find this webinar valuable. The Retirement Academy was created to provide financial advisors, insurance agents, Broker Dealers, IMOs, and home office staff...

GLWB Taxation (Written By Mystery Man)

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jun 23, 2021 | GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Advanced, SPIAs & DIAs, Whitepapers | 0 Comments

A great friend of mine and a Retirement Academy member sent me his thoughts on GLWB/Lifetime Income Rider taxation that was prompted by one of the case studies I published last week. Because he is humble and wants no credit, we will call him "Mystery Man". Read his...

Marketing: When Protein Powder is not just “Protein Powder”

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jun 14, 2021 | Marketing and Prospecting, Module 1: Practice Management, Skill Level Intermediate | 2 Comments

A while back as I was preparing to go to the gym, I made myself a protein shake. For whatever reason, I actually read the label on the protein jar. The label had some guy that was jacked and tan as well as a lot of technical, chemical, and biological language that...

Embrace Your Scars

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jun 14, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

At 43 years old I am no longer a young puppy. I remember being a 20-something in the business wishing that I could be older because I would then have more experience and credibility. Naturally, somebody who is 20-something in this business is dealing with people that...

Case Study: Decedent IRA, Or Not

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | May 30, 2021 | Case Studies | 0 Comments

Below is a case study video that happened this week Feel free to discuss below in the "comments".

Whitepaper: Women and Social Security

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | May 8, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Skill Level Intermediate, Social Security, Whitepapers | 0 Comments

Webinar Recording from June 3rd, 2021: Luke Cosme Discusses The Life Industry, Regulations, and Opportunities

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | May 3, 2021 | GUL and Fixed Life, Indexed Universal Life, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Intermediate, Term Life, Variable Universal Life, Webinar Recordings, Whole Life | 0 Comments

The Retirement Academy is thrilled to have Luke on this webinar. I have known Luke for about a decade now and there are very few people in the industry that I would trust more than Luke to present to the Retirement Academy members. You will see that he knows the life...

Case Study: 1035ing into an already existing IUL

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 30, 2021 | Case Studies | 0 Comments

Below is a case study video that happened this week. Feel free to discuss below in the "comments".

Case Study: Lifetime Income for 51-Year-Old

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 30, 2021 | Case Studies | 0 Comments

Below is a case study video that happened this week. Feel free to discuss below in the "comments".

Sample of the “Annuities 101” Course

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 28, 2021 | Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

Below you can click on the link to see a small sample of the first "Course" that will be coming. This is only about 1/100th of the actual course, but if you spend 5 minutes and go through it, you will be able to see the functionality. I think you and/or any recruits...

Capital Gains Taxes of 43.4%??? Should I Sell My Stocks?

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 23, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Skill Level Advanced, Taxes | 0 Comments

Two days ago I made the video you will see at the bottom of this post that verbally lays out what Bloomberg put out yesterday after a report was released regarding Biden's tax plan. The Bloomberg article is below and so is my video. I was perplexed when I saw the Dow...

Quiz: History of Annuities

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 13, 2021 | Quiz | 0 Comments

Smoked Brisket, Google, and Reading Your Clients’ Minds

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 11, 2021 | Marketing and Prospecting, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Advanced, Technology | 0 Comments

A snapshot of Charlie’s mind: Smoked Brisket During the peak of the Covid 19 pandemic where we were all looking for new things to do with our families, I decided to pick up another hobby - barbeque. Not just barbeque, but barbeque of the smoked variety...

Whitepaper: Using Life Insurance to Retain Key Employees and Protect the Business.

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 10, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Intermediate, Taxes, Whitepapers | 0 Comments

Whitepaper: 7 Practical Tips to Creating Tax-Efficient Retirement Income

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 9, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Skill Level Intermediate, Taxes, Whitepapers | 0 Comments

Here is a great whitepaper with 7 tips on helping your clients create Tax-Efficient Retirement Income

Webinar Recording: Heather Schreiber on The Future of Taxes and Opportunities for Financial Professionals.

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 4, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Skill Level Intermediate, Taxes, Webinar Recordings | 0 Comments

Webinar From May 6th, 2021 The Retirement Academy was honored to have May's guest webinar speaker, Heather Schreiber, RICP®, Founder of HLS Retirement Consulting, LLC. Below are some highlights of her distinguished career as a tax and advanced sales industry-expert:•...

Have An Opinion!

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 1, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

A while back I was reading the Wall Street Journal and my son says, "why do you read the news so much??". I thought that was a great topic for a quick video blogpost.! https://youtu.be/CdYOs2vFyY0

Carrier Implementation of Section 7702 Changes.

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Mar 19, 2021 | Indexed Universal Life, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Regulations, Skill Level Advanced, Whole Life | 0 Comments

As I was speaking with a few carriers recently about them signing up and contributing expertise to the Retirement Academy, I took advantage of the conversation and asked them about the changes to Section 7702 and their thoughts on implementation. If you are unaware of these changes, you can read my previous article here. You can also check out the actual 5 pages from the Consolidated Appropriations Act below.

Hybrid LTC Products: How Can The Carriers Afford It?

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Mar 18, 2021 | Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

As I was speaking with an agent today and singing the virtues of "hybrid LTC products" and their ability to solve multiple needs (like a swiss army knife), he said, "But some of these products have great benefits! How do I know the carriers can afford these benefits,...

Whitepaper: “Optimizing” Whole Life Insurance

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Mar 13, 2021 | Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Intermediate, Whitepapers, Whole Life | 0 Comments

This article is unique in the way it dissects the whole life insurance/cash value design

Whitepaper: The Biden Administration’s Stimulus and Tax Plans

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Mar 4, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Regulations, Skill Level Intermediate, Taxes, Whitepapers | 0 Comments

On January 14, 2021, Biden unveiled his $1.9
trillion dollar stimulus package, referred to as
The American Rescue Plan. If Biden’s economic
relief package passes, it will be the 6th piece of
legislation designed to combat the ongoing effects
of the pandemic.

Parties to The Annuity Contract

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 23, 2021 | Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

I was putting together some material for basic annuity training and something I created was a breakdown on the different parties to an annuity contract. Whether you are a pro or a novice, I thought I would publish this for your reading because there might be some...

The 2.8% Withdrawal Rate Study

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 19, 2021 | Economics, GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Advanced, SPIAs & DIAs | 0 Comments

In 2013 Morningstar put out a report that sought to update what was once the 4% rule of thumb. There are some very credible researchers that put together this study - Wade Pfau for example. The old 4% rule of thumb study can be seen here, and below is the 2.8% study....

The Bengen 4% Study

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 19, 2021 | Economics, GLWBs (Annuity), Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Advanced, SPIAs & DIAs | 0 Comments

There is a lot of talk about the 4% rule. Some folks still view it as the gospel and others might view it as being outdated. Regardless of which side of the fence you are on, I think it is important to check out the actual study and methodology that he used so you can...

Whitepaper: The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 19, 2021 | Indexed Universal Life, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Regulations, Skill Level Advanced, Whitepapers, Whole Life | 0 Comments

The consolidated Appropriations Act was a roughly 5,500 bill that was signed into law in late December 2020. The $600/person stimulus is what took the headlines but there is more to it than just the stimulus.

Whitepaper: Taxes and Annuities. How Annuities are Taxed

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 19, 2021 | GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, MYGAs and Traditional Fixed Annuities, Skill Level Novice, SPIAs & DIAs, Taxes, Variable Annuities, Whitepapers | 0 Comments

A good friend of mine and somebody that I lean on a lot is an advanced sales mastermind, and her name is Heather Schreiber. She wrote this whitepaper on "How Annuities Are Taxed". Much of this you may already know but I bet there are a few things in here that will be...

The Low Interest Rate’s Impact On Caps

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 12, 2021 | Indexed Annuities, Indexed Universal Life, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

As you may have read in my other article on this topic that can be found here, I mentioned that the average general account yield today that insurance companies are getting is around 4.4% versus 6.1% in 2007. How does that affect caps on IUL?? Well, for the fun of it,...

NOT recommending something that IS suitable can get you in as much trouble as recommending something that is NOT suitable.

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 12, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Motivational, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

As I was finishing up and article (click here) on Long-Term Care and how I believe addressing the LTC problem with clients is the foremost opportunity today for financial professionals, I was prompted to write an additional thought here about the importance of not...

My Dog And Long Term Care

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 10, 2021 | Hybrid LTC Products, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Skill Level Novice, Standalone-Traditional LTCI | 0 Comments

First off, i think its important to point out that the image of me and my dog, Max, is not a glamour shot. We were at the park and I was using him as a pillow and he saw a bird in the far distance. So, I had to pin him down before he bolted. At that time my wife...

Caps, Dividends, Rates, Etc. Will Decrease

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 10, 2021 | GUL and Fixed Life, Indexed Annuities, Indexed Universal Life, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Advanced, Whole Life | 0 Comments

It’s not breaking news that life insurance carriers (and everybody else) have seen 40 years of dropping yields on bonds. At the time of this writing (February 2021), the Moody’s Baa Corporate Bond Yield sits right at 3.24 percent, which is almost 2% less than where we...

PowerPoints: Your Best Friend Or Your Worst Enemy

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 10, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Presentation Skills, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

I have done 100-150 presentations a year for as long as I can remember. I have done thousands of presentations. But most important, I have also been on the receiving end of thousands of presentations and here is what I believe when it comes to the use of PowerPoints...

The Bengen 4% Rule Includes Inflation Adjustments, Annuities Don’t

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 9, 2021 | Economics, GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Advanced | 0 Comments

For the rather studious financial professionals that observe my conversation around GLWBs versus the 4% Rule, they may be thinking to themselves that my example of GLWB income versus the income from the securities portfolio is an apples to oranges comparison. That is...

My $86 Haircut, Minivans, IUL and GUL

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 8, 2021 | GUL and Fixed Life, Indexed Universal Life, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Intermediate, Whole Life | 0 Comments

For my friends out there who have seen my head and how it can cast a blinding reflection if the sun is at the right angle, you may wonder how it is possible that I even need haircuts, let alone a haircut that costs $86? It will make sense by the end of this article. I...

Ned Ryerson is Just as Cool as Gordon Gekko

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 7, 2021 | Marketing and Prospecting, Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Presentation Skills, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

There is a lot that can be learned from little kids. They are unfiltered and say what is on their minds because they have not yet been “polluted” by political correctness. For example, as my family was on our boat a year ago and I was dawning my swimming suit gear,...

Retirement Doesn’t Have To Be “The Final Countdown”

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 7, 2021 | GLWBs (Annuity), Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Novice, SPIAs & DIAs | 0 Comments

We have all been there. I just paid $12 for the “double deluxe clear coat automatic laser” car wash. Once finished with the washing part I quickly sped up to the giant hair dryer that gave me 45 seconds to dry my wife’s entire 20 foot long SUV. I am stressed because I...

The Mind-Game Of Seminars

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 7, 2021 | Marketing and Prospecting, Module 1: Practice Management, Presentation Skills, Skill Level Advanced | 0 Comments

Conducting presentations is one big mind-game. I believe it is the mind-games that presenting plays on us that makes presenting the number one fear in America in study after study. Just google “America’s #1 fear” to see my point. I therefore believe that the mindset...

Four Traits Possessed by “The 21st Century Financial Professional”

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 7, 2021 | Behavioral Finance, Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

This article is basically an excerpt from the article here. This article is not necessarily focusing on the “marketing” that I discuss in this article , but rather about the “traits” that 21st Century Financial Professionals possess. In short, the 21st century...

Annuities And GLWBs: How To Clear A Room At A Christmas Party

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 6, 2021 | GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Intermediate, SPIAs & DIAs | 0 Comments

My wife, kids and I went to a Christmas party at a friend’s house a couple years ago with about eight other families were in attendance. As I was standing with a group of the “Dads” talking about sports, kids and other small talk, my friend Ryan, who was standing...

What I Learned From The Time I Thought I Was Going To Die

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 6, 2021 | Behavioral Finance, Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

Over a decade ago I had a 6:00 am Southwest flight out of Omaha to Phoenix. I was dead tired because I had to wake up at 3:30 am to get on the flight. Nevertheless, I dragged myself to the airport. Waiting at the gate to get on the airplane seemed to take forever. All...

Why Dr. Phil Can Sell More Insurance Than Warren Buffett

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 6, 2021 | Behavioral Finance, Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

If Dr. Phil and Warren Buffett were trying to sell you a financial product, which one of those two people would you be most likely to buy from? This is actually rhetorical for you, the financial professional, because I already know the answer to that question. Most of...

“Why do I have to take a loan from myself?? That is my money!!!”

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 5, 2021 | Indexed Universal Life, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Novice, Whole Life | 0 Comments

If you have sold cash value life insurance for any period of time, you have been asked by the client, “Why do I have to take a loan from myself? That is my money I am taking out!” Here is my explanation: The client is not taking anything out of their policy. What is...

The History of Annuities

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 5, 2021 | GLWBs (Annuity), Indexed Annuities, Module 3: Annuities Education, MYGAs and Traditional Fixed Annuities, Skill Level Novice, SPIAs & DIAs, Variable Annuities | 0 Comments

Alittle over 2,000 years ago lived Julius Caesar. This was around 50 BC. Julius Caesar of course was the Roman Emperor that engaged in many battles and won many battles. When a battle was won, there were usually “spoils of war”. These are...

Brief History of Social Security

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 5, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Regulations, Skill Level Novice, Taxes | 0 Comments

This is not meant to be a technical analysis of Social Security. This article is merely meant to give you a few talking points/anecdotes that you can use with clients and prospects around the "History of Social Security". Up until the 1900s, and even well into the...

IUL Illustrations Should Be About Education, Not Fluffery

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 5, 2021 | Indexed Universal Life, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

Illustration Rocket Science As I sit here, I am looking at an indexed universal life (IUL) insurance illustration that is 56 pages long. The “Tabular Detail Ledger” is eight columns wide. To the untrained eye the details of an illustration can be very daunting to look...

Clients Don’t Care If Your Dad Is Stronger Than My Dad

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 5, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

Kids that are somewhere between the ages of five and 10 are funny to talk to. This is because they are old enough that they have become smart enough to make observations that are accurate. Yet, they are not so old that they have become politically correct. As a...

How Do Politicians Get Elected?

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 5, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Presentation Skills, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

First off, my goal is to make this so non-political that, by the end of this article, you will not know whether I am a Democrat or a Republican. So if you read the title of this article expecting to witness a train wreck below you can rest easy. The purpose of this...

Grit: Who Says We All Need To Be Equal?

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 5, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

In 1835 there was a significant development in the firearms industry. This was the year a gentleman named Sam Colt received a patent on a handgun called the “Revolver.” Although there were previous versions of the revolver, they were rare. Sam Colt’s design would be...

Behavioral Economics: Three Nobel Laureates Can’t Be Wrong!

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 4, 2021 | Behavioral Finance, Module 1: Practice Management, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

I have been preaching the virtues of behavioral economics for over 15 years, since the Dotcom bust confirmed to me that markets and financial decisions are, in fact, driven by emotions just as much as the fundamentals. Therefore, I was absolutely thrilled in October...

The Pandemic That Killed The Communicator

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 4, 2021 | Behavioral Finance, Marketing and Prospecting, Module 1: Practice Management, Presentation Skills, Skill Level Advanced | 0 Comments

Trillions of dollars of lost productivity. This pandemic has led to immeasurable harm to our industry and our economy. We will never know exactly how much this pandemic will shave off of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) because of its impact across multiple...

Why “Overfund” A Life Insurance Policy?

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 3, 2021 | GUL and Fixed Life, Indexed Universal Life, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Intermediate, Variable Universal Life, Whole Life | 0 Comments

As my company trains scores and scores of financial professionals every month on permanent life insurance, we always observe common questions and misperceptions that warrant a column or two. Lately I have observed some common questions around how to illustrate...

Whitepaper: Indexed Products: How The Watch is Built

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 3, 2021 | Indexed Annuities, Indexed Universal Life, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Advanced, Whitepapers | 0 Comments

Topics discussed in whitepaper:
Difference between UL and IUL,
Difference between IUL and Whole Life,
Unique actuarial information explained simply,
Options strategies that the carriers use,
Value proposition of IUL,
Decreasing caps and thoughts on if they will continue.

Six Marketing Steps to Creating a “21st Century Agency”

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 3, 2021 | Marketing and Prospecting, Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

Whether one is brand new to our industry or a veteran looking to optimize his/her practice, the below may be useful from a practice management and marketing standpoint. Following is a very high level version of a “Six-Step Roadmap” that we use to help new agents as...

The Difference Between Universal Life and Indexed Universal Life

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 2, 2021 | GUL and Fixed Life, Indexed Universal Life, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

The major difference between current assumption universal life insurance and IUL is what the carrier does with the interest that is spun off from the general account. Below you will see that with fixed UL the carrier quite simply takes the client’s net premium—$10,000...

Don’t Assume Your Prospects Understand Life Insurance

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 2, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

Last year I decided to buy my two sons (8 and 11 years old) and myself motocross dirt bikes. My intention was to find us another hobby that we could enjoy together. I grew up around dirt bikes but never did the motocross thing. Anyway, I bought us all the helmets,...

Career Advice: Sometimes “Risky” is safe and “Safe” is risky

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 2, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

We all hit a point in our career where the road branches out and we have to make a decision. Those decisions are usually between a stable - low risk but low upside - choice and a risky - high risk but high upside - choice. Here are my thoughts. Two years ago, October...

The First Indexed Product

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 2, 2021 | Indexed Annuities, Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

1995: Necessity is the Mother of Invention The annuity business (not life insurance) is where indexed products were conceived. In 1995 there was a state of confusion for investors regarding where they could put their money that would give them a reasonable, safe...

If you aim small, you miss small.

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Feb 2, 2021 | Module 1: Practice Management, Motivational, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

A hobby I inherited from my father is shooting precision rifles and handguns. Decades ago, when my brother and I were learning to shoot, my dad would tell us, “If you aim small, you will miss small. Don’t aim at the bullseye, rather zoom in and aim at the little tiny...

Selling Life Insurance As “Investments”: Stay Out of Jail!

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jan 31, 2021 | Indexed Universal Life, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Regulations, Skill Level Intermediate, Variable Universal Life, Whole Life | 0 Comments

This message is prompted by hearing about yet another agent that got herself in trouble by selling cash value life insurance as an “investment” without regard to the actual death benefit need. As you may or may not know, prior to starting CG Financial Group, I spent...

History of Modern Portfolio Theory and Asset Allocation

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jan 29, 2021 | Economics, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

Post Great Depression Whether discussing life insurance, annuities, investments, etc, it is hard to imagine a financial world where we do not consider risk and diversification. Prior to the 1950s, the theory of risk was very rarely considered. ...

Good News! Changes To Section 7702

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jan 17, 2021 | Indexed Universal Life, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Regulations, Skill Level Advanced, Variable Universal Life, Whole Life | 0 Comments

If you get shivers down your spine in excitement like I do when you think of things like CVAT, GPT, Modified Endowment Contracts, and Section 7702, then I hope you are sitting down. If you are an insurance agent that sells (or wants to sell) accumulation focused...

How To Explain Annuity Withdrawal Benefits To Clients

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jan 17, 2021 | GLWBs (Annuity), Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Advanced | 0 Comments

Recently I have been surveying financial professionals across the country on topics related to practice management, annuities, life, and long-term care insurance. The purpose of these surveys is to get a better understanding of areas of confusion, training they...

One of My Favorite Graphics

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Jan 17, 2021 | Module 2: Consumer Videos and Sales Pieces, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

The above graphic is powerful to me because it shows that "risk is in the eye of the beholder". Consumers that attempt to "play it safe" may find that they are actually guaranteeing themselves a loss in the purchasing power of their money by purchasing CDs. As you...

The Failed Covid “RoboTeacher” Experiment

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Nov 18, 2020 | Module 1: Practice Management, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

Just like how we are all cavemen and women that have evolved, we are also still kids that have grown. Internally, we all have some caveman instincts, and we all have some instincts that are similar to kids. Thus, I believe that the way kids express their emotions...

The Absent Insurance Agent I Needed 40 Years Ago

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Oct 22, 2020 | GLWBs (Annuity), GUL and Fixed Life, Hybrid LTC Products, Indexed Annuities, Indexed Universal Life, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Module 5: Long-Term Care Education, Motivational, MYGAs and Traditional Fixed Annuities, Skill Level Novice, SPIAs & DIAs, Standalone-Traditional LTCI, Term Life, Variable Annuities, Variable Universal Life, Whole Life | 0 Comments

The below is actually from one of my most popular columns that I wrote for Broker World Magazine that I want to share via this blog: I was never going to write on this topic until today when I had a conversation with Joe Jordan. Some of you may know Joe, who has...

Do You Normalize Your Intelligence?

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Oct 14, 2020 | Module 1: Practice Management, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

Many years back I was speaking with a relative about different options available for the $50,000 401(k) that he currently had with his old employer. He was concerned that he was paying high fees in this plan and he was also concerned that his mutual fund options were...

The Problem With Bonds

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 11, 2020 | Economics, Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Module 4: Life Insurance Education, Skill Level Intermediate | 0 Comments

Conventional Thinking and the 50/50 Portfolio For the longest time it was conventional thinking that a “balanced” portfolio was a 50/50 portfolio. That is, in the securities world it was widely recommended that a “balanced portfolio” had 50% of the portfolio in stocks...

Overcome Your Conditioning

by Charlie Gipple, CFP, CLU, CHFC | Apr 11, 2020 | Module 1: Practice Management, Module 3: Annuities Education, Skill Level Intermediate, Skill Level Novice | 0 Comments

Tying Down a 1,200 Pound Horse with a String I remember as a kid occasionally being forced to watch old western cowboy movies. That is because, like every other household back then, we only had one TV growing up! Crazy I know!! And unfortunately, my dad’s choice...

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