How a Blind Annuity Insurance Agent Tripled His Income in Just 90 DAys

Had a phone call from an agent who said that by following these five marketing strategies he went from being blind about marketing to tripling his annuity production.

Check it out...

1. He was blind to the fact that he needed a good quality mailing list to use when he mailed out a series of postcards he received from our marketing system. In fact by following our "3-Step Postcard System" and mailing a 1,000 to 1500 postcards every week his production increased.

In addition, he found by mailing the same prospects at least three times over a three month period his response increased.

2. He was blind to the marketing fact that he had a horrible phone approach and door approach that cost him sales. He took our advice and by using just three key words he was able to set two appointments for every six seniors called who had received his postcard, but never responded to his 800 number or website he placed on the postcard.

These three magic words I've tested for years and I could personally call in the morning just six seniors (preferably widows) and I would have two solid booked appointments for the afternoon.

3. In addition, he learned in my marketing system that he was blind to how to approach prospect at their door. I gave him a door approach that I used when I was full time in the field working that allowed me a 65% in the house ratio for the initial interview. He used this approach with the people who he mailed out the postcards, but never responded to his request for a free report, or a benefit kit.

4. And that's not all...he was blind to the fact how important it was to stay in touch with his current client base on a monthly basis. He uses both our Annuity Pro Lead Capture Web Page and monthly Client Newsletter to stay in touch with his clients.

5. And here's the kicker...he started using our referral technique that gave him an average of three referrals on every appointment.

You will slap your forehead when you learn this technique.

The above five steps allowed this agent to average three solid appointments per day and literally triple his annuity production.

You can read more success stories and also my story how I was a lead junkie and always had 50 new leads a week in my shoebox on my front seat.

Go forth and prosper,
Russ Jones
http://www.ultimateinsurancesystem.com
http://www.PmrSystem.com
http://www.89Million.com (new)

Annuities - Don't Put Your IRA In A Variable Annuity - Part 2

Last week I shared with you the real reason advisors push IRA accounts into variable annuities: the commission. If you?re getting ready to retire with a large IRA rollover, or your current IRA account is nearing the end of any surrender penalties, chances are you?ll be pitched this product. So this week I?m going to reveal more secrets about the truth behind the variable annuity sales pitch.

One of the biggest draws advisors use to get you to take the plunge is the promise of the big bonus. They?ll pay you 6%, 8% or even 10% extra, right up front, just for putting your money into their variable annuity. Sounds great, doesn?t it? Who wouldn?t want such a big boost to their nest egg, especially with the stock market returns of late? But remember, there?s no such thing as a free lunch.

In return for this lovely bonus, you end up paying higher recurring annual fees, usually .15% higher (or more) than regular variable annuities. These fees are charged on all of the money in the annuity and are a continued drag on performance. Surrender penalties are higher and longer, too. The truth is that when you take into account the increased fees and the extra years you have to stay in the annuity, you really aren?t getting a ?bonus? at all!

These bonuses aren?t just used to entice you to invest your original IRA rollover when you retire. They?re also used to encourage you to transfer out of an annuity you already own that?s still in the penalty period. Advisors will tell you that the bonus on this ?new-and-improved? annuity will ?pay you back? for the penalty you?ll pay to get out of your old commission-based investment. The truth is, by getting you to switch to the ?bonus? annuity, they earn a fat fee up-front. You end up with pretty much the same thing you had but now are locked into it for much longer. What kind of a ?deal? is that? The promise of multiple investment choices is another feature of the variable annuity sales pitch that doesn?t live up to its claim. It?s true that many variable annuities offer a multitude of mutual fund choices in various sub-accounts, including funds investing in bonds, small companies, large companies, international stocks and more. Surely out of all of these choices, anyone could create a balanced well-performing portfolio, right?

Not necessarily. It?s sort of like fishing. Who wants to fish in a pond full of minnows? Wouldn?t you rather drop your line where you have a greater chance of catching the big one? The mutual fund universe is full of thousands of choices. But only a small group of them are consistent top performers. Unfortunately, few variable annuities offer these big fish.

Some variable annuities feature a well-known fund already offered to the general public. But beware. This same fund will have much higher management fees within the annuity than it does outside of it, hampering its performance. I believe insurance companies make special deals with mutual fund companies to gain access to their management and then charge higher fees.

When you invest your money into a variable annuity, you?ll no longer have control over the choices at your disposal. The insurance company can change the investment choices whenever they want to and you have no recourse. Since your money is locked in for years, it will be very costly to change course a few years down the road should you be dissatisfied. What kind of choice is that?

So here?s the bottom line: variable annuities make big promises but don?t really deliver. Every feature they offer -- be it a big bonus, a multitude of investment choices, death benefit, or a guaranteed income stream -- comes at a very high price. High management fees and long, costly surrender penalties hinder your performance and rob you of your flexibility and control. The ones making the most money off of variable annuities are the advisors and the insurance companies. It turns out that variable annuities are a great investment?for them.

If you?d like free, clear, unbiased advice submit your questions to http://www.guardingyourwealth.com/askjeff.htm. Also, see answers to questions other readers have asked onthe Q&A page at http://www.guardingyourwealth.com.

Mr. Voudrie is a Certified Financial Planner, nationally syndicated newspaper columnist and President of Legacy Planning Group, Inc., a Private Wealth Management Firm in Johnson City, TN. He can be reached at jeff@guardingyourwealth.com

Nationally-syndicated financial columnist and Certified Financial Planner? Jeffrey Voudrie provides personal, in-depth money management services and advice to select private clients throughout the USA. He?ll answer your financial question ? FREE at http://www.guardingyourwealth.com

Rescuing Your Underperforming Annuity Account

It was only a few years ago that interest rates plunged to historic lows. Conservative investors who needed guaranteed income and preservation of principal were in a bind. In many cases, returns at the bank were below two percent and fixed annuity accounts yielded only marginally better. Many of these cautious investors purchased fixed annuities rather than bank instruments in order to capture higher returns.

How times have changed. The United States economy improved significantly. Inflation pressure grew, and the Federal Reserve began to ratchet up interest rates while treasury yields increased in kind. While much of this was good news, it created problems for the annuity purchaser from just a few years ago.

Concerns with Older Annuity Accounts

If you invested in a traditional fixed annuity account during these low yielding years, you may find yourself in a dilemma. The problem: many of these accounts have fallen to their guaranteed minimum yields. Currently, they might only offer a paltry return between 2 and 3.5 percent. There are several reasons for this decline. To begin with, many annuity accounts have a first year bonus that will not be paid in subsequent years. In addition, these accounts often provide a floating rate of return. Their returns are not locked in. A floating rate annuity is quick to go down in years where yields are decreasing, but slow to come back up when yields in the treasury market increase. In essence, if you purchased an annuity in the lean years, you may have locked in poor yields for the duration of your account.

There are other issues as well. If your annuity has not reached maturity, you will have to pay surrender penalties if you cash in the account early. In addition, if you purchased a non-qualified annuity account, you may have accumulated tax deferred interest. Should you transfer your annuity to anything another than another annuity account, you could have income tax to pay. Taxes and penalties will quickly lower your account value upon early surrender.

How to Improve Your Fixed Annuity Returns

Rest assured ─ this is not a story of doom and gloom. The fix to this problem is simple. You simply exchange your old annuity for a new account. Rates have increased dramatically over the last three years, and newer annuities can lock in much higher yields. Furthermore, it may be a wise decision to lock in rates with a guaranteed fixed yield as oppose to a floating rate of return.

Unless your account is very new, the higher guaranteed yields can more than make up for any surrender penalties your may have. A sizeable account can accumulate thousands of additional dollars by making this change. (It is important to note that many economic pundits are already predicting that the Federal Reserve Board will begin to lower rates in 2007. This will most certainly force treasury markets and annuity yields lower for those who have not locked in higher rates.)

Income Taxes on Tax Deferred Interest ─ 1035 Exchange

Additionally, if income taxes are a concern, you should understand that taxes are not due if you transfer your old non-qualified annuity to a new annuity account. This is why owners simply transfer from one annuity to another in what the I.R.S. has deemed a 1035 tax-free exchange. Income taxes will only be due if and when you decide to take out your interest. If yours is a retirement account (also called a qualified account) you can simply perform a rollover. If done properly, (with the help of an experienced agent and/or accountant), a qualified rollover is not a taxable event either.

In summary, no longer do you need to dread your quarterly annuity statements. There are several reputable insurance companies providing very reasonable guaranteed returns. These products will provide you with higher yields, potentially shorter durations, liquidity and peace of mind. An annuity rollover or 1035 exchange can be a wise investment choice.

A.M. Hyers has been working in the insurance and investment industry for nearly ten years. He owns and operates Ohio Insurance Plan, an independent insurance agency doing business in Ohio, Missouri and Georgia.

His agency offers products to individuals, families and any size employee group. They use the leading national insurance carriers to offer quotes, illustrations and relevant information on life insurance, health insurance and HSA accounts. They also offer disability and long term care insurance as well as annuity policies, Medicare supplement plans and Medicare Part D coverage.

Visit them at:
http://www.ohioinsureplan.com
Learn more about fixed annuity products
Current annuity rates

Annuity Buyer Payments

An annuity is the ideal life planning tool for a senior citizen that comes up to him or her with all the advantages near the end of his life. It is a retirement planning tool and has two basic phases:

The accumulation phase and

(d) The annuitization phase.

It is during the accumulation phase that an annuity buyer has to make the payments. In an accumulation phase, a person invests money in an insurance company, a senior settlement plan or an investment company for a considerable period of time. The amount might vary from one investment company to the other, but it is invested in a lump sum. Eventually with the passage of time it earns a rate of return.

In the other phase, the annuitization phase, the person who had been investing money in the accumulation phase has the right to withdraw payments in a regular basis, whether it is in a monthly or annual basis. The person who buys such an annuity plan to secure their post-retirement phase is called the annuity buyer. This annuity buyer has to pay what are called basis points. These are basically the fees for the annuities. The annuity fees or the basis points show a percentage of one?s investment. Another important thing regarding the annuity buyer?s payments is the Mortality and expense (M&E).

Mortality and expense are those which are charged by the various insurance companies and agencies in order to provide an annuity buyer with a lifetime income. This fee is also charged to the beneficiaries with a death benefit of the annuity buyer.

There are three types of annuities that require three types of payment modes. They are:

(a) Fixed annuity, which incorporates the ""mortality and expense"" (or M&E) fee, the sub account fee, and the annual contract maintenance charge. The sub account fee covers the cost of one?s annuity investment account management. However, the annual fee is quite flatly charged and is on an average $30.

(b) Variable annuity

(c) Equity-indexed annuity

There are no up-front fees or charges for the latter two categories.

Annuity Buyer provides detailed information on Structured Settlement Annuity Buyer, Annuity Buyer, Annuity Buyer Payments, Annuity Buyer Guides and more. Annuity Buyer is affiliated with Condos For Sale.

Structured Settlement Annuity: The Real Deal

Structured Settlement Annuities have been shown to provide a valuable, safe and guaranteed source of lifetime income to parties in personal injury or other cases. Today we look at situations where these special annuities would be helpful.

Personal injury.
This is obvious to most, but let's take a closer look at situations that might warrant such settlements.

Temporary or permanent disability.
A structured settlement can help here by making sure the cost, if any, of rehabilitation is covered.

Guardianship of minors or persons with diminished mental capacity.
We've seen before how dangerous mismanagement of a lump sum settlement for a child can seriously impact the future care of the child. Guaranteeing that care for the injured child will be covered will add greatly to the overall quality of life for the caretaker and the child.

Wrongful death, particularly when the surviving spouse and / or children need steady income.
When tragedy strikes the main money earner of a household loss to a family is felt in many ways. In some cases this can cause financial ruin to a family. A structured settlement can help replace the monthly income lost and provide a family piece of mind that the rent, bills etc will be paid for.

Severe injuries, especially those that result in shortened life expectancy.
Once again, protecting the financial future of the family or caregivers to make sure that specialized care is covered and monthly expenses are paid.

Cases where future needs can be determined today.
This is a bit more risky as it can be difficult to predict expenses in the future. However, certain costs may be fixed or are more easily anticipated like mortgages, tuition, and monthly bills.

If someone finds themselves in any of these situations, it's important to take these factors into consideration:

1-Significant, ongoing medical expenses
2-Rehabilitation or permanent care facility expenses
3-College tuition, retirement income, the down payment on a home or a mortgage payment
4-Replacement of monthly income, annual income or supplemental income

Though some of these may seem too far in the future to think about, ignoring these will cause more hardship than necessary.

Michael DeGeorge has done extensive research on structured settlements and shares a wealth of information on his website http://structsettle.gitgoingnow.com. Download your free Structured Settlement Annuity information today from http://structsettle.gitgoingnow.com.

A Structured Settlement Annuity: Comparatively Speaking

In earlier articles, we've seen the benefits of structured settlement annuities over lump sum payments. For some, this protects them from the temptation of spending the bulk of their payment on unsound or unwise investments. Protection and incoming cash flow over the long haul are what structured settlement annuities provide. However, not every person faced with a lump sum payment necessarily will be tempted to spend the money rashly. Obviously, there are people who are savvy investors and think that given the opportunity with a lump sum payment over a structured settlement annuity, they will be able to make more money investing on their own.

With that in mind, let's take a look how a structured settlement annuity compares with one of the most popular investment vehicles, the equity income mutual fund.

First, let's look at who issues the annuity and the mutual fund. A structured settlement annuity is issued by a life insurance company. An equity mutual fund is issued by and investment company that pools the assets of multiple investors in equity securities.

Next, let's look at the long term capabilities of each to provide a lifetime income. An annuity payment plan is created up front and is a predictable and dependable source of income that can not be outlived. A mutual fund can be a high paying investment. However it can also be highly volatile and unpredictable based on market conditions and can actually lose money and stop your earnings if the fund performs poorly.

What about guaranteeing the payouts?
An annuity is guaranteed by the issuer of the annuity based on the terms of the structured settlement. A mutual fund is solely dependent on market activity and thus can not be guaranteed.

What about costs?
The annuity has no cost associated with it. A mutual fund can be subject to a number of fees, like a sales load, yearly management fee, and marketing expenses. Even the lowest cost index funds have some costs associated with them.

What about keeping up with inflation?
A structured settlement annuity can have a cost of living adjustment incorporated into the annuity at the time it is designed. An equity mutual fund can outperform inflation based on how the underlying securities perform. However it is difficult to predict what the return will be and remember "past performance is not and indicator of future results."

But what about the dreaded T-word....Taxes??
A structured settlement annuity is tax free as long as the money received is the result of personal physical injury or physical illness. As income is earned from an equity mutual fund taxes, capital gains, income etc, must be paid.

What about flexibility?
A structured settlement annuity payment amount and schedule may not be altered at any time. Conversely, money can be moved in and out of mutual funds. However, taxes, sales loads etc may be applicable with each transaction.

Michael DeGeorge has done extensive research on structured settlements and shares a wealth of information on his website http://structsettle.gitgoingnow.com. Download your free Structured Settlement Annuity information today from http://structsettle.gitgoingnow.com.

Annuity Rates

 Annuities are the series of payments made by an institution like an insurance company to the annuitant (annuity holder) over a fixed time period. The payments are fixed by the company. Annuity rates are the rates of return that the annuitant will. Rates will depend on the nature of the annuity.

In the case of fixed deferred annuities, the rate of return is guaranteed over the life of the insurance contract. On the other hand, variable deferred annuities will not give any guaranteed return on the annuity. This is because; the amount obtained by the insurance companies from fixed annuities is invested in low risk government securities and bonds that guarantee some income. But the amount from the variable annuities will be invested in high-risk securities. However, the main advantage of variable annuities is that the excess income above the premiums from these annuities is exempted from tax. The two important factors that affect the annuity rates are gilt yields and life expectancy. In most of the countries, annuity rates have been on the decline. Sometimes the annuity rates depend on the market conditions and the monetary policy of the Government.

Every annuity holder wishes to have higher rate of return on the annuity. In order to achieve higher annuity rates of return, one needs to shop around for a good insurance company. Moreover, the potential holders need to have an idea of what types of securities the company invests in. If the investments perform well, then the likelihood of enjoying higher returns is possible. Potential holders may seek professional advice from annuity brokers or agents.



Cash For Annuities Web provides detailed information on cash for annuities, annuity brokers, annuity buyers, annuity payments and more. Cash For Annuities Web is affiliated with Cash Out Refinancing Scams.

Buy Annuity Leads

The financial products such as annuity are created keeping in mind the expectations of certain type of prospective customers. The age of the prospect comes in this type. So are his/her income group and the type of profession they are engaged in. Needless to say that, in order to sell its investment products, the financial companies have to reach out to the targeted customers first. Hence the agents of the financial companies are generally on the look out for the database of such customers. This information is sensitively profiled by specialized research firms and is offered as leads to agents and financial companies needing this database. These leads are generated from various sources which include websites that are developed to monitor genuine customers who are surfing the Internet for buying annuity.

While leads are very important for selling annuity, however certain factors should be taken into consideration while buying them. It?s crucial to know, how the research company operates and by using which methods the leads are being generated by the research company. Instead of buying the leads from the first authentic company one comes across, it pays to search for more companies in order to get optimum benefits. The cost of acquiring the leads is also significant. The terms of payment should be clearly discussed before entering into a payment contract. There are some companies that raise monthly bills for providing leads. It must also be ascertained whether the leads are sold only to one agent/ company. For better results while playing safe, the leads should be bought in small amounts from various firms. This way, the quality of the leads and the firm providing these databases can be safely assessed without incurring much cost - a good deed indeed for good leads!
Buy Annuity provides detailed information on Buy Annuity, Buy Annuity Leads, Buy Fixed Annuity, Buy Retirement Annuity and more. Buy Annuity is affliated with Fixed Annuities.

Finding a Buyer of a Structured Annuity Settlement

If you receive a big insurance settlement (such as a personal injury settlement) or win the lottery then it might be a good idea to find a buyer of structured annuity settlement. An annuity settlement means that even though you have won a big jackpot or been awarded a huge sum of cash that you will only see a small sum of it that is sent to you by check once a year. This is where a buyer of a structured annuity settlement can come in handy especially if you want to take advantage of all of your winnings at once.

A buyer of structured annuity settlement winnings will offer you a big lumps sum payment so that you don't have to wait to be paid over a period of several years or even decades. In a way you could perceive this type of annuity as a kind of cash advance for the winnings you would have received in the future.

Keep in mind that doing a deal with a buyer of a structured annuity settlement is not necessarily that profitable. They in actuality keep the majority of your winnings. For one thing the buyer will be receiving all of the interest on the money as it is collected for many years. You on the other hand may be tempted to splurge all of your winnings or insurance money at once.

Still opting for a structured annuity settlement is a good idea for individuals who need a huge lump sum of cash to take care of immediate physical needs which is often the case with people receiving large insurance settlements as the result of personal injury or medical abuse.

Tiffany Walker has finally revealed her annuity secrets online. Read the latest by clicking here: Buyer of structured annuity settlements.

Private Annuity Trust vs. 1031 Exchange- When a PAT Makes Sense (Part II)

In the last article, I pointed out when, as a real estate investor, doing a 1031 Exchange on the sale of a Real Estate Property may not be your best option.

So, let's assume you do want or need to sell a real estate investment, don't want to do an exchange, and don't want to pay a huge lump sum capital gains tax payment of 15-40% on your gains. Now is the time to see how a Private Annuity Trust can save you money.

It's important to know that you don't avoid paying your capital gains tax obligation, you just get to defer all payment for a while if you're under 70 years old, or you at least get to spread out the obligation over many years. The total of years can be your lifetime or a fixed number of years determined by you when you set up the trust.

So, how does that help you? Well, if someone were to offer you a 0% interest loan on let's say $300,000.00 for the next 30 years, and you only had to make minimum payments, would you jump at the chance? Most people sure would. Think of how you could invest that 300K so that you could enjoy the benefit of the interest it accrued. This is effectively what a Private Annuity Trust does for you. It allows you to keep most of your gains working to your advantage, while paying back the money owed to the IRS over a long period of time.

This also holds for the depreciation recapture if you owned your property for a long period of time and depreciated it according to a schedule to realize annual tax advantages of owning investment real estate.

If you do not put a tax strategy in place and sell outright, not only do you owe capital gains tax, but you also owe depreciation recapture, which can be another 25-35% of your total depreciation taken over the ownership cycle of your investment.

And, you will avoid the possibility of the dreaded Alternative Minimum Tax trap. This is something else that may catch you by surprise when you least expect it triggered by your outright sale of property. This could mean having other legitimate tax deductions disqualified and a higher tax payment owed by you.

As you can see, it's definitely worth it to consult with an expert in Capital Gains Tax saving strategies before you make the decision to sell your real property.

The PAT can also work with the sale of a second home, vacation home, or even your primary residence. With these assets, a 1031 exchange is not an option.

Paula Straub is a Investment Advisor Representative and Insurance Agent in Southern California. She facilitates Capital Gains Tax Saving Strategies for clients in all 50 States by working closely with Nationally recognized companies. Paula is an educator, author and professional speaker. You can learn more about Paula at her website http://www.Paula-Straub-Capital-Gains-Tax-Site.com or contact her directly at (760)917-0858

Annuity Owner Mistakes

Okay, so I can tell you I have sat in front of countless numbers of people who have made mistakes when purchasing and owning annuities. And I have visited people who wish they never got involved in an annuity. And I have seen people who say that their annuity is their worst nightmare...So what is it that makes the annuity such a bad thing for some people and such a great vehicle for others??? Well I am about to tell you...and it all goes back to the annuity owners biggest MISTAKE. Yes, not mistakes but mistake.
Let me explain to you. Most annuity and insurance agents out there have what is called their "best product." IT is the product that can supposedly solve every investment need for any investor. And they make it sound so good that when someone is shopping for annuities, they ask the salesperson, "what is the best annuity?" and this is the biggest mistake. For all you know, the best annuity to the salesperson may be the one that pays the best commission to him. This question gets more people in trouble than any other question in the investment world..."What is the best ____________ (annuity, stock, mutual fund, etc)? Like I say all the time, there is no best investment because everyone's needs are different. Each investment has it's own benefits which have to be matched to an investor's needs.
So in essence, the biggest mistake is searching for the "best" investmtent. So how do you avoid the annuity owner's biggest mistake? By asking a better question? The best question is "What is the best investment FOR ME?" That question is totally different. You see, to further elaborate, the biggest mistake involves not doing your homework. When you don't do your homework and you look for the "best" investment, you will probably end up with something that you don't want. By doing your homework, you can figure out what you DO want and what you DON'T want. And when a salesperson presents something to you, you can quickly see if it fits your needs or not. If it does not, then the salesperson probably didn't do his job.
One tool to assist you in this search is the book, "Annuities: The Shocking Truths Revealed" Yes, you guessed it; it is not free. But it is valuable. It not only tells you what annuities can and cannot do, it gives you the right questions to ask your agent. It helps you avoid all of the annuity owner mistakes that are made. This is because it tells you everything the agnets, banks, and insurance companies don't. And it revolves around the premise of doing your homework so an annuity doesn't become your worst nightmare.
The bottom line is, always ask, "what is the best annuity for me?" And if the salesperson starts shooting out answers without asking you about your situation, then run...run and find another person. And before they ask you about your situation, it's a good idea to know your own situation. The more you can help a GOOD salesperson, the more they can help you. And remember, there is no "best investment." There is only a best investment for each person relative to their situation and their needs. And please remember...
Ignorance is not bliss...
Tony Bahu is a licensed annuity agent well versed with equity index annuity,
index annuities, equity indexed annuities, index annuity and indexed annuities and has authored 'Annuities: The Shocking Truths Revealed', which reveals the secrets that the banks and insurance companies don't want you to know.
For more information on his document, visit the site below right now!
http://www.AnnuityMD.com