by Mike Tuma President, Client One Securities, LLC
The need for financial and retirement planning in this country has never been greater. The recent recession has decreased the value of Americans’ nest eggs and simultaneously shrunk confidence in the ability to retire comfortably. Individuals and families are struggling to make ends meet, and they’re fearful of what the future holds. As an agent or advisor, you’re in a position to understand the challenges of today’s consumer better than anyone — and in an equally important position to help improve the financial outlook for those you serve.
Here’s a bit of proof in the pudding: A study recently released by Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) indicates that those individuals who have prepared a personal financial plan feel more confident and report more success managing money, savings and investments than those who have not.1 Yet only 31% of respondents said they had a comprehensive financial plan currently in place. This leaves a lot of room for you to step in and offer your expertise in helping others preserve their assets, create income they can’t outlive, leave a legacy to loved ones, and much more depending on your licensing and designations.
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING?
As a licensed insurance agent, you’ve developed the knowledge you need to craft life insurance and annuity solutions that can yield incredible benefits for your clients. You may have also developed strategic alliances with attorneys and CPAs to expand your service offerings and help meet an even wider variety of planning needs. But what happens when you stumble upon a prospect who also owns stocks, bonds, mutual funds, variable products or alternative investments? Without the proper training, securities licenses and affiliations, it may be difficult to position yourself as the “go-to advisor” for educating clients on all of the strategies available for achieving financial goals.
Before you jump online or pick up the phone to find out what’s involved in obtaining your CFP or how to find a broker-dealer that might be right for your practice, take some time to really think about how expanding your services could impact your current clients, the way you run your business and your time. Becoming a registered rep or an Investment Advisor Representative isn’t right for every producer. There are numerous agents with extremely successful practices built upon annuity and insurance product sales. However, if you do your homework and still come to the conclusion that getting licensed and affiliated with a broker-dealer is right for you and your clients, you may want to consider a partnership with Client One Securities.
COMPLETE SUPPORT
Like finding the right solution for your clients’ plans for retirement, finding the right broker-dealer to fulfill your specific needs can be tricky. You need to consider what kind of support is available, what types of relationships the company can help you leverage and how your fixed insurance business might be viewed. Does the broker-dealer’s value proposition outweigh what it charges? At Client One, we’ve created a hybrid broker-dealer with a Registered Investment Advisor built in that is independent, index friendly and wholly owned by Creative Marketing. Through advanced back-office support and exceptional personalized service, we’ve built a foundation that gives you, the advisor, everything you need to provide clients with exactly what they want.
Each dedicated, securities registered professional on our Client One Securities team has an average of more than 10 years of field and/or management experience. We care about your success, and can assist you in all aspects of your business, from compliance review and direct trade supervision to marketing and consulting support. We’ve developed a fully integrated web-based platform that lets you access real-time information and client records anywhere, anytime. We pride ourselves on building long-term relationships with each of the advisors who come on board, and will work one-on-one to troubleshoot any challenges impacting your ability to efficiently serve your clients.
If you’ve considered making the move to providing clients with more comprehensive financial service, start by giving us a call. We’ve helped other producers make a seamless transition, and we can do the same for you. The 51% of survey respondents who feel behind in saving for retirement certainly want and need your assistance … as do millions of individuals and families across the country. Visit www.client1securities.com, or contact us directly by calling 888.909.9399 today.
FOR AGENT USE ONLY. NOT FOR USE WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC. 12418 – 2012/7/31
1 2012 Household Financial Planning Survey.Survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI), July 23, 2012. Available online at http://www.cfp.net/downloads/2012_Household_Financial_Planning_Survey.pdf.
Member FINRA/SIPC and an Investment Advisor