1 | Open MIC notes for the Crew

……15 Years and still rolling…….

Open MIC is open for anyone.

9:00: AM Pacific Thursday 800 504-8071 Code is

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US

CALL OR EMAIL

ANTHONY OWEN

888-74AGENT (24368)

tony@annuityagentsalliance.com

OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE

2554567

pg. 1 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

Leads, lead management, product support, selling support, marketing support:

We are agents too!

Our grandson Jonathan (age 15) “climbing the sky” at Bogus Basin in Boise.

Submit Your Comment Letter by March 17

On March 3, NAFA shared an update outlining the Department of Labor’s proposed 60-day delay to the applicability of its fiduciary rule originally scheduled to take effect April 10. As of today, approximately 350 comments have been submitted to the DOL arguing both for and against the proposed delay.

As part of NAFA’s vigilance to repeal this onerous and unworkable rule, the association will be submitting a comment letter in support of the proposed

pg. 2 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

delay prior to the March 17 deadline. In addition to our submittal, we need your help!

It is critical that NAFA members from all arms of distribution as well those who service and support the fixed annuity industry make their voices heard. To simplify the process, NAFA has put together a draft letter you can use as is or customize to reflect your specific concerns. Members are encouraged to share this with other annuity professionals in their networks.

Please use the following link to access this pre-written message and add your business information to personalize.

Click letter and submit

Producer Comment Letter It is important the Administration hear from as many of us as possible as we work to protect the future of our industry and the clients who want and need the advice and products we provide!

Thank you for your time and your business!

All the best, Darin W. Lucas President & CEO

Fiduciary duty brings higher standard, more lawsuits, on negligence

WASHINGTON — The fiduciary duty that compels advisers to act in the best interest of clients also subjects them to greater scrutiny from federal regulators in cases involving suspected negligence, SEC officials are cautioning. Advisers and their attorneys can look […]

SEC chief rips into fiduciary rule

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WASHINGTON ― The acting SEC chair isn’t mincing words on the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule. “I have a very nuanced view of the DoL fiduciary duty rule: I think it is a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad rule. For […]

DOL removes consumer FAQs on fiduciary rule from its website

The FAQs encourage investors to press their advisers about whether they are fiduciaries The Department of Labor has removed from its website a consumer-oriented document related to the agency’s fiduciary rule. Click HERE to read the full story via InvestmentNews; […]

I have always felt the best definition of being an entrepreneur is “having the courage to write your own paycheck.” Recently, I stumbled on a quote from Henry Kravis: “A real entrepreneur is somebody who has no safety net underneath them.” However you define being your own boss is entirely up to your own perspective. For me it is the ability to set my work schedule, my off-time schedule and time for the things that make life worth living, family, friends, church and charity. The way I chose to accomplish this may not be the direction you have chosen, but there is one common thread for all of us: the buck stops with you. To become successful at selling requires something that has nothing to do with selling, and that is marketing. Have you ever thought about how the

pg. 4 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

production number of Ford cars is determined? It certainly is not defined with production, Ford could easily build 10-50 times more cars than it now does.

“Production is defined by sales, sales are defined by marketing; marketing success is based on

reputation.”

(Bill Broich) What else is important to being a successful entrepreneur? How do you build the business that sustains you and your family, makes you a credit to those around you and helps you evolve with self-respect though your career and your life?

Your reputation! (the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something)

The internet has both a good and a dangerous side.

WYSIWYG No one really regulates the internet, what you see is what you get. It can be used to build a business and it can be used to destroy one. We all know how to obtain leads (SMR and scrubbed) we all know the power of staying in front of prospects and clients (Retire Village). But how do we make sure our reputation is controlled, the goodness is expanded and anything negative is controlled?

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Here is a tip: make sure everything about you on the first page of Google is positive. Anything past the first page is mostly irrelevant, page 1 is what counts.

Information on the internet about a topic is partially based on the date of publication. (not counting paid SEO search engine optimization). You can be 100% sure that anything negative will not have paid SEO. Armed with that fact and knowing how the internet works, you will be able to game an advantage with your reputation. Here is a simple definition, the actual method is severely complex: The web is like an ever-growing public library with billions of books but no central filing system.

Google gets to decide, which means they control, Bing is the ugly step child. It is Google that counts. Google essentially gathers the pages during the crawl process (robots) and then creates an index, so we know exactly how to look things up. Much like the index in the back of a book, the Google index includes information

pg. 6 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

about words and their locations. When you search, at the most basic level, our algorithms look up your search terms in the index to find the appropriate pages. Here is a test you can do to understand how indexing of information is listed on a Google search for page one. Google: annuity. On page one are 16 links of which 7 are paid ads. That leaves 9 others which are more than likely guided via SEO. The chance of an article being listed on page one of an annuity search without being a paid ad or being laden with SEO is nearly zero. But, you can customize your post free by adding your name. Now Google: Bill Broich 12 links and 3 paid ads. All other entries on page one are positive. How did I do that? How would I keep my information positive? If I had negative information how would I push it off page one and into internet oblivion? (not relevant to me) I would accomplish this by adding meaningful information via an established URL, a URL that is one of the oldest on the internet. BTW, Google respects the age and longevity of a URL, they are allowed a higher elevation in searches. I have 445 articles on our URL and forever on the internet. www.annuity.com Google: Rick Hahn Tennessee, Jed Mayfield Tucson, Marilyn Clark Olympia, Dan Barnard Virginia…..

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Use our system to build credentials on the internet so when a prospect, a referral or a lead wants to find out more about you before starting a relationship, the odds are in your favor. Blog with us, your article will be on the front page of our URL, you will be listed as an author and when the “bots” come, you will have an enhanced search. An enhanced search means more control over what is on page 1, you have a better chance of controlling your reputation and directing what people see. The cost? ZERO. You write the article, we will clean it up for you (edit) and post it. If you do not want to write it yourself, we have an outsource. How many articles are the optimal number? Over the course of a year, about 10 articles. Then possibly one on occasion after that.

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The articles provide 5 benefits to you

1. Adding an article via www.annuity.com helps control what is seen on your name search.

2. Your article is also added to your Retire Village site which builds content that your database is exposed to every 2 weeks.

3. Because you have posted your article on our URL, you can also claim ownership which makes you an author. This adds credibility to your prospects and clients.

4. Your article can be a marketing opportunity to clients and prospects via an email to them informing them of your new posts.

5. Your article on our URL also contains your photo, your picture and your contact information. Plus, your article is linked back to your Retire Village (or any site you wish, even multiple)

Back to being an entrepreneur, if you are not using Safe Money Radio you are making a mistake, a recent marketing report from Michael Kitces (“2016 Financial Performance Study” https://www.kitces.com/blog/death-of-referral-marketing-for-

financial-advisorsin-investment-news-2016-financial-performance-study/ ) stated the 2nd most important method (community involvement was 1st) for lead generation (referrals) is being on the radio with your own show.

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Blogging was also registered as a good source, but with our system, blogging is far more effective. Solve your marketing via SMR, scrubbed leads, manage your leads via Retire Village, protect your reputation via our URL, focus your business attention (between yellow and white lines) and enjoy the ride. BTW, not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur, it isn’t for everyone. There is no shame is deciding to do something else. If you are the type that can stand to write your own paycheck and are warm to selling annuities…. there is nothing like this in the world. Ok, now how do convert the “reputation” concept to marketing? Let me share with you a simple fact. I spoke to an SEO expert today in San Francisco who specializes in what people are searching for on the internet. He referred to a report about how the internet is dominating the way we all

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look at our business life, our friends and our relationships. (Oh BTW, did I mention he works with LinkedIn?) The report is startling, it states that before anyone considering a relationship, personal, business or romantic, the interment is searched for information regarding the person (or company) BEFORE any further action is taken. What is that percentage? 92% What was the percentage in 2013? 70.6% https://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylsnappconner/2013/10/27/five-linkedin-strategies-you-havent-thought-of-before/#53d97ff12273

What was the percentage 10 years ago? My guess is Zero. Last week, a good friend of mine visited for a few days to talk about our industry and how to increase sales, it was a terrific time of sharing and exploring ideas, increasing horizons and planning for increasing sales. During his visit, we met a couple visiting from Dallas here for a short vacation. He was a head hunter specializing in smaller family owned businesses that were trying to evolve management. He joined our discussion over wine, we learned more about him and him about our business. I asked Kurt a direct question: “When it comes to marketing, what is your key focus?” His answer? Meaningful information on page 1 of a Google search. He and his partner spend a fortune each year just adding content that has a positive spin about themselves. It is there key marketing effort since 100% of his leads come from referrals. The first thing new prospects do is check them out with a google search.

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Priority money budgeted for website content

to remain relevant on Google searches. Here is his website: http://linkedexec.com/ His name is Kurt Vandemotter, Google him, on page 1 there is nothing but positive information. He has gotten his money’s worth. Power

Lead Enhancement: The Key If you knew that fact, would you not do anything possible to enhance your position in the search engines?

The Sales Evolution (Join it or be left behind)

Don’t think of it as “reputation” enhancement, think of it as part of the new sales process: “lead” enhancement. It is just another step necessary to the overall sales process, controlling your internet searches is now simply part of the process. BTW, it is here to stay.

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Want to know a secret? If you use our URL and then attach yourself to a website that has tremendous interaction, you kill two birds with one stone. You get incredible “credibility”. Here is my example, lets Google me again. Bill Broich - RetireVillage.com billbroich.retirevillage.com/

Life Insurance Guide. Learn more about the various life insurance options available to you that can help you achieve your goals. Download ... I have attached myself to a URL offering more and more information. Retire Village has a ton of info that reflects on the quality of my marketing. Why is Retire Village so important? The answer is content, RV is not an obvious lead gen site, it is a lead warmer site, the content is plentiful, meaningful and full of content, new content added 2 times a month. Content crawled by Google “bots”. Retire Village adds credibility to the agent when a referral searches the agents name. Here are two examples. I will randomly search an agents name picked from an agent list. I do not know the agent and I have no relationship with him. This is for illustration only.

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I used Herb Brown Insurance for my search, here are the results:

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Look at the search, Herb Brown does not control his own internet credentials. The name, Herb Brown is mixed with others, no real content. Now let’s look at a crew member who has guarded and built his internet credentials.

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I searched Jed Mayfield insurance. The links are live, feel free to read all about Jed. Showing results for Jed Mayfield insurance

Search Results Mayfield Financial: Retirement Planning Tucson www.mayfieldsafemoneyadvisor.com/

Retirement Planning Tucson - Mayfield Financial and Estate Protection Services is a Tucson-based Safe Money Planning Firm. ... of Insurance and Financial Jed & Team - Mayfield Financial and Estate Protection Services www.mayfieldsafemoneyadvisor.com/jed-team/ Jed is the host of the Worry-Free Financial Solutions radio Show of Tucson. He has been a member of The National Association of Insurance and Financial ... BBB Business Profile | Mayfield Agencies Inc. - Better Business Bureau https://www.bbb.org/tucson/business.../estate.../mayfield-agencies-in-tucson-az-1407 BBB's Business Review for Mayfield Agencies Inc., Business Reviews and Ratings for Mayfield Agencies Inc. in Tucson, AZ. About Jed Mayfield | Worry Free Financial with Jed Mayfield | KNST knst.iheart.com/onair/worry-free...with-jed-mayfield.../about-jed-mayfield-11021361/ William 'Jed' Mayfield is founder and president of Mayfield Financial and Estate ... is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. Mayfield Financial & Estate Protection Services, Inc. - RetireVillage.com mayfieldfinancial.retirevillage.com/ Learn more about the various life insurance options available to you that can help you ... Mayfield Financial & Estate Protection Services, Inc. Wm. Jed Mayfield. Life Insurance Guide - Mayfield Financial & Estate Protection Services ... mayfieldfinancial.retirevillage.com/.../jed-mayfield/Life-Insurance-Guide-Jed-Mayfield.... LIFE INSURANCE GUIDE. Important Facts You Should Know Before. Buying Life Insurance. Presented by Jed Mayfield. Life Insurance Is Financial Protection. Worry Free Financial - KQTH www.1041kqth.com/worry-free-financial Worry Free Financial with Jed Mayfield on 104.1 KQTH. ... protection planning and is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

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The Best Kept Secret in the Financial World | Annuity.com www.annuity.com/the-best-kept-secret-in-the-financial-world/ By William Jed Mayfield. Mayfield Financial & Estate Protection Services, Inc. The best kept secret in the investing world is that almost nothing turns out as ... Jed Mayfield | | Annuity.com www.annuity.com/author/jed_mayfield/ If you were referred to Jed or if you were a lead and Jed called, what would the search indicate to you?

• Radio host • Author • Positive • Reputation enforcement

Now look at the content reinforcement for Jed from Retire Village:

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Picture, contact info, articles, videos, download library, info on social security, life insurance and annuities…PLUS a live video in the middle for the searcher to learn more. The video, customized for Jed, introduces Jed, keeps his name on the screen during the video and has a call to action. All positive and solid reputational enforcement.

Drive the negative and nonessential information off page 1 to page 2.

Why?

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Power. Email me for a time to visit and I will show you how this is done. BB FYI: It will take a long time and a lot of work to correct this error …..

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” — Warren Buffett

http://www.lifehealthpro.com/2017/03/06/pricewaterhousecoopers-fake-news-and-the-future-of?

PriceWaterHouseCoopers, fake news and the future of trusted advisors

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Is 2017 going to be your big year?

Are you planning to hit your first million in annuity production? How about $3M? Maybe you’re already at that level and are gunning for $10 million?

The real question is - how are you going to get there?

Super Star Chad Owen and Annuity Agents Academy is announcing a new schedule for 2017. Chad has had back-to-

back $16 million dollar years.

Dates: April 20th - 21st Email any of us for details, fantastic opportunity!

View in Web Browser

ISSUE DATE: March 13, 2017

pg. 20 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

Annuity.com David Townsend

253-381-2328

Email Me

View Website

3 Retirement Myths Business Owners Believe

With your financial guidance and the flexibility that permanent, cash value life insurance can provide, you can help to dispel three common retirement myths many of your business owner clients may hold. 3 Retirement Myths Business Owners Believe

Empower Millennials to Take Control of Their Financial Future Why aren't more 18 to 34-year-olds planning for retirement? Competing financial priorities and overwhelming debt, a recent survey shows. By increasing awareness and education, you can empower Millennials to take control over their financial futures. Get key insights and helpful resources from Lincoln Financial Group.

Because You Asked: Policy Loans and §1035 Tax-Free Exchanges of Life Insurance John Hancock has updated two of their most popular “Because You Asked” articles for 2017. The Policy Loans BYA provides a basic overview of the rules pertaining to policy loans, and the §1035 Tax-Free Exchanges of Life Insurance BYA looks into the rules surrounding §1035 exchanges.

Monthly Market Overview

Click here for a brief client-approved recap of Lincoln's observations on markets and volatility for February 2017.

The Financial Engine That Can Help Fill the Gaps In Retirement Strategy

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To live comfortably in retirement your clients need to plan for daily expenses, as well as protection from the unexpected. Life insurance can help with both. Download this Understanding FIUL brochure.

The Cost of Raising a Child Did you know every year the USDA publishes how much it costs to raise a child to 18? This year's number is staggering. If your clients are on the fence about whether or not to invest in life insurance, this compelling infographic may put it all into perspective.

Annuity.com David Townsend

253-381-2328

Email Me

View Website

Connect with Us!

Forward

pg. 22 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

Here is an email and response regarding a “broker” who attempted to change a client’s mind regarding an annuity, Khris did an excellent job drilling down….BB

Anthony,

Just thought I would drop a note to tell you about a call I had with a Thrivent Advisor today. I had a heads up about him prior to this call by my client. My client was told after I had already written his 1st annuity with me that I was a crook and that what I was doing was a scam. I finally got the chance to have a discussion (on a 3 way call with my client on the line) with this so called advisor. He kept stating to my client that there is nothing out there that can beat his 3.5% account. After him speaking over me and him letting me know how smart he was, he asked me to let him know what product I could sell that would be beating that. I then told him it is not my responsibility to educate or

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mentor him on these things. I told him I have a lot of very satisfied clients over the last 15 years doing business and that he needs to do his own homework before trashing someone's profession. He couldn't stop telling me how smart he was and how he couldn't believe anyone could do what I do. I took really two things from this conversation:

1) What Chad and Anthony tell us about your average Bookie, I mean broker is that they really are in their own little world and have no idea how to protect an income for a client, much less know anything about annuities.

2) You don't have to justify or educate that so-called advisor about our world of Annuities and the longer they are in the dark the better chance we have of protecting our industry!

Have a great day!

Khris

Khris,

Way to confidently control the environment!

Partners,

Read the previous email for context.

There is one good thing about the DOL rule, in concept, even if not in design or application. What the DOL is trying to do, even if in the most flawed way possible, is create an industry that acts in the best interest of the client. The problem with the previous administration’s DOL, and the politicians supporting this rule, is that they despise anybody that becomes financially successfully while helping others with their finances (they view everything through the lens of a social worker). They think “best interest” can be achieved by eliminating compensation “conflicts of interest”. THEY ARE WRONG! Acting in the best interest of your client is a product of competence, not compensation.

The DOL is operating under the false assumption that intentions are a measurement of “best interest”. Here is how that flawed logic plays out. As an RIA, with a flat fee compensation schedule, make a recommendation to my client about how to invest their money. My client is age 62 and needs retirement income. Using the Rule of 100, I put 40% of their money into indexed equities, 60% into highly rated bonds, and chose a spend down rate based on hypothetical longevity expectations. Legally I operated within the “best interest” of my client because my compensation did not influence my intentions. Also, because I am compensated with a flat fee it is assumed that I operate in the “best interest” of my clients and I am therefore not subject to the BIC. After I make my recommendations the

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stock market crashes. My client’s portfolio is down 30% exposing them to sequence of return risk and in an increasing interest rate environment I might not be able to rebalance their bond allocations in an attempt to recover equity losses due to interest rate risk.

As an RIA, with flat fees, my legal and intentional process met the definition of “best interest” yet the best interest of my client would have been better realized with a solution that focused on the purpose of their money with guaranteed results. Can you see the problem with measuring “best interest” through intentions? Wouldn’t it be better to measure best interest through results that you can count on and planning that focuses on the purpose of money? Wouldn’t competence through knowledge and application of solution based sales of indexed annuities and income riders have resulted in the best interest of the client being realized, rather than just intended?

Here is a takeaway for the entire financial industry.

The securities industry needs to get better at becoming knowledgeable and capable of including guaranteed income products as part of their case design (This will be serious competition for us when they do). The fixed side of the business needs to become better at doing full fact finders, documentation, solution based sales, and justifying why we make recommendations. The days of product sales are gone, and it should have been gone many years ago. The only way a financial professional can truly justify his recommendations is if he knows he is doing the right thing based on solving a problem (i.e. providing adequate guaranteed income the client can’t outlive). This shouldn’t be a fabricated process just to get financial institution BIC approval.

Our professional role as financial planners, with or without a securities license, with or without the BIC, is in the top tier of importance when it comes to impacting the lives of our clients. We have massive opportunities to do good or harm. The learning curve is steep and there is no way to completely avoid ignorance. The problem with our industry is intentional ignorance (because I don’t know about it, or don’t have access to it, then it doesn’t exist and/or is bad for my client) and a focus on product instead of solutions. I see this problem realized with both fixed and securities licensed agents. On the fixed side, we love to bash BD channels because they have been so willfully ignorant about our products but there is plenty of blame to go around. We have all experienced product pushing FMOs and the agents working with them so the fixed side of the business isn’t guilt free. A true professional will call a timeout if he hears something he is not familiar with, learn about what he doesn’t know, and tell the client to buy what is best for their purpose of money even if that means he doesn’t get the sale.

Let’s look at the email below. The flaw with the competitor’s approach is in his statement “you can’t beat my 3.5%”. It shows a focus on rate of return, not the purpose of money. Rate focus is dominant in the financial planning culture and it is no wonder why are clients are so focused on it too. If the competing broker truly wanted to be professionally competitive he would say, “I have fully evaluated the needs of my client based on the purpose of their money and my solution provides them a greater benefit to fulfill that purpose than yours does” and then be able to demonstrate why he is saying that. Maybe he can’t say that because he can’t do that. Maybe he doesn’t have the skill, the training, the process, or possibly even the products available to do needs based purpose of money planning. How he is getting paid, fee or commission based, is not a factor in his inability to operate in the “best interest” of the client.

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How can you be better than that? How can you be the professional your client deserves?

• Know how important you are to your clients. If you don’t value your position you won’t value the efforts required to operate in excellence.

• Educate yourself to be worthy of your profession. You should be in a constant process of educating yourself! Use every resource available but also learn how to fish!

• Insist on full fact finders and solution based planning. Don’t let anybody dictate the sales process other than you. If you are worthy of your profession, then nobody else should be in control. Don’t shortcut the process for an easy sale or because the client is resisting you.

• The application of knowledge requires the ability to sell! Constantly develop your sales skills so you can use your best interest process to compel your clients to act. We are not social workers! In our business, education is only good when combined with action.

When you are a genuinely skilled professional operating in the best interest of your clients, with highly developed compelling sales and illustrative processes, your confidence will elevate your position and status more than any branding or marketing ever could. If your marketing elevates your brand and status, that is a good business strategy, but it should only be used to get you in the front door. Your skill as a “purpose of money” financial planner is what should make you stand apart from the competition once you start talking to the client. That is the point where you can look in the eyes of a loud mouth competitor, only concerned for their own interest, and stare them back into their cubical chair from which they came.

Thanks for the biz!

Anthony R. Owen

Hello Partners,

A 50% participation rate on a 1 year S&P P2P is a very nice rate and a simple explanation. The Choice product has an income rider also if needed but this is a good product for just simple cash accumulation.

The Guggenheim Highlander has a 4% bonus and 45% PR on a 1 year S&P P2P also with the same income rider as the TriVysta. Another high PR and simple conversation.

pg. 26 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

DATE: March 13, 2017 TO: American Equity NMOs and Agents FROM: Jessica Kilker, Vice President — Marketing Services RE: New Option Available on Choice Series

NEW Option Available on the Choice Series

American Equity is excited to announce a new option now available on the Choice Series.

5% Penalty-Free Withdrawal with Market Value Adjustment (MVA) Rider Effective immediately, a 5% annual Penalty-Free Withdrawal with MVA Rider option is available on the Choice 6, Choice 8 and Choice 10 products. Interest rates may be higher for contracts with the MVA Rider selected.

Please note: The 10% Penalty-Free Withdrawal with no MVA option is still available. An election must be made at time of issue for MVA or Non-MVA option.

New Choice Series disclosures (#1155-D-6, #1155-D-8 and #1155-D-10 dated 3.9.17) will be required effective immediately. Current versions will no longer be accepted after April 7, 2017. To utilize the new MVA Rider, the updated disclosures must be used.

Sales brochures and disclosures are no longer printed together. You can access both at our Forms site and by clicking the link below.

Click Here to View Rates and Access Brochures

***Product Training is REQUIRED before writing an annuity application***

Thank you for your business and support! Please call Marketing at 888-647-1371 if you have any questions.

pg. 27 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

March 13th, 2017

Hi William, Every week, we send you an update with any recent, important carrier changes to help you prepare for your week ahead so you'll know exactly which carriers to be mindful of. Only those carriers that have changes are listed. Any interest rate adjustments, product changes and even new state product approvals are included with links to receive complete details.

NEW ANNUITY CARRIER UPDATE

American Equity American Equity now has an MVA option on the Choice Series 6, 8 and 10 which slightly increases the rates. The great news is that now the par rate on the 10 year is 50% with the MVA option, however, it's not approved in CA, CT, DC, DE, FL, ND, NY, and SD. Click here for more info.

New Section!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEK

Open Mic Join this weekly conference call to learn more about industry products, sales tools and techniques, and insights to help you grow your business!

pg. 28 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

Every Thursday | 9am Pacific, 10am Mountain, 11am Central, 12pm Eastern Dial: (800) 504-8071 | Code: 2554567#

Annuity Agents Academy April 20th - 21st | Denver, CO This 2 day sales training event is designed specifically around where you are right now in your business. Click here to learn more.

ONGOING ANNUITY CARRIER NEWS Athene Athene Annuity- Effective February 24th, 2017 the Athene will increase the premium bonus, benefit base up and lifetime income withdrawal percentages (for all options) on the Benefit 10. Please click here for additional details. Benefit Base Guaranteed Simple Interest Rate2

Athene Benefit 10 Athene Benefit 10 Select Athene Benefit 10 Pro

Current New Year 1-10 7% 8% Year 11+ 5% No

Change Premium Bonus Current New Benefit 10 6% (1% in CA) No Change Benefit 10 Select 1%3 4%3 Benefit 10 Pro 6% No Change Single Life: Lifetime Income Withdrawal Percentages

Athene Benefit 10 Athene Benefit 10 Select Athene Benefit 10 Pro

Attained Age: Current New Level (Current & Guaranteed)

50-54 2.75% 2.85%

55-59 3.00% 3.10%

60-64 3.50% 3.60%

65-69 4.00% 4.10%

pg. 29 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

70-74 4.50% 4.60%

75-79 4.75% 4.85%

80-84 5.25% 5.35%

85-89 5.50% 5.60%

90+ 5.75% 5.85%

Attained Age: Current New Increasing (Current)

50-54 1.25% 1.35%

55-59 1.50% 1.60%

60-64 2.00% 2.10%

65-69 2.50% 2.60%

70-74 3.00% 3.10%

75-79 3.25% 3.35%

80-84 3.75% 3.85%

85-89 4.00% 4.10%

90+ 4.00% 4.10%

Attained Age: Current New Inflation (Current)

50-54 1.75% 1.85%

55-59 2.00% 2.10%

60-64 2.50% 2.60%

65-69 3.00% 3.10%

70-74 3.50% 3.60%

75-79 3.75% 3.85%

80-84 4.25% 4.35%

85-89 4.50% 4.60%

90+ 4.50% 4.60%

Joint Life: Lifetime Income Withdrawal Percentages

Athene Benefit 10 Athene Benefit 10 Select Athene Benefit 10 Pro

Attained Age: Current New Level (Current & Guaranteed)

50-54 2.25% 2.35%

55-59 2.50% 2.60%

60-64 3.00% 3.10%

pg. 30 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

65-69 3.50% 3.60%

70-74 4.00% 4.10%

75-79 4.25% 4.35%

80-84 4.75% 4.85%

85-89 5.00% 5.10%

90+ 5.25% 5.35%

Attained Age: Current New Increasing (Current)

50-54 0.75% 0.85%

55-59 1.00% 1.10%

60-64 1.50% 1.60%

65-69 2.00% 2.10%

70-74 2.50% 2.60%

75-79 2.75% 2.85%

80-84 3.25% 3.35%

85-89 3.50% 3.60%

90+ 3.50% 3.60%

Attained Age: Current New Inflation (Current)

50-54 1.25% 1.35%

55-59 1.50% 1.60%

60-64 2.00% 2.10%

65-69 2.50% 2.60%

70-74 3.00% 3.10%

75-79 3.25% 3.35%

80-84 3.75% 3.85%

85-89 4.00% 4.10%

90+ 4.00% 4.10%

Global Atlantic Global Atlantic giving a 1% commission bonus Feb 21 - Mar 31 on sales of:

• Choice Income fixed index annuity • Income 150+ fixed index annuity • Income 125+ fixed index annuity • Index Bonus 115 fixed index annuity

pg. 31 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

• ForeSpending Select fixed index annuity

Guggenheim Guggenheim- Raises rates on TriVysta. Please click here for more information on the rate changes. Voya Rate increase on a number of Voya's products effective 3/1/2017. Click here for more information.

The Short List: Articles of interest for the working agent

Indexed universal life insurance sales hit new high

Despite industry concerns about an 18-month-old regulatory guideline for indexed universal life insurance, sales of the popular product remain robust, new research shows. The 78th edition of “Wink’s Sales & Market Report,” which aggregates data from 48 manufacturers of indexed […]

pg. 32 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

Another Record-Setting Year for Indexed Life Sales! Wink, Inc. Releases Fourth Quarter, 2016 Indexed Life Sales Results

Pleasant Hill, Iowa. February 28, 2017– Forty-eight indexed life insurance carriers participated in the 78th edition of Wink’s Sales & Market Report. Fourth quarter indexed universal life (IUL) sales were $534.5 million, compared with sales of $541.5 million for the […]

INDUSTRY ARTICLES

American Equity Broadens Fixed Annuity Portfolio

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa–(BUSINESS WIRE)–American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company, a leading issuer of fixed index annuities, announced the addition of a new product to its competitive portfolio. The new RateShield fixed annuity series offers contract owners growth at a […]

Fee-Based FIAs Are Customer-Friendly. But Will They Sell?

Let’s consider the relatively new phenomenon of no-commission fixed indexed annuities (FIAs). These products potentially create significantly more value for investors than traditional FIAs. But it’s not clear if they will prove popular with the people who sell them. How […]

Yellen hints at more aggressive rate path

(Bloomberg) — Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen left little doubt on Friday that the central bank will raise interest rates this month. More importantly, she dropped hints that it might end up having to increase them this year more than planned. In […]

10 financial strategies for military families

Military servicemembers and their families have unique financial benefits, challenges and requirements, but they don’t always have the financial know-how to take advantage of benefits or to avoid pitfalls. To that end, and to accentuate Military Saves Week, February 27–March […]

pg. 33 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

How Young Financial Advisors Can Invest in Themselves

One of the most overlooked parts of advancing one’s career is self-investment. While this is true in nearly every field of work, it is even more common among young financial advisors who are so busy nurturing client relationships that they […]

Use the fiduciary rule to jumpstart digital marketing

The Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule isn’t all bad news — it could provide a golden opportunity for your online marketing, no matter what happens. There are four ways you can capitalize on the rule to position yourself as a […]

Financial crisis still haunts middle-income baby boomers

Ten years ago, the first baby boomers were hitting retirement age, and they were fine with that. For many, their planning had paid off. Their nest eggs were stocked and they were ready to reap the rewards. Click HERE to […]

The Future is Fiduciary

Just as the DOL Fiduciary Ruling is enforcing fundamental changes in the retirement industry, to adjust operations and procedures to serve clients with greater transparency and greater value, likewise it is driving similar changes among many product providers and advisors […]

pg. 34 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

We Recommend: www.annuity.com/agenttools If you are not using this "Free" resource you are missing out.... did I mention it is free? There is a ton of info here, it requires no password and it is up to date information.

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pg. 35 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

Disclaimer: David Townsend and I own Annuity.com, but we have a lot of marketing friends, friends that you might be better off if you knew them. Sherilyn Orr at Retire Village and Infofuel, Anthony Owen at Annuity Agents Alliance, Kevin and Allison at FinAuction, Carl, Darin, Tom and all the crew at First Annuity….and many more. My opinion and/or numerous sources complied by me are used in preparing Open MIC. I obtain information from many sources, print, internet, agent gossip and other media. I always try and provide the original source or the link but my note taking habitually is lacking. Much of the content on Open MIC is written by me and is my personal opinion. You should never consider that I am an authority or expert on anything. Always consult professionals who are licensed to give correct advice regarding taxes and securities and other topics of great importance. I probably know more than the average agent when it comes to marketing annuities and am fully licensed as an insurance salesman. I sell state approved annuity products provided by licensed insurance companies. I am also NOT an economist by license, only by hobby. If you decide to make decisions based on my particular view of the world, you should have the information verified by licensed professionals or get your head examined. Open MIC is and was created for the entertainment of our agents, family, friends, guests, industry spies and me. Be careful with the information contained in Open MIC and always get advice from licensed professionals. You never know, sometimes I might make something up….so always verify! Also, the information I create myself and used in Open MIC is free; I assert no copyright or literary rights. Copy away. Our competitors will copy Open MIC anyway so I might just as well give it away, saves so much mental anguish and sleepless nights. Although we may promote and/or recommend the services offered by third party vendors, agents are ultimately responsible for the use of any material or services and agree to comply with the compliance requirements of their broker/dealer or registered investment advisor, (if applicable), and the insurance carriers they represent.

More Legal Stuff...

pg. 36 Open MIC: 24 years and still rolling along…..

Be responsible... we cannot know your individual situation, always do your own due diligence before responding to any offer or investing any money.

I can't accept responsibility for the profitability or legality of any published articles or opinions published in Open MIC. Nothing in these Open MIC notes should be considered personalized advice. Although I may answer your general questions, I am not licensed under securities laws to address your particular situation. No communication by me to you should be deemed as personalized advice.

And, although all of the articles have been selected for their content, however in the interests of balanced reporting we often publish articles we may not agree with, the publishing of such articles within Open MIC notes does NOT constitute a recommendation of the products or services mentioned or advertised within those articles.

Did you know that since 2000, Boise State is 103-6 at home? In the past 10 years, Boise State is the winningest football team in division 1. 137 wins.

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