This post is part of our series for advisors to pass to their clients. Knowing more about your clients’ needs will help you to better serve them. Aging doesn’t have to be scary, and we here at Ashar want to help you provide the resources that policy sellers need to flourish in this chapter of their life.
Would you let R2-D2 do your taxes? Could the Iron Giant be your tax attorney? If he asked, would you let Optimus Prime take care of your investment portfolio? While these sound like ridiculous questions, we’re in an era where you can now enlist robots to be your financial planners.
This post is the third in our series of continuing education resources for advisors. The life settlement industry is complex and we here at Ashar want to make it easy for you and your client to navigate this complicated field.
At Ashar Group, we do business with a lot of different financial advisors as we broker life settlement transactions. Over the years, some transactions have stuck out more than others—some for fantastic reasons and others for not-so-good reasons.
I distinctly remember a financial advisor who always seemed to be flying by the seat of his pants. He was always losing paperwork, scrounging for a pen, or running late because he had to stop by the office to retrieve an important file. He turned out to be a good man and a great representative for his client, but nothing can ruin a first impression like being disorganized.
As a financial planner, using the right tech can give you an edge in the complicated secondary life settlement market. Who doesn’t want to be smarter, more competent, more cost-efficient, and more intuitive of their client’s needs? Here are five apps for financial planners that you should add to your home screen, in no order. (more…)
This post is part of our series for advisors to pass to their clients. Aging doesn’t have to be scary, and we here at Ashar want to help you provide the resources that policy sellers need to flourish in this chapter of their life.
“I retired and realized that I didn’t want to spend 20 more years with her.”
“We have nothing to talk about now that our kids have left.”
“I’m financially stable enough not to have to stay in a bad marriage like my mother did.”
Gina and William are in their late 50s. They were high school sweethearts who got married shortly after graduation and now have three adult children. Like most couples, their wedding vows included “for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” However, like many couples their age, the pair has decided to terminate their marriage in their twilight years. (more…)
Sometimes we don’t choose the charities and causes that we support. Rather, sometimes they choose us by thrusting unanticipated challenges into our lives. Such is the case with the primary cause that Ashar Group supports: the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. (more…)
There’s an old joke about accountants: How do you know when an accountant is on vacation?
He doesn't wear a tie and comes in after 8am!
As a CPA, you probably chuckled. It’s funny because it’s a little true, right? You’re busy. You know there’s a time to work, and then there is a time to break. The work doesn’t stop just because the clock hits 40 hours. No matter how much you want to fast-forward through tax season, you know you have to just ride it out and push through those 50, 60, 70-hour workweeks during the busy seasons. (more…)
This post is part of our series for advisors to pass to their clients. Life settlements can be complex, but finding the right person to advocate on your behalf can make things that much easier. We here at Ashar Group want to help you provide the resources that policy sellers need to flourish in this chapter of their life.
The secondary market can be difficult to navigate, particularly when you have a personal stake in the outcome of a life settlement. That’s why it’s wise to appoint a professional to advocate on your behalf during the transaction.
While some people select their children or a family friend to serve as a life settlement fiduciary, this can cause unnecessary conflict—and can lead to the senior leaving money on the table. After all, if you needed a lawyer, would you choose your dear, sweet granddaughter who’s in her second year of law school, or would you choose a barracuda with decades of experience? (more…)
Every day at Ashar is a busy one—and we like it that way! Still, we have so much going on here that I savor the times I can snatch a few minutes to walk to buy a healthy sandwich for lunch, like today. This afternoon, I was walking back to our office when I spotted something green on the sidewalk. Hello, Andrew Jackson. Surprised at my good fortune, I tucked the bill into my pocket and forgot about it. When I found it again at the end of the day when I reached into my pocket for my keys, it was a nice reminder of that good moment.
Isn’t it a great feeling when you find an unexpected $20 bill on the sidewalk? Imagine how much better it would feel to find an unanticipated $2 million. While it sounds crazy, that’s exactly what happened to Robert*, a recent client of ours. (more…)
Older Americans have paid their dues. They’ve built businesses from the ground up, they’ve served in the armed forces, and they’ve raised strong families. After all of this hard work, they deserve respect. Unfortunately unethical people have made financial fraud the fastest growing form of elder abuse in this country.
You might be asking yourself, what is financial fraud against seniors? It’s defined as “illegally or improperly using seniors’ money or property,” and is a crime in many states. Still, that doesn’t deter many scam artists from taking advantage of this vulnerable population. (more…)
This post is part of our series for advisors to pass to their clients to help them understand life settlements. Aging doesn’t have to be scary, and we here at Ashar want to help you provide the resources that policy sellers need to flourish in this chapter of their life.
Medical technology means that people are living longer than ever, but there’s no guarantee that those added years will be healthy ones. The 85+ demographic is the largest growing in the United States, and by 2030, 30 percent of the population will be over 65. In fact, every eight seconds, another Baby Boomer turns 65.
As they age, they need support. Even the most independent senior will eventually need help lifting, bending, cleaning, buying groceries, or driving. Your parents were your first caregivers. They fed you, dressed you, and took you places. They paid you your first allowance and taught you about finances along the way. Now it’s your turn to join the 43 million Americans who are repaying the favor. (more…)
This post is part of our series for advisors to pass to their clients. We at Ashar believe that knowledge is power, and we want to help you provide the resources that policy sellers need to understand the life settlement industry.
My little granddaughter came to visit the other night, and she is just the cutest thing. She’s six years old with honey-blonde hair and sparkly brown eyes. She had a great time playing in the yard while I made hamburgers, and after dinner, she wanted to play beauty shop with my wife.
Harmless fun, right? My wife grabbed some old makeup, hairbrushes, and costume jewelry and the two had a ball… right until Ainsley started asking if she could cut Grandma’s hair. “I’m really good at it, I promise!” she protested. We had a hard time explaining to her that no, cutting hair is something that only grown-ups can do, and even then, they need licenses. (more…)
