“We recognize elder financial abuse as a major problem that is expected to grow dramatically with the aging of our population, and we see a constructive role that the Commission can play in protecting elderly investors.” These words came from a recent speech by Rick A. Fleming, the first investor advocate to be appointed to the new Office of the Investor Advocate.
And according to the National Center on Elder Abuse, by projecting out to the year 2050, people aged 65 and older are expected to comprise 20 percent of the total U.S. population: That’s one in five Americans. Furthermore, the fastest growing segment of America’s population consists of those 85 and older. In 2010, these older Americans numbered 5.8 million people.
The Secondary Market is becoming significantly more viable as an optional source of income for this aging population. And equally as important for seniors is a life settlement broker who works both legally and ethically with their advisor to establish a level of confidence and trust— ensuring productive relationships and a profitable outcome for the seller and the advisors that serve them.
This fiduciary responsibility is why good advisors take the following steps to minimize potential litigation and most importantly, ensure they are acting in their clients’ best interests:
- Client’s overall financial situation is first evaluated to determine if a Secondary Market Valuation or Life Settlement is a appropriate alternative
- Policy is then analyzed to determine probability of receiving a higher value in the secondary market
- A well-respected life settlement broker like The Ashar Group is retained. The broker designs the case and submits it to the secondary market for bids. The Ashar Group’s proprietary SMV,® Secondary Market Valuation, is one of the easiest and best ways to determine the Fair Market Value (FMV) of the policy and assure that your client will get the best deal.
At the Ashar Group, our objective is to protect the interest of all parties throughout the process, as we understand that advisors want to feel confident that the specialist they are dealing with understands the complexities and compliance requirements associated with the life settlement process.
Through compliance and compassion, we ensure the dignity of our industry sector while helping the millions of seniors that can financially benefit from a secondary market solution. For more information on life settlements and their benefits, go to www.ashargroup.com.