The Need

Insurance has many important applications in advanced planning, but can also be problematic for many reasons, ranging from product complexity to challenges with long-term product sustainability, the opaque commission-based delivery structure, potential conflicts of interest, or even simply long-term servicing. Fee-based insurance consulting under a fiduciary standard of care provides a solution that delivers tremendous benefits.

A transparent, non-commmission, fiduciary fee-based arrangement turns the light on the facts, provides clients objective information and documented analyses, and empowers clients and clients’ advisers to make the best decisions based on the merits. Fee-based arrangements remove the impetus to create transactions just to get paid, helping to assure the client that recommendations are being made for the right reasons – not to generate a commission that is favorable to the seller. When no transaction is needed, a fee-based consultant can provide valuable intervention, alternative solutions, product repair, or ongoing service.

Non-commission, fee-based fiduciary consulting arrangements can be well suited for large cases, second opinions of sales proposals, reviewing in-force policies, and reviewing complex business and estate plans.

 

An Unusual Offering

Many insurance agents/brokers are not licensed to provide fee-based services and may have little appreciation for the issues of conflict of interest and opacity in the commissions-based sales model.

Many fee-based advisers may lack experience or expertise in insurance strategies and products and are unable to provide expert help in these areas.

Mallery Financial combines its commitment to objective, independent, transparent analysis with deep experience in insurance strategies and products to provide clients this unusual offering.

Mallery Financial’s fee-based approach to insurance consulting was featured at America’s Top Planner, a national forum of planning approaches and ideas. For an informative write-up about our process, please see the story America's Top Planner wrote about our approach.

 

Insurance Areas Where We Provide Consultation

  • Life insurance
  • Disability income insurance
  • Long-term care planning
  • Annuities (fixed, variable, and equity-indexed)

 

No-Load Insurance Products*

Although most insurance is sold, on a commission basis, a niche market of no-load insurance products is available only through fee-based insurance professionals – no commission is embedded in the product, which translates to enhanced liquidity, flexibility, efficiency, and transparency as well as potential cost savings and performance improvement.

 

Deep Analytics

Mallery Financial combines qualitative analysis (deep industry and product knowledge) with a rich toolbox of quantitative analytical tools (software) to reveal the parameters of future performance and which strategies might maximize the likelihood of long-term success.

 

Client Control, Empowerment

Our transparent, full-disclosure process strives to put the client in control of the process. The client chooses whether and how to proceed based on fully disclosed and agreed-upon goals, deliverables, and cost. No secrets, no opaque processes, all potential conflicts of interest disclosed.

 

Credentials

Stephen Mallery's Credentials

  • 14 years of professional insurance experience, spanning personal, business, and estate planning
  • Independent,** fee-based financial planner and adviser
  • Licensed independent insurance consultant

Certified Fee Insurance Specialist (CFIS)

The Fee Advisor Network awards the Certified Fee Insurance Specialist , or CFIS™ designation, to individuals who have successfully completed their five courses and passed a final exam on Life Insurance Policies, Concepts, and Ethics.

The CFIS™ distinguishes the practitioner as one who is knowledgeable in fee-based life insurance design and functionality, encompassing competency in policy style, design, concept, and efficiency considerations with full disclosure and fiduciary care.

Additional Information regarding this designation is available by contacting The Fee Advisor Network at 248-250-6830 or online at http://feeadvisorsnetwork.com.

*No load products may not be the lowest cost products in all instances. Please consider carefully the product features, costs, fees, expenses, tax circumstances, suitability and anticipated duration that the product may be owned prior to purchase of any product.

**Please Note: The investment adviser representatives in KMS branch offices are under the supervision of KMS Financial Services, Inc.