What is it all about?

Insurance, retirement, security, health care costs……….at the end of the day it’s all about making the choices that affect whether we do or do not outlive our retirement income and our family outlive the assets we can transfer to them. That is it, but that is huge! We all see the comforting commercials during the weekend sports events about retirement protection, asset allocation, insurance programs, and investment professionals. Looking through these messages it is easy to see what the real message is: we know your fear and it is about maintaining your lifestyle throughout your life and the lives of your family.

Our business is providing long term care insurance services to brokers, marketing companies and insurance companies. We passionately believe in the need for long term care insurance and have created systems to better communicate the need as well as the consequences of being, versus not being, insured. Since we will all receive the care we need, the issue is larger than getting care. It is about having assets and income protected so that you and your family do not outlive them. This is such an important issue and the effect that having this problem resolved is so enormous on our well being, physically and emotionally, that I now better realize why this business is so important to me.

Realizing Parallels on Top of Mount Kilimanjaro

Climbing Mountains, Climate Change and Asset Protection

Obviously you are thinking these issues have nothing in common, but I recently discovered the thread linking all three issues.

Last week I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. At over 19,000 feet, the effort to get to the top was considerable. The base camp is at 15,000 feet and you start the last leg of the climb at midnight. Depending on your resolve and physical shape, this part of the climb will take you anywhere from 5 to 12 hours. Once on top you certainly feel the euphoria of your efforts and the views, for me, are unsurpassed. One of the amazing things to see on top are glaciers - The Snows of Kilimanjaro. They are impressive, but little remain today and after a continuous struggle with climate change, the remainder will be gone in 15 to 20 years.

The link with asset protection? I have spent considerable time and effort saving money for my retirement and family security and have recently lost more money than I care to think about in my real estate and stock investments. Now at age 55, I have to be diligent to ensure that what remains is not slowly or quickly dissipated. Working in the long term care insurance field, I often see how what has been built up for decades (or thousands of years in terms of glaciers) can dissipate quickly if steps aren't taken to protect what we have.

My resolve to climb to the top and protect my family are significant. The forces of nature and man-made problems are melting the snows and are causing a need for extended care. My commitment now to climb more mountains, contribute my efforts to limit the effects of climate change and to help others protect themselves and their families from the impacts of the extended care costs.