This is your source to help stay current with business-building ideas and industry trends—plus consumer-focused materials you could use to connect with your clients.
Creating touch points with clients is an important part of staying top-of-mind. Download our educational articles on a variety of topics for use in newsletters, emails, or websites.
Check out consumer-focused financial planning calculators and share them with your clients.
The more you know on a variety of topics, the more likely your clients are to turn to you when they need help from a trustworthy professional.
Check out our ever-expanding library of webinars, articles, and value add offers specifically for financial professionals.
Have questions about Sammons Retirement Solutions, need a hypothetical illustration, or want to talk through options on a tough-to-close case?
We're here to help.
Phone: 855-624-0201
Email: sdadmin@sfgmembers.com
5 things you can do with an IRA that you can't with a 401(k)
Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and 401(k)s share a lot of similarities. They are both retirement plans. Both can help you lower your tax bill today, provide tax-deferred growth, and help provide an income source in retirement. But there are also many differences between IRAs and 401(k)s. Here are five things you can do with an IRA that you can't with a 401(k).
7 key differences between a Roth 401(k) and a Roth IRA
Roth 401(k)s and Roth IRAs share the ultimate goal of tax-free distributions of earnings. While both of these accounts are funded with amounts that have already been taxed, the path to that tax-free goal is paved with different rules for each of these two types of accounts.
Tips for improving your financial literacy today
"Financial literacy" is a buzz phrase you may have heard discussed on money shows or podcasts, or read about in articles. But being financially literate is more than just a trendy concept—it's something that can help you in all aspects of your financial life.
30 things a financial professional does for you
You might be surprised to learn some of the benefits of working with a financial professional. It's about more than just investments and your portfolio. A good financial professional can help you build a financial plan and help you pursue your individual financial goals.
How to raise financially smart children
Whether it's playing an instrument or figuring out how video games work, a child's brain can make active connections quickly. The same is true for understanding financial literacy. As early as age 3, your children can begin to comprehend how money works and form financial habits. That's why you should teach them to be financially smart.
6 simple memory aids, tools, and strategies
How to stay mentally fit as you age
Everyone faces different degrees of memory loss as they age. Learn 6 strategies to help improve memory, no matter what stage of aging you're in.
7 great travel tips to keep your identity
How to prevent identity theft when you're away from home
Whether you're hitting the open road or flying overseas, travelers who've logged the most miles have a few routines that help keep them safe while they're away from home. Read more about a few habits worth developing when making plans to get away.
Ways to stay active and get better as you age
Learn more about four key areas that affect how you age, plus practical tips for navigating through different phases of aging.
Can loneliness affect your physical and mental health?
What lack of connection can mean to your health
Several significant studies have looked into loneliness and social isolation and each reports a similar conclusion: loneliness can impact your physical and mental health. Learn more about these health risks and how you can take care of yourself and those you love.
From providing care to receiving care
Learn more about options for caregiving, whether you need to provide care, receive care, or prepare for long-term care.
How to recognize (and avoid) common phone scams
Create a plan for dealing with fraud
Older adults lose billions of dollars each year to financial exploitation and fraud. Learn about three scams that are often reported and what to do to avoid becoming a victim.
Keeping a healthy mind and body in retirement
Understanding integrative healthcare and the options available
A look at options to coordinate natural healthcare and mind-body healthcare approaches with mainstream healthcare options.
Using pets to combat struggles
Read more about how pets can boost your activity level and your morale—plus ways to get the benefits without actually owning a pet.
Taking control of your legal life
Essential legal documents everyone needs
Individual situations can make it difficult to pinpoint exactly which legal documents you need. However, most legal professionals agree planning for different possibilities can save time, effort, and stress. Learn more about what to look into with your legal and financial professionals.
Tips to improve communication with your healthcare provider
How to talk with your doctor for better results
Effective communication with your doctor can create better outcomes and increase patient satisfaction. Read more about how to prepare for doctors' visits and how to keep communication open.
Side hustles at—and after—retirement
Earn extra money while having fun
Whether you're close to, just starting, or deep into retirement, finding a side hustle can mean some quick extra cash or a way to have fun and enjoy the challenge of "what could happen if...". Whatever your reason, here are a few ideas for taking on a side gig and generating some extra money.
The IRS Rule 72(t) allows for penalty-free, early withdrawals from retirement accounts. Use this calculator to determine your allowable 72(t) distribution and how it can help fund your early retirement.
Quickly determine if your retirement plan is on track—and learn how to keep it there.
Use this calculator to determine the future value of an investment, which can include an initial deposit and a stream of periodic deposits.
Annual Rate of Return Calculator
Use this calculator to determine the annual return of a known initial amount, a stream of deposits, plus a known final future value.
The SECURE 2.0 Act includes provisions designed to boost savings for low- and middle-income Americans, increase participation in employer-sponsored retirement plans, provide more flexibility to savers, and reduce regulatory barriers for annuities in retirement plans. Listen as Tyler Brown, Director of Government Affairs with Sammons® Financial Group, discusses the key provisions of SECURE 2.0 and their impact on financial planning.
Helping Clients Start the Year Off Strong webinar
Listen to the importance of annual meetings, key tax changes for 2023 that could affect important areas of your clients' finances, tips to make 2023 a success, and critical resources available to help you start conversations.
Listen as Jeff Bush, from The Washington Update, breaks down the results of the midterm elections and how they could affect taxes, the economy, and the markets going forward.
Listen as John Melvin, Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of Sammons® Financial Group, discusses the economic environment and how it may impact you and your business. He covers the forecast for inflation and growth, global trends, potential for a recession, and what potential impacts this may have for yields.
Helping the recently retired make the transition
When clients face a 20- to 30-year retirement window, more than just their finances enters the planning picture. You can play an important and meaningful role in helping them transition to this new phase of life, one that's good for your clients, good for your business, and good for society.
Non-financial advice you can offer pre-retirees
Suggesting that your clients identify their individual drivers before they retire is some of the best non-financial advice you can give. It will help them focus on what is important to them and what they want from their retirement.
Get ahead of the curve when clients & prospects change jobs
If you're trying to help a potential client, the prospect of a new job situation may be one of the best opportunities to get your foot in the door. Read how the government helps you out — at absolutely no cost.
How LinkedIn Revolutionized the Prospecting Game
By using LinkedIn to learn about your prospect before you make a call - you can demonstrate that you know something about them and can contribute value to the conversation. Read these 11 tips to turn your LinkedIn page into your best prospecting tool.
Top financial professional best practices
Read more about what the most successful people do differently every day and begin to consider how to implement these best practices into your business routines.
Providing a great client experience
Learn how financial professionals can take a step back and create a more strategic experience with their clients ... one that not only earns business but retains it.
Polishing your presentation skills
A formal presentation is often your first contact with a prospective client. Whether you're at a small lunch gathering or a standing-room-only event, read these tips to help you make an impression that's the start of a long, profitable relationship.
Generating referrals from current clients
Referrals are key to building your business. Ironically, while asking for the business is a basic sales skill, asking for referrals is often overlooked. Learn a few ways to make it easier.
How to improve the family financial meeting
Of all the services financial professionals provide clients, engaging the entire family in important financial conversations may be what clients remember as among the most important. Consider these things you can do prior to, during, and after the family meeting to help ensure success.
Effective questioning and sales skills
The premise is simple: If you want better answers, ask better questions. Cultivating curiosity can be a major asset that differentiates you from other financial professionals. Here are several questions to keep in mind when you have the opportunity to begin or further a conversation.
An annual review is an important milestone in the financial professional/client relationship. As you develop your strategy for making these meetings efficient, consider if you're covering, at minimum, these four key areas.
Feeling listened to is the basis of trust—an important building block in any long-term relationship. But in a day when distractions are nearly everywhere, how do you improve your fundamental listening skills? Take a quick assessment of how well you're doing based on the following good listening habits.
Demonstrating your value is key to retaining clients. But, beyond showing your value as a financial professional, what else matters to clients? Here's a review of top reasons clients may leave and how to demonstrate your value.
Connecting with the next generation
It may be time to reconsider the up-and-coming demographic, as great wealth transfers between Millennials and Baby Boomers may continue to become more common. Here are a few facts to keep in mind about those heirs—also known as Generation X and Millennials.
Finding Financial Consensus with Couples
As a financial professional, your role is to help your clients prepare for their financial future, but you need both partners fully at the table to build consensus. To help you navigate conversations and build lasting relationships, we’ve put together tools to help you get them talking and on the path to making financial decisions together.
Half-Birthday & Client Conversation Starter Cards
It’s not usually a good thing to go just halfway so when it comes to remembering your clients' birthdays, avoid the common mistake of only acknowledging their birthday each year. Instead, celebrate their half-birthdays as well! Many other important times can be noteworthy for your clients as well, based on their situation and retirement goals. It’s a great way to not only show that you care about your client, but you care about their financial future as well.
Strengthening Client Relationships
After you’ve worked with a client for one, two, or even 10 years or more, it can be all-too-easy for your relationship to hit a few bumps. Even if you think all is well, your clients’ expectations may have changed over time and no longer align with yours. This guide can help make sure you’re on the same page as your valued clients.
Turn your new clients into loyal fans ... from the start
The first interactions you have with your clients can make or break your future relationship. Treating new clients like the "MVPs" of your firm can be a successful way to build and retain your book of business. The secret to success is all about anticipating questions, so your team can deliver "just in time" service, while incorporating personal touches to make every new client feel like the MVP.
5 Ways to Improve Your Referral Strategy
Whether you’re starting out in your career or you’re an established financial professional, turning referrals into loyal clients is a crucial part of building up your book of business. Don’t be left on the sidelines. Strengthen your offense with these five ways to help build a stronger referral program.
Step-By-Step Guide: Planning and Hosting Successful Events
Hosting an event is a great opportunity to showcase your personality and the value you bring to your clients. To help you and your staff seamlessly plan and host your next event, we’ve put together a variety of tools covering creative ideas/themes, timing of when to do what, and tips to make the event memorable.
Read this article promoting and offering Sammons Retirement Solutions' Key Financial Data card, a quick-reference piece for some of the most common tax numbers both reps and clients may need to know. This tool positions you as a resource for valued information and can help start conversations for other potential opportunities in the future.
ICE (In Case of Emergency) booklet
Creating client conversations has always been important. But in today's uncertain world, those client conversations have become an even higher priority. That's why the ICE Booklet is proving so powerful for many financial professionals. It's easily positioned as a helpful, no-obligation tool to help clients organize their financial life ... especially during these days when so many are at home with their family.
Working with Families for the Long Term
When you’ve worked with a client for years, you may think you’ll continue to work with their family—including their children. However, often that’s not the case. Don't let a lack of relationship with your clients' children lead to a loss of assets under your management. Use this guide for ideas you can put to work immediately to help strengthen your relationships with your clients and their families, as well as help grow your business.
You must be a Registered Representative and your Broker/Dealer must have an agreement with Sammons Financial Network®, LLC. in order to receive materials.
As independent financial professionals, it is up to you to choose whether any of the sales concepts contained in these materials might be appropriate for use with your particular sales strategy and clients. Please note that Sammons Retirement Solutions® does not require you to use any of these sales concepts; they are resources that can be used at your discretion for your own individualized sales presentations if appropriate for the particular client and circumstances.
Securities distributed by Sammons Financial Network®, LLC., member FINRA. Insurance products are issued by Midland National® Life Insurance Company (West Des Moines, IA). Sammons Institutional Group®, Inc. provides administrative services. Sammons Financial Network®, LLC., Midland National® Life Insurance Company and Sammons Institutional Group®, Inc., are wholly owned subsidiaries of Sammons® Financial Group, Inc. Sammons Retirement Solutions® is a division of Sammons Institutional Group®, Inc.
NOT FDIC/NCUA INSURED, MAY LOSE VALUE INCLUDING LOSS OF PRINCIPAL, NO BANK/CU GUARANTEE, NOT A DEPOSIT, NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
FOR INSTITUTIONAL USE ONLY. NOT INTENDED FOR CONSUMER SOLICITATION PURPOSES.
2771241
29520R REV 04-23