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 South Broad Street, Philadelphia (then and now)  Offices at 19th and Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia Foreword, by Who May be Generously Termed the 'Author' of the Following Pages Years ago, probably well beyond the memory of any reader, there was a radio program in which one of the punch lines was: "Wuz ya dere, Charlie?" The answer was always: "Yes, I wuz dere." This article is an attempt to trace the history of a not very important insurance enterprise, from about 1888, then termed the 'Provident Friendly Society' for the next one hundred years to its demise in the mid 1980s as the 'Provident Indemnity Life Insurance Company'. Wrapped into the history is a father and his two sons. The father, William B. Corey, a South Philadelphian, aristocratic, dignified, entered the employ of the Society in 1895 as a boy fourteen years old. As mentioned on Page 1, his salary was $2.50 per week. One of his sons, William S. Corey (note, the father's middle initial is "B", the son's is "S". "B" for big one, "S" for small one), entered his father's employ in 1933. His salary wasn't much bigger. The younger son, Samuel C. Corey, followed in 1946. Nor could he splurge on his salary.  Penn Square, Philadelphia (then and now)  As the father was a cautions man, loathe to take a chance, with a famous saying, "Always leave the back door open. You don't know when you might need to escape.", his sons were the opposite. They, especially the younger, knew no restraints. Enthusiasm and confidence, he thought, conquered everything. The older was somewhat more subdued. Both, however, were unconventional, and might even be termed "screwballs".
And so the history progresses, through the ups and downs, the joys and the heartaches, of a company trying to achieve respectability, and in the process, hopefully make a buck. I write this history because "I wuz dere". ~ William S. Corey February 18, 2004 By Carolyn Portanova
What are the changes?
The biggest changes were the elimination of the ‘File and Suspend’ and ‘File and Restrict’ strategies. These changes will go into effect May 1, 2016. However, if your clients are at full retirement age under the current law, they can still file and suspend their Social Security benefits. ‘File and Suspend’ This allows a lower-earning spouse to receive a higher benefit based on their spouse’s work history. If your client chooses to suspend their benefits (which increase 8%/year until age 70), they will still be able to take advantage of delayed retirement credits, because they are not yet receiving their Social Security benefits. ‘File and Restrict’ This strategy allows clients at the full retirement age (normally age 66) to restrict their application to spousal benefits. Typically one worker claims benefits, and the spouse only claims spousal benefits to increase their total payment from Social Security. The spouse can then claim their own higher benefit at a later date, age 70 for maximum benefits . By doing this, they are not receiving their own benefits, allowing them to continue to grow. Other Important Factors If your clients are 66, or turning age 66 before May 1, 2016, they will still be able to file and suspend. Alternatively, if your clients already have one of these strategies in place, they will not be impacted by this new law. Your clients who are age 62 or older by December 21st, 2015 will only be able to claim spousal benefits when they turn age 66, and then switch to their own benefits at age 70. This provides greater benefits than each claiming benefits only from their own account. By Carolyn Portanova  Long-term Care Insurance November is LTC Awareness month. This is the opportune time to ask your clients about additional insurance needs. You’re already assisting them with their Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage policies, as it’s still AEP, but exploring other needs to assist your clients is imperative. Who Will Benefit from Having Coverage? Medicare alone only provides skilled nursing for long-term care; therefore, offering your clients additional coverage to protect their assets is something they can only benefit from. As we age, our health costs increase and 70% of people 65 and over will require long-term care services. Many seniors feel they can rely on family members to cover health expenses, and this is not a recommended solution. The average cost of a nursing home facility is $85,000/year. If your clients can afford a policy, it’s something they should invest in. Current Average Costs
 Questions to Ask Your Clients
Carriers We Represent Mutual of Omaha, Genworth, North American, MedAmerica, John Hancock and Transamerica are just a handful of the carriers we represent who offer a range of long-term care solutions. We can guide you and assist you with the multitude of policies out there, and can recommend the best solution depending upon your clients’ needs. By Carolyn Portanova |
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