Independent Long Term Care and Retirement Planning Guidance | Dallas

No. We are based in Dallas but serve clients throughout Texas and in other states where we are licensed.

Consultations can be completed by phone or video conference, which makes it easy to review your options from home.

We take an educational and consultative approach. Our goal is to help you understand the tradeoffs and potential benefits before you make an important decision.

Yes. We help clients evaluate fixed and fixed indexed annuities, including strategies with lifetime income riders, to create more predictable retirement income.

Yes. We assist clients in comparing Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, and prescription drug plan options based on their personal situation.

Yes. Kenneth Jilek is a Registered Social Security Analyst, and we help clients understand how Social Security decisions may fit into a broader retirement plan.

EquiTrust Bridge® is a fixed index annuity with a Long-Term Care Rider, not traditional stand-alone long term care insurance. Current EquiTrust Bridge materials state that clients who pass the applicable annuity suitability requirements are approved for Bridge LTC benefits. This statement applies to Bridge LTC benefits only and does not mean a person has qualified for traditional LTC insurance. Bridge uses optional underwriting: a client may bypass it and receive the Secure underwriting class, which is not a decline. Participating in underwriting may result in Standard or Preferred classes, which may provide greater LTC benefit leverage than Secure. Product availability, eligibility, benefits, and terms are subject to the current contract and carrier requirements.

One health question asks whether you currently live in, or have been advised to enter, a nursing home or assisted living facility, or whether you receive home health care or adult day care. Independent senior living without assistance for activities of daily living is generally a “no.” A “yes” does not create a denial, but it can place an applicant in the Secure rate class.

The pre-screening asks whether you need help or supervision with bathing, dressing, eating, walking, transferring, toileting, or continence. These are commonly called activities of daily living, or ADLs. Answering “yes” does not prevent approval, but it can affect the rate class and the long-term care benefit available per dollar invested.

For EquiTrust Bridge®, a fixed index annuity with a Long-Term Care Rider, health information may be considered in optional underwriting for the Bridge LTC benefit class. These are not traditional LTC insurance knockout questions. A health answer that affects the class does not automatically mean the client receives no Bridge LTC benefits, provided the applicable annuity suitability requirements are met. A client may bypass optional underwriting and receive the Secure class, which is not a decline. Optional underwriting may result in Standard or Preferred classes, which may provide greater LTC benefit leverage. Current contract terms and carrier requirements control.

One question asks about use of a wheelchair, scooter, stair lift, Hoyer lift, or respirator. A “yes” answer does not result in a denial because approval is guaranteed. It can, however, place an applicant in the Secure rate class, which provides a lower long-term care benefit per dollar invested than higher rate classes.

For EquiTrust Bridge®, a fixed index annuity with a Long-Term Care Rider, health history may be considered in optional underwriting and may affect the Bridge LTC benefit class and potential benefit leverage. It does not automatically determine whether Bridge LTC benefits are available when the applicable annuity suitability requirements are met. The current Bridge process and contract terms control, so a licensed professional can help explain the applicable questions without treating them as traditional LTC insurance decline rules.

One of the five initial health questions asks whether you have received Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, within the past five years. The answer is used to determine rate class. It does not cause a denial, because approval is guaranteed, but it may affect the long-term care benefit available per dollar invested.

Applicants seeking a higher rate class after answering “no” to the first three questions may continue with a live video assessment of about 30 minutes. Your advisor can also explain how rate class, coverage ratios, long-term care benefits, and a possible 1035 exchange may apply to your situation. Product features, availability, and eligibility can vary, so review the current materials before making a decision.