On July 2, 2013, my father, Thomas Smith, passed away at the age of 68 on his 47th wedding anniversary. I wish to share this with you not as a tale of woe, for eventually all of our fathers will pass, but as a tale of observances and what we need to do as insurance advisors (and human beings) to better connect with our clients and families when they lose a loved one.

Advisors invest a large amount of time and money in generating sales leads—only to lose a large percentage of them, simply because they aren't in contact quickly enough.

Owners of life insurance report more fulfillment and optimism in their lives than those without coverage, according to findings from the Keep Good Going Report, sponsored by New York Life. The survey, conducted by Greenwald & Associates, explored the attitudes and expectations of more than 2,000 Americans regarding how they can cultivate goodness in their lives.

On Monday mornings, prospects are too busy. On Friday afternoons, prospects are gone. Don’t want to bother the prospect by calling too early? They’ve probably left the office by mid-afternoon, and by the middle of the week, they’re very busy. So what should an advisor do?

Many are not prepared for increased costs, may not want control, and lack education.

According to LIMRA research, investible retirement assets of U.S. households aged 55+ will nearly double to $22 trillion by 2020.

Some 264,000 individuals were receiving long-term-care insurance benefit payments as of December 31, 2012, according to a report from the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.

It's difficult to decide if people don't know what to wear to work or if they have lost sight of the relevance of appearance to professional success. The Queen of England is reported to have told Prince Charles: "Dress gives one the outward sign from which people can judge the inward state of mind. One they can see, the other they cannot." Clearly, she was saying what many people are reluctant to accept--that people judge us by the way we dress. In all situations, business and social, our outward appearance sends a message.

When it comes to preparing for future college costs, teenagers are taking action, helping parents both research how to pay for school and contributing to the family’s college savings fund. This is according to Private College 529 Plan’s first annual Teen College Savings Barometer, a new study of 1,000 teenagers (13-17 years old) commissioned by Private College 529 Plan, a prepaid tuition plan sponsored by more than 270 private colleges and universities.

At a time when defense downsizing is bringing new challenges to the lives of active-duty service members, financial planners are continuing to earn the trust of their military clients.