Policy Review Corner
Bring Us Your Policy. We Will Tell You Exactly What You Have.
You May Already Have Benefits You Have Never Been Told About
Many annuity and life insurance contracts include rider benefits — guaranteed income, nursing home waivers, living benefits, enhanced death benefits — that were never fully explained at purchase and have never been activated. A policy review surfaces what you actually own and whether you are using it correctly.
This is the lowest-friction entry point on the entire site. Bring us your policy — annuity, life insurance, or disability contract. We review it, translate it into plain English, and tell you exactly where you stand. No purchase required. No follow-up pressure.
Mark Rogers, Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC) and Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF), has spent more than 20 years reviewing policies for eastern Washington retirees — including clients who came in with a folder of documents they had never opened. If you want to understand what a policy review covers before you schedule, the
Talking Turning 65 podcast addresses annuity updates, living benefits, and policy review topics in plain English — free, any time.
Three Policies Worth Reviewing Before Retirement
Annuity Policies
Older annuity contracts often carry outdated interest crediting strategies, fees that quietly reduce growth, and income guarantees weaker than what modern products offer. A review identifies whether the current contract is still competitive — or whether a 1035 exchange would improve your position without triggering a taxable event.
Many clients do not know a 1035 exchange is an option. It is a tax-free transfer from one annuity to another that allows you to move to a better product without paying tax on accumulated growth. Not every old annuity warrants one — surrender charges, loss of existing benefits, and timing all matter. The review determines whether it makes sense for your specific contract.
Life Insurance Policies
Term policies expire without warning. Permanent policies may not perform as originally illustrated. Many older policies lack living benefits — tax-free cash access for chronic illness or long-term care needs — that modern policies include as standard.
A review identifies whether you are underinsured, overpaying, or missing benefits your current policy does not offer. If the policy is working exactly as it should, we will tell you that too.
Disability Income Policies
Many pre-retirees carry disability policies set at an income level from years ago that no longer reflects what they actually earn.
A review identifies whether current coverage would actually support your lifestyle and retirement timeline if you could not work tomorrow — and whether a gap exists that a supplemental policy could close.
Ready to Find Out What You Actually Have?
Most clients walk in with a folder they have not opened in years. That is exactly where we start. Bring us any policy — annuity, life insurance, or disability — and we will translate it into plain English, tell you whether it still works for your situation, and identify anything that deserves a closer look. No paperwork required before the call. No obligation after.
Contact us today!
For Clients Whose Advisor Has Retired or Moved On
Many retirees purchased policies from an advisor who retired or changed firms and have had no service contact since. They own something they do not fully understand and cannot locate anyone to explain it.
We step in as that resource. We identify the carrier, pull current illustrations, and explain in plain English what the client actually owns — what it is worth, what it does, and whether it is still the right product for their situation. No prior relationship required. Bring us the folder.
"When you know that the safety of your savings — and every dollar of guaranteed income — is key to navigating the next 35 years of retirement, everything changes."
— Mark Rogers, CLTC, LUTCF
Why Tri-Cities Retirees Trust Us With Their Policies
We have told clients their current policy is exactly right and nothing needs to change. That conversation matters just as much to us as any other. Honest review — not a sales opportunity — is the entire point of the Policy Review Corner.
We work with major carriers — AIG, Allianz, Lincoln, Corebridge Financial, Great American, North American, Protective, Accordia Life, and American Life. When a review identifies that a newer product would serve you better, we can compare options across the full carrier landscape — not just what one company offers.
Meet our team and learn more about how we work.
Policy Review Questions — Answered Directly
Should I review my old annuity policy?
Yes — particularly if the contract is more than five years old, has never been reviewed by an independent advisor, or was purchased from an advisor who is no longer in contact. Older annuity contracts often carry features, fees, and crediting strategies that have been significantly improved in newer products. A review identifies whether your current contract is still working for you or whether a tax-free 1035 exchange to a newer product would improve your position.
What is a 1035 exchange and when should I consider one?
A 1035 exchange is a tax-free transfer from one annuity contract to another — or from a life insurance policy to an annuity — without triggering a taxable event on accumulated growth. It allows retirees to move to a newer product with better crediting strategies, lower fees, or stronger income guarantees without a tax consequence. Not every situation warrants an exchange — surrender charges, loss of existing benefits, and timing all matter. A policy review is the starting point for determining whether one makes sense for your contract.
My financial advisor retired and I do not know what policies I have — what do I do?
Bring us whatever documents you have — policy contracts, annual statements, or even just the insurance company name. We can identify the carrier, request current illustrations, and explain in plain English what you own, what it is worth, and whether it is still appropriate for your situation. Starting from a folder of old documents is not unusual. It is exactly the kind of situation the Policy Review Corner was built for.
What are living benefits on a life insurance policy and do I have them?
Living benefits are riders that allow you to access a portion of the death benefit while still living — for qualifying chronic illness, critical illness, or terminal illness. Many older life insurance policies do not include them. Modern policies commonly include living benefits as standard. A policy review identifies whether your current policy includes living benefits and whether a newer product would provide access to benefits your current contract does not.
How do I know if my life insurance is still the right policy for me?
The key questions are whether the death benefit still matches your coverage needs, whether the policy includes living benefits, whether the premium is still appropriate for what the policy provides, and whether the beneficiary designations are current. A review addresses all four. Many older permanent policies were illustrated at interest rate assumptions that have not held — a review shows whether the policy is performing as originally projected.
Serving Policy Review Clients Across the Tri-Cities and Eastern Washington
My Safe Money Matters provides policy reviews and retirement income guidance to residents of Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, Prosser, and West Richland, and communities throughout Benton, Franklin, and Yakima counties. In-person and virtual consultations are both available. If you have policies you have never fully reviewed, a free 30-minute consultation is the right first step.
Know What You Own. Know What It Is Worth.
A free 20-minute consultation with Mark Rogers gives you an honest review of any policy you bring — with no obligation and no pitch in the first call. Just clarity on what you have and whether it still works for you.
