BGA Insurance

10/16/2026

A question worth asking your parents this fall, if they're still here:

"If you ever needed help with everyday stuff, who did you imagine would do it?"

Most older adults don't have a clear answer. Most adult kids don't ask.

The answer matters because long-term care almost always defaults to whoever is closest geographically and emotionally. That person is usually a daughter. Sometimes a son. Sometimes a spouse. Rarely a plan.

The conversation doesn't have to fix anything. It just has to happen. Once a year. So you know what your parents actually expect, and they know what you can actually offer.

The hardest part is starting it. After that, it gets quieter.

If you've had this conversation with someone in your family, tell us how it went in the comments. We hear from a lot of people who wish they'd started sooner.

10/13/2026

What if you knew a check was coming every month for the rest of your life? How would you live differently?

For many retirees, the hardest part isn’t saving. It’s giving themselves permission to spend. Some don’t have enough. Others have plenty and are still afraid to touch it. Either way, the years right after retirement can take a real toll on health, happiness, and staying connected.

In this week’s video, Trent Zimmermann from BGA Insurance talks about what’s been called the “retirement curse” and why reliable income can help people get back to living: seeing friends, taking care of their health, and enjoying what they worked so hard for.

Know someone getting close to retirement? Send this their way. 💬

20 Minute Annuity Tuesdays are LIVE every Tuesday at 11 AM. Save your spot for next week:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_klC_5WsmT2qGDCyGU7WcgA #/registration

And visit our YouTube channel to watch all of our previous episodes!

Why do some retirees decline so quickly in the first five years aft...

10/12/2026

Quick October check-in. We're a couple weeks into Long-Term Care Awareness Month.

The most useful thing we can do is define the term clearly, because most people use it wrong.

Long-term care is help with daily activities. Not medical care. Things like bathing, eating, getting dressed, getting in and out of bed, taking medications on schedule.

The majority of long-term care happens at home, provided by family members. The next chunk happens in assisted living. The smallest portion happens in nursing homes, despite that being what everyone pictures first.

Long-term care insurance pays for any of those settings. Not just nursing homes. That's the misconception that keeps most people from looking at it seriously.

If "long-term care" has been a phrase you've heard without understanding, this is the post that simplifies it.

Questions in the comments. We'll answer.

10/09/2026

A short fact most people don't know.

The average cost of a year in a nursing home in California is around $130,000.

The average cost of a year of in-home care, eight hours a day, is around $80,000.

The average length of long-term care for someone who needs it is 2-3 years.

Run the math. Most American retirements aren't built to absorb a $300,000 hit on top of regular living expenses.

Long-term care insurance isn't about preventing the cost. It's about transferring the cost away from your kids, your spouse, your retirement savings, and the house you worked thirty years to pay off.

If you're between 50 and 65 and haven't looked at this, October is the month. The longer you wait, the more it costs to plan for it.

What's the longest you've thought about this? Tell us in the comments. We'll meet you wherever you are.

10/06/2026

Timing is everything in retirement planning. ⏰

The right product at the wrong age can cost your client. An income annuity at 40? Fees eat the growth. Long-term care in your mid-60s? Higher premiums and more declines.

This week, Trent Zimmermann broke down the complete retirement timeline: what to build, and when, from 25 years out all the way to age 85. If you help clients plan for retirement, this is a framework you'll use again and again.

🎥 Watch the full video below, and tag an agent who needs to see it!

📅 20 Minute Annuity Tuesdays are LIVE every Tuesday at 11 AM! Register for next week:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_klC_5WsmT2qGDCyGU7WcgA #/registration

📺 Want more? Head to our YouTube channel to watch every previous episode!

When is the right time for a client to buy an annuity, life insuran...

10/05/2026

October is here.

The leaves are turning (or pretending to in Southern California). The kids have a Halloween countdown going. The fall version of the calendar is in full swing.

October is also Long-Term Care Awareness Month. Which sounds like the kind of thing a life insurance company would want us to talk about. (We do.)

But here's the part most people don't think about: long-term care isn't really about insurance. It's about who's going to be in your kitchen helping you make breakfast when you're 82. Whether that's a family member, someone you hired, or no one at all is a decision most people leave to chance.

This month we're going to walk through it gently. No sales talk. Just the conversation worth having.

Welcome to October.

09/30/2026

Today is the last day of Life Insurance Awareness Month.

We were in your feed all month talking about coverage, beneficiaries, the conversations you've been putting off. Some of you read it. Some of you acted on it. Some of you didn't.

That's fine.

The thing we want you to take into October isn't urgency. It's permission. Permission to take ten minutes when you have them. Permission to ask a question without committing to a decision. Permission to look at the paperwork without feeling like you have to fix everything tonight.

The work of taking care of the people you love isn't a sprint. It's a habit.

October is for the habit. September is just where you started.

09/29/2026

You've probably seen the ads saying annuities are a rip-off. Here's the other side of the story.

For most people nearing retirement, the biggest fear isn't missing out on market gains. It's running out of money, especially if the market drops right when they stop working.

In this week's 20 Minute Annuity Tuesdays, Trent Zimmermann breaks down what those ads leave out and how guaranteed income can help protect the savings you spent a lifetime building.

Know someone getting close to retirement? Share this with them.

20 Minute Annuity Tuesdays are LIVE every Tuesday at 11 AM. Join us next week:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_klC_5WsmT2qGDCyGU7WcgA #/registration

Want more? Visit our YouTube channel for all our previous weeks' videos.

Are annuities really overpriced, commission-driven, and a drag on r...

09/28/2026

Three days left in September.

If you've been thinking about it all month and haven't done anything yet, today is the day to take the smallest possible step.

Not the call. Not the meeting. The smallest step.

Pull up your policy. Read the coverage amount. Send a text to your spouse that says "we should look at our life insurance this week."

That's it. The smallest possible step.

September is almost over. October is for action. This week is for noticing.

What's the smallest possible step for you?

09/25/2026

Last full week of September.

LIAM ends next Wednesday. Q3 ends next Wednesday. The school year is now officially in motion. Fall starts tomorrow.

If you're someone who's been holding "review my life insurance" in the back of your mind for the entire month, this is your nudge.

Five-minute version: pull up your most recent policy document. Check the beneficiary line. Check the coverage amount. Note any name that's no longer accurate.

That's it. The phone call to fix anything off can happen next week. The five minutes of looking happens this weekend.

What did you find when you looked? Tell us in the comments if you're brave.