The Opportunity:

Today, the population of those 65 and older is just over 56 million people. By 2040, those numbers are expected to be in excess of 80 million, leaving roughly 25 million people more than usual that will be in need of advisors to help them navigate these often-confusing waters for the first time. While many of these people will turn to their financial advisor or a call center for their initial consultation, a large number of them will surprisingly find that their money manager does not deal in Medicare or the call center they initially used does not adapt to their changing circumstances.

The Medicare population is also ripe with cross-selling opportunities. Original Medicare does not cover all dental, vision, or hearing needs. Converting original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan also leaves substantial out-of-pocket costs that reveal a need for hospital indemnity. Many agents that come from the life insurance side of the business find that their product lines such as final expense, indexed universal life for clients’ grandchildren, and annuities increase in sales once Medicare is a leading focus. Medicare also does not have the same ups and downs as other product lines mentioned; at one point or another, everyone will require Medicare. When paired with yearly increases in commissions in many Medicare plans, it creates a recession-proof industry.