ACCOUNTING AUDITS AND REVIEWS: WORTH THE EXPENSE by Chris Burand Agencies can avoid a lot of grief by obtaining annual accountants reviews or audits. An audit can catch inno...

ANALYZING EMPLOYEE BENEFIT LEVELS by John Jaques Many agency managers spend a great deal of time reviewing and setting staff and producer compensation levels, but often underst...

This checklist outlines the major factors an insurance agency and a producer should consider in negotiating an employment agreement. It should not be construed as a specimen contract or agreement but merely a guide for reaching a meeting of the minds over subjects important to both parties. If you are engaged in this kind of negotiation now, use this form to check off these considerations in the blocks provided, as they are agreed upon. Be sure to consult an attorney for assistance in drafting the legal language necessary to implement a formal contract.

CHECKLIST OF CONSIDERATIONS IN NEGOTIATING A PRODUCER/AGENCY AGREEMENT This checklist outlines the major factors an insurance agency and a producer should consider in negotiating a...

The cluster concept has been a popular one for doctors, dentists, realtors, and others for many years. Insurance agency clusters have been around for a few decades, but interest in them intensified during the hard market of the early 1980s. At that time, smaller agencies banded together to protect themselves against increasing carrier demands brought on by tighter market conditions.

FINANCIAL SERVICES - IRAS Dear (Customer Name): What are you going to do when you retire? Travel? Move to a quiet area and relax? These are reasonable plans for individuals reaching retirement age. ...

FIRING WITHOUT FEAR: AVOIDING WRONGFUL TERMINATION LAWSUITS by Beth Schroeder and Andrew Kaplan Historically, the basic rule in this country has been that an employer could discharge an...

GIVE A lsquo;THANK YOU' GIFT by Bill Cates Giving a Thank You gift is a simple strategy that will have people saying good things about you and generating ong...

Annuities are presently the source of nearly half of Life companies' premium income. A couple of decades or so ago, the figure was just 11%, according to a recent Life Insurance Management Research Association (LIMRA) study.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has marched on, and now there's more to say about classifying employees. Federal law (that is, IRS regulation...