To say the world is in turmoil right now would be an understatement.
 
And one of the clearest indicators of that is the volatility index. As we all know, the 10-year Treasury yield is the primary driver of how annuity rates are priced, especially in the fixed indexed annuity space. Layer on top of that elevated market volatility—measured by the VIX—which impacts the cost of options, and you’ve got a very dynamic pricing environment.
 
That’s exactly what we’re seeing right now. Rates are moving. Some are going up, some are coming down—but the opportunity for clients today is still incredibly strong.
 
Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen volatility spike and remain elevated, with larger daily swings in the market—both up and down—and sometimes multiple times within the same day. That kind of movement is being driven by several factors: geopolitical tension, particularly the U.S.–Iran conflict, rising oil prices, inflation concerns, and continued interest rate uncertainty. All of this is leading to increased hedging activity and more defensive positioning across the board.
 
Now, what does that mean for us?
 
It means we’re in one of the most dynamic pricing environments we’ve seen in years. And despite that, we’re still seeing tremendous opportunities for clients.
 
We’re seeing S&P 500 cap rates at 10% and higher. We’re seeing products that will lock in cap rates for the entire surrender charge period. Think about that—clients can purchase an annuity today and know that the cap they start with is the same cap they’ll see years from now when their renewal letter arrives. And in my opinion, those caps are going to look very attractive down the road.
 
This is a big reason why we’re continuing to see a record number of annuity applications flow through our office in 2026.
 
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—this is the time to be proactive. But given everything that’s transpired over the last month, and especially with the outlook that this current conflict could extend for several more weeks or longer, I’m going to take it a step further:
 
It’s time to reach out to every client you’ve ever done business with. This is also an ideal time to launch a lead campaign or get a seminar on the calendar.
 
At the Ohlson Group, we can help you do both. Our Safe Money Places® annuity lead program has been running in-house for nearly a decade, and those leads are priced at cost. We also offer a no-dinner annuity seminar system mentored by a $50 million producer. We have several agents actively running that program right now, and they’re averaging roughly $700,000 to $800,000 in fixed indexed annuity premium per campaign.
 
If you’d like help putting together a client letter or follow-up communication, we can assist with that as well.
 
I’ve always believed this, and it’s especially true right now—when there is uncertainty in the world, this is when I get the most excited about what we do. Because when the world is full of anxiety, we get to be the calm.
 
We can’t fix everything going on globally, but we can take financial worry off our clients’ shoulders. We can ensure they don’t lose money due to market downturns. We can provide guaranteed income they and their spouse cannot outlive. And we can offer solutions that include enhanced benefits—like income increases in the event of chronic illness or long-term care needs.
 
And I’ll say it—we have the best back office in the industry here at the Ohlson Group.

If you’ve been in this business long enough, you already know this: taxes are not going down long term. Clients know it. They feel it. They may not articulate it perfectly, but they sense it.

That’s why Roth conversion conversations are no longer “advanced planning.” They’re becoming mainstream retirement planning topics.

Several of our key carriers now give us the ability to take a single premium of qualified funds and systematically convert those dollars internally into a Roth IRA over time. And this is where it gets powerful. And clients can tailor the conversion schedule.

Five years.
Ten years.
Or somewhere in between.

Instead of taking a massive lump sum distribution and getting crushed by taxes in one calendar year, they can stretch the tax burden out. Each year, they simply pay tax on the portion that was converted that year.

And the real beauty of this — what several carriers call the “mirrored contract concept.”

With this concept you have:

Contract A – The qualified account.
Contract B – The mirrored Roth account.

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The single premium goes into Contract A. Each time a distribution is made for conversion purposes, the funds move into Contract B — and that mirrored contract carries the same values, surrender schedule, and crediting strategies/rates.

Same chassis. Same structure. Just different tax status.

At the end of the five- or ten-year window — however the client designs it — the entire contract has transitioned from qualified to Roth. Now you’ve got tax-free growth potential and tax-free distributions down the road, without having taken the hit all at once.

We are actively working on client-facing marketing pieces to help you articulate this clearly. Because once a client understands the mirrored concept visually, the light bulb goes on. It stops feeling like a tax event and starts feeling like a controlled migration from taxable to tax-free. Look out for these pieces in the coming weeks.

Medicare considerations are important to note …

Large Roth conversions can impact a client’s Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI), which can trigger higher Medicare Part B and Part D premiums due to IRMAA adjustments. That doesn’t mean “don’t do it.” It means planning it properly. Stretch it out intelligently. Coordinate it with income levels. Be strategic about timing and partner with a CPA on complex cases.

Additionally, annuity business right now is coming in at a record pace. And we are fortunate to have carriers offering premium bonuses north of 20% on 10-year surrender periods. We’ve got carriers locking S&P 500 annual point-to-point caps for the entire surrender charge period.

If you’re like me, you’ve had that call before:

“Joe, the market was up. My friends made money. Why didn’t my annuity credit anything?”

And you’re re-explaining caps, spreads, participation rates, volatility control strategies — and sometimes the client just hears, “It didn’t credit any interest this year.”

We can’t control how the S&P 500 performs. But with guaranteed cap structures locked for the entire surrender period, we can control the predictability of the cap rates. No renewal rate surprises.

And let me just say this plainly — I’m grateful. Grateful for the agents writing business with the Ohlson Group. Grateful to those participating in our lead program. Grateful to those working the Elevate workshops and actively writing business.

Agents who are working marketing plans — whether through leads, workshops, or refinancing outdated annuities — are seeing real momentum. This quarter is shaping up to be one of the strongest we’ve had. The old saying “app-tivity leads to activity” holds true.

And as we continue to layer in strategic conversations like Roth conversions — especially using tools like mirrored contracts — you jump from “annuity salesperson” to “retirement income expert.”

This May will mark my 20th year working with the Ohlson Group, and to say that time has flown by would be an understatement. Having had the privilege of working alongside my father — Ohlson Group founder Ray Ohlson — for so many years was more than special. It was a blessing.

After graduating from Ball State University, I had several ideas about what I wanted to pursue professionally. My main area of study was journalism. I love writing, and that love still lives within me today. That’s one of the reasons I enjoy writing these commentaries. I always aim to provide a positive message — and at least one nugget of value that might help you in your insurance career.

In May of 2006, I officially began my career with the Ohlson Group. I was young!
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But I wasn’t completely new to the business. The Ohlson Group opened its doors in 2003, and during my college years, I spent my summers interning in the office. My brother Nick — a few years older than me — was already working with my dad and Nick’s mentorship helped me gain confidence in my abilities. Those early summers gave me a clear-eyed view to what it meant to build something from the ground up: relationships with agents, partnerships with carriers, and a company centered around service.

Still, I looked young. Very young.

I may be one of the few people who was genuinely happy to see a few gray hairs show up in my mid-to-late twenties! At the time, I needed them. Some agents didn’t quite know what to make of me. Experience, I quickly learned, isn’t something you claim — it’s something you earn.

Twenty years later, I can say without hesitation that working alongside independent agents across the country has been one of the great blessings of my life. This business has never been about transactions to me. It has always been about relationships.

What you do in the field matters more than you may realize. What you sell is not a widget or a commodity. You are helping families complete dreams — protecting generations with tax-free life insurance benefits, preserving dignity through long-term care planning, and creating guaranteed income streams that function like personal pension plans.

You guide clients through Roth conversions that may significantly reduce future tax burdens. You help eliminate debt. And at our bread and butter, you safeguard assets in strategies that provide growth potential without market downside risk.

That is meaningful work.

Although we are still a couple of months away from my official 20-year anniversary, I’ll admit that I am getting a head start on the celebration. The reason is simple: 2026 has begun with tremendous momentum. We are seeing a record influx of business week after week.

If I sound like a broken record when I say that we can help you grow, it’s because after two decades in this business, I know growth is not accidental — it is pre-planned. We can build a clear marketing plan for you.
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We can review last year’s income and map out what it will take to reach your goals this year. We can talk realistically about budget, determine how many workshops per month you may need to run, and identify how many lead campaigns can support your production targets. We can even backfill the math and approximate what level of marketing may be required to reach the income you want.

​It continues to be a fast-paced year at the Ohlson Group. We’re seeing record numbers of new agent contracts coming in. The phones are ringing. The cases are coming across my desk. A lot of solid, regular-sized annuity cases — and yes, quite a few larger ones too. The money is out there. 

And it’s not hard to understand why.

We just had a losing week in the S&P 500. Geopolitical tensions are simmering. Domestic politics are noisy. Commodities are all over the place. AI disruption fears are real for a lot of industries. Consumer prices rose 2.4% in January — lower than expected, which is good news — but there’s still a sense of uncertainty in the air. Even with the Dow hitting record highs in recent weeks, everyday Americans aren’t feeling “calm.” They’re feeling cautious. And when people feel cautious, they look for safety.

That’s where we come in. We have fixed index annuities offering premium bonuses up to 23% on 10-year index products. We have MYGA rates that are higher than CDs and sitting near record highs for our industry. There is real value on the table right now for clients who want protection, predictability, and peace of mind.

And we’re not lacking opportunity. Our marketing systems are working for agents who work them. Whether it’s our Ohlson Group annuity lead program that we’ve been running successfully for years, or the Elevate no-dinner seminar program, we are not in any kind of shortage of prospecting tools. We have ways — proven ways — to get our agents in front of qualified annuity prospects.

Middle America — the family with $200,000 to $500,000 in savings — is often overlooked. They’re not big enough for the high-end brokerage firms to chase aggressively. But that money represents a lifetime of work. It needs to be protected. It needs to be handled with care. Those are our clients, and they are looking for a hand-up and that is where you become the hero.

To our agents that are writing business, thank you! To the agents who are reading this and have been looking at The Ohlson Group for a while - give us a call or schedule a meeting. We are well positioned  to get you to the next level in your practice - whatever that looks like.

As January ends with a giant “ROAR!”, with snow and ice covering much of the country, things are heating up in the annuity industry. Carriers are unveiling new products, agent commission bonuses and we are seeing rates holding steady.

Anecdotal as it may be, we are seeing an influx of new annuity applications at The Ohlson Group and have added a record number of new agents in January. The perfect storm is brewing in the FIA space, and we have the tools to help you navigate – and capitalize in this unique environment.

Folks, we have carriers that have S&P 500 cap lock guarantees – and these are not low-ball guarantees. One carrier guarantees an 8.25% S&P 500 cap for all seven-years of the surrender charge period. This product takes the uncertainty of renewal rate anxiety away from you and your clients.

If you’re like most agents, you’ve got a file full of client statements. Many of your clients that purchased an FIA five to seven years ago are likely stuck with low-yielding crediting strategies. You did the best you could with the products available – and your clients did not lose any money. This is a hard pill for clients to swallow when the equity markets continue to hit all-time highs. There is hope for these clients!

The older FIAs you wrote were written during the low interest environment. We are now on the opposite side of the rate pendulum and annuity rates (MYGA and FIA) are exponentially higher compared to when you sold older products. We can help you get your clients out of these low-yielding products!

Premium bonuses on FIAs continue to remain high. We have bonuses up to 23% on 10-year products. And, these products have strong crediting rates, likely higher than any older annuity that was purchased in the low-interest rate environment.

Finally, if you need new prospects, we have several avenues to help fill your calendar. Our Ohlson Group Annuity Lead program is netting great results. Our no dinner annuity seminar program is also red-hot.

2026 is the year of the insurance agent – the stars (and rates) are aligned for success. So have full confidence in what you do best – protecting clients’ assets and providing solutions to lead them to the retirement they’ve been dreaming about.

The LIMRA 2025 US Individual Annuity Sales Survey showed annuity sales increased by 5 percent ($121.2 billion) in the third quarter of 2025. This is yet another new record for annuity sales. Fourth quarter numbers are anticipated to be similarly record-breaking.

The outlook for 2026 annuity sales is strong. Fixed Indexed Annuity rates remain near or at all time highs. MYGA rates are near all-time highs as well. Income rider payout percentages and roll-ups continue to remain strong.
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Many clients are stuck in underperforming annuities, and many have no idea that their contracts can be improved by simply transferring money from one carrier to another. Premium bonuses on fixed indexed annuities are as high as 23%. The opportunity to rescue clients and prospects from underperforming annuities remains viable.

2026 is an exciting year at the Ohlson Group. The “Elevate” annuity workshop program continues to net big premiums and high sit ratios. Any agent who qualifies and works this program gets access to in person training at no cost and ongoing weekly coaching from a $50 million veteran producer/mentor.
The Ohlson Group’s In-house annuity lead program is another lead-generation tool agents are using to find new prospects and close more business. Many of you reading this are aware of this program – contact us now if you want to get started, territories are filling up quickly!

January and February are separation months for top agents. The holidays are behind us and our top agents have already started their 2026 marketing campaigns. It is not too late, though! If you are looking for new prospects to close, contact us and we can help!

As we usher in a new year, I want to take a moment to reflect — and more importantly, to look ahead.

2025 was a big year for us. In fact, it was a milestone year. We proudly celebrated 50 years of the Ohlson Group, and that’s something we don’t take lightly. Five decades in this business doesn't happen by accident. It happens because of relationships, trust, consistency — and most of all, the incredible agents we’re fortunate enough to work alongside every single day.

Simply put - we could not have done it without you. I feel repetitive however it is true - nothing happens around here until you, the agent, sell a policy. 

Whether you partnered with us through seminar marketing, lead programs, training, or case support, you are the reason The Ohlson Group continues to grow and get stronger. This will be my 20th year with The Ohlson Group and I have developed life-long relationships with many of you who are reading this.

It is important to mention that our motto, per se, is an acronym my father, Ray Ohlson, coined ... "SCIP" ... "Service, Credibility, Integrity and Profitability". To have a mutually beneficial relationship, all of these must be integrated to create the trust needed to work together in this business. 

Let's make 2026 the best and most profitable year of our lives. We can do it all, together.

Financial advisors are often the first line of defense between closely held business owners and preventable estate tax surprises. One of the most common ways such surprises happen is when buy/sell agreements, their funding and valuations are set up—then never revisited as the company grows.
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The Connelly decision is a clear and current example of the importance of structure and ongoing compliance as much as valuations and coverages. 

On June 6, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court held that when a corporation receives life insurance proceeds to fund a stock redemption, those proceeds increase the company’s value for estate tax purposes, and the corporation’s redemption obligation does not offset that value. In short: entity‑funded buy/sell arrangements can elevate the taxable value of a decedent’s shares at death.

• The practical impact for advisors: entity‑purchase (redemption) agreements funded by corporate‑owned life insurance can produce higher estate valuations with many stakeholders completely unaware of the risk. This translates to higher estate tax exposure.

​Even well‑drafted agreements are not viable when they’re not followed. In Connelly, the parties did not keep current a ‘Certificate of Agreed Value’ nor did they obtain the required independent appraisals per the agreement after death—two process misses that proved costly in the audit and litigation that followed.

1. Start with a formal valuation: Establish the baseline value and document it within the buy/sell agreement. Then calendar a review cadence (e.g., annually, with third‑party valuations every few years). Align the agreement’s valuation mechanism with what your client will actually follow.
2. Re‑evaluate the funding structure: Entity‑purchase (stock redemption) vs. cross‑purchase or hybrid structures. Consider estate tax implications and liquidity needs.
3. Build in dynamic coverage mechanics: As revenues and enterprise value rise, coverage should ratchet up in a disciplined way.
4. Audit for operational follow‑through: Confirm that owners are executing the agreement’s valuation steps and documenting compliance.

• Review the buy/sell agreement’s valuation mechanics.
• Identify the funding structure and model potential estate tax outcomes.
• Update coverage amounts to reflect current enterprise value.
• Calendar formal valuations and document compliance.
• Revisit the plan after major events.

Let’s connect. I’ll help you evaluate your client’s buy/sell structure and recommend the best life insurance carriers and product designs to support a dynamic, compliant strategy—so you can confidently make the right recommendation to your client.

Schedule a conversation today to:

• Assess your client’s current agreement and valuation process in light of Connelly.
• Compare funding structures and select carrier/product solutions that align with estate, tax, and ownership objectives.
• Implement a repeatable annual review and coverage increase cadence your client will follow.