The weather is cold again (for some of us) and the sun is setting lower in the sky every night. Sunshine comes at a premium this time of year in the Midwest. In fact, November is the cloudiest month of the year in Indiana.

This shift from summer to winter – and the busy-ness of the holiday season can feel overwhelming to some. Put all of these pieces together and you might find yourself a bit depressed.

There are practical steps we can take daily to illuminate life during the dark and cold months. Every person is different – however, this is what helps me:

Each morning, I thank God for another day and acknowledge all the good that is happening in my life. In the daily hustle, it is easy to focus on the negative parts of daily life and to forget the great things that happened and that we created.

So, when the rare November sunshine appears, I take note and give thanks to God for that moment of radiant light. Additionally, I take inventory of the previous day’s happenings and find the positive things that occurred and write them down. Sounds simple, and it is – however my biggest obstacle was getting started.

My father coined a term, KASH – Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills and Habits. The more knowledge you gain, the better your attitude becomes. And that positive attitude drives you to develop skills. Those skills then become habits! This is what happened to me … I gained insight on this topic, my attitude changed, and I developed skills that led to better habits.

Don’t just take my word for it – optimism is linked to an 11-15% longer life span in long-term studies. Practicing gratitude and prayer/meditation are proven to lower cortisol (the stress hormone), which improves mood. Studies also show that prayer and mindfulness reduce symptoms of seasonal depression, which is a big help during the cloudy season.

Wrapping it up – it is the season of giving thanks. I can speak for the entire Ohlson Group team in saying THANK YOU to our dedicated agents. You are making a difference in the world every day – safeguarding retirement funds, creating guaranteed income streams and setting up life insurance plans to protect loved ones.

Thank you for making 2025 a banner year. I hope you all have the best Thanksgiving yet – and here’s to a prosperous 2026!

​When I started in this business 20 years ago, I remember a lot of agents saying things like, “Don’t email me — just send it in the mail.” And at the time, that was normal. But looking back, it sounds crazy, doesn’t it?

The same thing happened with websites. I had agents tell me, “Yeah, I’ve got one, but it doesn’t do anything for me.” Today, of course, everyone knows you need a website — if for no other reason than to show people you’re a real person and a legitimate professional.

Now here we are again, standing at the next big shift. This time, it’s artificial intelligence.

There are now ChatGPT-style softwares built specifically for the fixed indexed annuity market! These tools can analyze cases, build comparisons, explain complex products, and even create custom reports in seconds. Incredible and incredibly accurate.

And guess what? The smartest agents — the ones writing big numbers and staying ahead of the pack — are already using them. Many have been using these tools for a couple of years.

Just like back in the early 2000s with email and websites, we’re seeing the same pattern. Some people resist. Some people say, “I’ll wait and see.” But the longer you wait, the faster you fall behind. The pace of technology improvement is coming with such velocity that it no longer moves linearly - it moves exponentially.

​Whether you love AI or you hate the idea of it, here’s the truth: it’s not going anywhere. It’s only going to become smarter, faster, and more deeply embedded in everything we do — from underwriting to marketing to case design.

The difference between the agents who thrive and those who get left behind is adoption. Invest in yourself and learn to use these tools now. You still have time to get squared away and up to speed.

​You don’t have to figure it out alone. At The Ohlson Group, we’re already using this technology every day — and we can show you how to leverage it to grow your business, protect your clients, and stand out in your market.

Whether it’s through AI-driven software designed for annuities, or through platforms like ChatGPT and other emerging tools, we’ll help you apply it the right way — efficiently, ethically, and profitably.

This is the next great evolution in our industry. You can either fear it… or use it to your advantage. Here at The Ohlson Group, we are embracing this tech revolution while maintaining our personal touch. 

With the Fed already making interest rate cuts and many annuity carriers announcing rate decreases, this may be the last call, as they say, for this era of high annuity rates. Some of the clients you work with understand this. But some may need a healthy dose of fear. That healthy dose of fear is the uncertain interest rate environment, the uncertain geopolitical environment and ultimately the equities market in general.

Talk with your clients and ask the hard questions – “If we have a 2008 or COVID type situation happen tomorrow, how much of your nest egg could you afford to lose?”

We all remember the days of the low-interest rate environment and the “new normal” that we had to endure from around 2009 all the way up till around 2022. We are getting normalized now to this high-interest rate environment, and so I wanted to remind all who are reading this that today's lowest FIA S&P 500 cap rate is likely higher than the highest S&P 500 cap rate just five years ago.

The great news is we still have S&P 500 caps over 10%, premium bonuses on 10-year surrender FIAs over 10%. And on top of that, income riders with high payouts and competitive features like income doublers for chronic illness events - with many carriers offering the income doubler on a joint basis, not just on single payouts.

As we enter this fall season, it's a time that I like to call separation season. While many agents fall into the trap of thinking that after Thanksgiving, the selling season is over, in my humble opinion, this is a mistake!
We see our biggest producers, in most cases, have their biggest months in November and December. One big factor might be that they're available and working. I'm not against taking vacations and time off - far from it! Family, faith, loving your friends and family are the most important things in life.

However, when this separation season occurs, I tend to think about professional athletes like Kobe Bryant. Kobe Bryant was one of the most gifted athletes ever born and he could have had a great career even if he didn't give it his all every day. But instead of coasting on his talents, Kobe was always the first in the gym and the last to leave the gym, setting a tone for all his teammates.

But Kobe wasn't doing it for his teammates, he was doing it because he knew other NBA players weren't working as hard as he was. And, in the back of his mind he knew there were other players working just as hard as him. It motivated him out to the point of working even harder, to be the best Kobe possible.

So go out and be brave. Have confidence in yourself and the products you sell. And at the end of the day, you can know that you’re not only helping your clients secure a safe financial future, but you are also helping the most important people in the world - your family.

​This week, the music world lost an iconic genius – the great soul-man, D’Angelo. Born Michael Archer, the world would come to know him as simply “D’Angelo.” With only three studio albums over a 30-year-career, he transformed genres and encouraged creativity with his unique style. D’Angelo quietly and quickly succumbed to pancreatic cancer – only his closest relatives were aware of the battle he was fighting.

D’Angelo may or may not be someone with whom you are familiar. His songs never fit the mold for any specific “genre”. He was his own genre, much like Marvin Gaye became once he was able to produce his own albums. If you’re familiar with Marvin Gaye, you know the clear distinction between his early Motown years and the later albums like “What’s Going On” and “Here, My Dear”.

D’Angelo’s first studio album, Brown Sugar was released in 1995 and both the title track as well as the song, “Lady” were top 10 hits. It would be a full five years later until he released the seminal masterpiece Voodoo. This record propelled D’Angelo to super-stardom – and was somewhat overshadowed by the provocative music video for the song “How Does It Feel?”.

Uncomfortable with fame and sex appeal that came with stardom, this son of a preacher was tormented by internal demons. He suffered for years fighting writer’s block. He also battled through addiction during this period and became reclusive. The fame was overwhelming the artist.

After the death of a close friend, D’Angelo sought help and through rehab and hard work, got his life back together. Over the years, fans would speculate, and other artists would as well, all asking the same thing: “When is D’Angelo going to put out another record?!”

Fans would have to wait until 2014 – a full 14-years after Voodoo was released, to hear new sounds from D’Angelo.

The 2014 album The Black Messiah would go on to be a masterpiece of its own – and would be his final studio album. This record seemed to be an outlet through which he was able to express the importance of faith in his life as well as a way to speak out against injustice in the world.

As you can tell, I am a big fan of D’Angelo. His music helped me through difficult times in my life. His death came as a shock to me and all his fans.

While D’Angelo is no longer with us in this life, his legacy lives on – and his story is one of hard work and perseverance. He beat back his inner demons and reclaimed his life. He left a legacy to the world.

As life and annuity producers, you undoubtedly have had to overcome obstacles to get to where you are now. You have also undoubtedly helped countless clients leave a legacy through the miracle of paper and ink – the financial “magic” that is life insurance.

If you have read this far, I encourage you to take note of the importance and opportunity that each day brings. Your hard work changes lives – just like D’Angelo changed mine.

​As the seasons change and fall comes upon us (what a warm fall we have had) it is important to look in the mirror to remind yourself of the good you are doing in your daily work life. The life and annuity industry is an honorable profession and you know that no matter what happens – your clients’ nest egg is protected. You are selling assurance and peace of mind, not just a product.

The autumnal changes, though they happen every year, always seem to hit me with a dose of reality – its not always going to be warm and sunny every day. In times of struggle, it is easy to stray from the path you are walking. The daily grind can knock us down – however a dose of perseverance, faith and hope can get you through.

What is faith? That is a loaded question! Put simply, faith is the willingness to act on conviction even when certainty is not possible. What is hope? Another loaded question. Hope can be summarized by the quiet strength that looks past the storm and keeps its eyes on a clearing sky.

I never like to assume anything – however I’m confident that most all who are reading this have faith in themselves and a hope that brighter days are ahead. It is easy to have hope and faith when things are going swimmingly. But the true test of faith and hope comes when we encounter roadblocks and undesirable outcomes.

As my father always told me, “Every NO is a step closer to a YES!”

This has been proven time and again. There are an abundance of stories of folks who encountered challenges, some seemingly insurmountable, yet they had hope and faith in themselves and through the power of hard work and perseverance, they flourished. This is true in our business, perhaps more than in any other business.

The old saying “activity leads to app-tivity” sums it up in the most perfect way. You know your abilities and weaknesses. Lean into your abilities and work toward strengthening your weak areas. Keep pressing on and good things will happen. Any successful agent will tell you this is true.

So, whether this is an abundant season or a slow season for you, the mission remains the same: keep on fighting and you will have success. Your family depends on you and working as a straight commission salesperson, this can be a big burden to carry. Have faith in yourself, hope for an even better tomorrow – and through hard work and perseverance, you will see success.

To tie a bow around all of this, we at The Ohlson Group know that you don’t get a bi-weekly paycheck. We know that you eat what you kill, and we are here to help lighten your load and take some of the burden off your back. Give us a call and we can help put a plan together, set goals and get you into a marketing program that can help you meet qualified prospects and close business.

Never give up – you never know what is around the corner. With positivity and hope, we can win together!

I​f you have been following my recent articles, you might have noticed that I am a boxing fan. The individuality of the sport, and the courage and perseverance that professional boxers display is what made me a fan of the sport of boxing.

In boxing, personal responsibility and accountability are traits that every champion embodies. After eight-weeks of grueling training and game-planning with the respective fighter’s team, the boxer must enter the arena on his own – by himself.

The results (excluding the unfortunate times when judges are corrupt) speak for themselves – you either win or lose. The pugilistic nature of the sport is raw, and one punch can change a boxer’s career. That one knockout punch – sometimes called the Sunday Punch – can change the trajectory of the future.

For the winning fighter, they become or retain the championship belt. For the losing fighter, the one that got nailed with the Sunday Punch, they often face a crossroad in their career and in life. They can choose to retire or mount a comeback for revenge.

Last weekend, the world watched as Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford headlined Netflix’s first professional boxing championship bout. Both fighters were champions in various weight classes, and both were known as contenders for the unofficial “pound for pound” best fighters in the world.

While Alvarez was favored to win, many thought Crawford would prevail. And he did, indeed win the fight. After 12 rounds of fighting, the judges unanimously called the fight for Crawford. It was an easy evening for the slick, quick and cunning Terence Crawford. He outclassed Alverez and became the super-middleweight champion of the world.

So, what does this have to do with annuities and life insurance?

We all face challenges and crossroads in our daily lives. The way we respond to challenges is the key to everything. Positivity is a choice and leading a positive professional and home life is paramount for anyone in our business.

And while you are an independent agent – you are not alone. The Ohlson Group is in your corner. We have the best back office in the industry. The smartest marketers in America and a family-built business that is being run by family! Sure, my brother Nick and I are family. But we view all our employees as family – and we extend that same warm welcome to agents working with us.

Planning for 2026? If not, now is the time. We have you covered – pre-set annuity appointments, a seminar program taught and mentored by a $50M annual FIA producer. And our tried and tested Safe Money Places lead program.

If your IMO is not “in your corner” – give us a call. We are ready to go to work and crown you as the CHAMPION that you already know you are!

This weekend, the sporting world will be buzzing with anticipation as Canelo Alvarez and Terrance Crawford face each other in the ring with the Super Middleweight title on the line.  These two pugnacious fighters are the best in the world and the winner will likely be crowned the “pound for pound” best fighter in the world.

So, what does boxing have to do with life and annuity business? Let’s break down some of the similarities.
A boxer, much like an insurance agent, must depend on himself when in the squared circle facing an opponent. The fighter takes all his training and puts it to work after so many months of preparation. The outcome will be what it will be, and regardless, a true champion and fighter will hang their head high – knowing they put in the work and did all they could to win the bout.

In our daily grind, we encounter many victories and sometimes suffer defeat. However, when we look closer at the boxing aspect – Canelo and Crawford are not the only people involved. They both have an entire team dedicated to doing everything they can to ensure their fighter has the best chance to win the bout.

At The Ohlson Group, we are here in your corner. I’ve heard stories from several agents over the years (I will keep names anonymous) about IMO’s not calling them back, taking days to get illustrations put together and not having much of a “back office” to help with their cases. These stories always astound me, because these are basic tasks that are routinely completed around here.

We own and operate www.safemoneyplaces.com and the corresponding “Safe Money Places Agent Network”. We created this for you – the producer – to better brand yourself and help stand out from the crowd. Just like a boxer relies on his corner and trainers to guide him through every round, agents rely on our team to keep on track as well.

Fighters fight to win… Prize fighters and agents are also similar regarding mindset. Successful agents know they will win. It might not be a first-round knockout, but the successful agent understands the game. They know when to jab, stick and move and when to lay down that Sunday punch to close the deal.

Do you have a team in your corner?

If not, or if they are lacking in any way, give us a call or book an appointment to speak with one of our marketers. We have the trifecta to help you get in front of qualified prospects:

1 – Safe Money Places Lead Program – tried and true, this program has been running strong in-house for nearly a decade.
2 – Pre-Set Annuity Appointments – Not into cold-calling leads? No problem! We can schedule appointments right on your calendar.
3 – Excusive Annuity Seminar Platform – A turnkey seminar system with ongoing mentoring and training from a $50M+ producer. No meals, no fluff – and averaging $800,000 in annuity premium per workshop.

As you can see, we have three lucrative ways to get you in front of qualified prospects via programs that have been proven and repeatable. We can help you – and one of these three programs mentioned above might just change your life.

This has been a tremendous year for the annuity industry and there are several reasons why this is the case. High interest rates allow carriers to provide stellar caps, participation rates and premium bonuses. This high-interest rate environment also allows carriers to be extremely competitive in the guaranteed lifetime income space.

For decades, financial advisors have been telling clients that they can safely withdraw four percent of their account value each year and have a “good chance” of not outliving their account value. While this rule holds true in good times, it can be devastating to unlucky folks who happen to retire during a market downturn.

We are insurance agents, safe money masters and have the shield and weaponry to protect our clients’ nest egg and one powerful weapon is the GLWB (guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefit) rider.

Throughout all the turmoil in the economy, political uncertainty, trade wars and inflation, the equity markets have been resilient. The S&P 500 is nearing all-time highs as of this writing and the GDP for Q2 came in revised to 3.3%. To the naked eye, all seems calm.

However, we all know that market resiliency will eventually subside, and your clients are likely to think the same thing. Retirees and those close to retirement have lived through the dot com bubble, the 2008 financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic which caused a significant downturn in the equity markets. These folks need guarantees – not maybes.

With the power of the fixed index annuity and the GLWB, your clients can rest easily, knowing they don’t have to worry about the equity markets at all. They will feel safe and sound knowing they have a guaranteed income for life. Oh, and that four-percent withdrawal? That is nothing compared to the 6, 7 or 8 percent withdrawals our GLWB’s provide.

These income riders also provide a hidden benefit – the chronic illness “doubler”. Yes, most of you are aware of this feature. However, for those that aren’t familiar, most income riders come with an enhanced income benefit that will double income payouts if the client develops a chronic illness or has to go to a nursing home.

The time to conduct a periodic review for your client base is now. Same goes for connecting with prospects that never moved forward. Let us help you with these meetings. Give us a call or book an appointment and together we can put a plan together that will make you look like the hero.
​
As I end this commentary, the old saying rings true when it comes to income planning – what’s old is new. Over the past 20 years in this business, many things have changed. The one thing that has not changed is the retiree’s need and desire for a guaranteed income that they cannot outlive with a hedge against long-term care costs to boot.

Let’s talk about AI and your practice. If you are not using AI currently, you are already behind. But that is okay! AI, while super-powerful, is also super-easy to use. And it is not just a fad – it is here to stay and only going to become more important as each day goes by, particularly in our life and annuity industry.

With ChatGPT unveiling its latest fifth-generation model and other companies coming out with similar versions recently, these tools are becoming a powerhouse for those who know how to utilize them. It doesn’t take much time to get the hang of how to use AI and once you start using it you will become increasingly more productive (and blown away by what it can help you with).

Using AI can vastly increase your productivity while decreasing time spent on content creation and analysis. You can craft emails, sales brochures, business cards – even websites and more – all tailored to your practice.

You know that your time is best spent on seeing the people, meeting prospects and getting deals done. Why not consider using an AI model to bolster your credibility by increasing output and touch points to your clients and prospects?

How many times have you thought about putting that e-booklet or guide together but couldn’t find the time? The same goes with weekly or monthly client-facing newsletters. You now have the time and the tools – thanks to this incredible technology.

You might be wondering, “Is AI writing this for Joe?”

The answer is no – this is me, Joe Ohlson, writing this in real life. However, I could have made this much easier on myself by having AI write something similar – and maybe better!

Small touches matter and having a robust collection of content that is personalized and well-crafted can make the difference between closing a sale and losing it to another agent. For around $20.00 a month, you can purchase an AI model and start creating content that is unique to you and that can be created in seconds.
​
As I wrap up this commentary – Nothing can compete with face-to-face meetings and handshakes, and I don’t think AI is going to replace insurance agents and advisors anytime soon. You have the unique personality and skill set that you’ve crafted over several years. You know how to close life and annuity sales. YOU are the key to all of this. You created your success – consider adopting AI to improve what you’ve already built.

To all the agents in the field, we are in a unique position with this high-interest rate environment, our annuity products continue to be key pieces of the retirement planning puzzle.

We've talked recently about refinancing your clients’ retirement - and that’s still a hot topic, and I encourage you all who are reading this to go back to your existing client files and locate annuities that were written during the low-interest rate environment. You may be, as the TV commercial says, sitting on a gold mine!

This week, however, I wanted to highlight how annuities can be a huge component for wealth transfer and legacy needs that many of your clients and prospects are likely seeking – a death benefit guarantee that allows them to have peace of mind.

So, let’s look at what’s out there for you to help your clients build a legacy:
​
Single Premium Life Insurance – in most cases, these products offer simplified underwriting and no exams. Our top carrier in this arena has an online application and quick online underwriting. These SPL products not only provide a tax-free death benefit – they also come with strong guarantees while your client is living. These benefits include a tax-free payout if the client develops a chronic illness or requires care at a nursing home. These products also provide a guaranteed return of premium features.

Now, let's take a look at annuities for a moment and how they can help provide a legacy for your clients’ beneficiaries. There's a new kid on the block per se, and this product offers an instant 40% guaranteed boost day one to your clients’ death benefit account value. What a way to open a conversation …
 
“Hey Mr. or Mrs. Client, I have a safe money product that protects you from the risk of market downturns and provides steady, safe growth when the market goes up – and by the way, this product comes with a 40% boost to your death benefit account value on day one!”

This fixed indexed annuity (FIA) comes with a 40% “boost” with no fees. The boost, a new twist on premium bonuses, allows the carrier to provide higher crediting (caps, participation rates) than a traditional premium “bonus” FIA.

This is just one of several fixed indexed annuities with strong death benefit guarantees built in. If you are looking for good FIAs with strong death benefit features, give us a call and we can help you navigate the FIA landscape and find the best fit for your case.

Now – let’s talk about annuity rates for a moment …

I know I may continue to sound like a broken record; however, I have come to realize that many agents, me included, are becoming used to these high interest rates and high premium bonuses on 10-year surrender FIAs, however it's important to remember that this is not the norm throughout history. Now is the time to set up periodic reviews and hammer home the safe money story!

Lastly, if you are reading this and looking for a way to generate new prospects – we have your back! We have an annuity lead program available to Ohlson Group agents and continue to see success in this program. One of the lynchpins of our lead program is the branding we provide.

Any agent who writes business with Ohlson Group is automatically enrolled in The Safe Money Places Agent Network. In the independent producer space, having a National Brand that has been around for over a decade is meaningful. There’s no cost to join and we can build you a Safe Money Places-themed website, just by submitting your annuity and life business through Ohlson Group.
 
So, feel confident knowing that you can be the hero in this retirement adventure! You’ve got the shield —which is the FIA that protects clients from risk of loss and provides tremendous upside potential. You've got the Swiss army knife product which is single premium life insurance. And you've got the backing of a national brand, The Safe Money Places Agent Network. Be the knight in shining armor and capitalize during this high-interest rate environment.

These rates won’t last forever – so go out and make a difference in someone’s life by protecting their hard-earned nest egg.