Valmark Financial Group

A recent article in Financial Advisor Magazine titled "Reinsurance Craze Puts Annuities, Life Insurance At Risk, Advisors Warn" warns that life insurance and annuity companies may be at greater risk than many advisors realize, pointing to factors like increased offshore reinsurance and opaque financials. As the industry evolves, how can you be sure that the carriers you recommend are as strong and stable as they appear? Join our Chairman & CEO, Larry J. Rybka, JD, CFP®, for an exclusive conversation with several analysts from ALIRT Insurance Research, an emerging and objective, go-to resource for real-time carrier financial analysis. Valmark has even contracted with ALIRT to provide additional insights into life and annuity carriers for Valmark Member Firms, including exclusive access to their detailed reports on Valmark’s member-only platform, Valmark Connect.   During this insightful session, we’ll cover: • Key trends shaping the life and annuity carrier landscape • Why group ratings don’t give a clear picture of an issuing carrier’s strength  • How ALIRT identifies early warning signs of carrier stress • How the advent of offshore reinsurance has made it more difficult to assess long-term carrier strength • How Valmark uses ALIRT data to help guide Member Firms in making informed carrier and product recommendations for their clients Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a behind-the-scenes look at the metrics that matter and how they can give your clients greater confidence in the companies and solutions you recommend. This session will also provide an opportunity for Valmark Member Firms and other participants to ask the team at ALIRT questions directly. https://lnkd.in/eASKf94C

🚀 AI for Financial Advisors: Separating Hype from Real-World Impact 🤖📈   The #1 question our tech team hears from advisors is: How do I separate AI hype from practical tools I can use today?   On April 3rd at 11 AM ET, join our own Geoff Moore for a special webinar, “AI for Financial Advisors”, featuring Ben Olsen of Beemo Automation. 🔍 What you’ll learn: ✅ How to leverage ChatGPT’s advanced features for deep research ✅ Using Microsoft Copilot for data extraction & efficiency ✅ Real-world AI integrations built by an advisor, for advisors   Ben, a former financial advisor, data science expert, and founder of Beemo Automation, will show how AI can streamline your practice and boost productivity.   👉 Don’t miss this game-changing session! Register now. https://lnkd.in/eJD5SUBJ   #AIforAdvisors #FinTech #financialservices  

Congratulations to our Core Award winners from February! Thank you for demonstrating our core values in all that you do. Read about our winners here: https://lnkd.in/gJvPDrWw Way to go! Keileigh Oloyede (Klein), Morgan Bradley, Nicholas Welch, and Angela Fromm Abreu

🚀Webinar Alert! AI for Financial Advisors: Practical Use Cases to Transform Your Practice 🤖💡   We’re excited to host Ben Olsen, Founder of Beemo Automation, alongside Geoff Moore, our Chief Information Officer, for an exclusive webinar on how AI is revolutionizing financial services—and how you can stay ahead of the curve. Below are just a few of the items Ben and Geoff will be covering during this session: ✅ Mastering AI tools like ChatGPT for better prompts and insights ✅ Data extraction techniques to streamline research ✅ Automating scheduling & task management ✅ Leveraging AI’s advanced reasoning capabilities ✅ Creating your first custom GPT for tailored solutions ✅ Real-world automation strategies, including a prospecting example that boosts efficiency and drives results   Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from industry leaders and get actionable takeaways to enhance your practice!   Save your spot now! https://lnkd.in/gYzABWi4   #AIforAdvisors #FinancialAdvisors #Automation #ChatGPT #BeemoAutomation

Great news! Three talented interns took the next step in their careers by joining Valmark full-time! We congratulate each of them and look forward to seeing their growth and contributions as valued members of the Valmark family. Congratulations! Brent Warring, Kendra Scalf, and William Tropp

🌟 Bright minds, big impact! 🌟 We’re excited to recognize the amazing interns who have joined Valmark over the past few months. Your dedication, enthusiasm, and fresh perspectives have made a real impact, and we truly appreciate your hard work! #WelcomeInterns #FutureLeaders #TeamValmark Welcome! Sophia Michalak, Michael Pastella, Mia Fawls, Kara Smith, Jackson Bauer, Patrick Gaffney, Dane Levy, Sam Stonehouse

Congratulations to our Core Award winners from January! Thank you for demonstrating our core values in all that you do. Read about our winners here: https://lnkd.in/gkd6zZby Way to go! Dustin Ilko, Jamie (Hochmuth) Block, Lauren Ballantine, Marie Mahoney-Krings, Kristen Carmichael, CFP®, Nathan Flaker, MBA

Stop by and say hi to Danielle Schwab at the University of Akron career fair today! We look forward to sharing our opportunities with you. Click here to view our open positions 👉 https://lnkd.in/g9iEHKyT

The Walking Dead: How Flawed Insurance Regulation Creates Serious Risks for U.S. Policyholders A recent report on the rehabilitation of Phoenix Home Life Variable (PHLV) has revealed that the company has $2.1 billion MORE in liabilities than assets. Just two years ago, the company filed financial statements showing it was solvent. This is not just a financial failure – it’s a wake-up call for the life insurance industry. The undeniable conclusion is that accounting gimmicks in the company financials filed with the state covered this problem long before PHVL was put in rehabilitation. PHLV was a “dead company walking” long before this report was released. Why does this matter? It sets a disturbing precedent. For the first time in nearly 100 years, U.S. life insurance policyholders will receive less than their contractual death benefits. Rehabilitation orders have capped death benefits at $300,000 per insured for all general account policies, regardless of policy size. It may be that even this reduced benefit will require financial support from the state guarantee fund. This was the topic for Larry J. Rybka, JD, CFP® main stage presentation at Forum 400's annual meeting this month in San Antonio, and on Tuesday, February 25th at 11am EST, he’ll be addressing this critical topic again in a special virtual forum. What you’ll learn: ✅ How PHLV’s collapse happened… from a surplus in 2022 to a $2.1 billion deficit in just over two years. To put this in perspective, the company only had $2.2 billion in total general account assets when it entered rehabilitation. ✅ How variable (separate account) products were largely protected from this loss. ✅ Where regulators failed in protecting policyholders, including the role of private equity and offshore reinsurance in this crisis. ✅ What insurance professionals can do to protect clients from similar risks moving forward. Interested in joining? Email Brandy Friedt, M.A. or register using this link: https://lnkd.in/e2ZGwYHK This promises to be an interactive, informative, and engaging session where we’ll tackle tough questions and provide practical solutions for protecting your clients. Hope to see you there! #lifeinsurance #privateequity #reinsurance #financialservices

✨ What a year! ✨ As we make our way through January, we’re taking a moment to look back at all the incredible memories 2024 brought to Valmark. From spirited happy hours 🍻 to epic cornhole tournaments 🎯—and countless meaningful moments in between—the year was anything but ordinary.   Here’s to a new year filled with even more fun, camaraderie, and shared success in 2025! 💼🎉 #TeamValmark #OfficeFun #SuccessTogether