make annuities great again.
Turn conversations you're already having into a second income stream. You don't close annuities. You don't pitch them. You find the money your prospect already has, hand them to a specialist, and get paid commission on every case that closes.
Start learning →Two types of money. Three places it lives. One gap nobody talks about. This section gives you the map so the conversation makes sense.
Salespeople convince. Trusted advisors diagnose. Stop selling. Start finding opportunities. Stop pitching products. Start asking questions. Stop closing. Start handing off to the specialist.
When someone asks "what do you do?", here's your answer:
Posture cue: Slower pace, lower voice. Trusted advisors don't rush. Drop your pace 20%. Let silence do the work.
There are two types of money that exist and function differently in retirement: Qualified and Non-Qualified. Understanding the difference is what separates agents who sound credible from agents who sound like they're guessing.
This is money that has never been taxed: 401(k)s, IRAs, 403(b)s, TSPs, pension rollovers. The government gave a tax break on the way in, so they tax every dollar on the way out. Withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income. Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) kick in at age 73, meaning the IRS forces withdrawals whether the person needs the money or not.
This is money that has already been taxed: savings accounts, CDs, brokerage accounts, life insurance cash value, business proceeds, inheritance. Because taxes are already paid, only the gains are taxed when moved into an annuity. There are no RMDs and no early withdrawal penalties. This money has more flexibility, and people often have more of it than they think.
Why it matters: Qualified money has tax strings attached. Non-qualified money moves freely. Both can fund an annuity, but the tax treatment, timing, and strategy are different for each. When you know which type your prospect has, the specialist can recommend the right solution. You don't need to be the expert. You just need to know the two buckets exist.
Once you know where their money sits, you know what door to open.
Upside potential and downside risk. Younger prospects are mostly here. Older prospects who never moved are one bad year from a phone call.
"I'm in the market because I have to be."
"Safe" but inflation eats 3-4% a year while the bank pays 0.5%. These people are sitting on $50k-$500k earning nothing because the only thing they know is safe is the bank.
"I'd rather earn nothing than risk losing any of it."
Protection of the bank with growth potential closer to the market. Guaranteed income you can't outlive. This is the gap nobody talks about.
"Wait, I can have both?"
When someone tells you they have $100k in the bank, ask yourself: why? It's almost always fear. They don't know there's a middle ground. That's your opening.
Money moves through three stages over a lifetime. Your job is to find which stage your prospect is in so you can tee up the right conversation. The advisor handles the rest.
Growing the pile. OK with risk because time is on your side. Market drops 30%? You've got 20 years to recover. Stocks, 401ks, aggressive portfolios.
"I just want it to do more."
Shifting gears (~age 55-65). No time to recover from a crash. This is where people start moving money to safety. Sequence of returns risk lives here.
"I can't afford another 2008."
Turn the pile into a paycheck for life. Guaranteed income you can't outlive. This is where annuities shine. We call this a "self-funded pension plan."
"I just don't want to run out."
When you understand this sentence, you understand the entire business:
"We help families transition their retirement from the accumulation stage to the preservation and distribution stage."
Your prospect probably thinks the only risk in retirement is the market crashing. There are six. When you can name these casually in conversation, you sound like someone worth listening to.
You don't need to be an expert. Just know they exist. When you mention "sequence of returns risk" or "longevity risk," your prospect's ears perk up. You've named something they've felt but never had words for. That's how trust is built.
Pensions are extinct. Companies stopped offering them. But the pension was the single best retirement tool ever invented. Guaranteed income, every month, for life.
"What if you could create your own pension with money you already have?"
An annuity lets someone take a portion of their retirement savings and convert it into guaranteed income they can never outlive. No market risk. No guessing.
When someone asks "what's an annuity?", you need a picture, not a textbook.
You don't wear a seatbelt because you plan to crash. You wear it because if something goes wrong, you're protected. An annuity is a seatbelt for retirement money.
When you retire, the paycheck stops but the bills don't. An annuity turns a lump sum into a paycheck again. Every month, for life.
You're at a casino, up $50k. Keep playing or cash in your chips? An annuity lets you cash in so the market can't take them back.
You don't wait until it's raining to fix your roof. The best time to protect retirement money is before something goes wrong.
Three stages. One conversation. Every time. Account → Amount → Set the Appointment.
Never ask for sensitive info without giving a reason WHY first. The justifier disarms sales resistance. Without it, every question feels like a sales question.
Curious, calm, friendly. Like you're doing them a favor. Drop pace 20%. Same script, different tone, different outcome.
You're on the call. The protection product is handled. Now you transition. Never ask cold. Lead with the justifier.
That one question separates agents who tee up one case a week from agents who tee up three. The inheritance frame makes it feel like everyone has these accounts.
Once they list accounts, get the rough size. Same rule: justify WHY you're asking, then ask.
If they share, you have everything the specialist needs. If they hedge, the seed is planted and the specialist can pull it on the call.
This is where most agents fumble. Five clean steps:
1. Acknowledge — Mirror what they said. Don't pitch.
2. Listen — Stay quiet. Ask one follow-up. People sell themselves when you let them.
3. Tease — One sentence about "a self-funded pension plan." Don't explain.
4. Tee Up — Magic phrase: "That's something I'd want my specialist to walk you through, not me."
5. Book — End-of-call book referencing their specific concern.
Once you discover money, you never pitch. You tell a story about another client, then offer an introduction. Three moves: Story → Recommend → Introduce.
You step back, they lean in. By saying "not me," you protect your credibility and prevent objections before they form.
Always tie the appointment to their specific concern. The hook is what they told you, not what you're selling.
Pick the one that fits. Curious, calm, almost casual. The pain is in their answer, not your delivery. Stay quiet after you ask.
You don't need new leads. You need a different conversation with the leads you already have.
Already on the phone. Already trust you. Run the framework before you hang up.
Past clients. Call back, ask where their money sits. Warm market, higher close rate.
Existing clients refer parents, siblings. Higher net worth prospects.
Content about money and the finder mindset. Audience self-selects over time.
Not a cold call. You're an old friend checking in. No agenda. Let the conversation drift to money.
Now you're in a normal conversation. Run the framework. Use the inheritance justifier to discover accounts. When you find money, switch to the story-introduction.
Objections aren't a problem to solve. They're a signal you skipped a step. The framework prevents them. When one slips through:
Variable annuities = market risk + high fees + surrender charges. That’s what people remember.
Fixed Indexed Annuities = zero downside + upside participation + no annual fees on most. The game changed.
How they work: Your money is linked to an index like the S&P 500. When the market goes up, you get a portion of the gain (up to a cap). When it drops, your account stays flat. You never lose principal to the market.
The line: “It’s like being at the casino, up $50k, and someone lets you lock in your chips. The market can’t take them back.”
Close it: “That’s exactly why I’d want my specialist to walk you through the difference. He can show you the math in 15 minutes. No pitch — just clarity.”
If you're handling more than two objections per call, go back to the framework. You're skipping the Tee-Up step.
You found the money. You teed up the call. Now hand the prospect to your advisor and let them close. Everything happens inside the portal.
One time only. Email + password. Bookmark setmoreannuities.com/portal on your phone home screen.
Hit + New Appointment. Pick the advisor. Their Calendly loads automatically — book the slot with the prospect on the line.
Quick intake — name, phone, age, state, income, build quality, notes. Hit submit. Your advisor gets notified instantly.
Your Commission Math
Larger cases scale linearly. The portal has a calculator on the Overview tab.
Set up the next call so the prospect shows up ready.
Your advisor gets notified the second you hit submit. They run the discovery call. If it fits, they walk the prospect through the plan and close. You see status flip from pending → scheduled → closed in your pipeline. Commission posts when the deal funds.
The handoff IS your close.
submit · track · get paid
On a call right now? No scrolling. No theory. Just the moves.
This is your ammo. Every call. No exceptions.
Found money? Never pitch. Tell a story.
Tie the appointment to their concern. Then book.