The Advanced Markets unit of John Hancock Life Insurance Company, Boston, has developed two technology tools that aim to help producers better meet the needs of key client groups: high net worth customers and small business owners.
One tool, Business Analyzer, lets producers help business owners determine the most appropriate non-qualified plan options available to help them address retirement and estate planning objectives for themselves and for key employees.
The second tool, Estate Tax Calculator, projects estate values and potential estate taxes due by high net worth clients.
Business Analyzer is an interactive decision-tree tool that facilitates data gathering to help advisors narrow non-qualified plan options, such as a restricted endorsement bonus arrangement, supplemental executive retirement plan or executive bonus plan.
Tax Calculator also enables producers to show clients the gift taxes due on a new gift, or estate taxes due on an estate that has made prior taxable gifts.
Pacific Life Funds, a unit of Pacific Life Insurance Company, Newport Beach, Calif., announced the addition of three new mutual funds to its line of options for investors seeking income. The new fixed-income funds are: the PL Short Duration Income Fund, the PL Strategic Income Fund, and the PL High Income Fund. Existing funds
include the PL Income Fund and the PL Floating Rate Income Fund.
According to the company, key characteristics of the new funds are:
• PL Short Duration Income Fund: Designed for investors seeking current income with protection against sudden or large interest-rate changes. Short-term bonds provide income with less sensitivity to interest rate movements.