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Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Humpty Dumpty Was Really a Blonde
A Personal Memoir and Advisory Summary
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Humpty Dumpty the Blonde
Humpty Dumpty had a slip and fall and all the king’s horses and the king’s greatest men continually attempted to piece Humpty back together again. They tried and they tried with all of their might and always put up such a valiant fight. To mend the young broken egg who crumbled like a shell, to piece back together the egg to make whole. We honor and cherish your gallant efforts to achieve a life again given to the woman in such dire need.
By: Monica Soltes, April 2005
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Disability Facts and Misconceptions
• Over 37 million Americans are classified as disabled
– 12% of the total population
– 50% are 18-64
• More than one in four 20 year olds entering the workforce today will experience a disability before the end of their career
• 8.9 million workers are receiving SSDI today (over 5% of the workforce)
Sources: Council for Disability Awareness Statistics, 2013, SSA.gov Basic Facts 2013
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Disability Facts and Misconceptions
• The average long term disability lasts over two and a half years
• The chances of a 32 year old becoming disabled prior to retirement are 3.45 times greater than their chance of dying
• 62% of personal bankruptcies in 2007 were related to medical conditions, even though ¾ of these were people who had health insurance
Sources: Council for Disability Awareness Statistics, 2013, SSA.gov Basic Facts 2013
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Disability Facts and Misconceptions
• 69% of the private sector workforce has no private long-term disability insurance
• Over 80% of physicians have disability insurance – what do they know that others don’t?
Sources: Council for Disability Awareness Statistics, 2013, SSA.gov Basic Facts 2013
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
Social Security Disability Insurance
My monthly benefit of $2300.00 is in the top 1% of female worker beneficiaries
Average monthly SSDI benefit for female worker beneficiaries
Average monthly benefit for female worker beneficiaries: $993.00
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration – Annual Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2012
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Disability Insurance Benefits
• Not just the $$$
• Help applying for SSDI (if applicable)
– 71% of LTD claimants in 2012 also qualified for SSDI
• Return-to-Work assistance
– Less than 1% of SSDI beneficiaries get back to work
Source: Council for Disability Awareness Long Term Disability Claims Review, 2013
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Access to Disability Benefits in the Workplace
What’s available?
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Affordable Care Act
• Taking focus away from disability • Limited employee and employer attention span • Reduced HR staffing / budget • Confusion – complex regulations
• Opportunity for brokers and employers • Relatively low cost, especially voluntary plans • Employers who are eliminating healthcare coverage can
strengthen benefits package with disability • Education is the key, brokers have a critical role
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Voluntary Benefits
• Disability
• Life
• Accident
• Hospital Indemnity
• Critical Illness
• Long Term Care
• Vision
• Dental
• Stress Management
• Wellness
• Legal Aid
• Smoking Cessation
• Mental Health Counselling
• Financial Planning and Education
• Credit Lending
• Final Expense
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Why don’t people sell disability?
• 66% of agents say “because clients don’t ask” is the reason they don’t sell disability insurance
Source: LIMRA, Producer Perspectives on Disability Insurance, 2009
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Employees Need Help
• 64% of workers say their chance of long term disability during their career is 1% or 2% - for almost everyone, regardless of age or health, it’s much higher
• 58% of adults say they are covered by disability insurance – only around 33% actually are
Sources: Council for Disability Awareness, The Disability Divide Consumer Awareness Study, 2010 America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), 2004 and SSA.gov Basic Facts 2013
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
What do employees value?
Cash is nice, but... Employees value these benefits even more than cash
Source: Sun Life Financial Voluntary Products Survey, 2009
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
The Council for Disability Awareness
Help is available:
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Council for Disability Awareness
• Nonprofit, raising awareness about the risk and financial impact of disability
• Supported by 20 leading disability insurers (individual and group)
• Provides educational resources that can be used by insurers, brokers and others
• Frequent media coverage and contributions
www.DefendYourIncome.org
Toolkits for advisors and employers:
DefendYourIncome.org/advisors
Defendyourincome.org/employers
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
Life Today
• Diagnosis / prognosis
• Daily life
• Pre-existing conditions limitations
Monica Soltes Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
What Next for Humpty Dumpty?
• Public Speaking
• Writing
• Amtrak Writer’s Residency?
• Homes / Careers for Disabled
• Certified Voluntary Benefits Specialist
• Further Professional Education and Development
Humpty Dumpty Was Really A Blonde
Thank you for listening to my tale.
Monica Soltes [email protected]
(248) 874-5693