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Empire Life Insight - February 29 2016
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February 29, 2016

 

Effective February 1, 2016, we are pleased to announce new rates for our Solution 10 and Solution 20 term life insurance.

These new rates will significantly improve the overall competitive positioning of initial premiums for Solution 10 and Solution 20 in our key target audiences.

For more details, including transition rules, check out our information circular

 

Policyholder tax reporting for 2015 and RRSP season 2016

Deposits to a registered plan received within the first sixty (60) days of 2016 are eligible as a tax deduction for the 2015 or 2016 taxation year. A tax receipt will be issued stating that this deposit was made in the first 60 days of the year. This year, the deadline for a 2015 tax receipt is Monday, February 29, 2016.

Read Information Circular 2016-01 for important 2015 tax reporting and RRSP season 2016 cutoff dates for all Empire Life investment plans.

 

Best Practices Handbook revised

Our recently revised Best Practices Handbook (formerly Distribution Partner Reference Guide) is now available in the Compliance section of the Advisor website.  This Handbook will provide advisors will a summary of industry best practices and regulatory requirements and includes many links to resources that will assist advisors in meeting their requirements.

 

Simple and Access it anywhere - Advisors speak out about their experience with Fast & Full

Advisors have been speaking out about Fast & Full, our easy-to-use, online life insurance application process that helps them save time, see more clients, and reduce paperwork.

To hear first hand what this “Fan of Fast & Full” is saying, check out this short video of Brock Schultz, Riverside Financial Group."

 

Updated Commission and Compensation Schedules

We have recently updated our commission and compensation schedules and have made additions to the FundSERV sections. Please refer to Information Circular 2016-06 for more details.

 

2015 year-end distributions for Empire Life Investments mutual funds

Visit the Empire Life Investments website for the 2015 year-end mutual fund distributions. They are based on income and capital gains earned by the Funds in the taxation year to December 18, 2015.

 

Notice

When delivering a policy, advisors must make sure the information noted on the application and related signed declarations is still complete and correct, and has​ not changed since the application was completed. All insureds must confirm whether there have been changes in their health or any other information previously provided, that could affect the underwriting decision. Such changes must be noted on the Policy Delivery Receipt for additional underwriting ​review. If there have been changes, the advisor should not deliver the policy.
By signing the delivery receipt, all owners and insureds acknowledge that all statements and answers provided on the application and delivery documentation, including the policy delivery receipt, ​are true as of the date of policy delivery. If any of the statements are incomplete or untrue, the insurance coverage may not be valid and a claim could be denied.​

 

Mailing T4As and Relevé 1s for our Distribution Partners and Advisors

Our Mailroom has been hard at work mailing the tax slips and the mailing is complete.You can expect to receive your T4A and Releve tax slips shortly.

 

Winners of 2015 FundGrade A+ Awards!

We’re pleased to announce Empire Life and Empire Life Investments Inc. won 2015 Fundata A+ Awards. Empire Life Asset Allocation Fund and Empire Life Elite Balanced Fund won for segregated funds, and Empire Life Emblem Growth Portfolio won for mutual funds. The award-winning funds exemplify a conservative, value-oriented, disciplined investment style, with a strong emphasis on providing downside protection to help build wealth.

Find out more about the award winning funds.

 

Start a conversation with our new Emblem video!

Our new Emblem video makes it easy to engage with clients and prospects. Available in a segregated fund version and mutual fund version, it explains the benefits of Emblem in terms your clients will understand and appreciate. You pick up the conversation from there!

 

iGIC. Fast. Easy. 24/7

This RSP season try our online GIC application. With its simplified application process and electronic document delivery, iGIC makes it fast and convenient for you to do GIC business and provide all the advantages of GICs to your clients!
Learn more.

 

Reminder For RRIF Policy Holders

You may have some RRIF policy holders that are eligible to re-contribute a portion of the amount that they received from their RRIF in 2015. Changes came into effect on April 21, 2015 as part of the federal government’s budget ("Economic Action Plan 2015”) that reduced the amount that must be withdrawn from Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIF) for the 2015 and subsequent taxation years. Your customers have up until February 29, 2016 to make a re-contribution.

Additional information about re-contributions related to changes in the RRIF minimums is available online here.

The CRA website also provides more information on the RRIF minimum changes here.

 

Tip of the Week

Did you know that...we have made some updates to our Investment Administrative Reference Guide. The guide has lots of important information on policy administration requirements. You can access it on our website under Support/Administrative Guidelines.