Lifestyle Scenarios to Drive Better Conversations and Close More Gaps
The Scenario function in Lifestyle Planning isn’t just a cool visual tool — it’s a strategic lever for deeper conversations, clearer client understanding, and more targeted solutions.
By stress-testing a client’s current financial setup, advisors can highlight potential blind spots and open the door to highly relevant planning opportunities.
Here are some powerful scenario ideas you can start using — and how each benefits both you and your client:
1️⃣ Critical Illness – Stop & Reduced Income
💬 Description:
Simulate the financial shock of a critical illness by combining a full income stop followed by a permanent income drop. Even after recovery, clients may not return to their previous earning power due to health limitations or career disruption.
⚙️ Settings:
Stop income: Age 51–55
Reduced income: 30% from 56 to retirement
🎯 Advisor Benefit:
Clearly shows the income gap caused by illness — making it easier to position CI coverage or review whether current coverage is truly sufficient.
2️⃣ Early Critical Illness – Reduced Income Over Time
💬 Description:
Early CI often doesn't fully stop income, but it can force a job switch or reduced hours. This impacts earning capacity and can strain financial obligations even if the client is still working.
⚙️ Settings:
Reduced income: 35% for 5 years (or till retirement if permanent)
🎯 Advisor Benefit:
Helps frame the importance of early CI coverage, which is often undervalued — even a "mild" illness can derail financial progress.
3️⃣ Disability After Retirement – Rising Non-Medical Costs
💬 Description:
Disability after retirement is often overlooked, yet it brings high non-medical expenses (e.g., caregivers, alternative therapies). Shield plans don’t cover these, and out-of-pocket costs can be significant.
⚙️ Settings:
Recurring Expenses (Inflation-adjusted): $1,000/month from age 72–85 (Illustrate Happened Out of Disability Coverage Period)
🎯 Advisor Benefit:
Positions products like CareShield supplements (Higher Amount), long-term disability coverage, or even accumulation plans to cover these rising risks which accumulation plans can also serves as retirement funding if disability doesn’t occur.
4️⃣ Rising Shield Plan Costs – Retirement Expense Blind Spot
💬 Description:
Integrated Shield Plan riders can become a growing burden post-retirement. For example, a $100/month premium at age 65 could escalate significantly with inflation.
⚙️ Settings:
Recurring Expenses (Infl): $100/month from age 65–85
Projected for a client in their 30s now, this could total up to $70,000+ by then
🎯 Advisor Benefit:
Creates a compelling need for accumulation planning, helping clients prepare not just for lifestyle, but to cover fixed medical costs they might not have considered.
