How I get paid

You should know how anyone advising you makes money before you take their advice. Here's mine, including the parts that are less tidy.

The short version

You don't pay me. I'm paid a commission by the insurance company whose plan you end up choosing. Your premium is the same whether you enroll through me, through another agent, or entirely on your own — there is no "agent markup," and going direct doesn't get you a discount.

If you don't enroll in anything, I'm not paid. That's the honest shape of it, and it's why I'd rather spend a first call working out whether you even need to do anything.

Medicare Advantage and Part D

This is the cleanest case. Medicare sets a maximum commission that any agent can be paid for these plans, and it's the same across every carrier offering them in your area. There's also a lower renewal amount in the years after the first.

Because the amount doesn't change based on which company you pick, I have no financial reason to steer you toward one over another. That is genuinely unusual in financial services, and it's worth understanding when you're deciding who to trust.

Medigap and life insurance — where it does vary

I'd rather tell you this than have you find out later. For Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans, life insurance, and annuities, commissions are set by each insurance company rather than by Medicare, and they are not identical. Some products pay more than others.

So there is a real conflict of interest, and here's how I handle it:

I'll tell you when a recommendation involves a product that pays me more, and why I still think it fits.
Medigap plans are standardized by law — a Plan G is a Plan G at every company. Where the coverage is identical, price and the company's track record on rate increases are what matter, and I'll show you both.
If the right answer is to do nothing, or to keep what you already have, I'll say so. I'd rather have a client for twenty years than a commission this month.
Ask me directly what I'd be paid on anything I suggest. I'll answer.

What I'm not

I'm an independent agent, not a captive one — I'm not employed by an insurance company and not required to sell any particular company's products. I also don't represent every plan available in your area, and no agent does. That's exactly why the disclosure at the bottom of every page points you to Medicare.gov and 1-800-MEDICARE, where you can see everything.

Still want to ask about it?

Good. It's the right question, and I'd rather you asked it now.

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