Medicare For Financial Advisors
Medicare planning for advisors & their clients
Help Your Clients Navigate Medicare with a Trusted Specialist
We partner with financial advisors to help clients make informed Medicare decisions, avoid costly coverage mistakes, and integrate healthcare planning into retirement planning.
Why Financial Advisors Partner With Us
Retirement planning goes beyond investments and income. Healthcare decisions—particularly Medicare—can materially impact a client’s retirement cash flow, tax planning, and long-term financial strategy.
That’s where we come in. We serve as a specialized Medicare resource for advisors and their clients.
Medicare Guidance For Your Clients
- Medicare enrollment education
- Medicare Supplement vs. Medicare Advantage comparisons
- Prescription drug plan guidance
- Dental, vision, and ancillary coverage solutions
- Coverage reviews for clients relocating or retiring in another state
Support For Your Planning Process
- Help identify healthcare costs that may impact retirement income planning
- Assist clients in evaluating premiums and out-of-pocket exposure
- Reduce risk of costly Medicare enrollment penalties or coverage mistakes
- Serve as a resource when Medicare questions arise during client reviews
Benefits To Your Practice
Protect Client Relationships
When clients have questions about Medicare, you have a trusted specialist to bring into the conversation.
Enhance Your Value Prop
Adding healthcare planning support can deepen your planning process and differentiate your practice. Healthcare costs can affect withdrawal strategies, cash flow planning, and long-term projections.
Save Time (& Clients Money)
Instead of spending hours navigating Medicare rules, you can refer clients to a dedicated resource. Mistakes with Medicare enrollment can cost clients money, some penalties can even be lifelong. That adds up.
How We Work with Advisors
1. Introductory Conversation
We meet with you to understand your practice and how you prefer to position Medicare guidance to clients.
2. Client Support
When a Medicare question arises, you introduce Brian as a trusted specialist resource.
3. Ongoing Collaboration
Brian and his team support your clients directly while keeping communication professional and aligned with your relationship. Advisors are encouraged to join all of our calls. Brian acts as an extension of your firm.
The Opposite of a 1-800 Number
When you introduce a client to Brian Krantz, you are not sending them into a call center or handing them off to a generic 1-800 number. You are connecting them to a trusted specialist who delivers the same high-touch, personalized service your clients expect from you. Brian provides thoughtful, one-on-one guidance tailored to each client’s needs, with the experience to work effectively with high-net-worth individuals and the complexities that often come with retirement planning.
Clients receive trusted advice from a true Medicare expert, not a transactional experience — and advisors gain confidence knowing their clients are being cared for with professionalism, responsiveness, and white-glove service that reflects well on their own practice.
Resources for Advisors
We also support advisors with educational resources you can share with clients, including:
- Medicare planning guides
- Enrollment checklists
- Client-friendly educational content
- Medicare webinars and educational presentations for client events
Why Advisors Choose Brian Krantz as Their Medicare Partner
Brian works alongside advisors as a specialized resource focused on helping clients make informed Medicare decisions.
Clients appreciate having guidance in a complex area, and advisors value having a reliable partner they can confidently introduce.
Frequently Asked Questions Financial Advisors Have About Medicare
When should a client start planning for Medicare?
Ideally, clients should begin evaluating Medicare options several months before turning 65 or leaving employer coverage. Early planning can help avoid penalties, coverage gaps, and rushed decisions.
How does Medicare fit into retirement income planning?
Healthcare costs, premiums, out-of-pocket exposure, and coverage decisions can all affect retirement cash flow. Medicare planning can be an important part of a broader retirement strategy.
How do I know whether a client should consider Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage?
It depends on the client’s priorities, provider preferences, budget, and risk tolerance. We help clients evaluate the tradeoffs and determine which path may be appropriate.
Can Medicare decisions affect a client’s taxes?
Potentially, yes. Medicare premiums — including income-related surcharges (IRMAA) — may be influenced by income levels, which can intersect with tax planning strategies.
What is IRMAA, and when should advisors be concerned about it?
IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) is an income-based surcharge that can increase Medicare premiums for higher-income clients. It is often relevant for affluent retirees and clients managing income distributions.
What happens if a client misses Medicare enrollment deadlines?
Missing deadlines can result in penalties, delayed coverage, or fewer enrollment options depending on the situation. Proper planning can help clients avoid these issues.
How do you help clients transitioning off employer coverage?
We help clients understand timing, enrollment rules, and coverage options when retiring or moving off employer-sponsored benefits.
Can you help clients evaluate healthcare costs in retirement?
Yes. We can help clients understand premiums, potential out-of-pocket exposure, and other healthcare-related considerations that may affect planning assumptions.
Do you work directly with advisors and keep us informed?
Yes. We work as a resource to support the advisor relationship and can coordinate in a way that aligns with your client service model.
Is there a cost for advisors or clients to work with you?
No. Our guidance is provided at no direct cost to the client.
How does Medicare interact with HSA planning?
Clients generally cannot continue contributing to a Health Savings Account once enrolled in any part of Medicare. Because many clients are automatically enrolled in Part A at age 65 when claiming Social Security—and some enroll retroactively—timing matters. Coordinating Medicare enrollment with HSA contribution planning can help clients avoid unintended tax consequences.
Can Roth conversions impact Medicare premiums?
Yes. Roth conversions can increase modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), which may trigger higher Medicare Part B and Part D premiums through IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount). For some clients, it makes sense to evaluate the long-term tax benefits of a conversion alongside the potential near-term Medicare premium impact.
How do Required Minimum Distributions affect IRMAA?
Required Minimum Distributions can increase taxable income and potentially push a client into a higher IRMAA bracket, resulting in higher Medicare premiums. This is often an important consideration in distribution planning and may warrant proactive income management strategies.
What should clients know about Medicare and long-term care planning?
Medicare generally does not cover custodial long-term care, such as extended nursing home stays or ongoing assistance with activities of daily living. Many clients mistakenly assume it does. Understanding this distinction is important when evaluating long-term care insurance, asset protection planning, or other strategies.
How should advisors think about healthcare costs in retirement projections?
Healthcare costs can be a meaningful expense in retirement and may include Medicare premiums, supplemental coverage, prescription drug costs, dental and vision expenses, and potential out-of-pocket exposure. Incorporating these costs into retirement income planning can help create more realistic projections and avoid surprises later.
Looking for a Trusted Medicare Resource for Your Clients?
Let’s discuss how we can support your practice.