MassMutual Underwrites New Designation CSNC
The American College
The American College is a non-profit educational institution with the highest level of academic accreditation dedicated to leadership in innovative training and development for financial services professionals.
Planning for the long-term financial security of a loved one with a developmental or physical disability can become very complex. Without the help of properly trained financial advisors, families of limited means can easily encounter unexpected challenges such as significant unreimbursed medical or therapy expenses.
Serving this underserved and greatly deserving market segment has become easier thanks to a partnership between The American College and MassMutual. The College launched the new Chartered Special Needs Consultant™ (CSNC™) designation to better prepare financial advisors to assist families with special needs members.
The CSNC™ is currently being underwritten by Mass Mutual and is available exclusively to the company’s agents until mid-2013. The designation grew from the SpecialCareSM program, which gives special needs families access to information, specialists, financial products and services that can help improve the quality of life for people with disabilities and special needs.
“We are so firmly committed to getting special needs families the life care planning help they need that we are underwriting the curriculum development of the CSNC™ designation with The American College,” said Joanne Gruszkos, founder and director of MassMutual’s SpecialCareSM program. “MassMutual is working with The American College because it is the unquestioned leader in financial education.”
Nearly 100 MassMutual students have enrolled in the first course, Introduction to Disabilities, which was developed by Arcadia University professors Dr. Graciela Slesaransky-Poe and Dr. Christina Ager. The second course, Legal and Financial Issues for Special Needs Families, was developed by Theodore T. Kurlowicz, JD, LLM, CLU®, ChFC®, CAP®. The third course, Financial Planning for Special Needs, will be a capstone course taught by adjunct professor Thomas M. Brinker, Jr., JD, LLM, ChFC®. The last two courses cover topics such as the importance of special needs trusts, taxation issues, wills, powers-of-attorney and guardianships.
“This is the first program of this kind at this level,” said Kurlowicz. “There is not a tax book written on this subject at the level of a financial advisor. The key to a course like this is outlining how a financial advisor can ensure the best quality of care and the best lifestyle for a person with special needs or disabilities.”
The CSNC™ and the new Chartered Healthcare Consultant ™ comprise a tag team of designations launched in 2010 that proves The College’s responsiveness in continually identifying and fulfilling the needs of the marketplace. The CSNC™ designation is considered central to the eventual establishment of a proposed Center for Special Needs at The American College.
“The College wants to be at the forefront of the special needs marketplace, to do the research and educate advisors so families with special needs members can avoid financial devastation caused by poor planning,” said Allen McLellan, CLU®, ChFC®, CASL®, CFP®, Associate Dean.
