ICL financial services: optimizing benefits for asset protection or transfer, and employer-employee benefit programs.

• Author: McCorkle, Vern C.
• Position: ICL Financial Services

Most people, including business owners, know that finding someone to help them mind their money or make smart decisions about business benefits or financial planning programs is seldom an easy thing to do. Those who know about ICL Financial Services consider themselves fortunate.

ICL is in its 30th year of advising individuals and business owners on the intricacies of protecting accumulated wealth, wise investing strategies and economical, effective employee benefits packages. The company was founded by Bruce O. Moore, president, who also heads ICL's business and estate planning division. The firm is comprised of two additional units: the employee benefits and financial services divisions.

INTEGRITY AND RELATIONSHIPS

"The most important thing that we have to offer," says Moore, "is our integrity and 30 years' experience of established relationships with a wide range of financial professionals." ICL's clients engage them because of their credibility and track record, according to friendly competitors and associated industry practitioners. Moore noted that ICL's clients are most often introduced to the firm by other professionals, such as financial planners, bankers, CPAs, attorneys and consultants. These professionals have come to know and rely on the fact that by referring their clients to ICL for planning services they are helping the clients to establish and accomplish their own long-term goals. Other referral sources include business owners and their relatives, those having financial resources to protect or invest.

The professional staff at ICL specializes in translating and communicating complicated or complex technical, financial or legal terms into plain language, culminating in the development of strategy options and follow-through methods for wealth accumulation or generational transfer.

Recently, the firm established a corporate relationship with Northrim Bank to provide services for its customers.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

The division handles several hundred closely held small businesses for which ICL recommends medical, dental, long and short-term disability, life insurance and ancillary coverages. "Our expertise is in working with companies of 10 to 100 employees, and developing systems that maximize efficiencies and economies for small businesses," explains Ross Blaker and Joshua Weinstein, division heads. They have almost 40 years of combined experience in connecting employers to appropriate insurance providers, overseeing contract...