Wow, What a Year!

2024 is almost in the books and we’ve had a lot happen at Life Planning Partners, Inc.



• We had an incredible 20^th year in business celebration
• We added Tanner Merritt as a financial planner
• Camrie made the move to 100% remote so she could explore living in areas outside Jacksonville
• Carolyn was honored with the Alexandra Armstrong Lifetime Achievement Award – thank you for supporting our efforts to lift the financial planning profession
• We are moving full steam ahead in our succession planning

What are our plans for 2025?

We are excited to build out the succession plan. As we have discussed in the past – this is a very long process with plans for Carolyn to start cutting back in three years and be totally out the door in eight to nine years. We want a successful internal transition because that will create the highest likelihood of our continued great culture, service, and reasonable fees. We hope for your support throughout this process.

First, we are adding one more advisor to the roster and that search will begin early this year.

Next, Tanner, Camrie, and the new advisor will be doing all of the regular estate reports, projections, and tax planning. Matthew will continue the insurance and Brett will continue investments. Carolyn will make sure their reports continue to follow our excellent standards.

Each planner will lead more of the discussions in our planning meetings. We all know it will be a challenge for Carolyn to be quiet during these discussions, but she is ready. Also, the other planners will be doing more of the “one off” requests we frequently get, such as helping think through job changes, making major purchases, or contemplating a move.

What do we need from you to be successful? Mainly keep being great clients. You can email any of us at any time, and we will get the request to the appropriate person. If you are having concerns about how this transition is going, please share your concerns. We can’t fix it if we don’t know about it. Also, we are happy to take suggestions anytime about anything.

It would be great if you can be responsive to whichever team member is reaching out to you. Years ago, a client fondly nicknamed Carolyn “Yippee Dog” and she has worn that label proudly. Now, the other planners are going to take on more of that characteristic to make sure all your planning work is done. Thank goodness we don’t have to yip too often because you all are wonderful about follow through for the most part.

Thank you again for being a part of the Life Planning Partner family. We love what we do and couldn’t do it without you. Who knows what the future holds, but we are going to do our best to make it great.

Property and Casualty Insurance Landscape

By Matthew Snead

As we look ahead to 2025, homeowners and car insurance markets are experiencing significant shifts driven by various factors, including economic conditions, climate change, and evolving consumer behavior. We are paying attention to these trends to help you make informed decisions about your insurance needs.

In 2024, the insurance landscape was marked by rising premiums and changing coverage options as many insurers adjusted to the new landscape. Homeowners insurance rates climbed steadily, largely due to increased claims related to natural disasters and severe weather events. Hurricanes, wildfires, and flooding led insurers to reassess their risk models, resulting in higher premiums for policyholders in high-risk areas.

Similarly, car insurance has seen a surge in rates, driven by factors such as inflation, increased repair costs due to advanced technology in vehicles, and a rise in accident claims. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average annual car insurance premium rose by nearly 10% since 2020. This trend is expected to continue.

What is likely to happen in the future?

As governments seek to address the impacts of climate change and the resulting economic pressures on consumers, new regulations may emerge that affect insurance pricing and coverage requirements. This could include mandates for additional coverage in high-risk areas or incentives for adopting eco-friendly practices. These changes may cause many homeowners to reassess their insurance options or even consider relocating.

Inflation and potential tariffs could also be a significant factor influencing insurance rates. Rising costs for materials and labor impact both home repair and vehicle maintenance, leading to increased claims costs. This could result in further hikes in both homeowners and car insurance premiums.

What can Life Planning Partners do to help you?

Although we are not insurance agents, we act as your advocate in helping you with the insurance process as part of your ongoing planning. We can help compare quotes from different insurers to ensure you receive the best rates for the coverage needed; assist with bundling your homeowners and auto insurance with the same provider to secure significant discounts; and recommend the addition of advanced safety features to help lower your premiums.   

One caveat - although insurance agents are generally good people just trying to make a living, the insurance organizations they work for stack the deck against consumers. The insurers intentionally make it very difficult to understand all the nooks and crannies of your policies. We rely on agents to help make sure your coverage is up to par, and they don’t always understand the nooks and crannies themselves. If something goes awry, the insurers and their agents are ultimately liable. When the time comes to make a claim, we’ll help you work with the insurance companies throughout the claims process and do our best to hold them accountable to their promises.