Brent D. Gardner, CLU, ChFC

Burt Meisel has had a tremendous impact on how I conduct my business, primarily in estate planning for business owners.

Here are some of my favorite quotations from Mr. Meisel:

• Would you prefer I’m honest or diplomatic?
• You can avoid the premium but you can’t avoid the problem.
• You ought to give everything away on your deathbed but it takes darn good timing.
• Section 6166—it is a “buy-now-pay-later" plan. They never work.
• It doesn’t matter who is right, but what is right.
• By buying life insurance, your family’s destiny is in your control.
• When you are disabled, would you prefer a check or a get-well card?
• These are trying and difficult times. I keep trying and you keep being difficult.
• The will to win means nothing if you don’t have the will to prepare.
• If you work for money only, you are always underpaid.
• If you don’t do the estate planning right you can lose the ball game on the last play.
• As you go down the road, the theory kind of goes out the window and reality sets in.
• Any interview that deals in price and product and not needs, isn’t going anywhere.
• It is paper wealth, but it is taxed.
• Nobody thinks this is his or her last day.
• Life insurance is like a parachute. If you don’t have it on and in place when you need it, you won’t need it again.
• A critic is one who hides in the hills while the battle is going on, then later comes down and shoots and loots the   wounded.
• There is a difference between a bargain and a value.
• It is so difficult to live within one’s income. How can the survivors live without one?
• Don’t leave your family as hostage to chance, luck or charity.
• A lie will run out. The truth will work out
• The insurance agent fills a void, things people can not do for themselves.
• I will go away if you want me to but the problem won’t.

We lost Burt this last year, and his sage wisdom will be sorely missed.