NEW YORK, August 20, 2020 — MetLife announced today that Barnum Financial Group, a financial planning and wealth management firm headquartered in Connecticut, will lead the nationwide delivery of MetLife’s award-winning PlanSmart® financial education programs, Transition Solutions and Retirewise. Through this strategic alliance, Barnum’s in-house financial experts and advisors throughout their nationwide partner network will conduct financial wellness workshops for workforces across the country, as well as provide guidance to MetLife customers regarding their group life conversion options.
“MetLife has been providing industry-leading financial education to workplaces for over two decades,” said Meredith Ryan-Reid, head of Financial Wellness & Engagement at MetLife. “Our rich history, coupled with Barnum’s market reach and advisor infrastructure, will take our financial education offerings to new heights.”
PlanSmart is a key component of MetLife’s expanding financial wellness focus, addressing workforce demand for products and services that boost financial literacy and confidence. MetLife’s 17th annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study revealed that while 80% of employees want access to financial planning workshops or tools, only 20% of employers offer such programs, highlighting a significant opportunity for companies aiming to build employee resiliency during times of increased stress and uncertainty. In addition to the workshops and advisor-driven consultations that Barnum will lead, MetLife also offers digital and phone-based financial wellness solutions through a relationship with Ernst & Young (EY).
“MetLife and Barnum Financial Group have a shared passion for giving people the tools and insights they need to to pursue their dreams with confidence,” said Paul Blanco, CEO, Barnum. “From consulting on money management and budgeting strategies, to offering guidance on investing and financial planning, PlanSmart enables our trained advisors to meet employees wherever they are on their financial wellness journeys.”
About MetLife
MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the world’s leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.
About Barnum Financial Group
Serving 50 states with offices in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island, Barnum Financial Group has appoximatly 400 licensed and credentialed financial service representatives and staff dedicated to providing customized advice, strategic solutions, and financial education to clients at all different life stages with expertise in financial planning, insurance protection, income generation, college funding, tax minimization, estate planning, and elder care and special care planning.
Barnum offers a full range of investment and risk management products and services from industry leading providers through its open architecture platforms. The firm has over 250,000 clients, including individuals and their families, as well as businesses, corporations, government entities, and not-for-profit organizations and their employees, in all fifty states. Barnum Financial Group’s financial service representatives manage $17 billion in assets. For more information, visit www.barnumfinancialgroup.com.
Media Contacts:
MetLife: Rachel Pokay
rpokay@metlife.com
(331) 452-4122
Barnum Financial Group: Pat Connor
pconnor1@barnumfg.com
(203) 623-2261
