New Training Better Prepares Modesto, California Financial Services Professional to Help Families With Special Needs

MODESTO, Calif., Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Zeiter has received the newly developed Chartered Special Needs Consultant (CSNC) designation. Zeiter is a financial services professional with Miceli Financial Partners, a general agency of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual).

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MassMutual, in conjunction with The American College, created the designation to better prepare financial services professionals to help families with special needs plan for their children's future proactively.

The CSNC curriculum initially is available only to MassMutual and its agents and grew from the company's SpecialCare(SM) program, which gives families access to information, specialists, financial products and services that can help improve the quality of life for people with disabilities and special needs. The designation will be available industry-wide in 2013.

"The drive for training and the commitment undertaken by Michael, underscores that actions speak louder than words," said MassMutual General Agent, Drew Miceli. "Families with children with special needs can rest assured that MassMutual and its financial services professionals are well-prepared to help families navigate the long-term course to help secure a strong financial future."

In order to earn the new designation, financial services professionals must complete a rigorous set of three academic classes that build on an earlier training program that provided a Special Care Planner certification exclusively for MassMutual financial professionals. The new designation requires completion of several additional classroom hours and passing grades on a series of exams to test basic knowledge.

MassMutual has been reaching out since 2004 to the families of the over five million children with special needs in America* through its SpecialCare program and has experienced the quickly growing need for help with life care planning. Partly in answer to this growing unmet need, MassMutual has joined forces with Easter Seals to sponsor research on autism and adults with special needs, supported the development of a documentary on the issues that children with autism face upon becoming adults and has been providing educational resources to help parents and their children meet the challenges of life care planning.

Financial professionals who achieve the CSNC will have completed 120 hours of course study at the American College over three courses developed by recognized experts in the field.

The first course is an introductory session developed to provide orientation to working with individuals with disabilities and their families. The subsequent two classes cover such topics as the importance of special needs trusts, taxation issues, wills, powers-of-attorney and guardianships and how to successfully incorporate the Special Needs Community into financial needs practice.

For more information about MassMutual's SpecialCare program visit MassMutual's SpecialCare resource center at www.massmutual.com/specialcare.

* According to the US Census Bureau's 2006 Americans with Disabilities report

About MassMutual

Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyholders.  The company has a long history of financial strength and strong performance, and although dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid dividends to eligible participating policyholders every year since the 1860s. With whole life insurance as its foundation, MassMutual provides products to help meet the financial needs of clients, such as life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, retirement/401(k) plan services, and annuities. In addition, the company's strong and growing network of financial professionals helps clients make good financial decisions for the long-term.

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.  MassMutual is headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts and its major affiliates include: Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MassMutual International LLC; MML Investors Services, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC; OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB.

For more information, visit massmutual.com.

Securities, investment advisory and financial planning services through MML Investors Services, LLC. Member SIPC. 101 Metro Drive, Suite 550, San Jose, CA  95110; (408) 286-4010

SOURCE MassMutual