Insurance Review Services · Objective LTC & Life Planning
Insurance Portfolio Review Specialist
(925) 708-6501 · bertltccpas@gmail.com · LTCCPAs.com · linkedin.com/in/withbertpayne
CPA · CGMA · FCA (England & Wales) · Chartered Accountant · CA License No. 0E90257
★ Appointed HelpVet Advisor (2026–2028)
Professionals carefully manage their investments — yet often go years without reviewing their insurance. That gap is where costly surprises hide. As a CPA, FCA, and former Internal Audit Manager at a major life insurer, I analyze policies line by line, as underwriters do.
Through Insurance Review Services, I deliver independent, strategy-driven reviews that align your coverage with today’s goals — not yesterday’s assumptions — for professionals, executives, business owners, and high-net-worth families throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. The objective is clear: maximize benefit, minimize cost, and ensure that no premium dollar is wasted.
“My background is not in selling insurance. It is in the independent auditing, analysis, and evaluation of financial structures. That same discipline applies to every policy review — no carrier bias, no promotional agenda, no pressure.”
All I need is your in-force illustration, obtained directly from your insurer.
Side-by-side comparisons; transparent analysis with no jargon.
I work alongside your CPA, attorney, and wealth advisor.
I help professionals, business owners, retirees, and families evaluate long-term care and life insurance options using a CPA’s analytical framework. Whether you are a high-income executive protecting your estate, a business owner exploring C-corporation deduction strategies, or a family member helping an aging parent plan for care costs, I bring the same rigorous analysis to every situation.
My clients span the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond — CPAs, attorneys, physicians, real estate investors, trust beneficiaries, and retirees who want an objective second opinion before making one of the most consequential financial decisions of their retirement years.
Most insurance agents are licensed to sell — but few have the financial training to audit. As a CPA and Chartered Accountant, I evaluate every policy through the lens of tax efficiency, cash flow impact, and long-term financial security. I do not simply ask “what does this policy cover?” — I ask, “is this the most financially efficient way to protect your assets?” That distinction matters enormously for business owners, corporate executives, trust beneficiaries, and high-income professionals.
A CPA-trained advisor considers:
| Distinction | What It Means |
|---|---|
| CPA Credential | Most agents are licensed to sell — but few have the financial training to audit. Bert brings both. |
| Specialist Focus | Devoted specifically to life and long-term care insurance since 2009. No distractions, no divided loyalties. |
| Independent Broker | Represents no single carrier. Policies are compared across the full market to find your best fit. |
| Bay Area Expertise | Deep knowledge of local care costs, California tax rules, and Bay Area providers. |
| CPA-Trained Analysis | Every recommendation is filtered through a lens of tax efficiency, cash flow, and estate impact. |
A second opinion belongs in every insurance decision.
To avoid a conflict of interest, your coverage should be evaluated by someone other than the agent who sold it. The selling agent has an inherent interest in defending the existing policy. An independent review has no such constraint.
All policy reviews are provided at no charge to the client. The insurance carriers compensate Insurance Review Services directly.
An initial review creates no commitment of any kind. The process is designed to inform your decision, not to pressure it.
Mr. Payne personally conducts every engagement. Reviews are not delegated to junior staff or automated systems.
Guarantees that can be reinforced or extended, and living benefits the owner did not know were already in the contract.
More efficient use of capital already committed — often an opportunity to increase protection without a material increase in premium.
Missing protection — or duplicate coverage paid for twice.
Older policies quietly underperforming or in danger of lapsing.
None of these are visible from a premium notice. They are visible from the policy itself — and from the illustrations behind it.
Over six decades in finance, audit & insurance.
2012–Present · Founder & President
Independent CPA-level reviews of life, disability, long-term care, and business insurance portfolios for professionals, executives, trustees, and families. Reviews are coordinated directly with clients’ CPAs, attorneys, and wealth advisors.
2009–2012 · Agent
Served accounting and legal professionals with tailored life and long-term care solutions, deepening carrier-side expertise in the insurance needs of high-income clients.
1980–2009 · President & Founder (assets sold 2001)
Founded and led a hospital financial-consulting firm specializing in Medicare reimbursement strategy and financial performance improvement — representing more than 75 hospitals over three decades.
1978–1980 · Audit Manager, Medicare Program
Managed hospital audits and appeals for the Medicare program, overseeing compliance and financial accuracy across a large portfolio of hospital accounts.
1976–1978 · Internal Audit Manager
Managed internal audits across Life and Health divisions — acquiring direct operational knowledge of how insurers assess risk, structure coverage, and manage financial performance.
1971–1975 · Manager, Hospital Audits
Directed hospital audits under the Medicare program, building deep insight into healthcare reimbursement and payer-side financial controls.
1968–1971 · Auditor
Audited public companies at one of the world’s premier professional services firms, developing the rigorous independent analytical standards that remain central to the practice today.
1963–1968 · Articled Clerk (Trainee Chartered Accountant)
Completed formal articleship training — the foundation of a career built on meticulous financial analysis, auditing small and medium-sized businesses under the demanding standards of English professional accountancy.
Withbert W. Payne received his early education at Oak Grove School in the Himalayas and earned his General Certificate of Education in Mathematics from the University of Cambridge. He subsequently trained as a Chartered Accountant at the H. Foulkes Lynch School of Accountancy in London, earning his Fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales — the FCA designation, one of the most demanding and internationally respected professional accounting qualifications in the world. That formation established the intellectual framework that defines every client’s engagement today.
Certified Public Accountant — California Board of Accountancy
Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, the highest level
Chartered Global Management Accountant — joint designation of the AICPA and CIMA
Licensed insurance professional, State of California
Education & Training
Insurance Review Services provides independent, CPA-level reviews of life, disability, long-term care, and business insurance. Every engagement begins with a thorough analysis of the client’s existing coverage, financial profile, and protection objectives — and Mr. Payne personally participates in every review.
“I have no obligation to any insurance company. My only obligation is to my client.”
— Withbert W. Payne, CPA, CGMA, FCA
Where coverage structures allow, we identify designs that provide a full return of all premiums paid, less any benefits received — so the premiums you pay are never lost. Where appropriate, we coordinate directly with the client’s CPA, attorney, and wealth advisor, ensuring that insurance analysis integrates fully with the broader financial and estate plan.
“Bert brought a level of financial rigor to our LTC review that I simply had not seen before. As a CPA myself, I appreciated that he spoke my language — tax impact, cash flow, estate implications. He did not just show me a brochure.”
— CPA, San Francisco Bay Area
“I had an existing LTC policy I had not looked at in years. Bert reviewed it, identified a coverage gap I was not aware of, and compared three alternatives — all at no charge. That kind of objective analysis is genuinely rare.”
— Retired Executive, Contra Costa County
“Withbert has been a trusted referral partner for our CPA clients who need objective LTC guidance. His dual background in accounting and insurance is exactly what complex financial situations require.”
— Financial Advisor, East Bay
Bert is an active member of the professional and business communities he serves — reflecting a long-standing commitment to the Bay Area and his role as a trusted referral resource for CPAs, attorneys, and financial advisors.
California families face some of the highest long-term care costs in the nation. Bay Area home care can exceed $10,000 to $15,000 per month, and private-room skilled nursing runs about $20,000. Medicare does not cover extended custodial care, and Medi-Cal covers it only after assets are depleted. Planning early — before health changes make coverage unavailable — is critical.
Services include long-term care insurance reviews, planning for individuals and couples, comparison across top-rated carriers, and analysis of hybrid life and LTC products. Clients across the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, and throughout California are welcome.
No. Medicare covers short-term skilled nursing care following a qualifying hospital stay — typically up to 100 days under specific conditions. It does not cover extended custodial care (assistance with bathing, dressing, eating, and mobility), which is what most people mean by “nursing home care.”
Medi-Cal may cover long-term care, but only after assets are depleted. LTC insurance is designed to fill this gap.
LTC insurance pays for care services — in a nursing facility, assisted-living community, memory-care unit, or your own home — when you can no longer perform two of six Activities of Daily Living or have a severe cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s. Modern policies are flexible: most benefits are paid as a monthly maximum you can direct toward any qualifying care setting.
The right amount depends on your assets, income, health profile, family support, and where you plan to retire. In the Bay Area, home care often exceeds $10,000 to $15,000 per month, and private-room skilled nursing runs about $20,000. Bert will analyze your specific financial picture and help you determine a benefit amount that protects your estate without over-insuring.
The optimal window is typically ages 50 to 65. Premiums are lower when you are younger and healthier, and underwriting is more straightforward. Waiting until your seventies — or until after a significant health event — can make coverage unavailable or cost-prohibitive. The earlier you plan, the more options you have.
Yes. Several carriers offer shared-benefit or joint-life LTC policies that allow spouses or partners to share a pool of benefits. These can be highly cost-effective for couples where one spouse is likely to need care while the other remains healthy. Bert will compare individual and joint options side by side.
With traditional LTC insurance, unused benefits are not returned — like auto or homeowners’ insurance. However, hybrid life and LTC policies offer a death benefit to your heirs if you do not use the LTC benefits, and many offer a return-of-premium option. Bert will explain the trade-offs between traditional and hybrid products based on your priorities.
Nothing. All consultations and policy reviews are complimentary. Bert is compensated by the carrier only if you choose to purchase or replace a policy — and only then. There is no fee for analysis, comparison, or recommendations, and you are under no obligation.
As an Appointed HelpVet Advisor (2026–2028), I provide complimentary, objective insurance reviews to veterans and their families — helping them better understand the life insurance and long-term care protection they already own, and whether it continues to serve them well.
A personal review by Withbert W. Payne, CPA — at no charge. Independent analysis of your existing or prospective coverage, with no obligation to act.
(925) 708-6501Online at LTCCPAs.com
Request an Illustration/QuoteFor further information, please reach out.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute personalized insurance, legal, or financial advice. Insurance products and availability vary by state. Withbert W. Payne is a licensed insurance broker (CA License No. 0E90257). Policy illustrations and hypothetical results are shown for illustrative purposes only and are not guarantees of future performance. Results will vary based on individual health, age, carrier underwriting, and policy design. Benefits are generally received income-tax-free under current federal law; insurance decisions should be coordinated with your tax, legal, and financial advisers when appropriate. All consultations are complimentary and without obligation. An insurance agent may contact you as a result of this communication. This is a solicitation for insurance.
