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Blog Post

A Little Background

  • By William Bryant
  • 01 Feb, 2017

The History of S2S Silver Services

When J. Elvin Dashiell’s grandmother approached retirement age, she was confronted with the same difficult decisions that we all must face later in life. She earnestly studied the complex rules and requirements governing Medicare, but it only left her confused. Then she turned to her daughter, J. Elvin’s mother, for help. When they found the convoluted regulations just as confusing, J. Elvin sensed an opportunity to use his talents to help others.

“I’ve always had the gift of understanding complex ideas and simplifying them so that they’re more understandable,” J. Elvin says. “I was an insurance broker at the time, but I reasoned that as the baby boomer generation neared retirement age there would be a growing need for Medicare education and assistance.”

The result is S2S Silver Services, a full service financial firm offering a range of products to individuals and businesses. As founder and president, J. Elvin helps clients identify their goals and make sound decisions regarding Medicare, Social Security, long term care, and guaranteed retirement income.

A lifelong resident of Norfolk, J. Elvin attended Maury High School and Old Dominion University and acquired his insurance license at the impressive age of 21. After several years of rapid advancement with different companies, he was recruited by Xerox. Beginning in sales, his 20 year career with Xerox culminated in an executive management position. At the time, J. Elvin supported over 1,100 people in a territory stretching from Philadelphia to Miami.

“I enjoyed the large responsibility that came from those executive positions,” J. Elvin recalls. “But after 30 years of corporate life, I was ready for a new challenge. I was managing hundreds of employees, but I missed the individual connections. What I needed was to sit across the desk from clients and have the satisfaction that comes from helping someone reach their retirement goals. That’s why I founded S2S Silver Services.”

S2S Benefits

J. Elvin’s new business came along at a time when healthcare was about to go through some dramatic changes. He’s enjoyed the challenge of guiding clients through a rapidly changing field. "The trend is for some companies to drop spouses from their health plans, and many small companies are terminating their health plans entirely. Often, those companies refer their employees to me.”

Many employees at or near retirement age who were counting on private or company health insurance now must rely on the Medicare health insurance program. “Once I began helping others with the issues surrounding Medicare, I quickly discovered that the confusion is universal,” J. Elvin says with a smile. “I’ve even had lawyers and college professors ask me for help. The transition from employee group plans to Medicare is a process. If it isn’t followed correctly, it can lead to delays and mistakes in coverage. Sometimes, people are left without health insurance because of mistakes and omissions in filling out paperwork.”

These mistakes often occur when people rely on TV, print media, or even a well-meaning family member to explain the Medicare system. Without being told all of the details, it is easy to get the wrong idea. “This kind of advice can be incomplete, and these decisions are too important to not have all the facts,” he emphasizes. “People deserve to understand exactly how their healthcare decisions will affect them in the long term, and it shouldn’t cost them a fee to get this assistance. My clients never pay a fee to ask for advice, as I am compensated from the insurance companies.”

What If?

Misunderstandings can have devastating effects. About ten years ago, J Elvin met with a woman who was turning 65, but declined to sign up for Medicare supplement insurance. “She insisted she was very healthy and had no reason for the added insurance,” he recalls. “I found a very affordable plan that picked up the 20 percent that Medicare leaves as the personal obligation, and I eventually convinced her to enroll. Five years later, she called me and said she needed to see me and give me a hug. She had been in the hospital for more than four months, much of it in the intensive care unit. She had amassed medical bills totaling $867,000 which would have been devastating. But, because of the supplemental insurance, her responsibility was only $6,000.”

Medicare Benefits Are Required

J. Elvin stresses that everybody must select Medicare benefits and proper planning and action is critical. “As long as you qualify for Social Security (40 quarters of employment), you will qualify for Medicare benefits,” he explains. “There are 7,000 people turning 65 every day, and it’s imperative that every one of us plans for all possibilities, regardless of assets, health, or past employment.”

J. Elvin is designated an elite broker which permits him access to additional Medicare insurance providers. “I’m not tied down to one particular provider,” he points out. “I’m committed to providing the best information and products. Just as everyone is unique, I offer many different options to suit everybody’s price range and goals. My clients are always free to choose the company they feel most comfortable with.”

Before J. Elvin began to offer advice on Medicare insurance programs, he read every publication and periodical that was printed on the subject. What he found shocked him. “By and large, the publications were accurate,” he says. “But the words “plan” and “part” were used differently depending on the publication. Those words are not interchangeable. When the subject is insurance, it’s important for those words to have consistent meanings. No wonder everyone is confused.”

Family

Helping others feel confident in their financial future is a trait of the Dashiell family. J. Elvin’s son Scott is an Allstate broker and financial advisor in Elizabeth City and daughter Kimberly is in the medical profession. When not spending time with his family, J. Elvin enjoys live entertainment, especially shows and plays. A bit of an entertainer himself, he loves to cook and throw dinner parties.

 

When asked why he loves his work, J. Elvin recalls an adage a retired attorney told him many years ago. He told me that most of us try to find work in a career that we’re either good at or we enjoy. If you get one of those, you’re lucky. If you’re good at it and you enjoy what you do, then you’re blessed. I am certainly blessed.”

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