Melissa Barnickel, CPA, CLTC
Melissa Barnickel is a CPA, a CLTC, (Certified in Long Term Care), and a licensed insurance broker specializing in Long Term Care Insurance (LTCi). Over the past 40+ years she has worked for KPMG as an auditor and consultant and held significant financial positions such as Controller, Vice President of Finance and Leader of LTC Sales for two different insurance brokerages. She has worked in the LTCi industry over 30 years. Her extensive financial background allows her to provide her clients with a customized policy that blends well with their retirement income and resources. As an independent broker, Melissa represents her clients to educate to enable them to make an informed decision.
Melissa works with other brokers, financial planners, CPAs, attorneys and other trusted advisors to educate their clients on the details of LTCi, Life insurance and Annuities with LTC riders and chronic illness riders, Life insurance, Medicare Supplement, Disability insurance, and Health insurance and how having insurance is an important part of a financial plan. Her services complement those that she works with professionally while providing direct client interaction. When Melissa customizes a policy for a client she listens to what coverage a client hopes to gain from an insurance policy as well as their budgetary constraints. She is a broker with many different insurance carriers, and as a result she will compare carriers and do all of the "leg work" and shopping for her clients. Melissa is licensed in many states.
As a local operations executive for a national brokerage, she provided product assistance to agents and coordinated relations with insurance carriers. Melissa is Coordinator of the Maryland Long-Term Care Insurance Roundtable,
Through the years, Melissa has been active in the community including Treasurer of Financial Planning Association of Maryland, NAHU Long-Term Care Advisory Committee, Member of the MD Insurance Administration LTC Working Group, President of Maryland Senior Resource Network, Chair of the Financial Planning Committee for MD Association of CPAs; President and Secretary of the Baltimore Chapter of Women in Insurance and Financial Services; President Harford County's Geriatric Assistance Information Network and member of Baltimore Estate Planning Council, Harford County Chamber of Commerce, Harford Leadership Academy Alumni Association, Life Planning Resources and American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.
Melissa Barnickel was appointed by Governor Larry Hogan to the Task Force on Long Term Care Education and Planning. The task force elected Melissa as chair. The purpose of the Task Force was to ensure that no Maryland resident reaches age 50 without having received complete information about the risk of needing long term care and the private options available to pay for long term care; and include information about the Maryland Medicaid Assistance Program, how it is funded, and whom the Program is intended to serve. See the full report.
Melissa lives with her husband in Monkton MD. She enjoys spending time with her daughters and their families, cycling and traveling.