Referral Standards
If the Journey Assessment or a conversation with George leads to an introduction — to an attorney, financial planner, or insurance professional — here is exactly what that introduction does and doesn't mean.
Referral Standards Details
Why this page exists
Most of what's on this site is educational — the ten pillars, the state guides, the assessment. But some families ask the assessment (or George directly) for an introduction to a professional who can help with a specific next step: an elder-law attorney, a financial planner, or a licensed insurance agent. This page explains the standard every one of those introductions is held to, in plain terms, with nothing overstated.
Every professional is independently licensed
No introduction is made to anyone who isn't currently, actively licensed in your state for the service they're being introduced to provide — an attorney licensed to practice law in your state, an insurance agent licensed to sell in your state, or a financial professional holding the appropriate registration for the service discussed. You're welcome to independently verify any license before you engage someone; most states publish a public licensee search (for example, Florida's is at LicenseeSearch.FLDFS.com).
George personally reviews every introduction
This isn't an automated match built from a database. Before any introduction is made, George A. Mellendorf — who has worked in long-term care insurance since 1979 — personally reviews the request and the professional being suggested. There's no formal third-party certification board behind this; it's George's own judgment, built on decades in the industry, applied consistently to every referral.
Matched to your situation, not a generic list
The point of the review is fit: a family weighing Medicaid crisis planning needs a different kind of attorney than one comparing hybrid life/LTC policies. George matches the type of specialist and, where he's aware of it, relevant experience, to what your assessment answers or conversation actually indicate you need — rather than handing out the same short list to everyone who asks.
How compensation works
If an insurance product is ultimately involved, the licensed insurance professional you're introduced to may be compensated by the representing insurance company — this is standard in the industry and is disclosed up front, not buried. It never changes the results shown to you on the assessment, and it costs you nothing directly. Attorneys and fee-based financial planners set their own fee arrangements directly with you; FundingDependency.com is not a party to those and does not receive a referral fee from them.
What this page is not
This is not a claim that every professional in George's network has been formally audited, credentialed, or ranked by a third-party vetting body — no such infrastructure exists here. It's a plain description of the actual standard applied: active state licensing, personal review by George, situation-appropriate matching, and disclosed compensation. If you'd rather find your own professional independently, nothing about the assessment or this site requires you to accept an introduction.
Questions
This same disclosure also appears next to the consent checkbox on the Journey Assessment and in the FAQ answer to "How does George get paid?". For anything not covered here, reach out through the contact page and George will respond directly. To learn more about George's background, see the About George page.
Start with the assessment, not a sales call.
Twelve questions. About four minutes. No obligation, no fee, no pitch.