Jay Jackson is not your average suit-and-tie CEO. He’s the kind of guy who talks about death as a data point and life insurance as a hidden ATM. Honestly, if you haven’t been paying attention to what’s happening at the intersection of longevity and finance, you’re missing the weirdest, most profitable corner of the market.
Jay Jackson Abacus Life is the phrase currently echoing through the halls of NASDAQ because Jackson didn’t just join a company; he basically willed a new asset class into the public eye. He’s the Chairman and CEO of Abacus Life (now often referred to under the broader Abacus Global Management umbrella), and he’s spent the last few years trying to convince you—and everyone’s grandma—that a life insurance policy is worth way more than the paper it's printed on.
It’s a gutsy move.
Most people think of life insurance as a "set it and forget it" safety net. You pay the premiums, you die, your family gets a check. Simple, right? Jay Jackson thinks that’s a total waste of liquidity. He’s been shouting from the rooftops that about 90% of these policies never actually pay out a claim because people let them lapse or surrender them. To him, that’s $1.3 trillion in value just sitting there, rotting.
The Man Behind the $3 Billion Flywheel
Jay didn't start at the top. His origin story is surprisingly grounded for a guy managing billions. He once shared a story about delivering packages and just asking a successful person for the "secret." That curiosity led him to Franklin Templeton and later to co-founding the Fayerweather Street Life Fund. By the time he hit Abacus Settlements in 2016, he already had the blueprint for what would become a longevity empire.
He’s a disruptor.
Under his watch, Abacus didn't just stay a "life settlement" company. It became a tech-heavy, data-driven machine. Jackson is obsessed with what he calls the "Abacus Flywheel." It’s a four-part beast:
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- Life Solutions: Sourcing the policies.
- Asset Group: Packaging those policies into funds for big institutional investors.
- ABL Tech: Using AI and machine learning to predict mortality (creepy, but efficient).
- Wealth Advisors: Helping people manage the cash they just "unlocked" from their insurance.
It's working. As of early 2026, the company has smashed earnings expectations for 10 consecutive quarters. They’re managing over $3.33 billion in assets. Jackson isn't just selling a service; he’s selling the idea that your "wealthspan" should match your "lifespan."
Why Everyone is Talking About ABL (and ABX)
If you're looking at the ticker, things have been moving fast. In early 2026, the company shifted some branding toward Abacus Global Management. Jay Jackson has been very vocal about moving the company from a "transactional" business to a "recurring revenue" one.
"We control our own destiny," he wrote in a recent shareholder letter. He’s proud of the fact that nearly 80% of his employees are also shareholders. That’s a lot of skin in the game.
What People Get Wrong About Life Settlements
There’s a bit of a "ick" factor for some when they first hear about this. You’re essentially betting on when someone is going to die. But Jackson flips the script. He argues that Abacus is actually improving the quality of life for seniors.
Imagine you’re 75. You’ve been paying for a $1 million policy for thirty years. You don’t need it anymore, but you do need cash for medical bills or to finally see the Amalfi Coast. The insurance company might give you $50,000 to walk away. Jackson’s team might give you $200,000.
Who’s the bad guy there?
He calls it "financial empowerment." It’s about taking the power back from the massive insurance carriers who bank on you "forgetting" your policy. Jackson likes to point out that Abacus is the only public company in this specific niche, which gives them a massive transparency advantage. They have to show their books. They have to play by the rules.
The Data Obsession
One thing you've gotta understand about Jay Jackson is that he believes in the numbers. ABL Tech, the company's data arm, is now servicing over 100 pension funds. They aren't just guessing when people pass away; they're using proprietary mortality verification services.
It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie.
But for a pension fund manager trying to figure out if they have enough money to pay out retirees for the next thirty years, that data is gold. Jackson has positioned Abacus as the middleman between the science of living longer and the math of paying for it.
The 2026 Outlook
The company has been raising guidance like it’s going out of style. In late 2025, they bumped their adjusted net income targets significantly, aiming for upwards of $80 million.
Jackson is also pushing hard on dividends. He wants to reward the people who stayed through the transition from a niche player to a broad alternative asset manager. He’s making the case that Abacus should be viewed alongside the big dogs like Blackstone or Apollo, just with a very specific, death-defying twist.
Is Jay Jackson for Real?
The critics are always there, of course. Some worry about the ethics of the secondary market for life insurance. Others wonder if the "uncorrelated" nature of these assets—meaning they don't move with the stock market—will hold up during a true global meltdown.
But Jackson’s track record is hard to ignore.
He’s a frequent flyer on financial news networks, usually sporting a look that says "I know something you don't." And usually, he does. He knows that as the baby boomer generation ages, they are sitting on a mountain of insurance policies they don't know how to use. He’s just the guy with the map and the shovel.
Actionable Steps for the Curious
If you’re looking at Jay Jackson Abacus Life and wondering if there’s a move for you here, keep these things in mind:
- Check Your Own Policy: If you're over 65 and have a life insurance policy you're tired of paying for, don't just let it lapse. Look into a life settlement valuation. You might be sitting on six figures of "hidden" equity.
- Watch the AUM: For investors, the "Assets Under Management" (AUM) is the number to watch. Jackson wants that recurring fee revenue to hit 70% of their total income.
- Read the Letter: Jackson's shareholder letters are surprisingly readable. They lack the usual corporate drone and actually explain the "Flywheel" strategy in plain English.
- Understand the Risk: Like any alternative asset, there are risks involving regulation and changes in life expectancy (the "longevity risk"). If people start living to 120, the math changes.
Jay Jackson has turned a "ghoulish" industry into a sophisticated financial powerhouse. Whether you love the idea or it makes you a little squeamish, he’s proved one thing: there’s a lot of money to be made in the business of living—and dying—by the numbers.
To stay ahead of the curve, you should look into how "Wealthspan" planning differs from traditional retirement strategies. Understanding how your lifespan data affects your portfolio is the next big shift in personal finance. Watch the SEC filings for Form 8-K updates from Abacus to see how their expansion into broader wealth management progresses through the rest of the year.