Libsyn Directory

Ep. 312 - Seed or Harvest?

Release Date: 07/25/2025

Internet Trolls Think They Can Say Anything; Here’s Why They’re Wrong (Ep. 342)

Farming Without the Bank Podcast

Do people really think they have the right to be rude online? This episode is a raw, unfiltered look at what content creators actually deal with behind the scenes—and why sometimes, blocking is the only option. Follow Mary Jo Here: Get the book: In this episode, Mary Jo addresses the rising wave of internet trolls, negative comments, and online bullying. From accusations about insurance strategies and retirement planning to criticism about farming, excess money, and even parenting decisions, nothing seems off-limits for keyboard warriors. But here’s the truth: creators have the...

Universal Life Policies Are Collapsing | Here's Why (Ep. 341)

Farming Without the Bank Podcast

🚨 Universal Life Insurance EXPOSED 🚨 Is Universal Life, Indexed Universal Life, or Variable Universal Life really the powerful wealth tool it’s marketed to be? In this episode of the Farming Without the Bank podcast, Mary Jo dives deep into why universal life policies often fail, drawing directly from Nelson Nash’s Warehouse of Wealth and decades of real-world experience. 👉 Follow Mary Jo Here: 👉 Get the book: If you’ve ever been pitched an IUL with “great returns” and “no downside,” this episode is a must-watch before you sign anything. Universal Life was...

Insurance Premiums Are Destroying Farms—Here’s What Actually Works (Ep. 340 )

Farming Without the Bank Podcast

Insurance premiums doubling… tripling… and companies still denying claims. Should you just self-insure and be done with it—or will that decision wreck your finances when disaster hits? In this episode of Farming Without the Bank, we dig into Chapter 8: Building Your Warehouse of Wealth and talk about what self-insuring really looks like using cash value life insurance, and where it absolutely does not make sense to go it alone. 🔍 What You’ll Learn When it actually makes sense to self-insure vs. when you’re just gambling How Nelson Nash used dividend-paying whole life to...

Nobody's Coming to Save You Financially (Ep. 339)

Farming Without the Bank Podcast

What happens when everyone expects someone else to pick up the bill? From a nightmare condo sale to health insurance chaos, this episode is a raw, unfiltered wake-up call on personal responsibility, money, and self-reliance. In this episode, Mary Jo shares a months-long real estate saga that exposed a deeper issue she’s seeing everywhere—from first-time homebuyers and realtors, to health insurance, escrow accounts, and even parenting adult children. The common theme? Too many people are handing off responsibility—and expecting others to pay the price. This episode isn’t about being...

Windfall Alert: What Farmers Miss Every Single Year (Ep. 338)

Farming Without the Bank Podcast

Is life insurance a luxury—or a necessity? In this episode of Farming Without The Bank (FWTB Ep. 338), Mary Jo breaks down Chapter 7 of Nelson Nash’s Warehouse of Wealth and explains how Parkinson’s Law silently destroys financial progress, especially when people experience windfalls of money. From selling land, paying off equipment, kids leaving the house, or daycare expenses disappearing—windfalls happen whether you notice them or not. The real question is: Where does that money go? Nelson Nash’s real-life example shows how paying off a policy loan after a windfall can feel like...

Corporations Don’t Pay Taxes — You Do. Here’s How. (Ep. 337)

Farming Without the Bank Podcast

You’ve been told corporations pay taxes, but what if that’s the biggest lie in the system? In this episode, Mary Jo breaks down who really pays for taxes, benefits, tariffs, and government programs—and why the consumer always ends up holding the bag. In Episode 337 of Farming Without the Bank, Mary Jo dives into Chapter 6 of Nelson Nash’s Warehouse of Wealth: “Lies, Lies, and Lies.” This episode exposes how taxes, Social Security, employee benefits, tariffs, credit card fees, and corporate expenses are never absorbed by businesses—they are passed directly to you, the consumer....

Your Biggest Problem Isn’t What You Think It Is (Ep. 336)

Farming Without the Bank Podcast

Everyone says farming and ranching are hard—but what if the real problem isn’t expenses… it’s how money is being used? In this episode, Mary Jo tackles the backlash around “excess money,” breaks down why being debt-free isn’t the same as being financially secure, and explains why cash flow—not comfort—is the real solution. 👉 Follow Mary Jo Here: 👉 Get the book: In this candid rant-meets-masterclass, Mary Jo responds to critics who claim there’s no such thing as excess money in agriculture. She explains why higher cattle prices create opportunities, and how...

Commodity Prices Trap Farmers In Debt (Ep. 335)

Farming Without the Bank Podcast

Most farmers still buy equipment the old way—cash or bank loans—losing years of compound growth. What if the problem isn’t your policy… It’s when the money runs through it? 👉 Follow Mary Jo Here: 👉 Get the book: In this episode, Mary Jo breaks down the “before asset” idea: running money through your whole life policy before you buy equipment, cattle, or cover operating expenses. She explains why premium is what makes you money, why loans themselves don’t, and how to think differently about “I can’t make the payment this year” when you are the banker. Whether...

Banks Don't Want You Knowing This About Investments (Ep. 334)

Farming Without the Bank Podcast

Most people believe they’re doing the right thing by maxing out their 401(k) or IRA. But what if the entire system is designed to trap you later with higher taxes, forced withdrawals, and lost control? Follow Mary Jo Here: Get the book: In this episode of Farming Without the Bank, we break down The Market Scam from Nelson Nash’s Building Your Warehouse of Wealth** and expose what most financial advisors never explain. Mary Jo dives into Chapter 5 of Building Your Warehouse of Wealth, unpacking why tax-qualified retirement plans may be one of the biggest financial misconceptions of...

Tiny Town, Huge Risk: What Buying a 60-Year-Old Business Really Takes (Ep. 333)

Farming Without the Bank Podcast

Be open-minded, ditch the negativity, and yes, you can buy that small-town business and make it work. In this episode, Mary Jo sits down with client and Iowa rancher/feed-store owner Erica Lantz, who walked away from a 14-year corporate food job to buy a 60-year-old feed store in a town of 1,000 people… during COVID. 👉 Follow Mary Jo Here: 👉 Get the book: Erica shares how she runs a 5th-generation farm with Dexter cattle, heritage hogs, hair sheep, hypoallergenic curly horses, and silky chickens while modernizing a tiny farm store, creating custom feed mixes, shipping...

More Episodes

🌱 Seed vs. Harvest: What Are You REALLY Paying Taxes On?

Most farmers and business owners are unknowingly planning for a tax-heavy retirement, and it’s costing them big time.

In this episode, Mary Jo Irmen uses a simple corn jar visual to unpack the powerful financial truth behind “seed vs. harvest” taxation. She explains why paying taxes today (on the seed) is often smarter than paying them later (on the harvest), and how whole life insurance and the Infinite Banking Concept (IBC) let you grow wealth without giving Uncle Sam a bigger cut later.

If you’re putting money into IRAs, 401(k)s, or even Roths without understanding the harvest tax implications, this episode is a must-listen.

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS

Why "tax deferral" often leads to bigger tax bills in retirement

The danger of maxing out your 401(k) or IRA without a tax exit strategy

What the government doesn’t want you to know about Roth IRAs

How whole life insurance gives you tax control both now and later

Why borrowing from your policy is income tax-free, and how to do it right

What wealthy people do differently when planning for retirement

How Infinite Banking changes your mindset about taxes, income, and control

⏱️ EPISODE TIMECODES

(00:00) – Are you paying tax on the seed or the harvest?

(01:15) – Why life insurance premiums shouldn’t be deducted

(02:30) – Capital gains and the step-up in basis strategy

(03:35) – IRAs, 401(k)s, and tax-deferred regrets

(04:30) – Roth IRAs: The government’s least favorite tool

(06:00) – The farm analogy for retirement accounts

(06:48) – Why whole life insurance creates tax-free retirement cash flow

(08:00) – Taxes in retirement: The hidden trap

(09:50) – Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and government control

(11:03) – Using whole life insurance for smarter cash flow

(12:00) – How wealthy people avoid taxes (legally)

(13:06) – Why Infinite Banking is all about tax positioning

(14:00) – Accountants vs. Financial Advisors: Who’s planning long term?

(15:07) – Retirement income vs. forced distributions

(16:00) – FAQs: Premium deductions, access to cash value, and more

(18:00) – Why the case studies in the book actually matter

(19:45) – Company differences in access to policy cash

(20:00) – Wrap-up and where to get started

📚 RESOURCES & LINKS

📘 Grab your copy of Farming Without the Bank:
👉 https://www.farmingwithoutthebank.com/book/

📅 Already read the book? Book a meeting with Mary Jo:
👉 https://www.farmingwithoutthebank.com/contact

📧 Questions? Reach out:
📨 maryjo@withoutthebank.com

👍 Follow on Facebook:
🔗 https://www.facebook.com/FarmingWithoutTheBank

🎧 More episodes: Farming Without the Bank Podcast is available on all podcast platforms.

🔥 WANT TO KEEP LEARNING?
Binge past episodes to hear how real people are using IBC to take back control of their finances. Start with the case studies, and never look at retirement planning the same way again.

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