Dave Ramsey Eviscerates Co-Host George Kamel for Preaching the 4% Rule
Release Date: 11/22/2023
What Dave Ramsey DOESN’T Want You to Know About Indexed Universal Life
The Power Of Zero Show
Show host Arturo Johnson shares his experience with coming across David’s content – and how it has changed his perspective. David mentions a study that illustrates the benefits of putting 70% – and not 100% – of your retirement savings into a Roth 401k and the balance into cash value life insurance. Dave Ramsey is famous for stirring up a hornet’s nest among CFPs all across the U.S. David unpacks a shortcoming with one of Ramsey’s principles. David goes over what can happen when you utilize life insurance as a volatility shield/buffer. The only way to get an 8% distribution...
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First Glimpse at Your Tax Bracket in 2026 (And What It Will Cost You)
The Power Of Zero Show
David talks about what tax brackets will look like starting from January 1st 2026. One of the things that will change in 2026 are the actual tax rates – with an increased percentage of tax attached to a given range of income. In 2026, tax rates will return to what they were in 2017. David points out that some people online mistakenly believe that, in 2026, things will simply revert back to the same tax rates of 2017, with the same income ranges attached to those rates. An important thing to note is the federal government will index the 2017 tax brackets for inflation, treating your...
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How Gen Z Should Save for Retirement
The Power Of Zero Show
David talks about the Power of Zero “philosophy,” as well as a recent Penn Wharton study saying that, if all we do is continue on this same course, by 2043 there will be no arrest in the financial collapse of our country. 95% of Americans have the lion’s share of their retirement savings sitting in what we call tax-deferred vehicles like 401(k)s and IRAs. A big problem most Americans face: every year the IRS gets a vote on what percentage of your profits they get to keep. David shares the Power of Zero origin story and he explains what someone should do to get as close as possible to...
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Why Ken Fisher Does NOT Want You to Do a Roth Conversion
The Power Of Zero Show
Today’s video is from David’s conversation with financial advisor Bruce Hosler. They discuss why financial advisors like Ken Fisher don't want you to do Roth conversions. David reveals why there is a lot of incoming resistance from financial "Gurus" about moving to tax-free and using the tools necessary to get to the 0% tax bracket. David talks about his new book, Guru, and all of the interference he’s facing in trying to get the Power of Zero message out to the American people. Most of these gurus believe that tax rates in the future are likely to be higher than they are today. But when...
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How Much of Your Social Security is REALLY Getting Taxed? (and At What Rate?)
The Power Of Zero Show
How much of your social security is getting taxed, at what rate, and is there anything you can do about it? Unfortunately, the IRS doesn't make it easy for people to understand how much of their social security is taxable and at what rate. David explains that the best way to understand social security taxation is to first know about provisional income--this is the income the IRS tracks to determine how much of your social security will be taxable. As you continue to increase your IRA distributions and, therefore, your total provisional income, the percentage of your social security that...
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Why Don't More Financial Advisors Recommend Indexed Universal Life?
The Power Of Zero Show
This episode addresses whether the mainstream financial planning community is justified in avoiding Indexed Universal Life. Lately, social media has been filled with videos praising the virtues of a financial tool known as Indexed Universal Life (IUL). David explains why the IUL has been taking such a beating from traditional financial planners. David discusses three different viewpoints against the IUL – including that of scammy salesmen on TikTok who often describe the IUL as “a stock market replacement on steroids.” Financial gurus tend to be jack of all trades but masters of none...
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Your Roth Conversion Roadmap for the Next 10 Years and Beyond
The Power Of Zero Show
David discusses how much of your IRA you should convert, in what amounts and over what time frame. If you’re not convinced by the possible dramatic increase in tax rates in 2031 to bump you into the 32% bracket, you’re not alone… A whole battery of experts predict that tax rates will have to rise dramatically to help service the national debt and with the $200 trillion in shortfalls in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. In Comeback America, former Comptroller General David Walker predicted that effective tax rates for all taxpayers need to double by 2030. David touches upon what...
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Clark Howard Says Fixed Indexed Annuities Stink! (My Response)
The Power Of Zero Show
David addresses Clark Howard’s viewpoint that seems to want to invite people to never consider a fixed index annuity. Despite interacting with thousands of financial advisors who offer fixed index annuities every year, David has never heard one of them describe them the same way as Clark Howard. Since financial gurus have to get their points across in short three-minute segments, they don’t have the luxury of nuance, says David. David explains how fixed index annuities actually work, and why you can’t lose money in a fixed index annuity in its simplest form. David touches upon the...
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Is IUL the Dream Investment that Doug Andrew Claims?
The Power Of Zero Show
Doug Andrew called the IUL a dream investment, but is it the silver bullet retirement account he claims it to be? David goes through Doug Andrew’s controversial remarks about IULs, and explains why he politely disagrees with his one-size-fits-all approach to index universal life. David explains why the 4% rule is a very expensive way to pay for retirement. He reveals why it's much more economical to guarantee your living expenses with a lifetime income annuity. If you only utilize the IUL, you will dramatically underperform the stock market over time. Furthermore, you won't...
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The Two 5-Year Roth Rules Explained
The Power Of Zero Show
This episode explores the two different five-year rules for Roth IRAs instituted by the IRS to prevent people from abusing them. The first five-year rule applies to earnings on Roth contributions and determines whether those distributions can be taken tax-free. The second rule concerns Roth conversions and lets you know whether conversion principles can be accessed penalty-free. David explains that, for the purposes of the five-year rule, the clock starts the first time any money is contributed to a Roth IRA by either contribution or conversion. Once the five-year rule has been met, it’s...
info_outlineDave Ramsey recently eviscerated his co-host George Kamel for preaching the 4% rule.
According to George, withdrawing only 4% of your savings is the easiest way to guarantee your money lasts throughout retirement.
George further adds that the 4% rule is a math-based approach to sustainable withdrawals in retirement.
For Dave Ramsey, the 4% is senseless and only geared toward stealing people’s hope for a brighter retirement.
He believes an 8% withdrawal rate is more sustainable since your savings will be growing at a rate of 12%; factor in 4% for inflation, and you’re left with 8%.
It’s clear Dave Ramsey is oblivious to the sequence of return risk, which could force you to run out of money 15 to 20 years early if you experience a series of negative returns in the first decade of retirement.
The fact is, even if you average 12% rates of return throughout retirement, you won’t be getting 12% every single year. Some years, you’ll get 20%, and other years you’ll get -26%.
David explains that the 4% rule gives you peace of mind that regardless of the swings in the market, you’ll have a reasonably high chance of not outliving your money.
Because Ramsey has millions of dollars, he has the license to utilize planning assumptions that are wildly at odds with history and academic research.
If you’d like a stress-free retirement, ignore Dave Ramsey’s advice and embrace strategies that are built on sustainable retirement planning principles like the 4% rule.
Mentioned in this episode:
David's books: Power of Zero, Look Before You LIRP, The Volatility Shield, Tax-Free Income for Life and The Infinity Code
PowerOfZero.com (free 3-part video series)
@mcknightandco on Twitter
@davidcmcknight on Instagram
David McKnight on YouTube
Get David's Tax-free Tool Kit at taxfreetoolkit.com