Your Personal Bank

Your Personal Bank TM is a financial concept that strategically integrates financial tools from the banking and insurance industries to continue growth on funds even when you access them for other purposes.

How Index Annuities and Index Universal Life provide Unlimited Upside Potential without Downside Market Risk 11/19/2025

Reduce Your Market Risk with Indexes with up to 17% Average Annual Returns for the Past Decade with No Downside Market Risk 11/12/2025

Index Products Provide Unlimited Upside Potential with No Downside Risk. Lock in Gains at Any Time. How to Obtain Index Historical Returns. 11/05/2025

The Buffett Indicator has Hit 217%, the Highest ever Recorded 10/29/2025

Data Center Energy Requirements are Estimated to be the Equivalent of 70 New Nuclear Reactors by 2028 10/22/2025

How to Reduce Capital Gains on Highly Appreciated Assets and Reduce Market Risk 10/15/2025

The AI Bubble is the Only Thing Keeping the US Economy from Recession 10/08/2025

The Federal Reserve Lowered Interest Rates the First Time in 2025, Now What? 10/01/2025

The Federal Reserve Lowered Interest Rates the First Time in 2025, Now What? 09/24/2025

Our Country is at a Turning Point Due to the Charlie Kirk Assassination 09/17/2025

The Short and Long Term Risks of the Current Stock Market and Economy 09/10/2025

Is the AI Bubble Starting to Burst? 09/03/2025

Is the AI Bubble Starting to Burst? Ferenc discusses the parallels between the current tech stock market bubble and the dot-com era, emphasizing the risks of overvaluation and potential corrections. He recounts a listener's 100% return on tech stocks and warns of the dangers of not locking in gains. Ferenc highlights the MIT study showing 95% of companies saw no return on AI investments, and the potential for a severe market correction. He also addresses the Federal Reserve's new inflation target and the implications for interest rates. Ferenc advises on risk management strategies, including annuities and cash value insurance, to protect against market downturns. Issues & Risks • AI stocks may be in a bubble, similar to the dot-com era. • According to a MIT study 95% of companies investing in AI have seen no financial benefit. • Tech stocks account for 46% of S&P 500, higher than dot-com peak. • Margin debt has surged to an all-time record of over a trillion dollars. • Heavy truck index, a recession indicator, is going down strongly. • Nvidia's valuation is now triple the entire energy sector. • A third of the US economy is in recession or at high risk. How do you take advantage of future potential upside while protecting your downside? Annuities offer unlimited upside potential while guaranteeing the principle against loss. - This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years, insured with guarantees. - If you own an annuity 2+ years old, I strongly recommend comparing to the newer more profitable products. - Many of my clients are earning 2-10x increased returns annually than their previous annuity products! - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years due to higher bond yields. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/38060620

Is the AI Bubble Starting to Burst? 08/27/2025

Is the AI Bubble Starting to Burst? A recent MIT study found that 95% of companies have received no benefit from generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently warned of an AI bubble. Altman compared the current AI frenzy and the 1990's dotcom bubble when company valuations spike dramatically before crashing. The poster child of the dotcom craze was Pets.com. It was backed by Amazon. Pets.com reached a valuation of $410 million before going bankrupt about a year later. CoreWeave is an AI company backed by Nvidia. After the MIT study, its stock dropped 33%. CoreWeave's peak valuation was 60x times larger than Pets.com at it's peak. This is the reason Sam Altman stated that "Someone is going to lose a phenomenal amount of money" and "When bubbles happen, smart people get overexcited about a kernel of truth". Sam Altman and most tech experts still believe AI will transform the economy in the future. The problem is AI is currently limited by the shortage of GPU's. Sam Altman stated "We have better models, but we can't offer them because we don't have the supply." Sam Altman also stated that "trillions of dollars" will have to be invested in infrastructure to scale AI to advance further. An AI search uses about 10x the computing power of a typical Google search. This information has caused concern for investors. I believe that AI will make a significant positive on the economy, but it may take much longer than many investors expect. With historically high valuations, stock prices may suffer a significant correction before AI can really make a difference. Is this the beginning of the AI bubble starting to burst? We will know soon. How do you take advantage of future potential upside while protecting your downside? Annuities offer unlimited upside potential while guaranteeing the principle against loss. - This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years, insured with guarantees. - If you own an annuity 2+ years old, I strongly recommend comparing to the newer more profitable products. - Many of my clients are earning 2-10x increased returns annually than their previous annuity products! - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years due to higher bond yields. - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 17+% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/37925685

The S&P500 has Hit the Highest Valuations in History! 08/20/2025

The S&P500 has Hit the Highest Valuations in History! Regardless of how you measure the S&P500, it is at the highest levels in history. The current valuations are higher than 1929 and 1999. The S&P500 Price to Sales Ratio has hit 3.2, the highest level ever recorded. The top 10% largest companies account for 76% of the US total equity market. This is a new all-time record. The top 10 companies in the S&P500 are nearly 40% of the total S&P500 valuation. They also account for nearly all of the gains over the past couple of years. The remaining 490 companies in the S&P500 have declined in valuation adjusted for inflation at the same time. The top 2 companies, Microsoft and Nvidia, are over 15% of the total S&P500 market cap. Extreme valuations include extreme risk. Any catalyst could cause a significant correction. How do you take advantage of future potential upside while protecting your downside? Annuities offer unlimited upside potential while guaranteeing the principle against loss. - This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years, insured with guarantees. - If you own an annuity 2+ years old, I strongly recommend comparing to the newer more profitable products. - Many of my clients are earning 2-10x increased returns annually than their previous annuity products! - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years due to higher bond yields. - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 17+% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/37838735

The Buffet Indicator Has Hit 2x Standard Deviation for the 3rd Time Since 1950 08/13/2025

The Buffet Indicator Has Hit 2x Standard Deviation for the 3rd Time Since 1950 The Buffett Indicator is a measure of the total market capitalization of publicly traded companies to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Warren Buffett called it "probably the best single measure of where valuations stand at any given moment". The Buffett Indicator has hit 2 times standard deviation for the 3rd time since 1950. Two times standard deviation is double the average value. This means the overall stock market is double the average value. Previously, the Buffett Indicator hit this level in 1969 and 2000. Both times the stock market had significant downside corrections (about 50%). This indicator is worth paying attention to. It demonstrates that the stock market is significantly over-valued. Downside market risk is elevated. How do you take advantage of future potential upside while protecting your downside? Annuities offer unlimited upside potential while guaranteeing the principle against loss. - This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years, insured with guarantees. - If you own an annuity 2+ years old, I strongly recommend comparing to the newer more profitable products. - Many of my clients are earning 2-10x increased returns annually than their previous annuity products! - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years due to higher bond yields. - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 17+% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/37737765

The Trade Deals Give Reasons for Optimism Yet the Transition will Likely Create Volatility 08/06/2025

The Trade Deals Give Reasons for Optimism Yet the Transition will Likely Create Volatility Trump has Announced Several Astounding Trade Deals The terms on the recent trade deals are very favorable for the United States. - Japan: 15% tariff, no tariff for US products, $550 billion joint-venture investment, 90% profit to US. - South Korea: 15% tariff, no tariff for US products, open market to US, $350 billion investment in US. - European Union: 15% tariff, no tariff for US products, $750 billion US energy purchase, $650 billion investment in the US. The investments in the United States were negotiated to "buy down" the tariff rate. Total investments pledged are about $15 trillion so far. This is almost double the valuation of every Silicon Valley company combined. The estimated tariff revenue for 2025 is about $700 billion. These are massive numbers. This will have a huge impact on the US economy in the next few years. The upside potential is huge. This is one of the largest infrastructure projects in history. Similar to many building projects, there could be challenges and delays. This could cause significant volatility. How do you take advantage of the strong potential upside while protecting your downside? Annuities offer unlimited upside potential while guaranteeing the principle against loss. - This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years, insured with guarantees. - If you own an annuity 2+ years old, I strongly recommend comparing to the newer more profitable products. - Many of my clients are earning 2-10x increased returns annually than their previous annuity products! - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years due to higher bond yields. - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 17+% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/37637785

There are Significant Tax Opportunities Due to the Big, Beautiful Bill 07/30/2025

Economists Created a Model of the US Economy using NASA Computers. The Model Crashed Due to the Federal Debt. 07/23/2025

Economists Created a Model of the US Economy using NASA Computers. The Model Crashed Due to the Federal Debt. Some leading economists and mathematicians built a computer model of the US economy to run various scenarios. Because this was such a big math problem, they used thousands of NASA and Amazon computers. The computers were unable to create a working model because of the rising debt. Us Government Debt is currently over $36 Trillion. The increasing interest on the debt is unsustainable. The computers projected interest on the debt would consume one-third of all tax revenues within a decade. In 20 years, interest on the debt was estimated to be about 80% of tax revenue. With the vast majority of revenues consumed by interest payments, there is not enough money remaining to pay for maintaining infrastructure, military, or other government services. Economic chaos is the likely result. Many argue what would happen; Austerity Measures, Depression, Hyperinflation, ect. The reality is there are no good options. The best option is to avoid economic chaos. The good news is the computers estimated we have about 20 years before economic collapse. This gives us some time to fix the problem. But the longer we wait, the more drastic the solution. The solution is obvious: 1. Increase income. 2. Reduce spending. The Trump administration is aggressively taking steps to increase income (GDP) thru increasing tariff income, using tariff policy to reshore manufacturing, and encouraging investment in America. DOGE found billions in waste and fraud. The Big, Beautiful Bill reduces spending about 2%. Deporting illegal aliens will reduce government welfare spending by billions of dollars. Further government reductions of spending are promised in the future. There has been push-back on spending reductions, mostly from the court system. Many of the district court rulings have been overturned by Appellate Courts or the US Supreme Court. It is not predetermined that the US economy crashes due to excessive debt. But major changes in income and spending have to be made. This will be a generational change to the US economy. Regardless of what happens, there will be a significant transition period. The US government's lack of financial responsibility creates an opportunity. This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years! Insured with guarantees. - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years due to higher bond yields. - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 16% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/37457930

The Big, Beautiful Bill has Passed. What is in it? How Will it Affect Your Money? 07/16/2025

The Big, Beautiful Bill has Passed. What is in it? How Will it Affect Your Money? There is a lot of confusing info regarding the Big Beautiful Bill. Forget the noise or the politics. What are the facts on some of the key aspects? No Tax on Tips: up to $25,000 of tip income is tax-free plus your standard deduction of $15,750 for singles, $31,500 for married filing jointly. Social Security Tax: Social Security Administration estimates 88% of seniors will no longer pay taxes on Social Security benefits. - $24,000: average Social Security benefit - $15,750: standard deduction for singles - $2,000: senior deduction - $6,000: new senior bonus (Big Beautiful Bill) - $23,750: Total deductions Taxable Social Security = Zero for average senior Requires citizenship for Medicaid. Health and Human Services estimate 1.5+ million illegal aliens will lose Medicaid benefits despite not being eligible. Currently, 14 states offer government healthcare "regardless of immigration status". Taxpayers pay for this. If you have private health coverage, you pay premiums every month. Many have large deductibles. Most never use it unless absolutely. If a health situation occurs, insurance rarely pays for everything. You could get stuck with huge medical debt. Illegals have received free healthcare. Government is supposed to benefit citizens. Our government is supposed to promote and protect the principles of the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among those are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men." The US is the only country in the world that pays for the medical expenses of people who don't belong here, yet expects our citizens to not only pay our own medical bills but also the medical expenses of illegals. I don't think we should have to work hard to pay for benefits for illegals. Us Government Debt is over $37 Trillion. The US government's lack of financial responsibility creates an opportunity. This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years! Insured with guarantees. - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years due to higher bond yields. - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 16% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/37375410

Brigham Blackham Interview, host of the Levelin' Up Podcast 07/09/2025

If Houses are not Selling, Why are not Prices Dropping? 07/02/2025

If Houses are not Selling, Why are not Prices Dropping? Many people are confused. If houses are not selling, why are not prices not falling? There are several reasons. Cause: Housing prices increased an average of 50% from 2019 -2024 in the US. Some areas increased up to 100%. Strong purchasing demand plus limited inventory was the primary reason for prices increasing. Housing affordability is at historical lows due to significantly higher mortgage interest rates and higher purchase prices. This has destroyed buying demand. The average American household can no longer afford to purchase the average home in America. Effect: Some homeowners are still hoping to cash in on the pandemic housing boom. Low mortgages have a "lock-in effect". Many are reluctant to sell their current home and replace with a much higher interest rate. Others are not delusional, they cannot afford to move. Projection: There is hope on the horizon. Housing inventory has increased to pre-COVID levels in many markets, particularly in the South and West. Homebuilders are offering record levels of incentives for new homebuyers. Rental rates have declined for 21 consecutive months. Investors are selling at record levels due to the declining rental income. Job changes or life events are forcing some to move. As time passes, the low interest rate mortgage "lock-in effect" is receding. These are factors that will contribute to declining housing prices. Us Government Debt is over $37 Trillion. The US government's lack of financial responsibility creates an opportunity. This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years! Insured with guarantees. - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years due to higher bond yields. - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 16% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/37199775

How High can US Debt go before it Triggers a Financial Crisis? 06/25/2025

How High can US Debt go before it Triggers a Financial Crisis? Excessive government debt has contributed to inflation and is pushing interest rates higher. The government continues to add to the debt by spending more than it receives. The US government receives about $5T in revenues annually. They spend about $7T per year. Higher interest rates and increasing debt is increasing interest payments on the debt at unsustainable levels. Many are concerned the debt will lead to a financial crisis. The big question is how high can US debt go before it triggers a financial crisis? Government debt is currently about $37T. This is 121% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Interest payments are about $1.1T annually. This is about 22% of annual government revenues. Is the US at crisis levels? No. Not yet, but we are on an unsustainable path. If interest on the debt continues to increase at current levels, interest payments will increase to about 30% of revenues in 5-7 years per Moody's. If you have ever applied for a mortgage, you likely would have been declined if your debt to income ratio was above 30%. This is because lenders understand that if interest payments are too high, you are unable to maintain the payments. The solutions are to increase income, reduce spending, or both. You already know this. You do this with your household budget. The Trump administration is attempting to increase income via tariff income and reshore manufacturing to boost the economy (increase income). The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is attempting to reduce fraud and wasteful spending. Only in Washington is common sense considered radical. The US government's lack of financial responsibility creates an opportunity. This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years! Insured with guarantees. - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years due to higher bond yields. - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 16% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/37091910

Stocks have not been this Expensive Relative to Bonds in nearly 25 Years 06/18/2025

Why are President Trump and Elon Musk Bickering Over the "Big Beautiful Bill" 06/11/2025

Why are President Trump and Elon Musk Bickering Over the "Big Beautiful Bill" Although I do not like Trump and Elon attacking each other, the conversation is very valuable and could lead to good results. Elon is bringing attention to the fact our government is taxing us too much and spending much of it on waste and fraud. The spending cuts are pathetic. The $1.5T in spending cuts is over 10 years. $150 billion per year in spending cuts is only about 2% of the approximately $7T annual spending. Our government increased spending 50% from pre-COVID levels. Our population increased 2% in the past 4 years. We need to push our representatives to do better. I don't believe it is too late to fix this. But this level of spending is unsustainable. The interest on the debt is currently about 25% of total government revenues and is rising rapidly. If you apply for a mortgage, you won't qualify if your debt to income ratio is above 30%. The interest on the debt is projected to increase to about 30% of government revenues in 5-7 years. The Trump administration is relying on future growth to fix the problem. Future growth is likely but not guaranteed. Spending cuts would definitely fix the problem. They would also help improve future growth. You already know this. If you have too much debt, you reduce expenses. If you can increase income, even better. Washington is the only place where common sense is considered radical. This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years! Insured with guarantees. - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years due to higher bond yields. - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 16% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. Although I do not like Trump and Elon attacking each other, the conversation is very valuable and could lead to good results. Elon is bringing attention to the fact our government is taxing us too much and spending much of it on waste and fraud. The spending cuts are pathetic. The $1.5T in spending cuts is over 10 years. $150 billion per year in spending cuts is only about 2% of the approximately $7T annual spending. Our government increased spending 50% from pre-COVID levels. Our population increased 2% in the past 4 years. We need to push our representatives to do better. I don't believe it is too late to fix this. But this level of spending is unsustainable. The interest on the debt is currently about 25% of total government revenues and is rising rapidly. If you apply for a mortgage, you won't qualify if your debt to income ratio is above 30%. The interest on the debt is projected to increase to about 30% of government revenues in 5-7 years. The Trump administration is relying on future growth to fix the problem. Future growth is likely but not guaranteed. Spending cuts would definitely fix the problem. They would also help improve future growth. You already know this. If you have too much debt, you reduce expenses. If you can increase income, even better. Washington is the only place where common sense is considered radical. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/36891990

The Inventor of the 4% Withdrawal Rule has Updated His Recommendation. It is Significantly Less than Guaranteed Lifetime Income Benefits 06/04/2025

Moody's Downgrades US Credit Rating, 30-Year Treasury Hits 5% (How to Increase Your Retirement Income Guaranteed) 05/28/2025

Moody's Downgrades US Credit Rating, 30-Year Treasury Hits 5% (How to Increase Your Retirement Income Guaranteed) Moody's downgraded the US credit rating for the first time in history. This is the last of the 3 major credit agencies to downgrade the US credit rating. The primary concern is the increasing level of government debt. As a result, the 30-year treasury bond yields rose to 5%. This is the highest level since 2007. Bond buyers will demand higher interest (yield) to purchase government bands due to the increased risk. Bond yields and higher borrowing costs will be higher until the government addresses fiscal responsibility. Higher bond yields are one of the greatest threats to stock market asset values. Many large institutional investors shift their investments from the stock market to the bond market to lock in long term cash flow. 30-year treasury yields at 5% are a common benchmark for institutional investors to shift. The 4% withdrawal rule is widely recommended to ensure you don't run out of money in retirement with a high likelihood of success. If you increase your withdrawal rate to 5%, your likelihood of success decreases significantly. Current Guaranteed Lifetime Income withdrawal rates: - Age 65: 7.5% guaranteed for life - Age 75: 8.5% guaranteed for life - Rates increase as you are older You can increase your income significantly with 100% likelihood of success. You cannot outlive your income. Higher bond yields increase fixed asset returns. Insurance dividends, annuity, and guaranteed lifetime income returns are expected to increase for the next 5-10 years. This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years! Insured with guarantees. - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years! - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 16% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/36690155

The Tariff War with China has been Paused 05/21/2025

The Tariff War with China has been Paused China and the US have agreed to pause the 145% US tariffs and 125% Chinese tariffs for 90 days while they negotiate an agreement. If the high tariff rates had gone into effect, it would have been similar to a trade embargo. Both countries have realized a trade embargo would be devastating to both economies. The US imports about 5 times more from China than China imports from the US. The US is the largest purchasing economy in the world. The buyer has the power. This gives the US a powerful position in this situation. We finally have a president that understands the strength of the US economy and is acting accordingly. I am encouraged that the Trump administration will be able to negotiate a strong trade policy with China. Certainly better than the trade agreements for the past several decades. In the meantime, there will likely be volatility until a trade deal with China is completed. The Trump administration wants to complete a deal quickly. China historically takes a very slow, deliberate, and methodical approach. The volatility could be over fairly quickly or could extend for a long period. Currently, there is no way to predict. In the meantime, it would be wise to protect your investments and reduce your risk to the downside. This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years! Insured with guarantees. - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years! - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 16% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/36596800

Retirement is not about a Number, It is about Cash Flow 05/14/2025

More Americans Worry about Running Out of Money in Retirement than Dying 05/07/2025

More Americans Worry about Running Out of Money in Retirement than Dying The 2025 Allianz Retirement Survey key findings: 64% of Americans worry more about running out of money in retirement than about death. The primary causes of their concerns are: - 54% cite the increased prices of goods due to inflation - 43% fear Social Security will not provide enough financial support as needed - 43% state high taxes negatively impact their economic situation Your withdrawal rate largely impacts the likelihood of success of not running out of money in retirement. The 4% withdrawal rate is often recommended by retirement experts for a high likelihood of success. According to multiple studies, if you initially withdraw 4% of your portfolio annually your likelihood of not running out of money after 35 years in retirement is 85-95% depending on your asset allocation. If you increase your withdrawal rate to 5%, your likelihood of success reduces to 45-70%. If you withdraw 6%, your likelihood of success drops to 10-55%. Many people respond to periods of market volatility by not looking at their account statements. Ignoring what is not going on is not an effective way to deal with challenges. If you have concerns about your financial situation, there are strong options available to increase returns safely, reduce market risk, increase withdrawal rates with guarantees, reduce taxes, and increase access to your money. This is the "Golden Era" of fixed assets. The best rates in 40+ years! Insured with guarantees. - Your Personal Bank policies are insured, with guarantees, income tax-free, highly liquid, and likely to increase returns for the next 5-10 years! - Fixed Index Annuities have the best upside potential in 40+ years with no downside market risk. The principle is guaranteed. Some offer signing bonuses up to 16% with strong upside potential. - Guaranteed Lifetime Income is the highest in 40+ years. Some products offer up to 30% signing bonus. Other products offer up to 10% increased guaranteed lifetime income each year you defer. /episode/index/show/213d6923-899f-4df4-94e2-847b110a7179/id/36410735

Will the US-China Economic Cold War Lead to a Recession? 04/30/2025

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