“Fun With Annuities” The Annuity Man Podcast
Fun With Annuities® Podcast is hosted by America’s Annuity Agent, Stan The Annuity Man®. Hear brutal annuity facts with no sales pitches from the top independent agent in the country, licensed in all 50 states. Author of 7 books, Stan dives deep on all annuity types and strategies. It’s fun, learning the contractual truths on how annuities actually work and if they’ll fit your personal retirement lifestyle. Listen in on how you can be livin’ the reality, not the dream.
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Financial Advice - Racism and The Classism Crisis Shootin' It Straight with Stan
05/18/2022
Financial Advice - Racism and The Classism Crisis Shootin' It Straight with Stan
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Financial racism/classism in the annuity industry The responsibility of companies Don’t rush buying an annuity Hiring a trustworthy expert Key Takeaways: Financial racism/classism is going on in the industry these days. People who have worked their whole life that are not particularly financially savvy are being preyed upon by annuity agents that don't have anyone’s interests in mind except themselves. Annuity companies and organizations are responsible for researching what their people are selling to their clients. Each agent must be properly trained and managed so that they will only be able to sell what the client needs. Tell that jerk to go away and stop harassing you if this is happening to you. Don’t let anyone rush you into buying an annuity. There’s no “too good to be true” product; you need to understand what you’re signing up for fully. There’s no shame in admitting that you don’t understand something fully. It’s better to keep asking questions than to be persuaded to buy a product that you don’t need. You can’t be good at everything, so you have to seek an expert in finances, but you have to be selective and find the truly trustworthy ones. "There’s never an urgency to buy an annuity; the urgency is for you to understand what you’re buying - the good, the bad, the limitations, the benefits. " — Stan The Annuity Man. Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Rick Ferri: Core-4 Portfolios for Simplistic Success
05/17/2022
Rick Ferri: Core-4 Portfolios for Simplistic Success
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Rick Ferri discuss: Outperforming 90% of investors Developing a simple portfolio Five ways to improve your portfolio Facing the risks Key Takeaways: Investing is not as difficult as others would have you believe. The best way to invest is to keep things simple; the fewer moving parts, the better. Develop a simple portfolio that will hold four funds, two stock funds, and two bond funds. The bond funds have to be some fixed income type of allocation, while on the stock side, you do a stock market index fund and a total international fund. Are you going to be active or passive? Select a portfolio strategy. Determine whether you’re going to be aggressive or conservative and assess if you need a higher rate of return and if you can handle high volatility. In bad times, remember that “this too shall pass.” Investing doesn’t come without risk. Everything in life has risks. Even burying your money has a risk; inflation will eat away at its value. It’s better just to face the risk. "The idea is simplicity. Be simple, be low-cost, be consistent, stay the course, be tax-efficient." — Rick Ferri. Connect with Rick Ferri: Website: Facebook: LinkedIn: Twitter: Books: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Squeezing Annuity Yield: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
05/11/2022
Squeezing Annuity Yield: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed The two primary functions of an annuity Don’t time it; ladder it Annuities are based on life expectancy When life expectancy tables change against you Key Takeaways: There are two primary functions for an annuity: principal protection or income for life. Never buy an annuity for market growth. Don’t time it; try laddering instead. If you have $300,000, put $100,000 each in a three-year, four-year, and five-year plan. That way, you’ll have money coming due at different intervals, hopefully attaching to rising interest rates. Lifetime income is primarily based on your life expectancy when you take the payment. Interest rates play a secondary role, and that’s why laddering is the best strategy for squeezing yield out of annuities. Keep your maturity short and ladder it. Lifetime income is all about life expectancy, not interest rates. When you’re squeezing annuity yields, remember that because lifetime expectancy dries the pricing train, there’s a risk that the life expectancy tables will change against you in the future. "Squeezing yield out of MYGAs really comes down to not trying to time it, not trying to pick a specific duration, and laddering those maturities." — Stan The Annuity Man. Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Dana Anspach: Be Aware of Financial Biases
05/10/2022
Dana Anspach: Be Aware of Financial Biases
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Dana Anspach discuss: Don’t blame the hammer Overcoming confirmation bias Avoiding “perfect” products Long view financial planning Key Takeaways: Don’t blame the hammer. It’s easy to blame the tool, but many other variables come into play if it doesn’t work. It could be that the person using the tool lacks experience or all the information they need to make it work. To overcome your own confirmation bias, try to be more curious. Listen to media, understand their audience, and consider if you’re a part of it. Determine if the message is for you or if their advice fits your lifestyle. Be wary of the “perfect product” that’s a fit for everyone; there is no such thing. Stop looking for a perfect product, and don’t let anyone sell it to you. Today’s current issues, like war and the pandemic, are just events that will eventually smooth itself out. Financial planning is all about the long view. "When you’re not educated, it’s easy to use the wrong tool for the job." — Dana Anspach. Connect with Dana Anspach: Website: | Facebook: LinkedIn: Twitter: | Books: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Having Annuity Companies Buy Bonds for You: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
05/04/2022
Having Annuity Companies Buy Bonds for You: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: How annuity companies buy bonds for you Accessing industrial-grade bonds Interest rates play a secondary role Potential or contractual increases Key Takeaways: You can’t open an account with an annuity company and have them buy bonds for you, but when you sign a contract for an annuity they’ll buy bonds on your behalf to support the lifetime income they’ll be dishing out for you. Annuity companies have access to industrial-grade bonds that regular individuals don’t. That means they get the best of the best when it comes to investments. When you are talking about a lifetime income stream the primary pricing mechanism is your life expectancy at the time you start the payments. Interest rates play a secondary role. Anytime anyone says that the income stream is increasing with inflation, that means that the annuity company is lowering that initial payment to make up for that potential or contractual increase. "When you’re buying lifetime income, you’re literally saying to the annuity company ‘I’m gonna piggy back on your institutional access to bonds and you’re gonna buy the bonds for me and you’re gonna do a better job buying the bonds than I could as an individual and because of that… the lifetime stream’s gonna be better." — Stan the Annuity Man. Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube: Get a Quote Today:
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Ted Benna: The Inside Scoop From The Founder Of The 401k
05/03/2022
Ted Benna: The Inside Scoop From The Founder Of The 401k
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Ted Benna discuss: From spender to saver Getting more money in the long run Employees should care about employees Investing faster in your retirement Key Takeaways: The biggest help that 401k’s have provided is that they converted employees from being spenders into savers. A 401k plan enables an employee to essentially get more money in the long run and have more resources to use when they retire. Because of the 401k, employers are now forced to care for their employees. They have to have some plans that benefit an employee's future to stay competitive in the market. When you’re building a nest egg for retirement, it’s better to do it faster rather than slower. If you’re saving pre-tax, you’ll be able to invest more money into your future rather than doing it after tax. "The biggest benefit of it [401k] is that it has actually helped convert spenders into savers - most employees would not do this if they had to do it on their own… enables them into becoming successful savers" — Ted Benna Connect with Ted Benna: Website: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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You Already Own Two Annuities: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
04/27/2022
You Already Own Two Annuities: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Social security is a lifetime income stream The annuity that most are unaware of Your pension is your third annuity Do you still need an annuity then? Key Takeaways: The first annuity that you already own is Social Security. By definition, Social Security is a lifetime income stream that will pay you as long as you’re breathing based on your life expectancy when you take the payments. That’s an annuity. Another annuity you may not know that you already have is Required Minimum Distribution or RMDs. It factually and semantically is a forced annuity. If you work for a company or organization that offers a pension, congratulations, you already own three annuities! Do you still need an annuity if you already have social security, RMDs, and a pension? That depends on what type of income you’re solving for and what lifestyle you would want to live in the future when you’ve retired. "Don’t be an annuity hypocrite. Embrace the fact that you already have lifetime income. Embrace the fact that you already have two items that are gonna fill that income floor as long as you are breathing. Embrace that, don’t hate annuities." — Stan the Annuity Man. Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Amanda-Jo Wilt: Making The Most of the Years You Have Left with "The Boomer Nutritionist"
04/26/2022
Amanda-Jo Wilt: Making The Most of the Years You Have Left with "The Boomer Nutritionist"
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Amanda-Jo Wilt discuss: Your most important asset Removing the barriers to health Weight acceptance and promoting health The problem with alcohol Key Takeaways: Your overall most important asset is your health. Invest in it, or you’ll lose out on enjoying your retirement. The best way to achieve a healthy lifestyle is to get rid of the barriers and make it easier on yourself. Hiring a specialist to create the perfect meal plan for you is the simplest way you can do this. Your value doesn’t change depending on your weight. No matter how you are and what health struggle you’re going through, you are beautiful and important. However, make no mistake that obesity is a sickness, and it will impact how much or how little you will be able to enjoy your life in the long run. If you have goals for longevity and quality of life, you have to sit back, be honest, and assess yourself and your relationship with alcohol. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a glass, but it’s time to stop if you can see that you lack self-control. "If your health span runs out before your lifespan runs out, all that saving you’ve put in for retirement is now vulnerable because instead of enjoying that, it’s all going toward medical costs. " — Amanda-Jo Wilt. Connect with Amanda-Jo Wilt: Website: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Your CPA is not your Financial Advisor: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
04/20/2022
Your CPA is not your Financial Advisor: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Why do they sell you indexed annuities? Letting CPAs stay in their lane Listening to the right people No good reason to sell Key Takeaways: Your CPA should not be involved in financial advice. There is a reason why they often sell indexed annuities, and that’s because they’ll get the highest commission from that type of annuity. CPAs are analytical and good with numbers, but they don’t read the policies, don’t understand the annuity product that they’re selling to you, and are not equipped to give you a product that gives contractual guarantees fitting all your needs. There’s not a one-size-fits-all product when it comes to annuities. Sometimes you don’t even need an annuity or don’t need it yet. If the person selling to you isn’t a licensed professional, then you shouldn’t be listening to them. There is no good reason why a CPA would sell you an annuity product that they don’t completely understand. There’s only one, and that’s greed - they’re not thinking about you, they’re thinking about taking your money. "Never ever take any tax advice from anyone other than a CPA and a tax lawyer - but the reverse is true, don’t buy an annuity from a tax lawyer or a CPA. Tell them to stay in their lane." — Stan the Annuity Man. Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Steve Vernon: How To Avoid Going Broke in Retirement
04/19/2022
Steve Vernon: How To Avoid Going Broke in Retirement
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Steve Vernon discuss: The Scrooge McDuck Syndrome Facing your reality Focusing on the future Maximizing your social security Key Takeaways: The problem with decumulation is foremost a psychological one. People feel better seeing that account with money sitting there, but you have to turn the switch and spend it down. Develop lifetime paychecks that last the rest of your life, no matter how long you live. Take a look at your living expenses and see it’s below your paychecks. If it’s not, you need to find a way to either reduce expenses or increase income. Many people who are transitioning to retirement don’t plan ahead that much when they should. Focus on the future because if you don’t, it’ll be too late to have planned for it by the time it arrives. Maximize your social security, and don’t buy an annuity until you’ve taken steps to maximize that social security because that’s the best-priced annuity you’ll ever get. Use your savings if that’s what you need to do to delay your social security benefits. "There’s just a whole bunch of things you need to think about, and so I encourage people - it’s gonna take some time. You’re not gonna do this in an afternoon. I encourage people to learn their options and hire professional help." — Steve Vernon. Connect with Steve Vernon: Website: LinkedIn: Twitter: Books: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube: Get a Quote Today:
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Payout Rates vs. Interest Rates: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
04/13/2022
Payout Rates vs. Interest Rates: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: What are interest rates? Payout rates and lifetime income Focusing on the monthly income You can’t beat the annuity companies Key Takeaways: Interest rates have to do with multi-year guarantee annuities, the annuity industry’s version of a CD. You will be locked in at a guaranteed interest rate. The payout rate is a whole different animal. Payout rates have to do with life expectancy and lifetime income, a combination of a return of principal plus interest. That percentage is the payout rate. Forget the bonus, forget the payout rate percentage, forget it all. Focus on the monthly income number; it’s the number that matters. They price it so that the longer you allow them to hold your money as it’s deferring, as you’re waiting to turn on the lifetime income stream, the more they enhance the payments. You can’t time interest rates or payout rates. "Don’t look at the percentage, look at the monthly income number, and with any of this, look at the contractual guarantee." — Stan The Annuity Man. Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Paul Merriman: 7 Things You Should Be Doing With Your Retirement Portfolio
04/12/2022
Paul Merriman: 7 Things You Should Be Doing With Your Retirement Portfolio
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Paul Merriman discuss: The seven big things you need to know about investment Putting children on a glide path Avoiding market-timing Investing is simple Key Takeaways: Figure out a way to identify what equity asset classes you should have and figure out how to put them together. Everyone needs a glide path, and in theory, it starts when a child is born. Parents and grandparents must immediately take steps to put their children on a glide path - all equities while they’re young and more fixed income as they get older. Don’t panic. If you want to be a successful long-term investor, you have to stay the course. Don’t market time; you might be able to avoid losses short-term, but you will pay the price in the long term. Investing is simple, but it takes faith in the system. It is easy to set it and forget it if you can keep your hands off the trigger. Winning in investing means thinking defensively, not aggressively. "You don’t have to be Warren Buffet to get exceptional returns; you just need to be in the types of asset classes that have historically paid the premium - it’s not about the price you pay, it’s about the value you get." — Paul Merriman. Connect with Paul Merriman: Website: Podcast: Facebook: Twitter: YouTube: LinkedIn: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Inverted Annuity Yield Curve: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
04/06/2022
Inverted Annuity Yield Curve: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: What does Inverted Annuity Yield Curve mean? An opportunity in current events Are A++ companies too big to fail? Annuities are not bonds Key Takeaways: An Inverted Annuity Yield Curve is when the two-year treasury rate is higher than the ten-year treasury rate. Typically when that happens, that’s a pre-determinant of a possible upcoming recession. The big carriers are popping to the top of the MYGA fees. A month ago, A++ carrier MYGA fees were way down the list, 50 or 75 basis points lower than the highest lead for that duration. The only scenario in which we will see A++ companies failing is if the world goes into apocalypse-esque or anarchic conditions. Annuities are not bonds! The only product comparison between bonds and annuities is in Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuities or MYGAs because they both have a guaranteed coupon. "Where these A++ companies are being competitive is at the three-year and five-year level - oh my goodness, pound the table, take a look, don’t hesitate!" — Stan the Annuity Man. Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Peggy Nicholson: Preparing for Death Without All The Information You Need
04/05/2022
Peggy Nicholson: Preparing for Death Without All The Information You Need
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Peggy Nicholson discuss: Lying in a shallow grave How to live like you’re dying Letting money complicate your life Stop waiting for yourself to be ready Key Takeaways: Envision yourself lying in a shadow grave and reflect. Think about your legacy and the people you’ll leave behind. What are some things that came to your mind? Live life today like you’re dying tomorrow. That doesn’t mean doing crazy things with your money, but doing some things that take you out of that comfort zone. Money doesn’t solve anything and makes things complicated if you let it. Don’t let money complicate your life. Stop waiting for yourself to be ready. You’ve waited all your life. You have this moment; take it. "We have this moment, we have memories in the past, we can think about the future, but we can only live right now, in this moment…" — Peggy Nicholson. Connect with Peggy Nicholson: LinkedIn: Book: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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CBDC-Central Bank Digital Currency: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
03/30/2022
CBDC-Central Bank Digital Currency: Shootin' It Straight with Stan
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: The CBDC initiative The taxing of cryptocurrency Cryptocurrency is not going away How blockchain can affect annuities in the future Key Takeaways: Putin using cryptocurrency to thwart US banking has led the administration to be aggressive with going in the direction of digital currency. Since the government is taking a huge interest in blockchain due to current events, there might be a possibility that the government will tax cryptocurrency in the future. Cryptocurrency may not have any intrinsic value, but it’s not going away. It’s just a matter of time before governments go in the direction of blockchain. There is hope for blockchain, and that is if the technology is used for pooling money, risk, and offering contractual guarantees. "In the future, I think blockchain and this Central Bank Digital Currency strategy by governments are going to open it up and the products that will be coming up, I can’t say what they’ll be, but they’ll be pro-consumer because they’ll be transparent. " — Stan the Annuity Man. Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Charles Rotblut: What Individual Investors Need To Succeed
03/29/2022
Charles Rotblut: What Individual Investors Need To Succeed
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Charles Rotblut discuss: Creating your own financial plan Finding your real risk tolerance History repeats itself Crypto is purely speculative Key Takeaways: Prioritize your goals, recognize your risk tolerance, and identify your investment management preferences. Don’t be distracted by shiny objects, and remember that everything you do with your money is a trade-off. You might feel like your tolerance of risk is high, but it’s worth looking back at the past at how you reacted to certain situations - if you had freaked out or stayed steady - these instances will show you what your risk tolerance really is. History repeats itself in some form or another, that’s why you have to stay steady in the midst of unpredictable times. Focus on your goals and think of the long-term. Blockchain technology has a lot of potential for future applications, but right now, cryptocurrency - which is based on it, is purely speculative technology. It has value because people are assigning value to it. "Prioritize your goals… write down your goals, your odds of achieving them go up by 40%." — Charles Rotblut Connect with Charles Rotblut: Website: LinkedIn: Twitter: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Understanding Annuity Payout Options - Shootin' It Straight with Stan
03/23/2022
Understanding Annuity Payout Options - Shootin' It Straight with Stan
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: Annuities are customizable An example of life with cash refund What does it mean to get a joint-life policy Options and choices when getting an annuity Key Takeaways: A life-only contract means that the annuity company is on the hook to pay as long as you’re breathing, but the money goes away when you die. Life with cash refund means that you get paid while you’re alive, with some money going to your beneficiary when you die. A joint life policy means that you and your spouse will receive payments. When you die, their income continues uninterrupted and unchanged. There’s not just one annuity, there are many kinds, and there are also a lot of options when customizing your contract. "I want you to understand what you’re buying and how it works ‘cause remember, an annuity is a contract" — Stan The Annuity Man. Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Andy Panko: Financial Planning Demystified and Unemotional
03/22/2022
Andy Panko: Financial Planning Demystified and Unemotional
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Andy Panko discuss: How advisors should construct their fees The complexity of decumulation Making the plan as good as it can be Cryptocurrency is a lottery ticket Key Takeaways: The work isn’t linear to the asset size; advisors shouldn’t make more money just because assets go up. In the same way, advisors shouldn’t be paid less just because the markets go down. They’re still doing the same amount of work and providing the same services. Investment management, even good investment management, has become increasingly cheap, easy, commoditized to do and do well. Decumulation is much more complex. Try to make the plan as good as it can be initially, accounting for unpredictable events. So try to structure your plan as best as possible to account for times of distress. Get all things working cohesively - it’s not just investments, insurance, real estate - it’s everything, including guaranteed lifetime income. Cryptocurrency has zero intrinsic value. Its value is 100% on simple auction market pricing; it’s only worth as much as what someone is willing to pay for it. You can invest a small portion into it, but only if you’re comfortable that the value could go to zero. Treat it like a lottery ticket. "Most people can do accumulation well; it’s the decumulation where things get a little more tactical and complicated…" — Andy Panko. Connect with Andy Panko: Website: Facebook: YouTube: LinkedIn: Twitter: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Annuity Black Swan Event- Shootin' It Straight with Stan
03/16/2022
Annuity Black Swan Event- Shootin' It Straight with Stan
In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed: What are Black Swan Events? How current events affect everything Making a decision solely for your life Considering guarantees always Key Takeaways: When something strange happens, something you’re not prepared for, something you’re not used to seeing, or an event that’s entirely unique, then it’s a black swan. In just 90 days, we’ve seen interest rates move up and then down because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This event affects everything. Forget the black swan event. Making decisions around annuities should always be based on your situation, about what you’re trying to do right now. Own an annuity not for what it might do but for what it will do. It should always come down to the contractual guarantees. " Fear and greed always sell, but please don’t allow that to happen to you. Black swan events do happen - it seems that they happen a lot. You cannot put your retirement plans on hold for a black swan event." — Stan Haithcock. Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: [email protected] Book: : YouTube:
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Ep 100: Michael Finke: Retirees Should Calculate to Not Be a Loser
03/15/2022
Ep 100: Michael Finke: Retirees Should Calculate to Not Be a Loser
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Michael Finke discuss: Delaying your decision to claim Insulating your income from volatility Inflation is personal Consequences of not annuitizing Key Takeaways: If you have a good reason to expect that you’re not going to live as long as an average American, then it makes sense to claim early. Unless, you have a spouse who can continue to receive your benefit. Anybody who’s using stocks to compare the present value of future guaranteed income is insane. Insulate a portion of your income stock-market volatility, that’s just the right thing to do both mathematically and psychologically. Inflation is personal. It affects each person differently. When you’re planning for retirement, pay attention to what percentage of your expenses are subject to increases in inflation and what are “stable nominal expenses”. Stocks will be more volatile, and bonds less volatile. Either way, there is a lot of probability and risks involved. "Essentially what you're doing when you’re delaying social security is that you are buying more of a government-provided, inflation-protected, annuity." — Micheal Finke Connect With Micheal Finke: Website: LinkedIn: Facebook: Twitter: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: [email protected] Book: : YouTube:
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Ep 099: Terry Savage: 5 Ways to Get Out of the Financial Mess You Don't Even Know You're In
03/08/2022
Ep 099: Terry Savage: 5 Ways to Get Out of the Financial Mess You Don't Even Know You're In
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Terry Savage discuss: Responding to the IRS return delays Managing your beneficiaries The opposite of tempting fate Setting an example Key Takeaways: Don’t go refiling your returns. Just be patient; your refund from last year will come eventually with 3% interest. Go to IRS.GOV and look for "sign in to my account," even if you don't have one yet. Scroll down until you see "create an account" and take it from there. Take time to manage the beneficiaries of your IRA, insurance policy, and other funds. Make sure that your money goes to whoever you want it to go to when you die. Imagine that you get hit by the proverbial bus, think about all the things you wanted people to know or take care of. Who would take care of your dogs? Does anyone else have a key to your house? Where do you store your important passwords? Create your will and your revocable living trust. Think about all the what-ifs while you still can. Set an example for your family so that they’ll be encouraged to practice being responsible with their affairs and finances. "Consider the what-ifs… think about the possibilities. If you leave this stuff unplanned, you’re really tempting fate." — Terry Savage. Connect with Terry Savage: Website: YouTube: LinkedIn: Twitter: Facebook: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Ep 098: Bill Black: Life Insurance Trends - Are Your Affairs In Order?
03/01/2022
Ep 098: Bill Black: Life Insurance Trends - Are Your Affairs In Order?
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Bill Black discuss: The predictability of death Long-term care rider Beating life insurance with investing Being wary of “tax-free income” Key Takeaways: Death is predictably imminent. We’ll never know when we’ll pass or if we’ll be needing long-term care somewhere along with our life. That’s why it’s best to get a life insurance policy with a long-term care benefit rider. Getting standalone long-term care is not as good as getting it as a rider for an insurance policy. As a rider, the 1%, 2%, or 3% benefit can be turned on or off as needed, which means you’ve got a lot of choice in the matter and that the money won’t disappear in case you don’t get to use it. If you want to beat life insurance with investing, you’d need to earn 10% of your money every year for the next 30 years. If you can do that, you should be running a hedge fund. When looking at high cash value policies, don’t fall for “tax-free income”; it’s actually a loan. "There are no silver bullets - there’s nothing out there that’s always the right answer, or never the right answer." — Bill Black. Connect with Bill Black: Website: LinkedIn: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Ep 097: Allan Roth: How A Second Grader Beats Wall Street
02/22/2022
Ep 097: Allan Roth: How A Second Grader Beats Wall Street
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Allan Roth discuss: Minimizing expenses and emotions Social security is the best annuity Monte Carlo simulation method Some simple investing principles everyone should know Key Takeaways: Minimize expenses and emotions to maximize results. You need discipline and emotional fortitude to stay the course and not panic. Social security is the single best, inflation-protected, government-backed annuity on the planet. Garbage in, garbage out. Similarly, if you go into something with realistic assumptions, you’ll get real answers with no-nonsense. The more you pay in fees, the lower your returns will be. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Know the odds of a game before you play. Don’t lend your money to someone who can’t pay you back. "In 8 words, investing is ‘minimizing expenses and emotions, maximizing diversification and discipline.’" — Allan Roth Connect with Allan Roth : Website: Twitter: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Ep 96: Owen Schrum: Crypto, The Fed, and Other Things Not Said
02/15/2022
Ep 96: Owen Schrum: Crypto, The Fed, and Other Things Not Said
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Owen Schrum discuss: Correction and volatility in 2022 Blockchain and cryptocurrency What’s causing supply chain problems? The most critical time for investing Key Takeaways: We will see a big increase in volatility this year and at least two corrections in 2022. Corrections are when the market goes down 10% or more and then corrects itself. Blockchain technology is legit, but cryptocurrency is a risk-asset class; it has no stored value. It’s a way for people to trade something. Outsourcing products overseas is dangerous. A disruption in their area could cause huge supply chain problems. The most critical time investing is the three to four years before you retire and the three to four years after you retire. You can’t take a chance on luck when you retire. "We’re going back to an era where diversification is king. You need to have different asset classes, different sectors, different size stocks. You need to be diversified." — Owen Schrum. Connect with Owen Schrum: Website: LinkedIn: Twitter: YouTube: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Ep 95: Gary Baker: Hot Buttons Being Pushed by the Annuity Industry in 2022
02/08/2022
Ep 95: Gary Baker: Hot Buttons Being Pushed by the Annuity Industry in 2022
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Gary Baker discuss: The bowling analogy Four different types of protection Contracts that serve the consumer’s need Comparing annuity programs Key Takeaways: Getting a new index annuity is like going bowling and asking to put bumpers on both sides so you wouldn’t get a gutter bowl. There are literally zero downsides. You can get four different types of protection from an annuity contract. Protection against uncle sam, protection of your principle, death benefit, and income benefit. Consumers deserve to get the contractual guarantees rather than the contract that financial advisors think they want. Advisors have the responsibility to mold it according to the client’s needs. Comparison of annuity programs isn’t that useful of a discussion since they are all different and serve different needs. It’s much better to figure out the need first then configure the contract accordingly. "Depending upon what gaps you’re filling in a broader financial plan, you can take one of these contracts and configure it so that it fits within that plan as opposed to the other way around" — Gary Baker. Connect with Gary Baker: Website: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Ep 94: Jeff Miller: What's New With Social Security In 2022
02/01/2022
Ep 94: Jeff Miller: What's New With Social Security In 2022
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Jeff Miller discuss: Benefitting from an expert’s guidance Inflation and increases in rates Correcting the social security issue Deciding when to retire and when to claim social security Key Takeaways: Consult with experts in social security to get as much valuable information as you need and generate the most optimal strategy that’s tailor-made for you. Inflation will affect each one differently, but it will affect everybody somehow - especially in general needs, such as an increase in food prices. It’s easy for politicians to paint all rich people as evil, forgetting that most people with a lot of money scrimped, saved, and worked their whole lives for it. Retirement is not relevant to when to claim your social security. What’s relevant is if your benefits will go up if you delay a year or how does it match your life expectancy. "They link the two - retirement and claiming as if they’re the same thing. If you got our reports, you will see when the optimal time is to claim - and we don’t ask you when you’re gonna retire… If you’re gonna do an optimization of this - that’s not directly relevant to the issue." — Jeff Miller. Connect with Jeff Miller: Website: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Ep 93: John Lenz: What You Need To Know About Annuity Laddering in 2022
01/25/2022
Ep 93: John Lenz: What You Need To Know About Annuity Laddering in 2022
In this episode, The Annuity Man and John Lenz discuss: What does laddering mean? Lowering risk until it’s nonexistent Hybridization of annuities Annuity industry standards Key Takeaways: Laddering is when you commit to pushing out your money when it becomes liquid into the long end of your ladder and recycling fixed income or annuities to keep your ladder in good form. If you look at a two-year period or three-year period, you’ll see that the chance of you losing money in a long period of time goes down until it’s nonexistent. Hybridization brings in the best features of a fixed annuity and the features of a variable annuity - which gives upside growth and brings them together into the index annuity. Regulators look at index annuities closely; there’s lots of disclosure and lots of innovation. The range of expectations is broadening. "The longer that you measure the equity markets, the higher probability that you’re gonna have a predictably higher rate of return… " — John Lenz. Connect with John Lenz: Website: Email: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Ep 92: Ellie Saul: Mama Bear Speaks The Truth About Medicare
01/18/2022
Ep 92: Ellie Saul: Mama Bear Speaks The Truth About Medicare
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Ellie Saul discuss: The difference between medicare and medicaid Selling and educating Being on guard for misinformation Getting the most out of your medicare Key Takeaways: Medicare is health care for people who are 65 or older, or someone who had a permanent disability for 24 consecutive months or has a specific diagnosis that makes them eligible for healthcare. Medicaid, on the other hand, is financial aid for lower-income. People today are not getting the most benefits out of their medicare because many salespeople are more passionate about selling than educating. Be wary of misinformation, do not surrender the rights you are entitled to, lose out on the benefits of your Medicare program that you worked for your entire life, and don’t get swindled out of contractual guarantees by people who offer supplemental benefits. The last thing you want to do is buy a Medicare plan because of its brand, because you’ve heard from someone else, or because you’ve seen it on TV. Consult with a trustworthy expert, or at the least, spend a lot of time doing research. "Original medicare has everything that we’ve ever dreamed of health insurance having, that we’ve never had - it’s completely transparent and has accountability on every side." — Ellie Saul. Connect with Ellie Saul: Website: Instagram: Facebook: YouTube: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Ep 91: Leah Brandt: Secrets Behind the Application Process With The Annuity Man
01/11/2022
Ep 91: Leah Brandt: Secrets Behind the Application Process With The Annuity Man
In this episode, The Annuity Man discusses: How the application process has changed with changing and evolving technologies. Putting your trust and money with the carrier (and choosing your carrier wisely). Time frames on buying an annuity. Frustrations in the application and annuity process. The future of direct to consumer annuities. Key Takeaways: All of your information is kept secure and is only seen by the people who need to see it. Utilizing Zoom for a video call makes everything secure and easier for everyone involved in the annuity application process. With qualified funds, it must transfer from company to company with the correct forms. Insurance companies are trying to make it easier, but they tend to be slower about it. The process may take a bit longer than you think it is going to take. "The comment I get quite a bit is, ‘Wow, that was way easier than I thought it was going to be!’ When doing an application, there are a lot of pages to do, but you don't have to do them yourself. We're doing the pages. We're just asking you questions and you're answering them." — Leah Brandt Connect with Leah Brandt: Website: LinkedIn: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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Ep 90: Michael Finke: Keys to Goal Based Retirement Planning
01/04/2022
Ep 90: Michael Finke: Keys to Goal Based Retirement Planning
In this episode, The Annuity Man and Michael Finke discuss: Two choices in retirement The worst case scenario in retirement Thrift is good until it isn’t Difference between annuities and investments Key Takeaways: There’s only two things you can do with your money in retirement - spend the money and live better or pass it on. Focus on what a product will do, more than what it might do. You need a steady income guarantee at the minimum in order to enjoy your retirement. The scenario you want to avoid is, for example, you live until 85 or 90 and you won’t have any money to spend to continue living. Without an annuity, you’ll be forced to cut your savings and investments into small little pieces for it to last. People don’t feel comfortable spending money, so the tendency is that they don’t live as well as they should have while they could. We’ve been conditioned to believe thrift is good and it is, but accumulating without enjoying it would be a waste of life. Annuities and investments are two very different things and serve two very different purposes. Never get them confused. The goal with investment is growth, while annuities provide a steady income stream and risk-transfer. "The best way to approach it is, what are you gonna use the money for? Because money is just green paper... why not begin with how you wanna live in retirement and what sort of legacy you want to lead…" — Michael Finke Connect with Michael Finke: Website: LinkedIn: Facebook: Twitter: Connect with The Annuity Man: Website: Email: Book: : YouTube:
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