Wealth Talks

Supply and demand have been regulating goods and prices for a long time and, when left alone, they do a very good job. But some people abuse supply and demand quite badly. When this happens, it mixes up the economy for everyone. How does supply and demand work? How is it abused? Listen in on Wealth Talks as Tom and John discuss supply and demand, how the elites try to manipulate it and what you can do to introduce a more balanced perspective on a personal level.

Watching our economy is like watching a car hurtling down the interstate at 104 mph with 5% tread left on three tires, a bent rear axle and a spare rated for 45 on the front right... something is going to happen... but what? Today, Tom and John discuss what they foresee happening and what we should do to prepare. Resources: How to Build Sustainable Wealth

Our country is in trouble. Gas prices are at unprecedented highs, criminals go unpunished and gross corruption seems to be the only requirement for holding public office. America is almost to the 250-year mark at which, historically, many nations have fallen. Will America survive? Should we just blow everything up and start over? Or can we still save America? Rick Green, former Texas representative, national speaker and founder of Patriot Academy, has the answers to these questions. Don't miss this episode. Listen Now! Resources: Patriot Academy: https://www.patriotacademy.com/, Become a Constitution Coach: https://coach.patriotacademy.com/constitutioncoach/ Biblical Citizenship: https://coach.patriotacademy.com/biblicalcitizenship/

The American system of government based upon "the Laws of Nature and Nature's God", has facilitated the largest burst of creativity, wealth production and accumulation in all human history. Within this system there is always conflict between extremes which tends to find a working balance in different ways at different times. When a viable balance is achieved during the struggle for equilibrium, human energy is harnessed in amazing ways resulting in remarkable production of wealth. When an extreme human-created ideology prevails on either end of a spectrum, wealth tends to be suppressed and even destroyed. Of course, not all struggles are political in nature. Some take place within the financial world, within specific industries or even within a religion. Some issues carry widespread implications while others are more local in nature. It helps to recognize that extremists tend toward chaos and tyranny, but a balanced perspective creates an environment of greater freedom which is exactly the recipe needed for growing and protecting wealth at a personal/family level. Some issues are obviously macro-level, which no one person can change overnight; but many small decisions can be made at an individual level to help your own life more become balanced and effective as well as assisting the pendulum to swing the appropriate way at the macro level. Resources: History of Money and Banking documentary: https://www.life-benefits.com/store-detail/#history-mb

The percentage of people who own life insurance has been dropping big time. Fewer and fewer people understand the importance of being insured. This is too bad, because, while life insurance does help maintain the quality of life for people you love when you pass, life insurance can also increase the quality of your life while you are living. On today's episode, Tom and John discuss why they think life insurance ownership is dropping, and how life insurance can help you save money. Resources: How to Build Sustainable Wealth: https://www.life-benefits.com/store/

We live in a world that too often blurs important distinctions between fact and feeling so far it becomes easy to question the existence of the fact. But behind this facade, you can recognize the unflattering lawyer's adage - if the facts are on your side argue the facts, if the law is on your side argue the law, if neither is on your side then change the subject and question the motives or attack the character of the opposition. We may ignore certain facts for a time but we cannot ignore the results of following a bad ideology based on wishful thinking. Following an ideology that welcomes and works with facts is key to building sustainable wealth. Resource Link: Order the book Winning Your Financial GAME: https://www.life-benefits.com/store-detail#WinningYFG

There are many legal ways to save on taxes, but there are also a lot of dangerous tax schemes. You can smell some tax schemes from a mile away, but others are more subtle – these are the ones that can get good people into trouble. Let's face it, everyone wants to save on taxes, but nobody wants to get in trouble with the IRS. Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John are joined by Jack Cohen CPA who served as an award-winning IRS auditor for 33 years before entering the private sector as a CPA. Listen in as they discuss some of the latest tax schemes, how to stay out of trouble, and a relatively new strategy to save on taxes! Resource Link: SALT Cap Workarounds Update: https://news.bloombergtax.com/tax-insights-and-commentary/salt-cap-workaround-pass-through-entity-tax-update-part-i

Ignorance and Stupidity, Greed and Fear will be some of your leading enemies when trying to achieve success of any kind – especially financial success. Understanding the characteristics of these ailments can help you to identify and overcome them before they have time to impose the entirety of their destructive behavior and results in your life. It's been said that "man's biggest enemy is ignorance". It doesn't seem this will be changing anytime soon, but the blueprint to overcoming ignorance and gaining success is relatively easy. Resources: Find Books and other Educational Resources on the Life Benefits Store: https://www.life-benefits.com/store/

It's a nice big word... but what is it, and is it relative to life? Cognitive Dissonance is the name for a common, if detrimental, human behavior phenomena. Listen as Tom and John explain cognitive dissonance, and how you can respond to it in your life. Resources: Winning Your Financial GAME, How to Build Sustainable Wealth

Interest rates are a vital part of our economy and can quickly turn a boom into a bust or vice versa. Today, Tom and John tell you everything you need to know about the recent shift in interest rates, what they foresee happening to interest rates, and some ways to prepare for the coming changes. Resources: Winning Your Financial GAME, Financial Class Recording

"Free Range" chicken is better than regular chicken... or is it? While it certainly commands a higher price over other birds at the grocery store, "Free Range" doesn't mean what many people think it does. "Free Range" isn't the only misleading label... there are many others, and not just in the food industry. Don't get taken-in by misleading labels! Listen now to Wealth Talks.

High cash value life insurance policies are often referred to as banks... but is this correct? Learn about what goes into the process of starting a bank and why this is important to you. Not only are there different practices on this topic, but there are

We can't control the "what ifs" of life... but we can choose to live in faith. Faith for the future does not entail thinking raw positive thoughts or screaming "I am a hero" in the mirror. In fact, such raw positivity, unfounded on a solid base, leads to fear and frustration. On Wealth Talks, join Tom and John as they discuss how to live with faith and balance for the future.

How should you manage your money? Is it a good idea to let an adviser or planner manage your money for you? Should you be concerned about getting the highest rate of return? All this and more on the latest episode of Wealth Talks.

Why do so many airplanes crash after heavy maintenance (engine overhaul, etc.)? Why do cars sometimes have more problems when they come out of the shop? Why do patients become worse after surgery? Why are some people losing money even when their money is actively managed? There is something to explain this phenomenon, it's called "Maintenance Induced Failure." How much Maintenance is too much? Listen now on Wealth Talks!

Making money is one thing, keeping it is quite another! There are many places to keep money, IRA, 401K, 529 plan, etc., but where should you keep yours? On today's episode, Tom and John discuss some of the different places you can keep your money. Listen Now!

With the US dollar becoming more inflated, the question arises: Should I buy gold? Silver? What about crypto? Drawing from history, Tom and John discuss some of the ramifications of monetary policy in this episode of Wealth Talks! Listen in to get their take on the whole gold/silver/crypto question. Resources: A History of Money and Banking – Documentary premier with the McFie family via Zoom on Wed March 23rd. Email [email protected] to request the Zoom link.

It wasn't just the Beatles who talked about money in their song Can't Buy Me Love. Money is a common thread which is evident throughout all of history and is a frequent subject throughout the Bible. We are supposed to manage money... not the other way around. Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John discuss some common problems they see when it comes to money management. Resources: https://www.life-benefits.com/prescription-for-wealth-book/Prescription for Wealth – free download: https://www.life-benefits.com/store/Prescription for Wealth - Paperback:

Constellation is in the process of a deal with Ohio National, a change which would turn Ohio National from a mutual company to a stock held company. How will this change their policies? Should you keep your existing Ohio National policies? Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John bring you some important points on what you want to know about Ohio National and the upcoming changes.

What does "paying up" a policy mean? Is it a good thing? What about using a term rider instead? What does FPUA mean? Listen in as Tom and John answer these questions and discuss some things you'll want to be aware of if you plan on "paying up" your policy.

Some people thrive in the spotlight of competition, while others feel threatened. Competition is often seen as a negative thing, but truly fair competition understood in the right spirit can be a great blessing especially as a long-term strategy. The attitude with which we approach this subject makes a huge difference in how we treat an Employer, Customers, Competitors and even Family members. What may surprise you is that your attitude toward competition and getting money versus earning money may limit you more than anyone or anything else. When it comes to managing money there is much more to the picture than the negative side of competition. Competing by the rules and with the right attitude is a great asset in your wealth-building endeavors

One of the great problems our nation faces today is the ingratitude of its citizens. Turns out, it is very easy to point out the wrongs and injustices committed by those who came before us. Many times, we see those faults more keenly if we have an inclination to commit them ourselves. But it is also important, although, perhaps, not so easy, to remember and commend the good things they did. Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John discuss the pressing question, "Is America, with all its faults, still worth saving?"

The McFie family recently read a book together titled Oh, Money! Money! by Eleanor H. Porter and we highly recommended it. Humans have an integral relationship with money, especially when you realize that the Hebrew word for the first man, Adam, is closely related to the Hebrew words both for blood and money. In fact, the Bible mentions money about 140 times which is more than nearly any other subject. Obviously financial matters are important, especially if you want to follow the Biblical blueprint when it comes to managing your money wisely.

Rumor is an emotional roller-coaster which can prove embarrassing, painful, and costly. While it may be natural to react to a rumor, people who react to rumors often pay a price for their actions. So how can one assess a rumor and respond rationally? Today on Wealth Talks, John is joined by Jesse McFie. Together they discuss rumors, and how to respond in a way that limits the negative impact on your finances and other life decisions. Resources: Life Benefit's Store: https://www.life-benefits.com/store/ jessemcfie - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessemcfie/

Why are people so infatuated with "giving back"? Why do some people settle for failure almost in the face of success? Why are some rashly confident? On today's episode, Tom and John discuss the imposter syndrome and the interesting behavior patterns it can cause. Listen Now! Resources: How to Build Sustainable Wealth

There are many spider webs out there, not all of them are made by eight legged arthropods. Many are spun specifically to snare gullible, greedy or unaware humans. It's a dangerous time to be a fly... join Tom and John as they clear up some of these sticky webs on today's episode. Listen now! Resources: How to Build Sustainable Wealth

Politics have a BIG impact on what we do with our money. Laws, rules, and regulations restrict and penalize us depending on where we store and how we use our money, and taxes cut a chunk right off the top regardless. But there is a financial tool left to us which is still, comparatively, free from restrictions and penalties. Find out more on Wealth Talks.

It isn't often one spends $50,000 in a single day without previously intending to, but sometimes it happens. Todays on Wealth Talks you'll hear the story and find out what "happened". Resources: Building a Secure Financial Foundation:https://www.life-benefits.com/videos/how-to-build-a-secure-financial-foundation/ @brothersfabshop - Instagram

The new year is almost here. Starting January 1st we often see more people outside, walking, jogging or running working on their "resolutions". This usually lasts for a couple of weeks after which the people, as well as their resolutions perhaps, fade into obscurity. Are these resolutions not merely confessions? On today's episode with special guest Ben McFie, you will learn how to make New Year's goals which will last long after the first two weeks of January. Listen Now Resources: Goal Setting with Tom Ziglar: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/lifebenefits/Audio/Teleconferences/2017/Tom+Ziglar+Jan+2017.mp3

As excited as everyone seems around Christmas, a lot of people report experiencing "post-holiday blues". Interestingly, over 40% of Americans go into debt to buy Christmas gifts. Might this new debt contribute to their post-holiday blues? We thought s

If you've been "around" in the insurance world, you've probably heard about a term rider. It is quite common to see an insurance policy with a term rider attached, but this doesn't mean it's a good idea. In fact, many times, putting a term rider on a policy makes no sense at all. Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John discuss term riders and why they don't often like them. Resources: Policy Class: https://www.life-benefits.com/store-detail#policy-class Prescription for Wealth: https://www.life-benefits.com/prescription-for-wealth-book/

Taxes have been around for a very long time indeed. If we look at the history of taxes in the United States, we notice a curious phenomenon... taxes rarely decrease over time. For some reason, taxes tend to go up! Guess what? They could be going up again! As cheerful as this may be to DC'ers, a few of us American citizens find this upsetting. So, what should we do to ensure we don't pay more in taxes than we must? Listen now on Wealth Talks. Resources: How to Build Sustainable Wealth: https://www.life-benefits.com/store/

With college tuition increasing and student loans becoming a real problem, the question presents itself: Is college still worth it? Many college students graduate and work jobs completely unrelated to their degree. But at least they are thousands of dollars in debt. That always makes the future seem bright! Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John take a hard look at college education. Is it necessary? Is it useful? Is it dangerous? Listen now on Wealth Talks.

There is a new rule pending approval which could dramatically change 401(k)s. If the ruling is approved, 401k plan managers, while choosing investments, will have to consider the ESG criteria (Environmental, Social and Governance factors) of investments for the plan. Generally speaking, fees on ESG funds are higher and there is some research which shows the ESG market may have already peaked. Despite privately held beliefs on whether investments based on ESG criteria are generally better/worse than other investments, these factors, combined or individually, could hurt 401k balances. Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John discuss this problem and some ideas for working against a disintegrating status quo. Resources: How to Build Sustainable Wealth: https://www.life-benefits.com/store/

Ever heard that? It seems to be a prevailing theme nowadays. Look to the experts. Don't ask questions. Do what you're told. Looking to the experts is fine but relying solely on them can be catastrophic. We have to exercise discretion and make our own decisions. Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John discuss some of the core thought processes we need to have to be financially savvy.

We live in a world of lies. This isn't anything new or unique to this time in history. We've been living in a world of lies for a long time. So, who should we trust? The government? Yeah, not us either. On today's episode, Tom and John share what we need to know to survive in our "world of lies". Resources: Relative Truth is No Truth - Podcast Understanding Different World Views - Interview with Krish Dhanam

Taxing the rich is a topic many elected officials harp on with a religious zeal. Despite their moral high tone, taxes on the rich seem to do more damage to the middle and lower classes. The income tax, supposedly to penalize rich tycoons, ended up being paid mostly by people other than the rich. Whoops! Guess it's time for a new tax. Any suggestions for a name? On today's episode, Tom and John discuss how we can avoid getting squelched by taxes and inflation... it's one of the few weapons we have left. Resources The Creature from Jekyll Island

Warning signs are supposed to offer us some degree of protection from the described danger. Yet a recent study shows they many have the opposite effect. Trivial warnings abound everywhere... especially in California where even a cup of coffee has been found to cause cancer. Of course, just because there is a "warning" doesn't mean it's really dangerous. The same holds true in the finance industry. Just because something is "qualified" or "preferred" doesn't mean it's the best place to invest your money. To grow your wealth, you must know how to assess the real danger, not just read the warnings. Listen now on Wealth Talks. Resources Prescription For Wealth: https://www.life-benefits.com/store/

Taking a loan from a policy is easy, but there are questions that can arise. Will taking a loan decrease my death benefit? Why does the insurance company charge interest? When should I pay off my policy loan? This week, Tom and John answer all these questions and many more. Listen Now on Wealth Talks. Resources How to Build Sustainable Wealth: https://www.life-benefits.com/store/

Lots of people seem to be gung-ho on investing in the market. Whether they're trying to make a lot or make a little, build their dream home or supplement social security. Sometimes these folks only know enough to be dangerous. This episode is a chilling reminder as to how rough and unpredictable a road the market can be in reality. And talking of social security. What's might happen to this program? Tom and John share thoughts about this and discuss wealth killers such as fees, interest and taxes. Listen Now. Resources How to Build Sustainable Wealth: https://www.life-benefits.com/store/ Note: Investing information provided in this podcast is for educational purposes only. Life Benefits, LLC does not offer advisory or brokerage services, and does not recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular securities.

America has been the face of benevolence for years. Has this benevolence contributed to the deterioration of America today? It is good to be compassionate and sharing, but we need to make sure we are not giving away what we need to take care of our own responsibilities. Listen in as Tom and John address the problem of benevolence and possible side-effects in your personal finances as well as at a cultural level. Resources Link to Seminar recording: https://www.life-benefits.com/store-detail/#sw-seminar Link to Policy Class: https://www.life-benefits.com/store-detail/#policy-class

September 17-18th marked our first LIVE event since early 2020. It was wonderful! Seeing people in person, face to face, is something no Zoom conference can replace. Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John are joined by Michele. Together, they give you a brief synopsis of the event. Resources: https://www.life-benefits.com/store-detail/#sw-seminar

Taxes are unpleasant, yet it is important to plan for them if one wants to pay as little as possible. Sadly, many people are planning in a way that will cost them in the long run. Today, Tom and John are joined by special guest Martha Baker-Starr, a Certified Tax Coach™. Together, they talk about the importance of planning for taxes over the long term. Listen now on WealthTalks. Contact: [email protected] or call 803-256-1083 ext 104

We put fences around our homes and locks on our doors to protect our physical property. But do we do anything to protect our intellectual property? Coca-Cola, MacDonald's and Nike sure have, but what about us? Intellectual property is extremely important and should be properly protected, but it's tough to know how to do so. Should you file for a Copyright? Trademark? Patent? Even if you know which form of protection is right for you, filing with the US Government can be a real pain. Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John are joined by Attorney Mark Wright. Mr. Wright has an extensive history of protecting intellectual property across the private, corporate, and government sectors; from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Listen now to hear His insight on intellectual protection. Resources: Attorney Mark Wright contact: [email protected]

Average returns don't mean actual returns. On the surface this doesn't sound like it would be a huge issue. But it is. In addition, the benefit of a 401(k) tax deferral used to be estimated about 9%, but not anymore. And fees continue taking a steady told each year which erodes your compounding base. These factors, as well as liquidity issues and insufficient accumulation of funds in most plans are prompting people to save in other vehicles even if they continue to use a 401(k).

Many of those who speak about the evils of making money are the ones who aren't making any. Today on WealthTalks, Tom and John talk about why Earning money, as well as Keeping and Giving money, are so important to building and sustaining a strong society. Make sure your children learn about the flow of money and value in meaningful ways as they grow up, so they can become more productive and creative as adults.

Interest is often seen as a negative thing, but is it? Many people confuse interest with usury, but the two are distinctly different. Today on Wealth Talks, you will learn the difference between interest and usury, and how to use interest to your advantage. Also, Tom and John share the next big thing they see coming in the financial world and what you can do to prepare. Ready to take control of your money? Attend our upcoming LIVE event. Sustainable Wealth and Investing Seminar Sept 17-18th

Was your question answered? A few weeks ago, Tom and John devoted an episode to answering questions from you, our listeners. But they didn't get to all of them. This week, Tom and John are back to answer those questions. Also, check out the details for our upcoming LIVE event. Sustainable Wealth Seminar Sept 17-18th

Many people want to know… should they pay extra interest to their policies? This is not a simple yes or no question. The answer will vary based on few different factors, including how the policy was designed. On this episode Tom and John dig into policy design and whether or not paying extra in interest make sense. Sustainable Wealth Seminar Sept 17-18th: https://www.life-benefits.com/sustainable-wealth-seminar/