Wealth Talks

The walls of Jerusalem were crumbling, just outside the Babylonian army was waiting to loot and burn the city and carry the Israelites into exile. In the midst of this looming catastrophe, God told Jeremiah to buy land. In such a time of crisis, why would God tell Jeremiah to buy land? Can this help us know how to act in today's troubled times? In this week's episode, John is joined by Ben as they discuss this story, and how it applies to us today. Listen Now

The Life Benefits Formula is this: (Work + Mutual Respect + Education) x Faith = Sustainable Wealth In this week's episode, Tom and John discuss each component of The Life Benefits Formula, what it consists of, and how it works. Listen Now

Recently a poplar investment and financial website ran an article about Life Insurance, but the article was inaccurate and not true. We responded with a new article on the subject, bringing much needed clarity to how Cash Value Life Insurance works. Today on Wealth Talks, John and Ben talk about the different types of Life Insurance available, and how you can use your cash value life insurance as a financial tool. There are multiple types of life insurance, each kind created for a specific purpose. Some accumulate cash value, some are just pure death benefit, still others have an investment option. Listen in and learn about the different types of life insurance, and why life insurance is called the 4th pillar of Americanism. Resources: 5 Ways to Use Whole Life Insurance Cash Value: https://www.life-benefits.com/5-ways-obtain-whole-life-insurance-cash-value/

Protecting yourself legally is a must. But how do you go about it? Most Lawyers are happy to "set you up", but it might be exactly that! Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John are joined by Attorney Lee Philips, a Counselor to the U.S. Supreme Court, to talk about ways you can protect yourself legally. Do not miss this episode… Listen Now! Call John to order Lee Philips' Accumulation and Preservation of Wealth System + Advanced Tax Tactics: 702-660-7000 (or email [email protected])

Americans are running out of money in retirement, and its not just by a little… there's a big shortfall. It shouldn't be this way, but sadly Americans have either not saved enough, or saved in the wrong places… maybe some of both. The typical IRA and 401k are just not cutting it. So what should we do instead? Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John talk about why the 401k and the IRAs have failed Americans, and what we can do to save more effectively for the future.

Some people advocate borrowing from a life insurance policy for everything. Others vehemently oppose taking a policy loan at all. What should you do? The answer is simple though not conclusive… it depends. Sometimes it makes great sense to take a policy loan. At other times, you can save more money by borrowing elsewhere. Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John point out the effects of borrowing against a policy, and how you can decide when to use a policy loan and when to look for other funding options.

With low interest rates right now, does it make sense to make extra payments right now? This is an area of confusion for many, and it is often glossed over by the experts in finance. Today on WealthTalks, Tom and John discuss making extra payments on a mortgage, and even using a HELOC to pay off the mortgage early. Knowing the facts can save you a lot of money. Listen Now on Wealth Talks Fun with Real Estate Presentation - Video: https://www.life-benefits.com/videos/fun-with-real-estate-by-tom-mcfie/

How did it originate? What was it intended for? How can it be used? Is it a good financial strategy? Those are good questions. Listen Now on Wealth Talks as Tom and John delve into the inner workings of the Roth IRA. How Does a Roth IRA Work? - Article: https://www.life-benefits.com/how-does-a-roth-ira-work/

Its been an exciting few days! The new book How to Build Sustainable Wealth has finally premiered as a softcover. Many people are struggling financially. They are doing all they know how to do, but their money keeps slipping through their fingers like sand. Frustrated and upset, they turn towards a Financial Planner for help. Sadly, this is often the worst thing they could do. On this show we discuss the new book How to Build Sustainable Wealth, and how it can help you keep more of the money you make. Order the new book How to Build Sustainable Wealth by Dr. Tomas McFie: https://www.life-benefits.com/store/

The Economy is suffering, stability is not an accurate description of the Market, and the Federal Reserve seems to be playing a game of Jenga with our monetary system. It seems as if any moment everything could come crashing down. What should we do?… what can we do? In uncertain times, like the present, many are advocating buying silver or gold. Is this a good choice? Are there better options? Find the answers now on WealthTalks. Order the new book How to Build Sustainable Wealth by Dr. Tomas McFie

Real Estate prices have been fluctuating for years. Goaded by natural disasters, crime and political intrigue, real estate prices have been anything but stable. Seemingly "safe" properties are not immune, the arrival of a less than desirable neighbor, or the whim of some politician can change your home's value drastically. All told real estate seems a slippery surface on which to set your basket of eggs. But what else can we do? Where else can we build equity today? Commercial Real Estate? A HELOC perhaps? Join us on Wealth Talks and discover the answers to these questions.

The purpose of TUMS and other antacids seems straightforward - almost like a magical formula to solve Heartburn and acid indigestion. But how do antacids work? They either neutralize the acid in your stomach or, depending on the product, they might prevent you from making as much acid in the first place. With no acid to slosh up your esophagus, you can't get heartburn! This all seems great, but an interesting study shows that those who took antacids were more likely to become ill than those who did not. The acids in your stomach protect you from diseases. With these acids destroyed, germs can move right in and pull a chair up to the fire, so to speak. Eating raw foods will keep your immune system strong and will also help too keep you from getting heartburn, as your stomach doesn't have to produce as much acid to break down these foods. But let's face it. Replacing a Big hamburger and fries with cool Brussel sprouts and carrot sticks, can be disheartening to say the least. Today on Wealth Talks, Nutritionist Doug Grant reveals the natural solution to excess stomach acid. And no, you don't have to munch Brussel sprouts for the rest of your life! Resources: Optimal 1 Digestion & OHS 21-day Challenge - Get them here: https://www.optimalhealthsystems.com/Articles.asp?ID=277&ProductCode=8&qty.8=1&ProductCode=655705123013&qty.655705123013=1&HPClientID=15749&HPEmail=john+++wealthtalks.com Use code: OHSWEALTH during checkout to get 10% off your first order with Optimal Health Systems February Show with Nutritionist Doug Grant: https://www.life-benefits.com/podcasts/health-is-wealth-with-ohs/

It's obvious that Christian faith is under attack on many levels across America. This inherently includes an attack on the Judeo-Christian values which support the ownership of personal property and allow American families to build sustainable wealth. Dr. Ralph Reed's latest book For God and Country provides a defense of Judeo-Christian values especially relating to political decisions in the face of vocal opposition. When it comes to elected officials, you can't ignore or deny that there are "politics" involved in the way they deal with certain issues and regulations including recent restrictions and standards surrounding COVID and rioting. But Freedom is in the DNA of the American people, and most agree on the foundational values of: Faith in God, Strong Families & Civil Society, Free Markets, Rule of Law and Limited Government. Many evangelical Christians are facing hate for supporting Donald J. Trump for President in 2016. As the Founder and Chairman of Faith and Freedom Coalition + working on the campaigns for 11 presidential elections over the years, Dr. Reed definitely has a connection to the pulse of national politics as they relate to Christian Faith and values. Listen and consider what the election means for your faith, values and wealth. 3 Steps to Effectively Stand for your Values in 2020 and beyond: Be educated & informed Vote Work to influence public policy Resources: Enter to Win a copy of Ralph Reed's book: https://www.life-benefits.com/ralphreed

YouTube has changed the world of learning. With a simple search, we can find videos to learn about almost anything under the sun. But there is so much non-relevant, outdated, and even mis-information online too, that trying to sort out the gold can be frustrating. Today on WealthTalks, you get a "behind-the-scenes look" at the Life Benefits YouTube channel, as Gracine and Jesse join the show. How do we keep our videos relevant? Where is a good place to start? What will these videos help you with? Listen Now on Wealth Talks Also on this show… sneak peek on next week's show with a special guest! Resources: The Life Benefits YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/LIFEBENEFITSINC

Only 59% of Americans own life insurance and 50% of these people are still under-insured. Why don't people own more life insurance? Perhaps it's because they: Have been told it's a bad investment? Have heard misunderstandings about life insurance Had an experience with a bad policy (or a bad agent) Or maybe they think: Group life insurance is enough Life insurance is "just for the next guy" The insurance they would like to have would be too expensive Or maybe they don't want to think about it. There are many benefits to owning the right kind of life insurance policies in the 2020 economic environment and beyond. Today Tom and John discuss some of these benefits and reveal common mistakes around life insurance. Resources: How to Build Sustainable Wealth - Preorder (delivery in September): https://ao160.infusionsoft.app/app/orderForms/Fire-Your-Financial-Planner-Preorder

COVID is on the rampage! Stay safe, stay home, wear a mask, social distance, but you could die anyway. Fortunately, you can discover if you have the disease by taking a simple test. Unfortunately, 80% of positive test results are false positives, but so what? Oh, and pull up that mask, all the way over your nose… it's to keep you safe… it's to keep everyone else safe, but to really be safe, let's quarantine. Wow! It sounds deadly! What can we do to fight this super-virus? Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John are joined by Dr. John Bergman, an internationally renowned doctor, practicing in the U.S. and Mexico. Dr. Bergman brings special insight around the COVID virus, and what to do to really stay safe. Resources: Dr. John Bergman's Website:https://drjohnbergman.com/?utm_source=life-benefits.com&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=08062020Interview Extreme Health Academy: https://www.extremehealthacademy.com/?utm_source=life-benefits.com&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=08062020Interview Dr John Bergman's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8RPuonNxq2lMb8zMvo7Xxw

Many people think the Federal Reserve is a wing of government… but in actuality it is a Private Cartel. The unusual thing about the Federal Reserve is their ability to create money. We have to work to make our money, but the Federal Reserve can simply print its very own Benjamin Franklins. In today's day and age, they don't even have to print. They can generate money with a click of a computer key! No! It can't be as easy as that! But it is! Very Comforting… isn't it? Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John are joined by Dr. Paul Cleveland. Dr. Cleveland has a Ph.D. in Economics and is a Professor of Economics and Finance at Birmingham-Southern College. Dr. Cleveland gives us a brief history of the Federal Reserve and how it operates + a way we can stay in the game despite the rising inflation. Resources: Get Dr. Cleveland's Books and Courses at BoundaryStone.org https://boundarystone.org/store/?utm_source=life-benefits.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=PodcastInterview

Is The United States of America a Democracy, a Republic, or something else? Does the Constitution uphold the Lockdown? What is the Electoral College? Was the 17th Amendment in 1913 good or bad? These are important questions, how do we find the answers? Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John are joined by constitutional scholar Rick Green. Rick knows exactly what the constitution says, listen in as he answers these and other questions. Listen Now

If you let procrastination get a grip on you, it can crush you! People procrastinate all the time, whether rushing busily around doing nothing, or lazily evading their work. One thing people procrastinate about a lot, is their money. They make their money, but then they lock it some place they can't get it. Or, they hand it over to their Financial Planner, or Stock Broker, because, after all, they will know best what to do. Why do they do this? Because to learn how to grow their money would take some work on their part, and they would rather just hand it over to someone else. This type of procrastination has cost people big time! What can you do to avoid procrastination? Listen Now Resources: 3 Things You Can Do To Become Wealthier: https://www.life-benefits.com/3-things-to-become-wealthier

When will things go back to normal? What are changes that might arise from this pandemic? What is racism? What can we do about the personal economic impact of everything going on? Today, Rabbi Daniel Lapin (America's Rabbi), TV host and bestselling author of the book Thou Shall Prosper, joins us on WealthTalks. Listen as Rabbi Lapin answers these and other questions. His answers bring remarkable insight to the problems at hand. Resources: Get the Complete Library with Rabbi Lapin's materials: https://rabbidaniellapin.com/product/complete-library-package/?utm_source=life-benefits.com&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=07092020Interview

Krish Dhanam joins the show today! Are some of George Orwell's famous predictions coming true? Ignorance is Strength Freedom is Slavery War is Peace Foundations matter - and no less in the times we are living today. When you draw a line there is always a price to pay, but history shows that people who draw the line and stand by their values are the ones who later rise to heights of prominence. Krish also shares lessons from the Bible about convictions… and the cost which these convictions can carry. Developing the Mental Agility, the Physical Presence and the Spiritual Character you need to weather the social and economical storms of the 21st century has never been more paramount. Excellent and important material. ResourcesPurpose and Productivity Podcast by Krish DhanamOn iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/purpose-productivity/id1519074745 On Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy81YmVkNzI4L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz

Universal Life Insurance and especially Indexed Universal Life Insurance (IUL) is a relatively new type of insurance, and one which has created a lot of controversy. Some almost swear by it, others just as vehemently oppose it. Some like it because they say it allows them to still dabble in the market, while retaining a death benefit. Others detest it because it shifts the risk away from the insurance company onto the policyholder. Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John take a look at some common arguments for Indexed Universal Life Insurance. Does the case for IUL have a leg to stand on? Listen Now! Resources: Indexed Universal Life Insurance (IUL): How It Works And What You Need To Know: https://www.life-benefits.com/podcasts/indexed-universal-life-insurance-iul-how-it-works-and-what-you-need-to-know/ Do You Have A Friend Selling Indexed Universal Life Insurance: https://www.life-benefits.com/podcasts/do-you-have-a-friend-selling-indexed-universal-life-insurance/

Originally called "old-age insurance protection", Social Security was supposed to be a supplemental form of income for those who had not saved enough. Today Social Security has become the primary source of income for many retirees. Social Security gets the money it pays out by taxing people who are still working and also by taxing its own payouts! But there will come a time when Social Security has to pay out more than what they bring in. Social Security will then be "bankrupt." What exactly does this mean and what will probably happen at this time? Listen Now! Resources: https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/NOTES/ran5/an2004-5.html 3 Things You Can Do to Becoming Wealthier - 57-page Guide: https://www.facebook.com/LifeBenefitsTeam/posts/3110599242296727

We've probably all heard the term Becoming Your Own Banker. Why would anyone want to be a banker? Aren't bankers the professionals? Why not just let them manage all the money? Today on WealthTalks Tom and John share some very interesting and astounding, numbers. At the end of this podcast you will not only realize exactly why you should manage your own money, you will also know how. Listen to the episode now!

A brilliant Chemist once said he enjoyed going back and teaching Chemistry 101. Why would he enjoy teaching something that was obviously elementary for him? The answer was simple. Going back to the basics for a time helped him be more creative when he went back to his other chemistry work. Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John go back to the basics, Insurance 101 if you will. Not only is this a great staring point for newbies, but, just like Chemistry 101, its a great refresh for those who are advanced. Listen Now Resources: Winning Your Financial GAME & Study Guide: https://www.life-benefits.com/store/ Prescription for Wealth ebook & audiobook: https://www.life-benefits.com/prescription-for-wealth-book/ Financial Class Recording: https://lifebenefits.lpages.co/financial-class-05192020-recording/

Recently a few articles have made their way into the news about Insurance Companies turning down would be purchasers due to the COVID19 Pandemic. Perhaps the Wall Street Journal put it best stating "Some Americans are being turned away trying to buy Life Insurance". Today, Dan Foley, Senior Vice President of Marketing Technology with Security Mutual Life, joins the show to talk about what exactly is happening with the Insurance companies. Security Mutual started in 1886 in New York. Now they sell insurance in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands. 38 years ago, Dan Foley joined them, starting work in the company's actuarial science department. Dan Foley really knows his stuff! You do not want to miss this interview.

Recently there have been some sensational articles in the media suggesting life insurance companies are facing tough times with the financial crisis combined with COVID-19. Special guest Attorney Andrew Rinn, also the Vice President of Advanced Markets at Ameritas, joins us to share an inside perspective on what's really happening at mutual life insurance companies right now. It is fascinating to hear how life insurance companies (especially mutual companies with strong cash positions and a low debt ratio) are in a position to obtain nice deals in the current bond market. Underwriting procedures and virtual research have also been upgraded to minimize paramedic requirements for new policies. Life insurance guarantees are always important - never more so than during these times. It's good to hear how mutual insurance companies like Ameritas are putting their policy holders first - keeping guarantees strong and recognizing liquidity needs through policy loans. Thank you for sharing, Mr. Rinn!

He straddled the bicycle for the first time, set his feet on the pedals and rode serenely away into the glowing sunset. Oh if only it was that easy! It isn't of-course, because, like everything, there is a learning curve. Is it possible to eliminate the learning curve on a bicycle by learning everything you can about it? What if you learned the way the shifter worked, the way the derailleur, the chain the sprocket, the cassette, the front brake and the back brake worked. What if you looked up a video on bicycling 101 and even read an entire book on bicycling for dummies, would the learning curve be eliminated? No! Decreased? Yes, but eliminated? Emphatically no! So how does all this relate to good money management? Listen to the episode now!

What are you really worth? Americans used to save over 14% of what they made, but now Americans are hardly saving at all. Many people don't feel they are worth anything, and hence they don't save anything. This is tragic! How much should you save? Some say you should have enough saved to live on for 6 months, some say enough for 3 years. Both those options beat having just $500 like 50% of Americans, but are they right for you? Also on this show: If guaranteed policy values are based on a 4% return, and I you are paying 5% interest on a policy loan, are you only paying a net 1%? As you may suspect, there is more to the actual results of this example than what appears on the surface. Join Tom and John on Wealth Talks, as they discuss the answers to these questions. Resources: 10-20-70 Budgeting System & Worksheet: https://www.life-benefits.com/10-20-70-budget-system/ Order Winning Your Financial GAME & Workbook: https://ao160.infusionsoft.com/app/manageCart/addProduct?productId=208

If you're interested in investment opportunities, take the time now to begin preparing and learning everything you can about the process. For example, if you think Real Estate investing and rental properties sound interesting, then learn about the state laws, the systems and templates that you would need to have in place for this type of investment/business venture. There are some great resources online for learning about state specific laws and getting actual templates that can help you in this type of venture. Checkout this example of a Month-to-Month Rental Agreement from iPropertyManagment. Learn about the different expenses associated with the investments you think you may want to make. Calculators such as this Investment Property Calculator on AARP can help with this process and in evaluating real opportunities when they do come along. Anyone can lose money investing, but starry-eyed novice investors tend to lose much more than people who have enough knowledge to avoid major mistakes. Get knowledge on your side. And regardless of the investment opportunities you want to pursue, be sure you are building a strong foundation of guarantees and liquidity before investing, because investments are always going to carry risk. Life Benefits can help you build your foundation of financial guarantees through Life Insurance. Call us for assistance at 702-660-7000. Resources: More Information about Inverted Yield Curves

The economy is down, businesses are closed and people are left unemployed as the quarantine lockdown continues. Will the economy ever recover? Today on Wealth Talks, economist George Gilder joins Tom and John to talk about the economy, wealth and poverty. George Gilder has written many renown books on the economy, including Wealth and Poverty, a best seller with over a million sold and Life after Google, also a bestseller. You do not want to miss this episode. Listen Now! Resource Links: Subscribe to George Gilder's Daily Prophecy at GilderPress.com: https://gilderpress.com/?utm_source=lifebenefits.com&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=wealthtalks Get Life After Google on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Life-After-Google-Blockchain-Economy-ebook/dp/B072NYKG2G/ Get Wealth and Poverty on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Poverty-Twenty-First-Century-Gilder/dp/B00CB5H5JQ/

Annuities can be good if you know how to use them. But what are some good strategies for using annuities? Today Tom and John explore different ways you can use annuities, and which ways make the most sense. Also on this episode, SBA loans. How long will it take to get one? What if I need the money before I can get the loan? Resources: Types of Life Insurance: https://www.life-benefits.com/podcasts/what-type-of-life-insurance-do-you-really-want/ YouTube LIVE with Campbell Jones Cohen CPAs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA-GlC44kXk

We all think we know what the economy is… but do we really? What is the origin of the word economy? What does it mean? Does it pertain to you as much as it does to me? Those are interesting questions. Here are some more: What is the Cost of a credit card? What is the Price? What about the Cost and the Price for a mortgage? How does that compare to life insurance? Listen Now to find the answers! Resources: Winning Your Financial Game

Risk Tolerance is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot in the typical financial world. Your risk tolerance is defined as the degree of variability in investment returns that you are willing to withstand. But this really doesn't specify the amount of money you are willing to risk in order to possibly make a certain amount of money. In other words, how much money are you going to gamble with? Of course, just because you gamble with more and more money, that doesn't mean you will make more, or even any, money in return. Sadly, it seems that many "risk tolerance" measures are just a new-fangled way of throwing your money away. Here's what you want to know instead: What is your Loss Aversion? Listen now to find out. Resources: Podcast Interview with Dr. Paul Cleveland

The market has plunged rapidly into a black swan, and a black swan is where typical financial planning fails. Typical financial planning tells you just to keep your money in, and let the market come back up. But many times, the best deals are to be found in times like these. If your money is all tied up, you are going to miss out. Traditional financial planning starts out by purchasing Whole Life Insurance, which is not tied to the market. When the market is in a time like this, your money is easily accessible to use for any opportunities that may arise. Sadly, many people who are losing money because of typical financial planning, think it's too late to start planning traditionally. Heres the good news: It's not! When it comes to Whole Life Insurance, there are many "interesting" products and designs. There is an art and a science to designing Whole Life Insurance, not every life insurance agent can design a good policy. We design the best whole life insurance, customized to meet your needs. Listen now Also in this episode: My children don't have steady income, how do I help them start a policy?

Some people have a big win followed by a devastating loss. Sometimes the loss even nullifies the win. Have you seen it? It's the classic example of winning a battle but losing the war. In this episode of Your Monday Motivation there's some good advice about how to keep winning when you win. It's second hand advice, but it's good…

The market is a mess. Stocks are down, the Dow is down, the S&P 500 is down. Are you happy with your strategy for financial planning? Or does it feel more like gambling in Las Vegas? People are being failed by their financial planning strategy, leaving them dependent on Social Security. This is a problem. You need a foundation that isn't affected by the latest plunge in the market. Listen now to find out why it is so critical to have this foundation, and how to get it.

Typical financial planning has failed, leaving many dependent on social security. 401Ks, simple IRAs and other Tax Qualified Plans, are the "golden goose" that can kill you financially if you don't know and understand the "terms and conditions" of each. Although it seems like "free money" when your employer is contributing some sort of match, will that "free money" actually cost you in the long run? In today's episode, Tom and John talk about some of the consequences that could ensue in the future with these typical systems. Surprises can be nice, but tax implications you didn't expect to have, aren't. Don't get caught by surprise, understand what's ahead. Listen Now.

Today on Wealth Talks Michele joins Tom and John… and so does Mr. Higgins! Well, sort of. Poor Mr. Higgins lives in a book and has a clock but cannot tell if it is on time! Mr. Higgins buys another clock only to discover that neither clock displays the same time. Now Mr. Higgins is in despair! He can't tell which clock is correct! Is Mr. Higgins doing the same thing with clocks that some people do with life insurance? Listen Now to find out, not only what some people do with life insurance, but also what Mr. Higgins does to fix his problem.

How can you tell if you're paying more in taxes than you should be? Can section 199A really give businesses a leg up? What about the Secure Act? Is Life Insurance really a good tool to leave a legacy? Jack Cohen worked as an IRS Auditor for 33 years, In fact, he won the IRS Employee of the Year Award in 2006. Since then, Jack has switched the "black hat" for the "white hat", helping people pay as little as they legally can in taxes. Today he joins Tom and John on Wealth Talks to answer questions about section 199A, the Secure Act, and others. Also, he offers to review your tax returns so you can tell if you are losing money. Don't miss this Episode: Listen Now.

Health is indeed a part of Wealth. And with so many options for diets and supplements in today's world, where do you even start to start? Do nutrition and supplementation really play a role in helping you reach Optimal Health? Doug Grant is the founder of Optimal Health Systems (OHS). Before founding OHS in 1997, Doug was the 1st nutritionist ever hired by an NBA team. He has continued on to work with athletes in MLB, the NCAA, the Olympics, and even publishing Ironman magazine for a couple of years. Listen in as Doug Grant joins Tom and John to talk about health and nutritional needs, and what type of process goes into developing nutrition products at OHS. Resources: Call 702-660-7000 to get your 21-day Blitz Challenge Use code: OHSWealth to get 10% off your first order with Optimal Health Systems

There are many Retirement Calculators out there, insert your numbers and Ta-Dah! The calculator spits out how much money you need to have in order to retire. But these calculators can't guarantee how much money you will need in retirement. What chunk of your money will inflation gnaw off throughout your retirement? Are your retirement savings tax free? Or only tax deferred? Will you ever require special medical care? What about assisted living? Or emergencies, or… or… or… Today on Wealth Talks, Tom and John talk about events that can catch you by surprise in retirement. Don't trust typical financial calculators to tell you what you "need" to retire on. Call our office to see how Participating Whole Life Insurance can help you plan for more sustainable passive income in retirement. Call 702-660-7000 or schedule time to Talk with an Agent.

The Federal Reserve has been artificially lowering interest rates for years. This has been driving up the cost of stocks, far beyond their economic value. Meanwhile, other central banks are printing up legal currency in order to buy shares of stock. Our own Federal Reserve is printing up currency with which they are purchasing mortgages. Sooner or later, a return to economic reality will have to take place. Today Tom and John are joined by Dr. Paul Cleveland, Ph.D. in Economics and Professor of Economics and Finance at Birmingham-Southern College. Join the conversation as they talk about the ways to prepare for the upcoming "return to reality". Resources: Get Dr. Paul Clevelands books at boundarystone.org

Risk tolerance is a big term in typical financial planning. Basically, risk tolerance is the amount of nerve you have to watch your investment portfolio lose money without flinching. According to typical financial planning, the higher your "risk tolerance" the more money you should risk losing to try and get big returns. But typical financial planning isn't working out so good for most Americans. People are running out of money in retirement and the median savings for someone age 65 or older is only $63,000. If you are allergic to risk and you hate losing money, if you believe that when you're 65 you should have more than $63,000 in savings then you probably shouldn't follow typical financial planning. Doing nothing is not enough though, you must do something better, that's what we talk about on episode 248 of Wealth Talks. Listen Now. Wealth Seminar on February 20th. Register Here»

How is wealth created? According to George Gilder, there are three things that create wealth. (Listen to find out) People who put money in a 401(k) limit their access to their own money which makes it hard to create wealth… and 401(k)s aren't treating people all that well, to begin with. The average 401(k) balance is pretty low especially considering many employees are betting on their 401(k) to make retirement a reality. That's probably the reason most retired Americans depend on Social Security for at least 50% of their retirement income. People who believe in the future use their money to create wealth. Can you do that too? Discover the three things that create wealth. Listen Now.

Governments and central banks are taking the low road. They are attempting to artificially stimulate the economy by implementing negative interest rates. John says it will work probably work short-term Tom says it could cause people to hoard tangible assets like gold, silver, antique automobiles and art. What is it that really stimulates an economy long-term and causes wealth to be created? Why do you think most business regulations are put in place? A. To protect small business from getting overrun by big business B. To make it hard for small business to compete with big business Now picture yourself approaching retirement… what would you do if interest rates went negative on all of your retirement savings, and instead of earning interest on your money, you had to start paying just to keep the money you'd saved? All this and more on episode 246 of Wealth Talks. Listen Now.

Most people think saving money is about cutting lifestyle and luxuries. This is certainly one way to save, but it is not the only way because where you save your money can make a big difference in how much you get to keep. 💵 Benjamin Franklin says, "There are two ways to increase your wealth. Increase your means or decrease your wants. The best is to do both at the same time." But increasing your means is not always as easy as increasing your income because expenses tend to rise to equal (or exceed) income (Parkinson's law). 😟 When you have a good plan for your finances you can save more money without working any harder; you can have peace of mind and be ready for good investment opportunities when they come to you. Whether you're trying to save more money for retirement, to make an investment, or just saving money for a rainy day it's always a good thing to minimize fees and taxes. And you want a big word called LIQUIDITY. Find out why this is so important. Resources: 10-20-70 Cashflow Worksheet Tool Tips for Saving More Money in 2020 - Video Wealth and Poverty book by George Gilder The Black Swan book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

he SECURE Act was signed into law by President Trump on December 20, 2019. Here are some key changes you should know as you plan for retirement: Generally, the SECURE Act: Removed Maximum Age limit for IRA Contributions Increased the age for Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from age 70.5 to 72 Enforces a 10yr distribution window for most inherited retirement accounts - no more stretch IRAs The SECURE Act is likely to increase age tax-qualified account balances because people will be encouraged to save more in these accounts. It will also increase government tax revenues because of the 10yr distribution rule on inherited accounts. Also under the Secure Act, employers get a tax credit by automatically enrolling employees in the company sponsored retirement plan (Small-Employer Automatic Enrollment Credit). If you don't want to be automatically enrolled into contributions to your company retirement plan you may need to take action to opt-out. Now is a good time to consider how much of your money you wish to invest in tax-qualified accounts compared to paying the tax and building wealth in other types of accounts where you have more control, lower fees and less market risk. For example: Target-date mutual funds are a default option for most retirement plans with an automatic enrollment. Target-date funds are sold as a "set it and forget it management strategy" and they are also notorious for high fees. Fees are a killer whenever you try to grow your money. Compare target-date funds with the guaranteed values that build in participating whole life insurance policy over a similar time period. It could make sense to keep the control of your money and lock in guaranteed growth through life insurance + leave any legacy to your heirs income tax-free, instead of putting them into a higher tax-bracket with required distributions on an inherited tax-qualified account. Wealth Workshop in Las Vegas Jan 18th - Register now Most people are losing money with typical financial planning. Learn to use Life Insurance as a Financial tool while you're living so you can keep more of the money you make and have financial peace of mind.

Can you really eliminate the control of Banks and Financial institutions in your life by using Life Insurance? Or should you own Life Insurance for different reasons? Discover the best reasons to own and use Life Insurance as a financial tool in 2020. With the New Year just around the corner it's a great time to reflect on the history of Life Insurance and how to achieve your goals in 2020. New Year's resolutions are infamous for lasting only a few weeks. What does it take to get the follow through you deserve and achieve the results you really want? Consistent Action is one key. And so is Consistent Motivation. One way to stay motivated in 2020 = Subscribe to Your Monday Motivation a 2-minute weekly motivational message from Ben McFie. Subscribe to Your Monday Motivation on Apple Podcasts OR Subscribe by text message by texting: MMM to 77222

What are people talking about when you hear the term "Investment Grade Life Insurance"? Answer: It can be just about any type of life insurance under the sun because the "Investment Grade" part is marketing fluff. The Supreme court has ruled that life insurance is not an investment but rather an asset, so what you really want to know is how the underlying life insurance works and how it would fit into your portfolio. This podcast show makes it easy to understand the value of guarantees from WHOLE life insurance in your portfolio, and why it pays to be wary of any other type of risk management scheme contrived within a UNIVERSAL life insurance contract. When you know what's really happening, you'll know what to do. Resources: Get the Tool: Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for Policy Values Register for the: Jan 18th Workshop in Las Vegas