In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  Surfing beside a cruise ship  Who wins in the markets?  What should be your focus in your “chapter two?”     Key Takeaways:  Investing in the markets is like surfing beside a cruise ship. There are times that you will catch a wave and you'll just surf and it'll be fantastic, but there are also times you’ll get sucked under the boat. Big-money institutions win in the markets, they trade fast and trade constantly. The market is stacked against individual investors.  There’s nothing wrong with playing the markets and taking a little risk. However, when you’re in chapter two, your focus should solely be on putting guarantees in place in order for you to enjoy your life’s work.    "There's no need to roll the dice with a running start. There's no reason for that. You don't have to do that anymore. You need to focus on yourself, you need to take some risk off the table" —  Stan The Annuity Man.   Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man and Jay Zawatsky discuss:  The origin of the United State’s debt pile  Why we need to increase the amount and affordability of energy Hydrogen is the key to energy dominance  The problems that hydrogen solves    Key Takeaways:  Lifespans have increased for workers that pay into the social security system. Therefore, according to the trustees of the Social Security system, it’s projected that they will be unable to pay the full benefits by 2034. This doesn’t mean that people won’t get any amount, just not the full amount unless there are major changes made in the system.  If we want to undo the debt pile, we have to increase productivity. That means that we also need to increase the amount and affordability of energy since without energy, nothing gets done.  Our country’s focus shouldn’t be on welfare-warfare but on energy dominance. To do that, we’ve got to use a more viable source of energy in the form of hydrogen. It can be extracted from water through electrolysis and it burns just like natural gas.  Hydrogen solves a lot of problems. For those worried about global warming, hydrogen doesn’t create any carbon dioxide - it’s just water back to water. It’s also done without subsidies, so it doesn’t cost the taxpayer anything.    "The only way to save America is to re-energize America. And the only way to do it is with hydrogen, because it solves all the problems that we have" —  Jay Zawatsky    More from Jay Zawatsky: Published articles in The National Interest magazine: https://nationalinterest.org/commentary/how-energy-made-the-modern-world-6924 https://nationalinterest.org/commentary/energy-the-debt-conundrum-6926 https://nationalinterest.org/commentary/new-energy-era-6928     Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  Pivoting doesn’t mean slowing down Why pivoting to retirement is hard  Cherish your chapter two    Key Takeaways:  Retirement doesn’t mean that you’re slowing down, it just means that you’re going to pivot to chapter two of your life where you are hopefully spending time doing the things that you love to do.  It’s hard to pivot and actually take care of yourself. You’ve gotten used to pushing yourself past your limits, putting your family first, and letting them have the good stuff while you try to take as little as possible from your hard work. That ends in chapter two because it would all be about you and your spouse.  Chapter two may just be a year or two or 10 or 15 years or more. The point is, we don’t know when we’ll pass, so it’s important to cherish your chapter two.    "Chapter two is about you. And Chapter Two needs to be a daily ascent to the mountain of fun, a daily journey to take care of yourself, a daily checklist of things you want to do. However frivolous and crazy, they might seem, annuities can get you there." —  Stan The Annuity Man.       Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  The four words you must focus on  The difference between a CD and a MYGA Seize the day with these interest rates What should you do when the rates go down?    Key Takeaways:  In the current interest-rate environment that we’re in, between CDs, treasuries, and multi-year guaranteed annuities, allow many of you out there to live off of contractually guaranteed interests.  MYGAs are the annuity industry’s version of a CD. The difference between a Maiga and a CD is that in a non-IRA account, the Maiga interest grows and compounds tax-deferred. Also, CDs are issued by banks and brokerage firms, while MYGAs are issued by insurance companies that issue annuities.  Seize the day with these interest rates. No one knows where they’re headed, but right now, at the time of this episode’s taping, they’re in a really good place.  Don’t try to predict the future. Live for today and take the contractually guaranteed rates that are available. If they go down in the future, then you may think about how you could pivot by buying an immediate annuity to make up for that loss.    "if you have an asset base where you can combine annuities, MYGAS, CDs, and treasuries and live off the interest, why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't you do that?" —  Stan The Annuity Man. Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man and Mark Iwry discuss the following:  What is a QLAC?  One of the best features of a QLAC Structuring a QLAC with cash refund  Why QLACs aren’t popular    Key Takeaways:  A QLAC or a Quality Longevity Annuiy Contract is a deferred annuity that’s helpful for people trying to save for retirement and want security in retirement in the form of a guaranteed lifetime income. You don’t have to worry about Required Minimum Distribution rules when you buy deeply deferred annuities.  One of the best things about the QLAC is that it allows you to take your personal IRA and attach your spouse as a lifetime income participant. Meaning when you pass away, your spouse will benefit.  QLACs can be structured with cash refund, which means that the annuity company will not keep your money when you die even though they are on the hook to keep paying you while you are breathing.  The reason why QLACs are unpopular is because it’s such a simple and straightforward product that it isn’t as profitable for the company as it is for their other products. There’s no room for agents to attach bells and whistles that cost their clients extra.    "People need health security, and they need retirement security. We have social security, and we have Medicare to take care of those two things. On top of Social Security, we've got our private pension system, and on top of Medicare, we've got our private health care system. " —  Mark Iwry   Connect with Mark Iwry: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-iwry-8b6682/  About Mark: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/alumni/connect/community-stories/mark-iwry-mpp/jd-1976-dedicated-helping-americans-achieve-financial-security   Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  Social security is an annuity  Why you can’t hate all annuities  Structuring annuities  Having contractual guarantees in place    Key Takeaways:  If annuities are all bad, then nobody should claim their pensions. Social security is an annuity, one that you already own.  You can’t “hate all annuities”; it’s like saying you hate all restaurants. There are many different ways to structure an annuity, each serving a different purpose. Anyone who says they hate all annuities doesn’t know what they are talking about.  The annuity company doesn’t have to take the money when you die. You have the choice to structure it so that it goes where you want it to go when you pass away.  Would you rather take a 7-8% return and shoulder the risk, or would you rather have a contractually guaranteed 5% and transfer all the risk to the annuity company? When you’re getting ready for retirement, you need to already have contractual guarantees in place so that you can just live for the day.    "Annuities are not for everyone. But annuities are good. Annuities are contractual. Annuities are transfer of risk products. " —  Stan The Annuity Man.     Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  Threading the needle with volatility Freedom from volatility Annuities are the haystack  Time to secure guarantees    Key Takeaways:  Threading the needle to get market returns makes you dependent upon so much unknown. You’re dependent on world markets, geopolitical events, and meltdowns that are impossible to predict.  A lot of people can retire from their jobs and the market, and they should; those who can’t yet should make it a goal to do that and be free from being dependent on volatility.  There’s no threading the needle for principal protection; there’s no finding the needle in a haystack for lifetime income. You don’t need to find a needle; you need the haystack. Use an annuity to have the highest contractual guarantee.  What phase of your life are you in right now? If you’re in the no-go stage, then it’s time to stop losing sleep over the markets, and it’s time to secure guarantees.    "Investing in markets a lot of times is like surfing the side of a cruise ship. Sometimes you’re going to catch a wave right beside that cruise ship, but a lot of times, you’re going to get sucked under the boat." —  Stan The Annuity Man.      Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man and Pam Krueger discuss:  Should you trust people not held to a fiduciary standard?  The advantage of buying a registered advisor  The mark of a great financial advisor  Two questions you must ask your advisor    Key Takeaways:  There are a lot of self-described advisors working at brokerage firms or insurance companies. They are not necessarily bad people or bad advisors but work for a business model that has consciously chosen not to be held to the legal fiduciary standard.  Hiring an advisor who is held to a fiduciary standard is advantageous to a client. Anytime the client feels that the advisor has mismanaged their finances, the burden of proof will be on the advisor.  Humility is the x-factor in an advisor. A good advisor is not in it just to live off of their client’s money, but to offer their expertise for the client’s good.  Ask them first who are their typical clients and what they do for them. Then, ask them how their clients pay them. Relax and take your time, but go straight into business.    "Fiduciary is not a frame of mind. Fiduciary is not a mood you're in. A fiduciary standard is a legal standard." —  Pam Krueger     Connect with Pam Krueger: Website: https://wealthramp.com/ | https://www.pamkrueger.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamkrueger/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/PamkruegerTV    Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  There are no U-Hauls behind hearsesWhy aren't you spending your money? Fly first class, or your kids will The millionaire next door    Key Takeaways:  The phrase “there are no U-Hauls behind hearses” means that you don’t get to keep anything you’ve amassed when you’re dead. It will hopefully be a wake-up call for many to live life for the day and spend the money that they’ve earned on themselves. Ask yourself what really is the reason why you’re not spending your money on what you want. Bring some self-awareness through that question and challenge those thoughts with math and rationality. Challenge it with math and rationality. Either fly first class or your kids will. If you don't have kids, it's a no-brainer, spend your money and leave whatever's left to charity. If you have any legacy goals or family members you want to leave the money to, you can do that. The millionaire next door is you. You weren’t given your money based on a lottery, genetic, or otherwise. You worked hard forever, and now you can afford the things you want. Check the price, see if it’s worth it, and buy it.    "All I'm asking you to do is upgrade your life because you've earned it and deserve it." —  Stan The Annuity Man.        Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  People who grew up poor see money differentlyThe difference is in the perspective Checking the background of your advisor Your retirement is not a game    Key Takeaways:  People who experience poverty see money differently and often have a healthy respect for it. It would hurt them personally to see money lost, even when it’s another person. A person who grew up rich isn’t necessarily going to be a bad financial advisor. However, there is a huge difference in perspective. People who grew up poor don’t see money as replaceable. Your money should be a big deal for your advisor as it is for you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about your advisor’s background. It’s your money, not theirs, so you’ve got to ensure that the right people will steward your money. Do not let people treat your money and retirement like a game. Have them treat it personally, own it, and feel horrific if something bad goes wrong with your money.    "Financial advice is not a game. The markets are not a game. Your retirement is not a game. Your lifestyle is not a game. Do not let people treat it like a game." —  Stan The Annuity Man.    Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man and Terry Savage discuss:  The national debt will not default Speculating on bitcoin Inflation, debt, and layoffs An annuity is not an investment   Key Takeaways:  Stop panicking. The national debt will not default. Think rationally about this instead of listening to bad opinions on television. There’s no financial strategy for the end of the world, so it’s not really worth thinking about. Live your life. If you want to be a speculator, you might as well speculate on soybean futures or go to a casino and find your game of choice. A lot of people get burned by betting on bitcoin. Invest legitimately and rationally. When there are huge layoffs, two things happen. First, companies discover how they can do things more efficiently. Second, those laid off realize they can compete with the company that just fired them. That’s the beauty of capitalism.Do not make the mistake of thinking that an annuity is an investment. You’re going to be pitched the dream, don’t buy it because the contractual realities will hit you hard.    "Beware of debt. Show some responsibility. Talk to anyone you can around you." —  Terry Savage.    Connect with Terry Savage: Website: https://www.terrysavage.com/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TerryTalksMoney  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesavagetruth/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Terrytalksmoney  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Savage-Truth-190870517609983/  New Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119645441/ref=pe_2313400_441222210_em_1p_0_lm   Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  Locking in for three years and over The top three safest money When to go for CDs and treasuries    Key Takeaways:  Ask yourself how long you want to lock the money in for. MYGAs provide the highest contractual guarantee if it’s three years and over compared to CDs and treasuries. The safest money out of all three would be treasuries, the second safest money is CDs, and the third safest would be MYGAs. Buy treasuries only from treasurydirect.gov. If you’re going to lock in money for three years and in, the better option would be to go for CDs and treasuries because if it’s less than three years, MYGAs historically will not provide the highest contractual guarantee.    "Three years and in CDs and treasuries three years and out multi-year guarantee annuities." —  Stan The Annuity Man.        Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  You can afford the drink Stop making table lemonadeMath is the medicine Taking baby steps   Key Takeaways:  You can afford the drink so go ahead and buy it. Don’t let the scars of scarcity control your life’s decisions. Live your life. Stop making table lemonade. Practices you’ve acquired while trying to survive scarcity are no longer necessary where you are now. Take a rational accounting of how much you really have, and don’t base your spending decisions on what you feel. Math is the medicine that counteracts the scars of scarcity. You’ve been generous to other people, but you have not been generous to yourself. Change your habits and realize you have enough money to live your life.    "We all have had friends that have died prematurely. It should be a real wake-up call for you to buy the drink and not make the table lemonade." —  Stan The Annuity Man.     Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man and Bob Carlson discuss:  Changes in 401k and IRA provisions Why you should spend time on income taxesGenerating guaranteed lifetime income Be prepared to adapt your plan    Key Takeaways:  The Secure Act 2.0 gives provisions that are designed to make employer retirement plans more available and to get more employees participating in the plans. The required minimum distribution’s beginning age has also been bumped to 75, and catch-up contributions are being increased for IRAs and 401ks. People don’t spend enough time on their income taxes. People shouldn’t forget that not everyone pays lower taxes when they retire, some will be in the same bracket, and Congress avoids tax increases but has added provisions that, in effect, work like stealth taxes. Accumulate as big of a balance as possible, then find a way to turn it into cash flow for your retirement phase. Generate guaranteed lifetime income through social security or employer pension, then start looking at putting money into SPIAs or MYGAs to generate that income gap. Be prepared for change. Know that your retirement plan is not set in stone; it’s something that you have to review regularly. See where your assumptions are wrong, where you've changed, where the tax law and other things outside your purview have changed, and adapt your plan to that.    "Anticipate change, be prepared for it. Know that your retirement plan is not set in stone. It's not a roadmap; it’s something you have to review regularly. " —  Bob Carlson.   Grab a copy of Bob Carlson’s, The Essential Guide To Retiring In the 2020s by clicking on this link: https://www.amazon.com/Retirement-Watch-Essential-Guide-Retiring/dp/1684513332    Connect with Bob Carlson:  Website: https://www.retirementwatch.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RWcommunity  Twitter: https://twitter.com/RetirementWatch  Most Recent Book: https://www.amazon.com/Wheres-My-Money-Secrets-Security-ebook/dp/B0853F3R7R     Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  The fear of running out of moneySolving the fear of running out Is FORO more important the FOMO? Using math to address FORO      Key Takeaways:  Most of us didn’t grow rich. We saw what it was like to live in scarcity, and today, many of us still carry those scars. Despite having millions or a portion of that, some people might still feel poor and fear running out of money. If you’re worried about running out of money or won’t have enough in your retirement, consider looking into strategies that provide guaranteed lifetime income. The fear of running out is more important to address than the fear of missing out, especially for chapter two of your life. In addressing FORO with annuities, we’re solving for lifetime income or protecting the principal and peeling off the interest. One more way to address FORO is to do some math and remove the emotionally-charged memories from the equation. Annuities are math; they’re not hypotheticals.      "The fear of running out can be solved with annuities in combination with the best annuity you have on the planet, which is Social Security and principal protection products and contractual guarantees. We can solve for the scars of scarcity." —  Stan The Annuity Man.   Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  Income gap-filling strategies The period certain immediate annuity Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuities When should you take social security?    Key Takeaways:  Social security is the best inflation annuity on the planet. If you’re looking for strategies to fill the income gap between ages 63-70, 65-70, or 62-70, there are two contractual ways to do it. Buying a period certain immediate annuity means that the annuity company, instead of paying you for a lifetime like most people buy immediate annuities for, you will be paid monthly for however many years you’d choose. It could be five years, seven years, or ten years, depending on the carrier. The other way to do this gap filling is with a MYGA, a fixed rate annuity, the annuity industry’s version of a CD. It would require you to have a little bit more money to pull this off, but if you could, the strategy revolves around never touching the principal and just living off the interest. You are the one who decides when to take social security. You can take it early or at the recommended age of 70, but you would have to factor in the 60 months of payments you miss while waiting for that higher rate.    "I'm hitting you in the forehead with the factual two by four of hey, it might be time to take care of you. It might be time to turn on the income; it might be time to go live your life, it might be time to stop trying to squeeze oil out of the brick." —  Stan The Annuity Man    Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man and Jay Zawatsky discuss:  The definition of good money Why both fiat and bitcoin is bad moneyRetiring with gold and silver Jay’s personal investment strategy    Key Takeaways:  If you have money that can store the value of your labor and preserve its purchasing power over long spans of time, then it is good money. Throughout history, only one checked the box for both of those, and that’s gold. Any currency that can be created ex nihilo (out of nothingness) is bad money, and unfortunately, we’re plagued with a lot of it. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies count as bad money, but it might surprise you that the U.S. dollar and other fiat currencies also count as bad. Purchasing gold and silver is a good way to enter your retirement with good money. The ideal strategy is to own physical bullion in an offshore account held by a private entity, however, one can always start by owning silver coins. Having at least 10% or 15% percent of your assets invested in gold and silver is a good practice if you want to protect yourself in the case of calamity or inflation. However, even if nothing catastrophic happens, gold still retains its value. Jay’s barbell approach has two sides: one is gold and silver, while the other is cash and cash equivalents. Meaning treasury bills and MYGAs.    "Good Money is money that acts as both a battery and a time machine." — Jay Zawatsky   Resources Recommended by Jay Zawatsky: Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? by Richard Maybury https://www.amazon.com/s?k=whatever+happened+to+penny+candy The Law, by Frederic Bastiat http://bastiat.org/en/the_law.html https://cdn.mises.org/thelaw.pdf (FREE)I, Pencil, by Leonard E. https://fee.org/resources/i-pencil/ (FREE) video version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYO3tOqDISE    Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  The free look time periodShopping for the highest guaranteeWhat annuity businesses should do   Key Takeaways:  Interest rates are moving significantly, but no one can truly know where it goes. However, annuities have a policy in place where people are given a time period where they can pivot or take their money back. You can go into an application, lock in the highest guarantee that exists at the moment, and in the future, if a different carrier offers a higher rate, you can pivot to that instead. Annuities are a commodity product. Pivoting people’s money to get the best rate available at the moment is something that all annuity businesses should do for their clients. Before signing a deal with an advisor, ask them if they are willing to pivot as many times as necessary to get the best rates.    "We're going to pivot as many times as needed to get you that guarantee. Know that you're not stuck with a rate that might be lower than a rate two weeks later.  In a commoditized world of annuities. That’s the least we can do, and the fact that we're the only ones doing it is sad." —  Stan the Annuity Man.    Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:  Everyone goes through cognitive declineConsidering cognitive strategies Transferring risk through annuitiesWhy you should plan for cognitive decline   Key Takeaways:  It doesn’t matter how sharp or healthy you are right now, everyone will go through cognitive decline eventually. Start considering cognitive strategies from a turnkey standpoint, whether it's for you, or whether it's for your spouse, or both, especially if you are already in the “slow-go” phase of retirement.  Annuities are transfer of risk products. They sell for four things, principal protection, income for life, legacy, and long-term care. If you don't need to solve for those contractually, you don't need an annuity.We all know somebody who either had a stroke, an accident, or a fall, and suddenly they can’t make those kinds of decisions anymore. It’s a horrible thing to happen to somebody, don’t let it be your horror story. Plan for cognitive decline.    "Protecting the principle is a cognitive strategy. Lifetime Income is the ultimate cognitive strategy. Obviously, long-term care [is a] cognitive strategy." —  Stan The Annuity Man     Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!

In this episode, The Annuity Man and Steve Parrish discuss:  Why we need simple retirement solutionsTransitioning from accumulation to decumulation How inflation affects insurance companies The benefits of delaying your social security   Key Takeaways:  There’s a huge need to decrease the complexity surrounding retirement. Retirees or pre-retirees today are already worrying about the economy, laws and proposed laws, misleading advertisements, and the fact that they’re not as sharp as they used to be. Accumulation is all about maximizing your returns for a minimum amount of risk. When you’ve crossed the line of retirement, the risk becomes you run out of money before you run out of oxygen. You would want to have money to live off of in your second chapter; that should be your focus. Insurance companies are good investors in bonds. As interest rates go up, the rate gets higher on bonds, which gives the insurance companies more to work with. Inflation is helping insurance companies. Delaying your claim of your social security until 70 has some benefits. You can fill in the difference with annuities and other strategies. Social security is a great gift, but take it in the future. That will help greatly with flexibility in what you can do with annuities.    "The fact is that more of us worry or know about situations of people living too long rather than dying too soon. I see annuities simply as longevity insurance." —  Steve Parrish    Connect with Steve Parrish: Articles: https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveparrish/?sh=685dc0883079    Connect with The Annuity Man:  Website: http://theannuityman.com/  Email: Stan@TheAnnuityMan.com  Book: Owner’s Manuals: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/how-do-annuities-work YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXKKxvVslbeGAlEc5sra2g  Get a Quote Today: https://www.stantheannuityman.com/annuity-calculator!