"Happily ever after" is typically the ending to a fairy tale. But it's more than that. It's also the way we want to retire. What does it take to have a long and happy retirement? This has been the subject of study by Ph.D.'s in countries around the world. Before I go on, how would [...]
Let me pose this question, do you insure your home? Your Cars? Your valuable possessions? Of course, you do. Why? Because you do not want to be exposed to risk or loss, you pass that obligation to a risk bearer, an insurance company. It is just human nature to wish to protect [...]
I am a “visual” type thinking person. So, I was thinking of ways to further describe the FIA, knowing that it's a different language. I have spoken this language for the better part of 18 years; realizing that sometimes in the communication of a different language, there is a loss of meaning and or interpretation. [...]
Which animal is smarter? It all depends. Let me explain: In Isaiah Berlin’s famous essay, he divided the world into hedgehogs and foxes, based upon an ancient Greek parable. “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” The fox is a cunning creature, able to devise a myriad of complex strategies [...]
What Your Broker Doesn’t Want You To Know About Variable Annuities Disclaimer: In the early part of my career, I was licensed to sell variable annuities; I no longer maintain my securities license. The article below is gleaned from a wide array of information available to anyone; all you need to know is where to [...]
A year ago, August 29, 2017, I was sitting in my home in the dark, safe and secure for the time being, nervously anticipating the arrival of a destructive force of nature called Hurricane Harvey. I live in Houston, Texas. As was reported through 24/7 media coverage, Harvey landed on [...]
Imagine the life of a physician. Many years of study, financial hardships, long time periods as a resident, then a physician has to build a practice, investing more money and dealing with government regulations. Being a physician is not for everyone, and it is a tough career choice., but for many, it is also [...]
Bulls, bears, up, down, who knows? There are numerous indicators that the current stock market could be subject to a slip into a full-blown “Bear” market. This would convert to longer-term losses in equities as well as a significant shift in investments to bonds and annuities. With a bear market can also come exposure to [...]
Every decision you make today, and action you take today, carries an element of risk and offers a potential benefit. It’s such an inherent part of life, and we don’t even think about it. The only time we think much about risk is when the risk makes us uncomfortable. We tend to measure risk with [...]
Is guaranteed lifetime income important to you? From time to time clients ask me for an analogy about what Fixed Indexed Annuities are and how insurance carriers can provide upside potential and growth while insulating the annuity owner from downside market risks. An analogy from the world of real estate investing may help understand [...]
