There’s a lot to learn in this business.  Much of it requires consuming massive amounts of information and just about everyone is capable of doing that.  The rest is experience that only comes from seeing things change and develop over years.  My experience with using annuities has made me ever more confident in the advice […]

I’ve had the privilege of meeting several exceptionally talented people that contribute to society from all sectors of our economy.  Most people wouldn’t want to be mentioned on the website so I’ve not made a habit of featuring clients, but we are in the midst of unique circumstances. Meet Jacob Mirman, a physician in Minnesota […]

Most people don’t want to get too technical but those who do are able to make much better decisions.  My best clients often take as much as a year to make a decision and as a result they are all comfortable and happy with how things are working out.  I don’t expect deep analysis from […]

At a time when everyone is looking for a little something to keep busy, my wife would say that personal health and wellness should be a priority.  She is the most diligent, dedicated and disciplined person I know.  When the local gym closed down two weeks ago, she couldn’t teach her popular fitness class so […]

When I started this website it was all about fixed annuities.  A good fixed rate will solve any problem in retirement and beat the projections of every long-term guarantee.  Running the numbers and learning how to analyze solutions provided the inspiration to start spreading my message.  Unfortunately it wasn’t long before rates started dropping.  Multi-year […]

There must be some value in all the things I’ve written about on this website.  After all, I live in the world you are trying to figure out.  My job is meant to help people plan for times like these.  Loyal readers have heard it a hundred times and clients/friends know exactly what I’m talking […]

Everybody wants it.  Salesmen promise it without regard to reality and I always say it’s possible but don’t expect it consistently.  Honestly I’ve seen it happen several times and the likelihood depends a lot on crediting methods or the index tracked, not to mention a pretty hot stock market. This is not the highest I’ve […]

This year started just like the last ended.  The stock market continued to climb early in January and the prospect of the bull market reaching new highs in 2020 was a real possibility.  I’ve talked to several people who had a lot of fun watching assets grow substantially during the second half of 2019.  What […]

Last year at about this time I got a call from Roger and it inspired me to make his situation the subject of a newsletter.  A few years prior he had put a plan into place based on advice from a CFP and had started to question the plan.  He found this website and wanted […]

Annuities barely get a passing thought when the market approaches record returns.  Short-term exuberance is addictive and very few people can remove emotion from investment decisions.  Well 2019 was a year that paid off for everyone who stuck with it.  Trade tensions have eased and the economy seems to keep growing steadily so it may […]