In this episode, The Annuity Man discussed:

• What does "zero is your hero" mean

• Dirty tactics that agents use to sell annuities

• A more rational alternative to the CD product

• Zero is not your hero

Key Takeaways:

• The phrase "zero is your hero" means that when the market goes down, you will not lose any money. In this world that we live in, you should always be getting some interest on your money.

• Be wary of these two dirty tactics agents use to sell annuities: back-tested numbers and upfront bonuses. Don't base your decision on the past; base it on the future. Don't buy a product for the upfront bonus. Also, there's no such thing as a "market upside with no downside."

• Instead of buying a product where you're locked in for seven to ten years, why not buy a MYGA? It's a CD product where you can lock in on shorter terms of one, two, three, four, or five years.

• Zero is not your hero. If zero is your hero, you might as well dig a hole and put all your money in it. If anyone tells you that zero is your hero, just tell them to shut up. Be rational, don't buy the dream.

"Zero is not your hero. We are in inflationary times. I don't care if we're in inflationary times or not; you need your money to grow. Period. " — 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 Rick Ferri discuss:

• Outperforming 90% of investors

• Developing a simple portfolio

• Five ways to improve your portfolio

• Facing the risks

Key Takeaways:

• Investing is not as difficult as others would have you believe. The best way to invest is to keep things simple; the fewer moving parts, the better.

• Develop a simple portfolio that will hold four funds, two stock funds and two bond funds. The bond funds have to be some fixed income type of allocation, while on the stock side, you do a stock market index fund and a total international fund.

• Are you going to be active or passive? Select a portfolio strategy. Determine whether you're going to be aggressive or conservative and assess if you need a higher rate of return and if you can handle high volatility.

• In bad times, remember that "this too shall pass." Investing doesn't come without risk. Everything in life has risks. Even burying your money has a risk; inflation will eat away at its value. It's better to face the risk.

"The idea is simplicity. Be simple, be low-cost, be consistent, stay the course, be tax-efficient." — Rick Ferri

Connect with Rick Ferri:

Website: https://rickferri.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheIndexer/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-ferri-cfa-b6994010/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rick_Ferri

Books: https://www.amazon.com/Richard-A.-Ferri/e/B001IGJTE8%3F

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:

• How chaos leads to both risks and opportunities

• What contributes to financial uncertainty?

• Maximizing lifestyle and financial security

• Locking in guarantees

Key Takeaways:

• Political chaos leads to both risks and opportunities in investments, especially regarding annuities.

• Market volatility and potential government actions (like new cryptocurrency regulation) create financial uncertainty.

• Evaluate your age, health, and risk to maximize lifestyle and financial security.

• Locking in contractual guarantees such as lifetime income and principal protection helps prepare for uncertainties.

"Political chaos equals opportunity for locking things in. For contractual guarantees. You have opportunity for lifetime income guarantees." — 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:

• Choosing guarantees over speculation

• Knowing your "PILL" for protection

• Building your income floor

• Balancing risk with security

Key Takeaways:

• Crypto investments are like rolling dice, while annuities provide contractual guarantees and predictable results. Building financial security means focusing on what you can count on, not what you can guess.

• The four reasons for owning an annuity are Principal Protection, Income for Life, Legacy, and Long-Term Care. These act as anchors for stability when market uncertainty rises.

• Social Security and pensions already provide a guaranteed income. Evaluating whether you need more ensures that your financial base remains steady even when the markets shake.

• Instead of chasing bonuses or hypothetical returns, consider moving some assets from high-risk areas like crypto into products with clear, guaranteed outcomes.

"You own an annuity for what it will do, not what it might do. The 'will do' is the contractual guarantees of the policy." — 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 Wade Pfau discuss:

• Retirement Income Style Awareness (RISA) framework

• Wade's different viewpoint on retirement

• 4% rule of thumb and its limitations

• The truth about retirement planning strategies
  
  

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding one's preferred retirement income strategy via the Retirement Income Style Awareness (RISA) framework. It assesses different retirement strategies that align with the retiree's needs and goals, such as total return investing, time segmentation or bucketing, and essential versus discretionary expenses.

• Go beyond viewing retirement as a mere cessation from work and consider it as attaining fiscal independence to pursue passions and goals without dependency on income from employment. Read Wade Pfau's article on the 4% rule of thumb and its limitations. Additionally, explore the potential benefits of annuities as a tool for sustaining retirement spending over a long retirement.

• Explore the broader international experience in financial markets and retirement planning to better understand the uncertainties and challenges involved. Consider the impact of low interest rates on bond returns and the need for diversified retirement income strategies.
  
  

"We need to figure out what retirement strategy works for each individual because what works for one person may not work for another. It's about finding the style that resonates with you." - Wade Pfau

Connect with Wade Pfau:

Website: retirementresearcher.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wpfau/

Twitter: WadePfau

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:

• Building stability through guaranteed income

• Balancing growth with protection

• Turning profits into long-term security

• Planning now for future calm

Key Takeaways:

• Relying solely on volatile markets can be risky, especially with age. Creating an "income floor" through Social Security, pensions, and annuities ensures predictable income and peace of mind.

• The "market freestyle" approach offers growth but carries volatility. Shifting gradually toward an "annuity lifestyle" locks in income, protecting gains and reducing financial stress during downturns.

• When markets perform well, it's wise to secure profits by converting them into guaranteed income sources like annuities—protecting your principal before inevitable market corrections.

• Financial stability comes from proactive planning, not reaction. Avoid waiting for the next crash; design a plan today that blends market opportunity with lifetime income guarantees.

"Market freestyle is fine for a portion of your money. But annuity lifestyle, what annuity lifestyle means is that you can lock in guarantees so that you go live your life." — 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:

• Planning spousal income with precision

• Avoiding risky annuity strategies

• Building protection through legal planning

• Resisting sales pressure and complexity

Key Takeaways:

• Secure your spouse's future by designing an intentional plan, not by guessing or rushing into annuities. Reverse engineer the exact income amount they will need, and let legal mechanisms trigger it at the right time. Precision brings peace of mind.

• Never buy annuities based on fear of death or timing. Emotional decisions lead to inflexibility and regret. Smart financial planning means keeping control until the moment it truly matters.

• Work with estate planning lawyers to structure income that activates when needed. Trusts can ensure seamless transitions and guaranteed income after death. Legal planning replaces guesswork with confidence.

• Ignore flashy pitches and confusing riders that promise more than they deliver. Financial security is built on clarity, not complexity. Simplify, stay flexible, and only commit when you understand every detail.

"Death is not a good strategy, because you can only use it once." — 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 purpose of Fixed Index Annuities

• Buying only for contractual guarantees

• Why do some agents oversell Index Annuities

• Understanding contractual guarantees

Key Takeaways:

• Fixed Index Annuities are designed for principal protection and lifetime income, not market growth.

• Buy annuities only for contractual guarantees, not for upfront bonuses or agent projections.

• Index Annuities are complex products often oversold by agents for high commissions.

• Buyers should thoroughly understand contractual guarantees before purchasing Fixed Index Annuities.

"This is your money. Don't believe the hype, believe the contract and own an annuity for what it will do, not what it might do." — 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!