The world of finance is LOUD right now. Turn on any financial news network, and you’re pummeled with panic: “The market is crashing! AI stocks are soaring! Interest rates might go up! Interest rates might go down! Or sideways!” Every talking head has a hot take. Every podcast thinks they’ve cracked the retirement code. Here’s the truth: noise sells, but it doesn’t build a solid retirement plan. Watch this week’s video, Best Long-Term Investment Strategies. Block out the noise and stick to the plan.

Every day, my team gets a new call from someone being pitched a plan with all kinds of noise. Recently, we had a call from someone being pitched a bad chicken dinner sales tactic to take a hefty surrender charge from an existing MYGA to buy a FIA because of the “Bonus”. If you’ve been watching my videos, you know these kinds of calls get under my skin more than anything. Fortunately, the caller was smart enough to know that bonuses are candy for the stupid and that in the current interest rate environment, a FIA should only be used for the lifetime Income Rider after it has been compared to a DIA as I explore in this week’s Shootin’ It Straight With Stan: Comparing Index Annuity Income Riders and DIA’s.

We also hear a lot of noise about annuities and income taxes to beneficiaries. Life Insurance passes on tax-free; generally speaking, annuities do not. You can dive into this by watching Are Annuity Death Benefits Tax-Free To My Beneficiaries. Annuities also do not come with a step-up in cost basis like stocks or real estate. If your kids or spouse inherit a non-qualified annuity, they’ll owe ordinary income taxes on the gain. Not capital gains. Not inherited loopholes. It’s just a good old-fashioned income tax.

When it comes to retirement planning, avoid the noise and don’t buy the dream, buy the contractual guarantee. Find the guarantee that works best for you by exploring my calculators. Then, book a call with my team when you are ready for the next step. Shut out the noise and secure your income.

Stay Calm and Cool,

Stan