What a wild week it was for the banking industry, and I hope the negative news and panic doesn’t continue. I always say that life insurance companies (who issue annuities) aren’t smarter than banks; they are just more regulated. In other words, they are handcuffed to not do stupid things. And by the way, for those out there with this piece of misinformation in your head, AIG survived their idiotic derivatives traders in 2008 because the AIG life insurance and annuity division was in place and saved the day. Remember that annuities are confidence products, and the annuity industry protects that and self-regulates to ensure the golden goose of guarantees remains in place. I call it the “Annuity Mafia,” and it’s a real protection that you can actually bank on.

In The Annuity Man’s world, retirement actually means Chapter 2. My recent Shootin’ It Straight with Stan video reminds everyone that Chapter 2 should be all about you. I’ve already told my two daughters that my last check will bounce, but the life insurance proceeds will cover it. Get out your bucket list and start checking off those dreams you have worked so hard to enjoy. As I said in a recent video, fly first class, or your kids will.

Do historical annuity rates matter? My blog post addresses this common and misleading agent sales practice. Always buy annuities for what they will do, not what they might do or have done in the past. “Will do” means the contractual guarantees of the specific annuity policy that solves for your goals. If an agent or advisor says, “if you owned this annuity ten years ago,” hang up the phone or walk out of the office or seminar (after you have finished eating).

My Q&A Friday video answered, “Should you add annuities if you already have a pension?” Remember that you already own the best inflation annuity for lifetime income, that’s called Social Security, so I’m talking about additional ones. It all comes down to 2 questions and the P.I.L.L. Watch and learn.

Many of you have been asking about my YouTube Live Events, which are Q&A free-for-all must-see events. I really love doing these and the real-time interactions I have with all of you. We will start doing those again very soon, and probably in conjunction with the highly anticipated launch of my new website. I can’t wait for you to see the new site and hear your thoughts. Keep that money safe, my friends.

Your Annuity Truth Teller,
STAN