That’s a near-certainty based on the government’s data. If anything, the Social Security shortfall situation may actually be worse because the projections assumed people would suddenly start having more kids, and there would be much more illegal immigration.

It’s a BIG deal for most Social Security recipients: 63% rely on their benefit checks for at least half of their total income, and for 44%, it’s three-quarters of their income, according to the Pew Research Center.

So the question is: Will you bet your retirement security on Congress getting its act together in time?

Or would you rather take control now, so you never have to slash your lifestyle or give up the things that make retirement worth looking forward to?

The earlier-than-expected depletion of the Social Security trust fund means you’ll likely need to save far more than you originally planned. How much more depends on your age, but one thing is clear: You need a safer, smarter strategy starting today.

And adding the Bank On Yourself strategy to your financial plan may be the answer.

It helps you grow wealth safely and predictably—even when Wall Street and Washington are in chaos—and gives you guarantees no other financial vehicle can match.

Here’s What Bank On Yourself Gives You

• Guaranteed growth that never takes a step backward—even in a recession or bear market
• Safety and security that has stood the test of time, backed by a multi-layer safety net
• Access to your money when you need it, without penalties or permission
• Tax-deferred growth and TAX-FREE withdrawals, under current law
• Peace of mind, knowing your future isn’t at the mercy of Wall Street or Congress

The clock is ticking, but it’s not too late to secure your financial future.

The time to prepare is now. Start building a retirement income strategy you can count on, no matter what Congress does

Request your FREE, no-obligation Analysis today and discover how to lock in a lifetime of financial security. You’ll get a referral to a Bank On Yourself Professional who can answer your questions and create a custom-tailored strategy to help you reach your goals, without taking any unnecessary risks.

They can also show you how you could transform assets into a guaranteed income you can never outlive. So, request your Analysis by clicking on this button today:

As medical science improves, people with chronic conditions and disabilities are living longer. You might be hoping that the script for your later years will read “healthy-healthy-healthy-dead.” But the statistics tell a different story. More than 80% of us will require some form of care in our later years, according to a new study from the Center for Retirement Research.

Fortunately, there is a new breed of life insurance policies that offer long-term care solutions. They can help you pay for almost any type of care, whether informal care delivered at home by friends or loved ones, or more specialized full-time support. We’re living longer than past generations, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be skiing the slopes of Telluride in our 90s.

Despite the shocking statistics about the likelihood that you’ll need long term care and the staggering costs associated with that, the vast majority of people don’t have a plan in place and severely underestimate the costs of a long-term illness. They assume Medicare will cover it (it won’t), or they put off even thinking about it until it’s too late and they’re in the middle of a health crisis.

The result? Here’s a typical scenario:

A Crisis No One Saw Coming

Gina’s father, Ray, was diagnosed with dementia, dramatically changing the family’s life overnight. The emotional and financial strain of arranging and paying for his care quickly became overwhelming.

Ray deteriorated rapidly, and the family had to hire a caregiver to work 60 hours a week. Ray had worked hard all his life and saved up for retirement. However, the cost of bringing in a caregiver quickly depleted his funds, and his savings were depleted in less than two years.

So, Gina and the family pitched in to provide care. It took an immense toll on the family financially, physically, and emotionally. And by the time Ray passed away two years later, Gina’s health was shot, and she had lost her job.

Did Ray mean to put such a burden on his family? Of course not. But just like too many others, he had neglected to plan for the strong probability that he would need long-term care at some point.

The Hidden Cost of Long-Term Care

Is the story of Ray and his family unique? Unfortunately, no. According to a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• 37.1 million people provided unpaid eldercare in 2021-2022
• 28% of Americans engaged in unpaid eldercare on a given day, spending an average of 3.6 hours providing this care
• Unpaid providers age 65 and older spent almost 5 hours a day caring for an elder
• 59% of family caregivers are women, often forced to leave the workforce or reduce their work hours
• Nearly half of eldercare providers provided care at least several times a week, and almost one-quarter provided care daily

What would happen if you or someone in your family needed long-term care? How would your family cope? Could they upend their lives to provide care? Would you tap your retirement savings to try to pay for the care you need? If so, let me warn you that the average cost of paying others to provide long-term care is eye-popping, according to a 2023 Cost of Care Survey:

• $124,256 per year for a private room in a nursing facility
• $109,200 per year for in-home care (60 hours per week)
• $79,015 per year for an assisted living facility

Of course, like everything else, long-term care costs are projected to rise and have been increasing at a rate faster than inflation.

According to 2022 research commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services, about one in five adults (22 percent) will need care for more than five years. So, let’s do the math:

Today, baby boomers have an estimated median retirement savings of just $194,000. That would cover just one and a half years of long-term care, leaving nothing for anything else.

Even with the recommended retirement savings of $1 million for workers making $100,000, long-term care costs can quickly drain that money. Studies show that if someone without a long-term care plan suddenly needs care, their annual withdrawal rate from their retirement savings can jump from 5% to 11%! Even $1 million in savings could be cut in half within five years.

Unsurprisingly, 99% of Americans agree that having a long-term care plan would make things easier for their family. The long-term care solution I’ll tell you about now protects your retirement savings, takes the burden off your family, and has more benefits than traditional long-term care plans. It’s not your parents or grandparents’ long-term care plan!

A Smarter, More Flexible Long Term Care Solution

This strategy allows you to:

• Preserve your retirement savings instead of using them for care
• Maintain control over where and how you receive care—at home, in an assisted living facility, or elsewhere
• Access tax-efficient funds when care is needed
• Provide financial security for your family, ensuring they aren’t left struggling with tough decisions

Unlike traditional long-term care insurance, the life insurance-based solutions offered by Bank On Yourself Professionals are flexible options for people between the ages of 40 and 80:

If you need care:

• Some policies allow you to access benefits tax-free to pay for long-term care expenses, whether you need home care, assisted living, or a skilled nursing facility.
• Certain plans allow family members or friends to receive compensation for providing informal care at home, giving you more flexibility in choosing who supports you.

If you never need care:

• Your family can receive a tax-free death benefit, ensuring your hard-earned money isn’t wasted.
• Unlike traditional long-term care insurance, where unused premiums are lost, these solutions allow you to leave a financial legacy.

If your needs change:

• Some options offer a return of a portion—or even all—of your paid premiums, giving you flexibility if your needs change.
• Certain plans also have options for cash value growth, providing another financial advantage.

Other Benefits Available:

• No waiting period – Some solutions offer a 0-day elimination period, meaning benefits can begin immediately (most long-term care policies require you to pay out-of-pocket for at least 90 days).
• Joint coverage – Some plans offer joint protection, meaning a couple can share a single policy instead of buying two separate ones and even receive a couple’s discount.

How Will You Pay for Long Term Care Coverage?

Some plans allow you to fund your long-term care solution with either a one-time or annual premium. You could fund one of these policies with retirement dollars from an existing 401(k), 403(b), traditional IRA, or another qualified account. You can also transfer cash from an existing life insurance policy or a non-qualified annuity.

As the saying goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is today.” If you don’t yet have a long-term care plan in place, don’t just throw up your hands thinking it’s too late. Plans are available for individuals aged 40 to 80. You can set yourself up so that you don’t deplete your savings or become a burden to your family. Start by asking yourself these questions before a crisis happens:

• Who will provide care if you need it?
• Where would you prefer to receive care?
• How will you pay for it?

Since we all have different circumstances and needs, I encourage you to consult with a Bank On Yourself Professional who can help you find the long-term care solution that’s right for you and guide you to the best policy for your specific situation.

Request a free, no-obligation Analysis and Recommendations, and a referral to a Bank On Yourself Professional here:

Most 401(k) plans offer participants the option to borrow from their plan. No credit check or collateral is required.

The IRS requires a mandatory repayment schedule of principal plus interest, currently 9.5% in many plans. That interest rate is lower than personal loans and significantly lower than the average credit card interest rate, making it appealing in today’s climate.

The article went on to explain the significant downsides of these loans. That got me thinking about how a 401(k) loan differs from a loan from your Bank On Yourself plan. So, let’s compare…

Recall that the Bank On Yourself strategy relies on a high-cash-value, low-commission, dividend-paying whole life policy. It’s guaranteed to grow by a larger dollar amount every year, regardless of what’s happening in the market or the economy.

How Much Can You Borrow and What Hoops Do You Have to Jump Through?

The IRS only allows you to borrow 50% of your 401(k) value up to a maximum of $50,000. However, you can typically borrow up to 90% of a Bank On Yourself-type policy’s equity or cash value.

That’s how, during the depths of the financial crisis, when banks weren’t lending, and credit lines were being shut without warning, my husband and I got $500,000 from our family’s policies to grow the Bank On Yourself company.

We only had to answer two questions: “How much do you want?” and “Where do you want it sent?” The money was in our checking account in less than a week.

In some companies, taking a 401(k) loan involves a 13-step approval process… just to use your own money!

[Watch Me Duke it Out in an Imaginary 6-Round Championship Fight: 401(k) Vs. Bank On Yourself Loans]

What’s the Loan Interest Rate?

The companies used by the Bank On Yourself Professionals charge below-market, simple interest, currently around 5.5%. And, like the interest you pay on a 401(k) loan, the interest you pay benefits you, as we explain in our Consumer Guide to Bank On Yourself Policy Loans.

However, unlike taking a 401(k) loan, your Bank On Yourself policy will continue growing as though you never touched a dime of it! And you don’t have to liquidate any assets to get money.

These are just a few of the reasons why so many Bank On Yourself policy owners say their only regret is that they didn’t start their plan sooner. It’s also the best sleep-through-the-night savings strategy, providing guarantees, predictability, control, and numerous tax advantages.

To find out what your bottom-line guaranteed numbers and results could be if you added Bank On Yourself to your financial plan, request your free, no-obligation Analysis and Recommendations here now.

Are There Restrictions on Repaying Loans?

Unlike mandatory 401(k) loan repayment schedules, you set your own repayment schedule with a Bank On Yourself loan.

Some 401(k) plans don’t allow you to make contributions while paying back a loan; some have a set time to wait before contributing again. If your employer matches your contributions, you’ll take a double hit.

These are just a few of the hoops you have to jump through for a 401(k) loan.

Taxation of Interest Payments:

You’re taxed twice on the interest payments you make on a 401(k) loan. That double taxation reduces the benefit of paying yourself interest on a 401(k) loan from 9.5% to an after-tax 6.65% for those in the 30% tax bracket. There is no such consequence for Bank On Yourself loans.

Are There Loan Fees?

The typical 401(k) administrator charges a $75 loan origination fee plus an annual loan maintenance fee of $25. That raises your effective borrowing cost.

There are no fees to borrow from your Bank On Yourself policy.

What Happens if You Can’t Pay Back a Loan?

About 8% of actively employed workers default on 401(k) loans, which jumps to 65% of people who leave their jobs. Most 401(k) plans require a borrower who leaves a job with a loan outstanding to pay the remaining balance, often in 30 to 90 days, or face default.

If you default, you must pay income tax on the remaining balance, plus a 10% penalty if you’re under age 59 ½!

Taking a Bank On Yourself policy loan is blissfully free of these pitfalls.

As I’ve pointed out in my books and on the Bank On Yourself website, even though you’re not required to, you should pay back the loans you take to make major purchases on the schedule you set. That replenishes your cash value so you can use it in retirement to take tax-free income.

If you borrow and never repay your loans, or you don’t at least pay the loan interest due, your policy could lapse if you have no cash value left to cover the loan interest. That could result in an income tax liability on any gain.

You don’t typically pay back loans used to provide income in retirement. Instead, they are deducted from the death benefit upon the insured’s death.

How to Add Guarantees, Control, Predictability, and BIG Tax Savings to Your Financial Plan…

To find out how you could enjoy liquidity, control, guaranteed growth, and peace of mind by adding the Bank On Yourself strategy to your financial plan, request your free, no-obligation Analysis right here.

You’ll get a referral to a Bank On Yourself Professional who has passed a rigorous training program and who can answer your questions about this concept and show you how you could benefit from a custom-tailored program:

Find out how the Bank On Yourself strategy can help you reach your financial goals and dreams…withOUT taking any unnecessary risks!

Shock #1: Your Social Security Benefits Can Be Taxed

Most people don’t realize that it’s common – even for middle-income folks – to pay taxes on Social Security benefits. 48% of Americans already pay taxes on their Social Security benefits, according to the SSA. And because the cutoff isn’t benchmarked to inflation, more and more beneficiaries will soon be subject to the tax.

Doesn’t it bother you that the government may require you to pay taxes on the money you get from Social Security – a system you paid your hard-earned money into for all those years? It’s like double jeopardy!

But most people also aren’t aware that you can reduce – or even eliminate – the taxes you may have to pay on your Social Security benefits.

How is that possible?

Your retirement income from a Bank On Yourself policy is not included in the income totals the IRS uses to determine whether (or how much) your Social Security check is taxed.

And the earlier you start planning for this, the greater the tax savings you will reap throughout your retirement.

That’s just one of the numerous tax advantages you’ll get from the Bank On Yourself strategy! To find out your bottom-line guaranteed numbers and the potential tax savings you could get by adding this strategy to your financial plan, request a free, no-obligation Analysis here now:

Shock #2: The Interest Rates You Pay Aren’t Coming Down Soon

Americans are borrowing more than ever on their credit cards, with balances topping $1.08 Trillion for the first time, according to the Federal Reserve Bank. At the same time, an estimated 40% of Americans have drained their pandemic savings to be able to pay for these ballooning bills.

Average credit card interest rates have soared to 24.59%(!), according to Lending Tree – the highest they’ve ever been.

Of course, this assumes you can get approved, and people are increasingly likely to get turned down when they apply – the rejection rate has jumped to almost 22% of applicants!

Meanwhile, delinquencies are at a 12-year high, more people are paying late fees, and if you miss payments, it can cause your interest rate to as much as double!

Even if the Fed does decide to lower interest rates this year, do you really believe that banks, finance, and mortgage companies will give you much of a break anytime soon?

With the Bank On Yourself safe wealth-building strategy…

1. You can access the equity in your policy whenever and for whatever you want – no questions asked or nosey applications to fill out.
2. You cannot be turned down for a loan.
3. You set your own repayment schedule, and if you hit a rough patch, you can skip payments without worrying about collection calls, repossession, or black marks on your credit report.
4. Your policy continues growing even on the money you borrowed – if your policy is from one of a handful of companies that offer this amazing feature.
5. You get a competitive interest rate way below market rates regardless of your credit rating. And you can recapture the interest you pay!

Shock #3: Black Swan Events Can Scramble Your Best-Laid Plans

By definition, Black Swan events – like pandemics, global wars, hyperinflation, and weather disasters – are unexpected and supposed to be rare. Yet, we’ve been hit with a whole flock lately, causing the markets to freak out. Do you really think the market will never crash again, or you’ll have enough warning to get out if it does?

Read: Black Swan Events to Watch Out For in 2024

The critical question is: How much does your retirement security depend on the stock market, a beast you can’t predict or control… and that can turn on a dime? If much of your funds are in a conventional retirement plan, the answer is usually “nearly 100%.”

You might take comfort in looking at your 401(k) and IRA account balances after the big stock market rally at the end of 2023 (which was followed by the worst start to a year in over two decades).

But the reality is that you haven’t made a dime until you sell your investments and (hopefully!) lock in your profits. They are paper profits, and while they may make for a temporary high, they aren’t “real” until they are realized.

In contrast, when you look at the annual statement for a Bank On Yourself policy or check your policy values online, the numbers you see represent real money, not just paper wealth. Both your principal and growth are locked in. They don’t go backward, even in a major market crash.

Your money is guaranteed to grow by a larger dollar amount every year, giving you built-in protection from inflation.

You can even know how much money you’d have at any point – guaranteed – before you decide if you want to move forward with this strategy. Just request a FREE, no-obligation Analysis here to find out:

To make matters worse, inflation was a whopping 21% during the same period. (Here’s a great inflation calculator.) That means those average 401(k) accounts needed to be at nearly $129,000 – just to keep up with inflation!

Okay, but what if you waited longer, say 10 years, like the “experts” say you should. On the surface, that looks better. The average 401(k) was $84,600 10 years ago and is now $107,700 (a 27.3% gain). But inflation over that period was 30.45%, so the average 401(k) would have to be at $110,357 today to keep up with inflation.

In 2022, the average 401(k) balance plunged 22.9%, according to Fidelity Investments. As I write, the market has been rallying, but you’d need an increase of almost 30% to get back to where you were… and another 3.5% increase to keep even with inflation in 2023, let alone have a gain. It’s pretty nasty news if 2022 was the year you had planned to retire.

And the typical IRA hasn’t fared any better over the last ten years, according to Fidelity:

What if you looked at an even longer time horizon, say the past 30 years?

Here’s the Harsh Reality of the Actual 30-Year Returns Investors Are Getting…

Are you sitting down? This will floor you: According to the 2023 DALBAR study, the typical investor in equity mutual funds has gotten only a 4.3% annual return – after adjusting for inflation – for the past 30 years that ended December 31st!

Oops!! A 4.3% Real Average Annual Return for the Last 30 Years?!?

Was that worth the stomach-churning roller coaster ups and downs, and sleepless nights?

Shockingly, the typical asset allocation investor had essentially no growth over the last 30 years after taking inflation into account. And fixed income investors lost ground even before factoring in inflation.

Even worse, the report did not account for the taxes you’ll owe the IRS on your withdrawals if you’ve been saving in a tax-deferred account like a 401(k), 403(b) or IRA. And that will devour at least 25%-33% of your savings, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

That assumes tax rates don’t go up over the 20 to 30+ years of your retirement. (And if you believe tax rates won’t increase over the long term, I’ve got a Rolex watch I’ll sell you for $10.)

Isn’t the Classic Definition of Insanity to Continue Doing What Clearly Hasn’t Worked for the Last Three Decades?

This is a HUGE part of why the typical household nearing retirement has an average of only $185,000 in their combined retirement accounts, which will provide only $800 per month income, according to the 2023 Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances.

Wall Street’s BIG Lie is that You Must Risk Your Money to Grow It

The Bank On Yourself safe wealth-building strategy puts that lie to rest. It’s a supercharged variation of an asset that’s grown in value every single year for more than 160 years, including during every global pandemic, the Great Recession, and the Great Depression. It comes with an unbeatable combination of advantages and guarantees, including:

• Your money is guaranteed to grow by a larger dollar amount every year, giving you built-in protection from inflation

  You can even know how much money you’d have at any point – guaranteed – before you decide if you want to move forward with this strategy. Just request a FREE, no-obligation Analysis here to find out:

• Both your principal and growth are locked in, and don’t go backward when the market tumbles
• You enjoy growth that’s significantly greater than you could get in a CD or money market account, but without taking on greater risk to do it
• You have complete control of and access to your equity in the plan to use however and whenever you choose, so you can weather the challenges life unexpectedly throws at you (try doing that with your 401(k) or IRA!)
• You can access both your principal and growth with ZERO taxes due(!) under current tax law, which lets you avoid unpleasant tax surprises later
• You can use your money in the plan to eliminate banks and finance companies from your life and become your own source of financing
• And much more

To see how adding the Bank On Yourself strategy to your financial plan could help you reach your financial goals without taking any unnecessary risks, request your free Analysis here now.

There’s no cost or obligation, and you’ll get a referral to a Bank On Yourself Professional who can answer any questions you may still have.

Keep in mind that the only regret most people say they have about implementing the Bank On Yourself strategy is that they didn’t start sooner.

So don’t put it off another day – request your free Analysis NOW to enjoy more financial security and control in the New Year:

I want to share how gratitude can transform our finances and overall well-being. Here are three tips that highlight the connection between gratitude and financial success:

Tip #1: Focus on What You Have

It’s often said that you get more of what you focus on. Instead of dwelling on what you lack, turn your attention to what you already have. Expressing gratitude for your current financial situation, whether modest or prosperous, can shift your mindset toward abundance. This change in perspective can reduce feelings of financial stress and open up opportunities for smart financial choices.

Tip #2: Be Consistently, Consciously Grateful

Studies have shown that consciously practicing gratitude, such as maintaining a gratitude journal for just 5 minutes daily (my favorite is The Five Minute Journal), has numerous benefits, including improved health, stronger relationships, enhanced emotional well-being, and even career success. Gratitude lowers blood pressure, makes us more likable, and helps us become better leaders.

Moreover, this practice also makes us strategic spenders. When we cultivate gratitude, we feel more content and prosperous in all aspects of life, reducing cravings for material possessions as emotional substitutes.

Tip #3: Avoid Overspending this Holiday Season: Go for the BIG Happy

It probably won’t surprise you that Americans typically overspend during the holidays, with 7 out of 10 going over budget.

We used to buy our grandchildren lots of toys for birthdays and holidays. And when they ripped open those packages, they did look pretty darn excited. I awarded myself extra Grandma points every time! But after every visit with our grandkids, I ask them what the highlights were – and their answer is almost always the hike we took or the visit to the river.

The Big Happy for most of us is having memorable experiences and being with the people we love. That other stuff we chase? That’s usually Little Happy – fleeting and not very fulfilling.

Bonus Tip: Set Yourself Up for Your Best Year Yet… and a Lifetime of Financial Security…

Imagine how it would feel to add guarantees, predictability, and flexibility to your financial plan in 2024. What if you could transform high-interest debt into wealth? And have a sizable rainy-day fund that doubles as a retirement plan alternative? What if you could know the guaranteed minimum value of your nest egg at any point in time? And what if you could set yourself up for a TAX-FREE retirement income?

All these things are possible when you add the Bank On Yourself safe wealth-building strategy to your financial plan. And you can find out your bottom-line numbers and results before you decide if it makes sense for your situation.

Just request a free Analysis here now. There’s no obligation, and you’ll get a referral to one of only 200 Bank On Yourself Professionals in the U.S. and Canada who can answer any questions you have.

You have a lifetime of financial security to gain, so click here to take the next step:

This Thanksgiving, I encourage you to take a few moments to reflect on the many blessings in your life, including your financial well-being. Gratitude is a source of joy and a catalyst for financial wisdom and reduced stress.

May your Thanksgiving be filled with warmth, gratitude, and abundant blessings.

The S&P 500, however, has been on a tear, up 10% this year. Maybe you’ve been looking at your investment and retirement account balances and wondering why you’re not seeing that kind of gain.

That’s because just five technology companies drove 96% of those gains!

According to the Motley Fool, nearly half of the stocks in the index were negative for the year on May 31. (MarketWatch just called the S&P 500 “ridiculous” and questioned whether you should bet your retirement on the fortunes of a small handful of stocks.)

Of course, the financial “experts” insist that the only way to grow a sizable nest egg is to invest in the stock market over the long term.

But is that really true?

If it was, how do you account for the typical equity mutual fund investor earning a meager 4.3% annually for the past 30 years after adjusting for inflation?

Yet most people we’ve surveyed say they wouldn’t endure the ups and downs of the market for less than a 7% annual return.

Investors who use asset allocation – long considered a strategy that gives you the best chance of coming out ahead – have had essentially no growth over the last 30 years after adjusting for inflation.

And if you thought fixed income investments were a safe bet, think again – they’ve actually lost ground even before factoring in inflation.

These statistics from the Dalbar 2023 Quantitative Analysis of Investor Behavior paint a sobering picture. It’s a stark reminder that the stock market is a dangerous place for money you’re counting on for a secure retirement, funding a college education, or other financial goals you have.

Volatility May Be Here to Stay Thanks to the Economic Headwinds We’re Facing

To list just a few…

• Publicly traded companies’ revenues are sliding
• Inflation remains stubbornly high
• Lending conditions have tightened significantly, and recessions over the past 30 years have closely tracked banks’ willingness to lend money
• China’s economic troubles can have significant consequences for the markets and growth in the US

I bet you can add one or two to this list.

At the same time, consumer debt has skyrocketed, averaging $101,915 per household! Meanwhile, the savings rate has dropped precipitously.

Don’t Let Market Volatility Dictate Your Destiny – You Have the Power to Take Control of Your Financial Future!

The Bank On Yourself safe wealth-building strategy puts the lie that you must risk your money to grow a sizable nest egg to rest.

It’s a supercharged variation of an asset that’s grown in value every single year for more than 160 years, including during every pandemic, the Great Recession, and the Great Depression. It comes with an unbeatable combination of advantages and guarantees, including:

• Your money is guaranteed to grow by a larger dollar amount every year – regardless of what happens in the market or the economy
• You can even know how much money you’d have at any point in time – guaranteed – before you decide if you want to move forward with this strategy. Just request a FREE, no-obligation Analysis here:

• Both your principal and growth are locked in, and don’t go backward when the market tumbles
• You’ll enjoy growth that’s significantly greater than you could get in a CD or money market account, but without taking on greater risk to do it
• You have complete control of and access to your equity in the plan to use however and whenever you choose, so you can weather the challenges life unexpectedly throws at you (try doing that with your 401(k) or IRA!)
• You can access both your principal and growth with ZERO taxes due under current tax law, which lets you avoid unpleasant tax surprises later
• You can use your money in the plan to eliminate banks and finance companies from your life and become your own source of financing

Does Adding the Bank On Yourself Strategy to Your Financial Plan Make Sense for Your Situation?

To find out how to reach your financial goals without taking any unnecessary risks, request your free Analysis here now.

There’s no cost or obligation, and you’ll get a referral to a Bank On Yourself Professional who can answer any questions you may still have.

Now is the perfect time to truly diversify your retirement savings strategy and explore alternatives that give you guaranteed growth, safety, liquidity, tax advantages, and financial certainty.

In a world of uncertainty, knowledge truly is power. So request your free Analysis here NOW, while you’re thinking of it:

Adding to the fear that this may just be the tip of the iceberg is that banks borrowed a record amount from the emergency last-resort support the Federal Reserve set up in the last week.

So, it’s not surprising people want to know how safe their money is in a Bank On Yourself plan. Read on for the answer. And, since you must “park” your money someplace, I’ll also explain why you would be hard-pressed to find a safer, more advantageous place to put your dollars – in good times or bad – than in a Bank On Yourself plan.

These super-charged dividend-paying whole life policies have survived and even thrived for over 160 years in virtually every economic situation imaginable!

During the Great Depression, over 9,000 banks failed, wiping out the life savings of millions of depositors. However, there is no documented evidence that any life insurance policyholder lost money. In fact, these policies were the life raft that saved many people from financial ruin during the Great Recession and the Great Depression.

Since you have access to the cash value of your policy whenever and for whatever you want – no questions asked – having your money safe and liquid in a dividend-paying whole life policy doesn’t take away any of your options. In fact, it gives you more options, especially when the you-know-what hits the fan.

And if your policy is from one of a handful of companies that offer this feature, you’ll get the exact same growth even when you’ve taken money from your policy to use elsewhere. That means you have access to cash to cover an emergency, buy a car, or take advantage of an opportunity…and still have your money growing as though you hadn’t touched it.

3 Reasons a Bank On Yourself Plan is the Best Place to Park Your Money…

Reason #1: Strict Regulation and Four Layers of Protection

• Life insurance companies are audited regularly by the state insurance commissioner’s office (sometimes by dozens of states) to ensure they maintain sufficient reserves to pay future claims and are on solid financial ground
• If a company gets into financial difficulty, the state insurance commissioner’s office can take over and run the company in the interests of policyholders. Historically, a failed insurer’s business is then taken over by another company
• Most insurance companies are audited regularly by several independent rating companies
• Additional policy owner protections may be available on a state-by-state basis

Reason #2: Sound, Conservative Investments

The companies used by the Bank On Yourself Professionals invest conservatively to be able to deliver on their promises:

• Most of their portfolio is invested in investment-grade fixed-income assets
• Less than 1-2% is invested in U.S. Treasury or other government debt
• Their bond portfolios are well diversified across many industries and companies, with no investment representing more than 1% of assets
• Due to their financial strength and reserves, they can hold on to any assets that may decline in value for many years until they recover
• They are masters at under-promising and over-delivering and have NEVER missed paying an annual dividend to policy owners for more than 100 years, including during the Great Depression, the Great Recession, and every single period of economic tumult in between!

Read: The Safety of Bank On Yourself – A Strategy for Any Economy

Reason #3: The Companies are Owned by Policy Owners, NOT Stockholders

The companies the Bank On Yourself Professionals recommend when they design a custom-tailored program for you are owned by policy owners, NOT stockholders, which allows them to focus on the long-term best interests of the policy owners rather than the short-term demands of Wall Street. And – unlike on Wall Street – you can know the bottom-line, guaranteed numbers and results you could enjoy when your request a free, no-obligation Analysis here:

Perhaps this analogy will help explain the difference between whole life as a wealth-building vehicle and most other products and strategies favored by the financial talking heads…

On the freeway, can you spot the difference between a teenage boy putting daddy’s hot sports car through its paces, and a young suburban mother in her minivan taking two kids to play soccer, with a toddler buckled in a car seat? One driver is trying to get somewhere fast while the other is getting to her destination while doing everything possible to protect those who are near and dear to her. If you understand that difference, then you can sense the difference between the Wall Street Casino and the life insurance industry.

Take Action TODAY to Safeguard Your Wealth and Avoid Having Your Retirement Dreams Turn into a Retirement Nightmare

You might be tempted to put this aside and “think about it all tomorrow” when things settle down. But “tomorrow” all too often turns into months and years. I would hate to have you wake up 2, 5, or 10 years from now – when the next financial crisis scuttles your best-laid plans again – thinking, “Heck, I really should have looked into that Bank On Yourself thing.”

Why not do it RIGHT NOW. Request your FREE Analysis and referral to a Bank On Yourself Professional here.

The Bank On Yourself Professional we refer you to can answer all your questions and show you how you could gain lifetime financial peace of mind with a program custom-tailored to your unique situation.

Don’t wait another moment. Click the button below to get started:

If you’re not familiar with ChatGPT, it’s an artificial intelligence computer program that generates human-like answers to almost any question you ask.

So I decided to conduct a little experiment and ask it a simple question:

How much do I need to retire?”

Here’s what the “robot” told me:

ChatGPT’s response struck me as yet another example of retirement “rules of thumb” that are outdated. Like “withdrawing 4% of your retirement savings each year will provide you with an income you won’t outlive.”

Why Retirement Rules of Thumb are Dangerous

A rule of thumb like “save 10x your annual income for retirement” may have been helpful 30 years ago when it was first coined, but not today – especially when taking inflation into account.

For example, let’s say your household income is $100,000, and you use the “10x rule” as your savings target for retirement, so you’d need $1 million.

The problem is that $1 million doesn’t go as far as it used to. Someone who bought $1 million worth of goods 30 years ago would need $2 million to buy the same goods today.

This is why many millionaires who subscribe to the “save 10x your annual income” are scared of running out of money in retirement.

In a recent survey of 1,600 people with at least $1 million in investable assets, 35% said, “it will take a miracle to achieve a secure retirement.”

Why are millionaires so scared?

Well, think about it. Even if you have $1 million saved, many experts say you should only withdraw 2.8% of your retirement savings each year, which is just $28,000 a year.

What kind of lifestyle do you think $2,333/month will give you?

Probably not your dream retirement, right?

Is “20 Times Your Annual Income” The New Rule of Thumb?

Maybe we should change the rule of thumb and make it higher, say 15 or 20 times your annual income?

That would be better, but it’s still the wrong question. Here’s why:

When you rely on rules of thumb as traditional retirement models do, you end up striving for some arbitrary goal – as the millionaires did in the survey mentioned above – only to later discover that you’ll still need “a miracle to achieve a secure retirement.”

And with this approach, you’d need these two miracles to happen to enjoy a worry-free retirement:

1. Inflation to get – and stay – under control; and
2. The stock market to not have any downturns between now and when you die

We call this the hope-and-pray plan

However, there’s another way you could approach this – a way that allows you to enjoy a secure retirement, regardless of what happens with inflation, the market, or the economy.

The Better Alternative to the “Hope-and-Pray” Plan

If you want to avoid the ups and downs of the stock market – or if you’ve been disappointed with traditional retirement advice and rules of thumb – it’s time to seriously consider what adding the Bank On Yourself strategy to your financial plan can do for you.

The Bank On Yourself strategy is a proven alternative to traditional retirement planning advice. Hundreds of thousands of folks across North America use it.

No two plans are alike – yours will be custom-tailored to your unique situation, goals, and dreams. A partial list of benefits you could soon be enjoying includes:

• Guaranteed, predictable growth every single year (all Bank On Yourself programs hit a new record high in 2022 and are on track to do that again in 2023)
• Control over your retirement savings – there are no government restrictions or penalties for accessing your money (like there are with 401(k)s and IRAs)
• Numerous tax advantages, including tax-deferred growth and tax-free withdrawals, under current tax law – which gives you protection from unpleasant tax surprises in the future
• The ability to use your money while it continues to grow as if you hadn’t touched it (if your policy is from one of a handful of companies that offer this feature)
• Your savings are guaranteed to grow by a larger dollar amount every single year, giving you peace of mind and protection from inflation

If you’re on the fence about this, consider what Robert Chambers, a retired Naval Commander from Carmel, CA, had to say about his experience:

“When I first heard about Bank On Yourself, I thought it was another investment scheme and almost didn’t look into it. I’m glad I overcame my concerns – it’s now the pillar of our financial plan. I hope you also overcome your concerns and find financial independence so you can enjoy life on your terms.”

To find out how a custom-tailored Bank On Yourself strategy can help you reach your financial goals and dreams – without taking any unnecessary risks – request your free Analysis here today.

There’s no cost or obligation to get your custom Analysis and Recommendations, so click this button to get started now:

Here are the top 5 threats to your financial future in 2023…

Threat #1: 2023 Recession

If you had money in the stock market, you know how bad 2022 was. The S&P 500 lost nearly 20%, and the average 401(k) lost 22.9%. Seeing one-fifth of your life savings vaporize in a single year is a hard pill to swallow.

And after having the worst year in the markets since the 2008 financial crisis, it’s only natural to want to put that behind us and move on. However, what we want to happen and what is happening are two different stories. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg see a 70% chance of a recession in 2023 – which means it’s very likely things will get worse before they get better.

Threat #2: High-Interest Rates

Interest rates are at their highest level in 15 years – and will likely climb higher as the Fed continues to fight inflation. This means that your bank is going to charge you two arms and two legs now if you need to finance a purchase. And if you’re not careful, these high-interest loans can quietly sabotage your nest egg.

Thankfully, there’s a better way – a Bank On Yourself plan gives you fast access to cash with NO questions asked, without the high-interest rates. You can use the money for whatever you need without penalties for accessing it. And you can pay it back when and how you want.

Threat #3: Outdated Retirement Withdrawal Advice

Many people are still following outdated retirement planning advice. For example, the “4% rule” – which meant you could safely withdraw 4% from your retirement account each year – is no longer valid.

The current recommended annual retirement withdrawal rate is just 2.8% – which gives you a 90% probability of having your money last for 30 years.

So, if you had a $1 million nest egg, it would provide you with only $28,000 a year. What kind of lifestyle do you think that would give you? Does it even cover your basic expenses, let alone allow for any of life’s luxuries?

And don’t forget that if you’re saving in tax-deferred accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs, taxes will devour at least one-third of that. Which brings us to…

Threat #4: Postponing Taxes Until Retirement

If you have an IRA or a 401(k), you were probably told those are good ways to lower your taxes. And yes, your contribution does lower your taxable income today. But those government-controlled retirement plans do not allow you to avoid paying taxes. They merely postpone your tax bill until retirement.

Based on current tax rates, you’ll owe 25-50% – or more – of your savings when you take withdrawals from these plans. And when tax rates inevitably go up due to our country’s exploding debt, the largest fiscal stimulus programs in history, and aging demographics, you’ll need to be prepared for an even higher tax bill.

The good news is there are steps you can take NOW to reduce or even eliminate income taxes on your retirement withdrawals. The first step is to stop thinking that your government-controlled tax-deferred retirement plans will help. Your next step is to request a FREE, no-obligation Analysis here now. You’ll get a referral to a Bank On Yourself Professional who can show you better options.

Threat #5: Outliving Your Savings

The typical 65-year-old will outlive their savings by 10 years, according to a study by the World Economic Forum. It assumes you will live an average lifespan. If you’re one of the “lucky” ones who does live longer, you could outlive your money by 25 years or more.

Take Richard Seymour, an 88-year-old retiree who lives with his 87-year-old wife in Maryland. He says, “Although I’m glad we’re alive, I’m scared to death…because we’ve outlived our money.”

Richard was confident they’d be ok with just a 6% average return on investment, knowing he and his wife also had Social Security, Medicare and supplemental health care insurance. “Ours was a fail-safe plan. Man, was I ever wrong,” says Seymour. “We now have no income other than our Social Security benefits.”

How Do You Avoid These Financial Threats?

Sadly, stories like this are far too common. I’ve personally investigated over 450 financial products, strategies, and methods touted as “fail-safe plans.” Most weren’t even worth the paper they were printed on.

This is why I founded Bank On Yourself in 2002. I wanted to ensure people achieve lifetime financial security and never outlive their money. There are safe and proven wealth-building strategies that give you all these benefits and more…

• Guaranteed, predictable, competitive growth every year – no matter what’s happening in the markets or the economy (all Bank On Yourself plans hit a new record high in 2022 and are on track to do that again in 2023)
• You can tell banks to take a hike and become your own source of financing… you can even use the money in your plan to buy something or to invest elsewhere, and your plan can continue growing as though you never touched it
• You get tax-deferred growth and can take a retirement income with no taxes due under current tax law, which lets you avoid tax surprises down the road
• Because the growth in these plans is exponential and your premium is guaranteed never to increase, you enjoy some built-in protection against inflation
• There are guaranteed lifetime income strategies that ensure you never outlive your money, no matter how long you live

The Ultimate Financial Security Blanket in Both Good Times and Bad®

It’s easy to find out how to protect your nest egg from the biggest threats today.

In a 15-minute no-obligation introductory call with a Bank On Yourself Professional, you’ll discover how you can benefit from a custom-tailored program. And then you can decide whether you want to implement it or not.

Take action today to ensure your retirement dreams don’t turn into retirement nightmares: