Annuities May 4, 2026 · Brandon Roberts Should You Buy a RILA? A Skeptical Look at Buffer Annuities A note before we begin: RILAs are registered securities, and we do not sell them. We sell fixed annuities — SPIAs, MYGAs, and fixed indexed annuities. This article is educational, not a recommendation for or against any …
Whole Life Insurance April 12, 2026 · Brandon Roberts Whole Life Insurance vs Bonds: The Surprising Bond Alternative for Retirement If you held a 60/40 portfolio in 2022, you already know something is broken. The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index lost over 13% that year. Stocks fell nearly 20% at the same time. The 40% …
Retirement Income April 4, 2026 · Updated April 11, 2026 · Brandon Roberts Do Annuities Keep Up With Inflation? It’s the first objection most people raise when guaranteed income comes up in a retirement conversation: sure, the income is guaranteed — but what happens when everything costs more in 10 years? The concern is legitimate. …
Retirement Strategy March 28, 2026 · Brandon Roberts Do You Need Tax-Free Retirement Income? If you’ve spent any time around the insurance industry, you’ve heard the pitch: tax rates are at historic lows, government spending is out of control, and rates have nowhere to go but up. The conclusion is always the same — you …
Life Insurance & Retirement March 22, 2026 · Brandon Roberts LIRP: Smart Strategy or Sales Pitch? If someone has ever sat you down and told you about the life insurance retirement plan — the LIRP — chances are it felt like you were being let in on a secret. A special financial vehicle with its …
Retirement Income March 15, 2026 · Updated April 12, 2026 · Brandon Roberts Are Annuities Really That Complicated? If you’ve spent any time reading about retirement planning, you’ve probably encountered some version of this claim: annuities are too complicated. It shows up in financial media, on advisor blogs, and in the comment sections of nearly …
Annuity Education Updated March 5, 2026 · Brandon Roberts · Originally published June 29, 2012 What Is an Annuity? A Plain-English Guide to Types, Rates, and Uses Most people hear the word “annuity” and immediately picture something complicated — stacks of fine print, confusing riders, and a product they’ve been told they should either love …
Guaranteed income December 21, 2025 · Brandon Roberts Single Premium Immediate Annuities: The Case for Guaranteed Retirement Income The most widely used retirement income strategy in America has a problem that almost no one talks about honestly. The 4% rule — the idea that you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio in year one, adjust …
Rethinking Retirement: Why “Just Take More Risk” Might Be Bad Advice Let’s talk about something that’s been bugging me lately. If you’ve ever sat down with a financial advisor after realizing you’re behind on retirement savings, you’ve probably heard some version of these three pieces of advice: “You need to save more money” “You might …
Retirement income March 4, 2026 · Brandon Roberts Retirement Income Planning: Why Your Account Balance Isn’t the Number That Matters The financial services industry has spent decades training people to focus on a single number: how much do I have? Retirement calculators ask it. Advisors build plans around it. The entire conversation gravitates toward an …