The Money Advantage® Podcast | Infinite Banking Concept & Family Banking

Do you have a life insurance policy and want to access your cash reserves?

Today, we're discussing the science of whole life insurance loans. We'll show you why a whole life insurance loan is the safest investment imaginable for the life insurance company and why a whole life insurance policy loan is not a debt to the policy owner.  

https://www.youtube.com/live/jpoMCZrpCXI

This is an in-depth exploration of Infinite Banking and whole life insurance policy loans. Understand how leveraging your whole life insurance policy can offer superior benefits over traditional bank loans, while allowing your savings to grow uninterrupted. We'll break down the step-by-step process of requesting and repaying loans against your policy, debunking the myth that taking such loans equates to being in debt.

Discover the power of participating in mutual insurance companies, where you can benefit from dividends as part owners. Learn how using your cash value as collateral for non-recourse loans presents a low-risk, high-reward strategy, and compare the straightforward underwriting process of insurance loans to the more cumbersome bank loans. We'll also discuss the safeguards mutual companies put in place to ensure financial stability and how they effectively manage loan requests.

Finally, we delve into the principles of Nelson Nash's Infinite Banking Concept, emphasizing long-term thinking and strategic loan repayment to optimize your policy benefits. We'll clarify the nuances of borrowing against whole life insurance policies, explain the importance of maintaining your contract's integrity, and share best practices for utilizing these loans effectively. Whether you're new to Infinite Banking or looking to refine your approach, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you take control of your financial future.

So, if you want to understand whole life insurance policy loans, how to take a loan against whole life insurance policy, why the life insurance company is willing to offer them, how to repay them, what happens to your policy with outstanding loans, and when you should reconsider, tune in now!

What is a Whole Life Insurance Loan?Loan Safety in InsuranceReading a Policy IllustrationTaking a Whole Life Insurance LoanWhere Does the Interest Go?Book A Strategy Call

What is a Whole Life Insurance Loan?

A whole life insurance loan, also called a policy loan, is a loan FROM the insurance company with your cash value acting as collateral. The reason this type of loan is powerful is because it allows you to use the sum of your cash value without actually using it. Since you’re using the life insurance company’s money, your cash value is free to keep compounding with interest and dividends. This can make a major difference on the growth of your account.

While you do have to pay the loan back, you have much more flexibility than with any other loan type. You can make your own payment schedule, and you do not have to apply or meet any requirements, and as soon as you free up your cash value again (releasing the collateral by paying the loan balance) you can take another loan. 

Loan Safety in Insurance

Because of the flexibility of whole life insurance loans, they’re incredibly “safe” loans to have. Your loan is always fully collateralized, which means that if you cannot pay the loan, the insurance company simply won’t release that collateral. And while that will of course reduce the cash value that you can access, your account still grows with new premiums, interest, and dividends. And one day, if you do repay the loan, that collateral does get released. This means that if you experience hardship or need to pause your loan payments, you can do so without worrying about defaulting, running your credit score, or otherwise facing financial obstacles. 

If you happen to die with an unpaid policy loan, the death benefit is simply paid to your beneficiaries minus any loan balance and interest. This means that you can still use your policy without fear of disinheriting anyone. 

Bank loans, on the other hand, are much more rigid. You must begin paying them down immediately, you often have to jump through many hoops to even get approved for financing, and if you default you could face many consequences. 

Reading a Policy Illustration

If you want to know how much cash value you have available to collateralize, look no further than your policy illustration. You can have an in-force illustration run at any point in your policy, and this gives you a snapshot in time of your policy as it is, plus projections for the future. It’s important to recognize that projections are just that—projections. They’re based on what you have now, as well as the current declared dividend. They don’t account for what the dividend may be next year or the years after, so don’t put too much stock in the exact dollar amounts in the future. 

When you read your illustration, your “surrender value” is going to be the cash value you have available. Basically, if you surrendered your policy right now, your surrender value is what you’d be paid. It’s the same as selling your home and getting the equity out of your home. The loan value, or the maximum amount that you can loan, is going to be about 92-96% of the surrender value (minus any value you have already collateralized).

[41:40] “The insurance company is protecting you from accessing all the cash because they have to maintain the contract. You want to maintain the contract in case you’re not making a premium payment.”

To reiterate, you can only access the loan value via the policy loan, which will always be lower than the surrender value. This provides some wiggle room in your policy, for the benefit of both you and your insurance company (and what benefits one benefits the other). 

Taking a Policy Loan

Getting a policy loan from your insurance company is as simple as putting in a request. The funds can be in your hands in a matter of days, and you can use those funds for whatever you see fit. While many people in the Infinite Banking space talk about using policy loans for cash-flowing investments, note that you really can do anything. Investments can be a great way to continue to increase your income and increase your pool of cash—especially if it enables you to purchase more whole life insurance—and yet the sky is the limit. 

If you would like purchase an asset with a policy loan, you can. If you want to buy your next car or boat with a policy loan, you can. If you’d like to put your kids through college with a policy loan instead of a federal loan, you can. 

What’s critical in any scenario is that you have a plan to pay them back. Your plan may be to wait five years, or you may end up doing something entirely different than what you planned, but having a plan when you go into a loan means that you’re prepared. Typically, your loans will exist alongside the premiums you’re paying, so you should have a good idea of how you’ll make loan payments. While you can’t really “default” on your loan, you will still accrue interest every year that you don’t repay the loan, and those dollars will remain collateralized until you pay. 

Where Does the Interest Go?

There’s often confusion about where the interest you pay on a whole life insurance loan goes. The short answer is that it goes to the insurance company. After all, you’re borrowing their money, not your own. The longer answer is that if you have a policy with a mutual company (which, if you’re working with an IBC practitioner, you do) you’re a partial owner of the company. What’s good for the company is good for you, and when they profit, you profit. In other words, the money that you pay in interest is contributing to company profits which eventually make their way to you in the form of dividends. This cycle is why it benefits you to be a good steward of your financial obligations and repay your policy loans. 

Book A Strategy Call

Do you want to coordinate your finances so that everything works together to improve your life today, accelerate time and money freedom, and leave the greatest legacy? We can help!  Book an Introductory Call with our team today https://themoneyadvantage.com/calendar/, and find out how Privatized Banking, alternative investments, or cash flow strategies can help you accomplish your goals better and faster. That being said, if you want to find out more about how Privatized Banking gives you the most safety, liquidity, and growth… plus boosts your investment returns, and guarantees a legacy, go to https://privatizedbankingsecrets.com/freeguide to learn more.

Today, we're talking with Anna Kelley, impact real estate investor, multifamily operator, and real estate mentor and coach, about the state of real estate investing.

https://www.youtube.com/live/7AneSvWF6tQ

With today's federal debt and high inflation environment, Anna cautions that it's time to be in capital preservation mode, not focused on cash flow and appreciation.  

So if you want to see how to invest during times of uncertainty, and understand the signs of the times to determine when to use value add vs. buy and hold strategies in different economic cycles, tune in now!

With a wealth of experience spanning multiple economic downturns, Anna offers invaluable advice on understanding macroeconomic trends and adapting investment strategies. We also tackle the realities of working from home, the normalization of disruptions, and how the professional landscape has evolved post-COVID-19.

Join us as we dissect the intricate dynamics of today's real estate market. Anna Kelly shares her journey from humble beginnings to becoming a prominent real estate expert. We delve into the risks and rewards of various investment strategies, from syndications and non-traded REITs to distressed commercial properties, emphasizing the importance of informed decision-making amidst rising interest rates and economic uncertainty. Through real-world examples, we explore the impact of social media on investment behaviors and the necessity of a cautious, well-researched approach.

Understanding Real Estate Investment CyclesWhere Are We Now?Tips for Commercial and Residential Real EstateAbout Anna KelleyConnect with Anna KelleyBook A Strategy Call

Understanding Real Estate Investment Cycles

[14:22] “It doesn’t matter how smart you are, it doesn’t matter how good your job is [or] how much you know about investing, and how much you know in real estate. If you’re not really paying attention to the macro signs that things are shifting, you can make some really bad decisions about debt and go into it at the wrong time. And you can make some really bad decisions about the stock market and anything you invest in.”

In 2009, Anna Kelley decided she would never be blindsided by the marketplace again. She took the initiative to learn about market cycles and how to pay attention to major shifts in the market. Now that she understands the market cycles, she finds that Warren Buffett’s advice is timeless and true: “Be greedy when everyone’s fearful, and be fearful when everyone’s greedy.”

At a very high level, investment cycles begin at a “trough,” or a recession—basically when things have not been going well economically. This is the point at which interest rates drop in an effort to get people spending again. This recession period can generally last anywhere from 10-18 months, and then the following 2-3 years are often when the economy wakes back up again and people start to feel comfortable. It's not an overnight process, Kelly shares, but one that takes time. People have trouble trusting the economy at first, so it takes a while to build that trust back up.

Then, you get to the expansion period. This is the peak of the investment cycle, and while it can seem like a great thing, it also signals that the next recession is on the way. It might take a few years, but you’ve got to be aware of what is going on around you to take advantage of the cycles.

[21:11] “At the moment that there is absolute panic and everybody’s afraid, that is the maximum point of opportunity.” 

The reason this part of the cycle is rife with opportunity is that there’s less competition, and lots of people aren’t thinking about opportunity. If you can buy when things are at a low point and just hang on to them, you’ve got a leg up on the market. In Anna’s personal opinion, we haven’t seen the end of the recession yet, we’re still at the top of it, and it will likely take some years to recover from that. Despite that, she thinks inflation will rear its head again after the recovery. So the assets she is investing in now have got to be able to ride out that recession and also be strong during the recovery phase, regardless of inflation. 

Where Are We Now?

We’re in a recession, but it’s a lot different from recessions of the past because it was ushered in by unprecedented amounts of money being fed into the economy. People received stimulus checks during COVID-19, and money was just being printed like no tomorrow. And now there’s this bifurcated economy. In May, Anna Kelley says that 66% of Americans were living paycheck to paycheck, even households with $250k incomes. But that also means that 34% of people are doing just fine. 

At this point, people stop spending money, so employers feel like they have to tighten their belts and make layoffs. Ironically, this causes inflation to stop in its tracks. This doesn’t mean prices go down, but they do stop going up, generally speaking. 

Tips for Commercial and Residential Real Estate

[51:34] “The good thing about buying today is if you have the funds… you can buy properties for pennies of the dollars compared to where they were two years ago. The risk is that you think they’re going to go back to a really low cap rate and rates are going to go right back to zero, and if rates don’t go right back to zero and cap rates stay higher, and you have more inflation in the next couple of years, that cap rate will go right back up, and you could actually have the same problem that people are having today. So you’ve got to be really careful in commercial real estate. You can buy on pennies for the dollar today, but you’ve got to have the wherewithal that you have a low loan-to-value loan.”

On the flip side, if you’re interested in residential real estate, now is a good opportunity to see what’s available around you. For example, you might be able to strike a deal with an investor who owns a small duplex or fourplex and is feeling overwhelmed by their loan. Look to areas with high demand for housing and low supply, and also be sure to seek conservative states that are landlord-friendly and have low taxes. Homes are going to have less cash flow, but are usually longer-term situations. That’s where you’re going to make the most money if you go in and buy now. 

[57:18] “You want to make sure that your cash on cash return is better than what you could get on a five-year treasury rate.

About Anna Kelley

Anna Kelley is an impact investor, passionate about creating real estate wealth that lasts and serves a greater purpose, and helping others to do the same. She is dedicated to investing for meaningful impact in the lives of her students, investors, and residents. In addition to investing in real estate for over 20 years, Anna was a top ranked private banker for Bank of America, where she managed the financial relationships of high net worth individuals and businesses. Her 2 decades of working with high net worth individuals to build wealth through both traditional investments and real estate, gives her valuable insight to help you create, grow, and preserve your wealth.

Connect with Anna Kelley

Consulting on investments

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Book A Strategy Call

Do you want to coordinate your finances so that everything works together to improve your life today, accelerate time and money freedom, and leave the greatest legacy? We can help!  Book an Introductory Call with our team today https://themoneyadvantage.com/calendar/, and find out how Privatized Banking, alternative investments, or cash flow strategies can help you accomplish your goals better and faster. That being said, if you want to find out more about how Privatized Banking gives you the most safety, liquidity, and growth… plus boosts your investment returns, and guarantees a legacy, go to https://privatizedbankingsecrets.com/freeguide to learn more.

Inflation causes everything to feel more expensive, so what do you do to protect your money from inflation? Today, we’ll explore the link between inflation and fractional reserve banking and how Infinite Banking is the sound money solution.

https://www.youtube.com/live/ay4aDG2phBg

A thought-provoking journey through inflation, fractional reserve banking, and the revolutionary concept of infinite banking. This episode promises to demystify how the traditional banking system and increased currency supply fuel inflation, challenging widespread misconceptions. 

You’ll gain a deeper understanding of inflation’s root causes by contrasting liberal views with Austrian economic theories, and learn how your everyday choices can influence market prices and how they relate to the average rate of return on your money.

Next, we shift gears to tackle the often-overlooked topic of healthcare pricing elasticity. Hear real-life stories about how informed consumer decisions can lead to significant savings on prescriptions and medical procedures. 

Discover practical strategies for price negotiation without confrontation, and understand the ripple effects of increased money circulation on the economy. We’ll also discuss the impact of government policies like minimum wage hikes on business expenses and overall market pricing.

Finally, explore a smarter financial strategy that sidesteps the pitfalls of fractional reserve banking. By leveraging whole life insurance policies, you can protect your assets from inflation and achieve greater financial security. 

Rachel and Bruce explain the benefits of mutual insurance companies, which maintain robust reserves, and how these practices can create a more stable personal economy. 

This episode is packed with insights into what fractional reserve banking does and actionable advice to help you take control of your financial destiny and build a prosperous future.

So, if you want to learn how to ensure more economic stability and prosperity, tune in today!

What You’ll LearnWhat Is Inflation in a Fractional Reserve Banking System?The Nature of Banking Under the Fractional Reserve SystemAvoiding the Risks of Fractional Reserve BankingResources:Book a Strategy Call: Explore Alternatives to Fractional Reserve BankingFAQs About Fractional Reserve BankingWhat is fractional reserve banking in simple terms?How does fractional reserve banking create inflation?Why does this system disadvantage savers?Is fractional reserve banking used everywhere?What’s the alternative to using traditional banks?Can I learn more about how banks really operate?

What You’ll Learn

What fractional reserve banking is and how it quietly affects your financial stability

Why the fractional reserve system contributes to rising prices and weaker dollars

How inflation is created—and why it punishes savers the most

The surprising connection between bank loans and money creation

What fractional reserve banking does to your purchasing power over time

How government policies and circulating currency impact market prices

Why Infinite Banking may offer a safer, more predictable alternative

What Is Inflation in a Fractional Reserve Banking System?

We all feel the effects of inflation, but what is it really? Inflation is when a dollar becomes less valuable. This is why bread used to cost a couple of nickels and now costs more than a couple of dollars. One of the major reasons for inflation is that our banks continue to pump more dollars into the banking system, decreasing the overall value of a single dollar. 

Our current banking system, fractional reserve banking, allows banks to keep only a fraction of their customers’ money in reserves. This means that banks can do more business than they actually have available. 

While this can stimulate the economy on some level, this also means that money is being created out of thin air. This is what the fractional reserve system does: it expands the money supply far beyond what actually exists in deposits, and when this happens en masse, it can create major instability. After all, the more money in circulation, the more prices begin to creep up to match.

This system quietly penalizes savers. As the purchasing power of your money erodes, saving in traditional bank accounts means losing value year after year. To that end, understanding what fractional reserve banking does to your long-term financial position is key to protecting your wealth.

➡️ To learn more about how inflation connects to alternative strategies, check out our article on inflation and PrivatizedInflation and Privatized Banking.

The Nature of Banking Under the Fractional Reserve System

Let’s look more closely at how banking, as most people know it, works. If you deposit $1,000 in the bank, your institution is not required to have that exact amount in a vault somewhere just for you. In fact, they’re not even required to have that $1,000 at all. They’re only required to have a fraction of that on hand, and right now, it’s somewhere in the ballpark of a 1 to 10 ratio. So of the $1,000 you’ve deposited, the banks only have to keep $100 on hand. 

When you take a loan from the bank, they’re “creating” that loan out of dollars that do not exist in their reserves. This is a key part of how banks create money from loans—by expanding credit beyond actual deposits, and then you’re paying it back with dollars that do exist. Just the actions of taking loans with our banking institutions are inflating the money supply. This is the fractional reserve system explained in practice: a structure that allows for credit expansion without a matching reserve base. Then what happens if you want to liquidate your account, if the banks only have 10% on hand at a given time?

Avoiding the Risks of Fractional Reserve Banking

These are all things that can make banking tenuous. And yet, by taking control of the banking function with whole life insurance, you can mitigate much of this harm. When you take policy loans, for example, you’re borrowing money that does exist (because life insurance companies have to keep full reserves), and backing it with your cash value as collateral.

And what if you could make private loans to friends and businesses in need of capital? Wouldn’t that prevent an inflationary event, because you’re loaning them real money backed by collateral? While this isn’t going to reverse inflation, it can significantly help, while also making sure that you’re not at the mercy of banks to get money. 

Ultimately, what is fractional reserve banking if not a system built on instability? Opting out means choosing a model backed by real reserves instead.

[39:32] “The reason why Infinite Banking is different is because you’re not creating an inflationary event by creating additional dollars when you are using your life insurance policy. And the value of that is that on… a moral basis, on a personal basis, you are saying, ‘I am not choosing to create this inflationary environment or the rest of the economy.’”

Resources:

Khan Academy

(More specifically, here’s the Inflation unit)

Book a Strategy Call: Explore Alternatives to Fractional Reserve Banking

Do you want to coordinate your finances so that everything works together to improve your life today, accelerate time and money freedom, and leave the greatest legacy? We can help!  

Talk to an advisor about alternatives to the fractional reserve system - book an Introductory Call with our team today, and find out how Privatized Banking, alternative investments, or cash flow strategies can help you accomplish your goals better and faster. 

That being said, if you want to find out more about how Privatized Banking gives you the most safety, liquidity, and growth… plus boosts your investment returns, and guarantees a legacy, check out our free Privatized Banking guide to learn more.

FAQs About Fractional Reserve Banking

What is fractional reserve banking in simple terms?It’s a system where banks only keep a fraction of customer deposits on hand and lend out the rest. This allows them to create money through loans, but also introduces risk if too many people withdraw funds at once.How does fractional reserve banking create inflation?By issuing loans with money that doesn’t physically exist in reserves, the system increases the money supply. This often leads to higher prices, reducing the purchasing power of your savings.Why does this system disadvantage savers?As more money enters circulation, each dollar becomes less valuable. That means the money sitting in your savings account quietly loses value over time.Is fractional reserve banking used everywhere?Yes, it’s the standard model in most modern economies. Central banks around the world regulate reserve requirements, but the principle is widely adopted.What’s the alternative to using traditional banks?Some people use strategies like Infinite Banking, where whole life insurance policies with guaranteed reserves replace the role of a bank.Can I learn more about how banks really operate?Our article on how banks create money from loans breaks it down further with real-world examples.

Are you trying to decide which type of life insurance to buy? You want to protect your family in case something happens, so how do you do it best?

https://www.youtube.com/live/QDyfZjPaMgc

Whole life insurance is often rejected as expensive and a poor “investment,” while mainstream opinion leans in favor of the “buy term and invest the difference” strategy, which involves opting for cheap insurance coverage and investing the dollars you save.

We’ll guide you through the compelling story behind the “Buy Term and Invest the Difference” strategy, a concept born from Art Williams’ personal experiences in the late 1960s. 

By examining the benefits and pitfalls of this popular approach, we empower you to make informed decisions tailored to your unique financial goals and risk tolerance.

Explore the vital distinctions between whole life and term life insurance, and learn why a one-size-fits-all solution may not serve your best interests. Through relatable analogies and real-life examples, we break down the often misunderstood aspects of life insurance, helping you see the bigger picture.

We also address the psychological and financial barriers that many face when considering life insurance, sharing insights from LIMRA and Dr. Wade Pfau on how whole life insurance can provide a stable safety net during economic downturns.

Finally, we delve into the concept of becoming your own banker, illustrating how this alternative perspective can offer unparalleled financial flexibility and security. 

By understanding the sequence of returns risk and leveraging whole life insurance loans during market downturns, you can protect your investment portfolio and ensure long-term financial stability.

Join us for an episode packed with actionable insights and strategies to enhance your financial planning journey.

What You'll LearnWhat Is Whole Life Insurance?What Is Term Insurance?Quick Comparison TableThe Buy Term Invest the Rest Strategy ExplainedThe Discipline ProblemMarket Risk and Investment Coverage Gaps and Health ChangesTerm Policies: 1% Pay Out RateWhole Life Insurance: 100% Payout RateTerm Premiums Skyrocket, Whole Life Stays Level

What You'll Learn

Why the buy-term, invest-the-rest approach only works with perfect execution (and why most people fail)

The hidden costs that make term insurance more expensive than you think over time

Why less than 1% of term policies ever pay out—and what that means for your family

The discipline problem: why people buy term but never actually invest the difference

How market volatility can destroy years of disciplined investing overnight

Why getting priced out of term coverage as you age creates a dangerous protection gap

When this strategy might actually make sense (hint: it's rare)

A better approach that combines guaranteed growth, tax advantages, and permanent protection

The Myth of “Buy Term and Invest the Difference”

The idea of “buy term and invest the difference” is really common in the financial sphere because, on the surface, it seems to make a lot of practical sense. After all, you’re being told “buy cheap insurance to get the protection, then build your wealth in investments.” 

The problem is that this strategy doesn’t work with certain goals. There isn’t a singular, perfect insurance strategy to trump all else. There are myriad ways to get coverage, depending on what you want out of your dollars.

Many people believe that Art Williams is the origin of this phrase; after his father passed, the whole life insurance death benefit didn’t seem as large as what a term insurance policy could have been, and for less money.

He felt strongly that his father had been sold the “wrong” policy, and so his life’s mission became to get rid of whole life insurance. 

Curiously, he partnered with a mutual company, and the phrase “buy term, invest the difference” was born. 

Breaking Down Insurance, Investments, and More

So, what are the elements of “buy term and invest the difference”? It may sound like there are two things at play here, but really, there are many factors to consider. 

While, of course, there’s term insurance and stocks (or other investments, technically), you have to ask what that strategy is being compared to. And what that’s being compared to is whole life insurance.

What Is Whole Life Insurance?

Whole life insurance is insurance that is with you for your whole life, and if done with IBC in mind, can also be used as a warehouse for your wealth. 

Whole life insurance is guaranteed to pay out no matter what age you die, and if you live to the “end” of the policy (called endowment), the death benefit gets paid directly to you. 

This is permanent insurance in the truest sense. 

What Is Term Insurance?

Comparatively, term insurance is insurance that you only have for a portion of your life. There’s no cash value component, and once your term is up, you are no longer insured. 

This means that there is no guarantee of a death benefit ever being paid. The trade-off is that it’s much less expensive on a purely dollar-for-dollar basis.

Quick Comparison Table

FeatureWhole Life InsuranceTerm InsuranceBuy Term Invest the RestDurationPermanent (whole life)Temporary (set term)Term coverage + separate investmentsCash ValueYes, builds over timeNo cash valueNo insurance cash value, relies on investment accountsPremiumsHigher, but levelLower initially, increases with ageLower insurance cost, but requires separate investment contributionsDeath Benefit Guarantee100% guaranteed to payOnly pays if death occurs during termOnly guaranteed during term periodInvestment ComponentBuilt-in cash value growthRequires separate investmentsSeparate investments (stocks, bonds, mutual funds)Access to MoneyPolicy loans against cash valueNoneSubject to investment account rules and taxes

The Buy Term Invest the Rest Strategy Explained

Because term insurance is much cheaper and does not have a cash component, the argument is that you can use the “difference” in cost from whole life to term insurance to make investments. The argument is that you can get a higher death benefit AND put your money to work.

Here's how it's supposed to work: You calculate what you'd pay for a whole life policy, then buy a cheaper term policy instead.

You take that monthly savings — the "difference" — and invest it in stocks, bonds, or mutual funds. The theory is that your investments will grow faster than the cash value in a whole life policy, leaving you with more money in the end, plus the death benefit protection you need.

Of course, that sounds great. The problem is that this isn’t the ideal solution for everyone.

Why the Buy Term Invest the Rest Strategy Has Limitations

For starters, there are many reasons for people to want permanent insurance. If you want to guarantee your kids have an inheritance no matter when you die, whole life insurance is necessary.

Additionally, IBC strategies — warehousing wealth, deploying "other people's money," and uninterrupted compounding — only work with whole life insurance. 

It works because of the specific structure of the policy, which allows policyholders to take loans against their cash value in a tax-advantaged way.

This means you can have whole life insurance and make investments down the line.

The buy term and invest the difference strategy only works if executed perfectly, and most people don't execute it perfectly.

The Discipline Problem

Another common pitfall of buying term insurance and investing the difference is that… many people are not investing the difference. In some cases, they can't, and in others, there is just no discipline.

And so you have people managing to purchase cheap insurance, but they have no savings or investments working for them to build or store wealth. In these cases, is buying term and investing the difference actually helping? Or is it just an illusion?

While whole life insurance has a higher price tag, it also functions as a place to store money. And with every premium payment, you're building cash value, which can be leveraged for anything you want. 

This means that the cash value you build is liquid and can function like a savings account, with no extra payments necessary.

This can be a good way for someone to put money into "savings" without extra steps because the premium payment "feels" like paying a bill.

Market Risk and Investment 

Furthermore, investments in the stock market can be volatile and might not have the desired results. That money isn't liquid and can have steep tax penalties for accessing.

Market volatility can destroy years of disciplined investing overnight. While whole life insurance offers guaranteed cash value growth, your investment portfolio could be down 20% or more, exactly when you need the money. 

There's also the sequence of returns risk. If the market performs poorly in your early investing years, you may never recover enough to match what a whole life policy would have provided.

Coverage Gaps and Health Changes

Then, you have to think — what are the downsides of "buy term and invest the difference"? 

Those who exclusively use this strategy will have plenty of coverage for a short time, but if they decide they want permanent coverage later, it could be too late. Their health could change, or something else could make them ineligible for whole-life insurance.

This is one of the most overlooked risks of the strategy. Term insurance premiums skyrocket as you age, and many policies simply won't renew past a certain age. 

If you develop diabetes, heart disease, or any number of health conditions during your term period, you might find yourself completely uninsurable when the policy expires. At that point, all the money you've invested doesn't provide any death benefit protection for your family.

Is Term Insurance Actually Cheaper?

Above,...

Do you want to make a difference that lasts for generations? If you have children or grandchildren that you want to benefit, bless, and uplift, you can make plans now to accomplish that priority.

Before you start planning, though, there are two essentials you'll need. These two components will help you get started and follow through so that you complete your plans.  

https://www.youtube.com/live/KxXNLrJJwz0

Rachel Marshall's near-death experience during childbirth was more than just a life-changing event; it was a wake-up call that transformed her perspective on the fragility of life and the urgency of planning for the future. 

This episode urges us to rethink our priorities and embrace a mindset that transcends personal gain to create a ripple effect of positive impact. Rachel's poignant story serves as a powerful reminder that our current mindset shapes our behaviors and results, urging us to seize our resources to make a meaningful, lasting difference for future generations.

Join us as we explore how shifting from self-centered thinking to an impact-driven approach can revolutionize both our personal lives and professional endeavors. 

Rachel emphasizes the importance of building generational wealth and fostering family enterprises that serve not just ourselves but our descendants. We delve into the concept of creating multi-faceted wealth—encompassing financial, human, social, intellectual, and spiritual capital—using the ancient Iroquois' seven-generation perspective as inspiration. 

This episode is a compelling call to action to adopt long-term thinking and commit to creating value for others, laying the groundwork for a legacy that promotes human flourishing across generations.

Tune in today to get equipped with the right mindset so you can ensure your efforts to provide for your children, protect your family, leave an inheritance, complete your estate planning, pass on family wealth, and—through Comprehensive Financial Planning—train your children to leave a lasting impact.

Personal Crisis to LegacyTwo Essentials for Lasting ImpactThe Decision to Create WealthThe 7-Generation LensBook A Strategy Call

Personal Crisis to Legacy

If you want to leave a legacy, make a difference, and leave the world a better place, you will have to think differently and become a different person to do it. Legacy wasn’t always on my mind; there was a time when I took my life and health for granted. It wasn’t until a personal crisis that I came face to face with reality: life is not guaranteed. 

After an already difficult birth, my situation took a turn when I began losing an overwhelming amount of blood, and I ended up needing a full blood transfusion. Our family was faced with the very real possibility that I would not make it. I'm grateful to be here today, but I'm also profoundly grateful for the complete shift that experience was for how Lucas and I approach life and legacy. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, do not wait to make positive change and prepare your legacy.

[05:10] “The fact that our lives are not guaranteed makes us realize that we have power today while we have our mental faculties and our breath to be able to do so much that will impact the lives of our children and grandchildren beyond us.”

Two Essentials for Lasting Impact

If you’re ready to create lasting impact for your children, grandchildren, and many generations beyond that, you’ve got to change your mindset. It’s not as simple as it sounds, however. Our actions follow our thinking, so it’s critical that you’re not just changing your behaviors to try and achieve results. You’ve also got to change your mind. That way, you’re living and embodying the transformation you’re trying to achieve, rather than paying it mere lip service. 

[06:15] “If you just try to do the right tactics and strategies and figure out what the successful people are doing, and you just try to implement behavior… the challenge is you can exhaust yourself… when your mindset is still over here, stuck in the old way… that’s pulling you back into your old way of operating.”

In order to accomplish a full transformation, you’ve got to shift your thinking from a self-centric standpoint to a world-centric standpoint. Rather than examining your actions from a standpoint of personal gain, you want to think about how your actions can benefit the world around you. How will your actions benefit your clients, your children, your community? If you want to leave a legacy, you have to think beyond yourself, to the things and people you’ll leave behind. 

Examples of a legacy could include a charitable foundation that lasts beyond your lifetime. It could be the banking system—like a Family Banking Formula—that you leave to your kids, who in turn leave to their kids, and hopefully on in perpetuity. Your legacy could be your company, or it could be as simple as the fond way that people remember you. You won’t always get to choose your impact, but you can choose the actions you take in the here and now, and that has a lot of influence on what impression you leave behind. 

So what are the two key elements of your mindset that you need in order to make this shift?

The decision to create wealth.

A seven-generation lens. 

If you can lean into these two components wholeheartedly, you’ll get 80% of the way there. But you can’t focus on just one, you’ve got to adopt both.

The Decision to Create Wealth

The most important thing to remember in this regard is that wealth and money are not the same thing. Money is a financial tool that facilitates wealth, and wealth is the fullness of experience, as Dan Sullivan puts it in his book, “10x is Easier than 2X”. Wealth is human flourishing. When you have purpose, fulfillment, and fullness in your life, you are wealthy. 

So why is it important to have the DECISION to create wealth? Because by choosing to create flourishing in your life, and beyond, you are thinking beyond money. You’re thinking about your actions and what it means to live a full life. You are transforming your mindset to inform your actions.

[15:36] “You’re not just thinking about the money that you can get to your kids and grandkids, or the money that they’ll have, or the money that they’ll use. Instead, you’re thinking about the kind of people that they become—the character, the stewardship, the values that they’ll exhibit, the kinds of relationships they’ll have, the opportunities they’ll have, the access they’ll have. So if you think about how to create that for your children, you will think about developing multiple areas of their life. You’ll think about how to develop their human capital, their social capital, their intellectual capital, their spiritual capital, and their financial capital.” 

By committing to human flourishing, you’re setting yourself up to be a producer and leader. You’ll do immeasurable good because you are seeking human flourishing, and financial capital will follow because that is how our economy works. 

The 7-Generation Lens

Next, you’ve got to adopt your 7-generation glasses. In other words, you have to change your worldview to one that includes seven generations—something Legacy Planning is designed to help you implement. Rather than thinking only about the impact of your actions on your children and grandchildren, what about seven generations in the future? Won’t that shape how you spend your money, the lessons you teach your children, and so much more?

[22:15] “When you’re thinking way beyond you, now your lens makes the decision so much clearer because you’re not just thinking about how you can do something that’s going to have a short-term…result. You’re thinking about the longest-term solutions, the things that will last…[and] actually matter after you’re gone.”

So, are you ready to transform and start building your legacy?

Book A Strategy Call

Are you ready to take control of your finances and legacy? We offer two powerful ways to help you create lasting impact:

Financial Strategy Call – Discover how Privatized Banking, alternative investments, tax-mitigation, and cash flow strategies can accelerate your time and money freedom while improving your life today. Let us show you how to align your financial resources for maximum growth and efficiency. Book a Strategy Call with our team today.

Legacy Strategy Call – If you want to uncover your family values, mission, and vision, and create a legacy that’s about more than just money, we can guide you through the process of financial stewardship and family leadership. Save time coordinating your family’s finances while building a legacy that lasts for generations. Book a Legacy Strategy Call to learn more about how we can help.

We specialize in working with wealth creators and their families to unlock their potential and build a meaningful, multigenerational legacy.

Today, we're answering a listener question on maximizing financial windfalls:

Can you do a future episode on what to do with a windfall? Specifically, the use of a premium deposit fund over many years and dumping it into a 7-pay or 10-pay policy. I would love to hear how this could be an option for inheritance or selling a business or property.

https://www.youtube.com/live/cRRw5Hi_B90

What should you do when a financial windfall lands in your lap? Whether it's from selling a business, a property, or receiving an inheritance, knowing how to manage and maximize a large influx of cash can be daunting. On this episode of the Money Advantage podcast, we tackle this critical question by breaking down strategic approaches tailored to individual financial goals and circumstances. Using the analogy of a sailboat, we explore how to incorporate additional funds into a well-balanced policy without risking instability or running afoul of modified endowment contract laws.

Our discussion touches on the considerations for managing windfalls through life insurance policies. We look at the sustainability of funding new policies beyond the initial windfall and the implications of different funding durations, like 10-pay versus 30-pay options. The potential benefits of convertible term life insurance and practical steps for integrating significant windfalls into your policy are highlighted. You’ll gain insights into cash flow strategies and premium deposit funds, all aligned with Comprehensive Financial Planning and long-term financial goals.

Finally, we examine the benefits and pitfalls of various policy designs. From the "skinny base policy" with large Paid-Up Additions (PUAs) to the risks of prematurely hitting human life value limits, we cover it all. Our conversation also dives into the actuarial decisions that impact policy performance, emphasizing the importance of flexible policy designs to adapt to future changes.

Can You Design a Policy to Store a Windfall?Policy Design for Maximizing Financial WindfallsUsing a Windfall to Pay Policy LoansFund an Investment FirstBook A Strategy Call

Can You Design a Policy to Store a Windfall?

One of the most common questions we get pertaining to windfalls—i.e. Unpredictable sums of money like an inheritance—is can you design a life insurance policy to plunk that money into? It’s a smart question, especially if you are currently implementing an Infinite Banking strategy. After all, if you already know that life insurance is your preferred asset for warehousing wealth, why wouldn’t you do so? 

So what’s the answer? Well, you certainly can design a whole life insurance policy to house a windfall, but you might not want to. At least, you might not want to put that money in via a lump sum. Otherwise, you run the risk of your policy turning into a MEC, or modified endowment contract. A whole life insurance policy can become a MEC by over-funding it and doing so means that it loses its designation as an insurance asset in the eyes of the IRS and it loses its tax advantages. 

Think of your life insurance premiums as a sailboat. The base premium is the boat itself, the hull. To put additional funds into the policy, you would add term riders, which would be like the mast of the sailboat. Then, the PUAs are like the sails. If the mast or the sails get too big relative to the base of the boat, it’s going to tip over. It won’t be efficient—becoming a MEC. If you're trying to design a policy now for a potential windfall later, you would be designing a policy with a "skinny base" in order to have room for PUAs later. But doing this creates an unstable policy.

All of this is to say, you definitely want to add sufficient term insurance riders and PUAs in a policy, but be careful to keep it balanced for your personal goals. Some people may want to have a MEC, but it’s better to do so when you’re choosing to, rather than by accident or carelessness. 

Policy Design for Maximizing Financial Windfalls

So what can you do to create a well-balanced policy with a windfall? One of the first questions you should ask yourself when buying a new policy is, will you be able to fund it properly going forward? This will shape the type of policy you get. For example, if you receive a sufficiently large windfall, a 10-pay policy (one that you pay in 10 years) might be a good option for you if you can’t foresee being able to continue funding a policy without the windfall money.

Another option, if you’re unsure whether you can afford to keep maintaining a policy, is to buy convertible term insurance that you can convert into whole life insurance over time. This way you lock in your insurability and secure temporary coverage, but you still have the option to turn this into permanent coverage as your income and human life value increases over time. 

Using a Windfall to Pay Policy Loans

Another option, if you receive a windfall, is to put that money to use in your current personal economy. If you’re already using an Infinite Banking strategy, then it’s possible that you have outstanding policy loans. Using your windfall to repay those loans can help you to cut down on interest costs, replenish your available capital so that you can leverage it again, and free up some cash flow and improve your overall Cash Flow Strategies.

Those last two points, in particular, can be helpful to you on your journey. By paying your policy loans in full, you’d be able to take a new policy loan almost immediately. This could mean leveraging your cash value for new, cash-flowing investment months or years before you expected to. In addition, by paying off your loan, you can now redirect the cash flow you had dedicated to repaying that loan. You can use this to open a new life insurance policy, since your human life value has likely increased, or to enhance other areas of your life. 

In this way, a windfall can help you make your Infinite Banking system more robust, as well as your overall personal economy.

Fund an Investment First

Another option is the inverse of this—if you don’t have any policy loans and you really want to increase your human life value first, then use your windfall to fund an investment. Then, you can use the cash flow to fund a new policy. If you choose a long-term investment like a rental property, you can be confident that you have a fairly reliable income stream to fund those premiums. 

Book A Strategy Call

Do you want to coordinate your finances so that everything works together to improve your life today, accelerate time and money freedom, and leave the greatest legacy? We can help!  Book an Introductory Call with our team today https://themoneyadvantage.com/calendar/, and find out how Privatized Banking, alternative investments, or cash flow strategies can help you accomplish your goals better and faster. That being said, if you want to find out more about how Privatized Banking gives you the most safety, liquidity, and growth… plus boosts your investment returns, and guarantees a legacy, go to https://privatizedbankingsecrets.com/freeguide to learn more.

When searching for an Infinite Banking policy, a common question is, which company will give me the best dividend rate? Today we dive into answering why dividend rates don't matter. The perception is that the highest dividend rate will turn out to be the best policy performance over time, ending up with the highest growth in your policy, and giving you the greatest financial benefits.

https://www.youtube.com/live/kKpzquetov4

But this is the wrong approach to building capital and becoming your own banker by using Infinite Banking to build growing, accessible capital you can use.

Today we bust common misconceptions and highlight the various factors that influence your policy's dividends—from the guaranteed interest rate to the financial strategies of insurance companies—arming you with the knowledge to make savvy, long-term financial decisions.

We also break down the all-important task of selecting the right insurance company for infinite banking. With a keen eye on the practices of various insurance companies, we emphasize the role of long-term stability and customer-focused service. Understand why the initial illustrations aren't the be-all and end-all, and learn the importance of a company’s conservative financial practices in sustaining your policy’s performance over time.

Finally, we tackle the dynamic nature of dividend rates and how infinite banking principles can help you maximize the compounding growth of your cash value, even when borrowing against your policy. This episode is packed with practical advice on implementing infinite banking now to ensure your financial assets are secure and growing for future generations. Don’t miss out on these invaluable insights that go beyond the numbers to profoundly impact your financial future.

To find out why dividend rates don't matter, and see how to avoid the dividend rate comparison trap that prevents you from having the greatest success with Infinite Banking... tune in today!

Planning for Long-Term SuccessWhat Are Dividends?What Does the Declared Dividend Mean?Dividends and Contractual IncreasesWhy Dividend Rates Don't MatterBook A Strategy Call

Planning for Long-Term Success

When you engage in the Infinite Banking Concept, it’s important to remember that you’re seeking long-term success—over your lifetime, but also for generations to come. Dividends can be a major part of that, but not in the same way you’ve been trained to think about them in the stock market. Dividends in the life insurance realm work a bit differently, and they may seem low to you if you’re used to chasing high rates of return. 

[4:32] “[The ‘Seven Generations Legacy’ is] this idea and this concept of being able to create something that you can benefit seven generations ahead. And the thinking required to do something of that proportion means that you have to put systems in place that you yourself cannot fully control. You’re putting them in motion, you’re being the impetus, the starting point, the spark that starts something.”

What Are Dividends?

The technical definition of a whole life insurance dividend is a refund of excess premium. This is often used to detract from the value of dividends because it’s “just money that you overpaid.” However, this is just a definition for IRS classification and is not the reality of dividends if you actually examine a life insurance policy. Because once you examine a life insurance policy, you’ll see that those designed for cash value growth will eventually have a cash value that exceeds all premiums ever paid to the policy. So how could you be overpaying?

Dividends are a portion of the company's profits that you receive as a partial owner of the mutual company you have a policy with. The company uses income from your premium payments to make investments into assets like bonds. When the company profits, they must share those profits with policy owners, and that comes in the form of a dividend. 

Insurance companies declare a dividend rate each year, although every company makes calculations differently, and those calculations are proprietary.

What Does the Declared Dividend Mean?

Most people think of “cash value” as the money in your life insurance policy when really it’s all in the phrasing. Your cash value is the current value of your policy. It’s not actual cash. It only becomes cash if you surrender your policy, and the cash value at that point in time is what you’ll receive in actual cash. It’s your equity. So what does this have to do with dividends? 

Well, it means that you can’t really look at your dividend as a rate of return on your cash, because you don’t have cash.

[09:35] “So the first thing I think people need to understand is [that] dividends are not a percentage of crediting on your particular cash value. If a company declares a 5.5% dividend, you cannot just say ‘Oh, my cash value is going to grow by 5.5% that year.’ Why can’t you say that? Because that 5.5% is a gross dividend in many cases.”

The declared dividend that you see is a gross figure. It does not account for fees, nor does it account for any money you have leveraged (some companies apply the dividend differently to dollars that are leveraged). The percentage declared is for the entire pool of money, but your actual experience of that dividend rate could vary widely from someone else’s experience. That does not mean it’s unfair or random, it’s based on proprietary calculations. 

To further drive this point home, if you compare the declared dividend rates to actual policies, companies with higher declared dividends don’t always come out “on top.” This is why you don’t just want to buy a policy with the “best” dividend rate in a given year because they all fluctuate from year to year. This is because all companies are thinking long-term, and must make conservative choices for longevity. If you see a company with a high dividend now, it’s likely because they’ve played it safe in the years prior.

Dividends and Contractual Increases

Within your life insurance contract, you may have language that indicates a guaranteed increase each year. For example, you may be guaranteed 2% growth each year. This guaranteed growth can be a part of the declared dividend, meaning that you won’t get 7.5% growth, you’ll get 5.5% growth minus the costs, but not fall below 2%. 

If the declared dividend were to fall below 2%, you would still experience your guaranteed 2%. 

Why Dividend Rates Don't Matter

The critical point here is that dividends can fluctuate. So rather than trying to buy a life insurance policy with the best dividend, you really want to work with a company that has a strong history of paying dividends. The fact that a dividend was paid during difficult times is much more important than how big or small the dividend was. 

Life insurance is not a good asset because you get a high rate of return. Life insurance is a good asset because it has consistent growth and your money compounds even when you’re using it (via a policy loan). These two factors alone are so powerful and contribute to your long-term success. 

If you’re skeptical, remember that banks operate off of interest rates, but people still store their money with banks even if the interest rate is zero. Do interest rates matter to you when you choose to put your money in the bank? Probably not. So don’t get too hung up on life insurance dividends. What’s important is that life insurance is a good place to store your cash.

Book A Strategy Call

Do you want to coordinate your finances so that everything works together to improve your life today, accelerate time and money freedom, and leave the greatest legacy? We can help!  Book an Introductory Call with our team today https://themoneyadvantage.com/calendar/, and find out how Privatized Banking, alternative investments, or cash flow strategies can help you accomplish your goals better and faster. That being said, if you want to find out more about how Privatized Banking gives you the most safety, liquidity, and growth… plus boosts your investment returns, and guarantees a legacy, go to https://privatizedbankingsecrets.com/freeguide to learn more.

Family businesses have a shrinking lifespan. Families in business together face conflicts and challenges that have made it increasingly difficult to build a business that lasts generations.

Yet Rob Ferguson, founder of Ferguson Alliance, says that family businesses can live to infinity with the right systems and tools. Today, we're discussing how the key components of communication, shared vision, and financials drive family business health. 

https://www.youtube.com/live/HZ1pR-ixHVY

So, whether your family business goals are solving family conflict and disruption, 10X growth, or acquisitions, tune in today to learn how to increase the strength and longevity of your family business.

This episode peels back the layers on how to foster generational wealth and maintain harmony within family-run companies. The conversation homes in on the essential strategies for early and intentional planning for business succession, highlighting the common pitfalls and conflicts that can derail even the strongest family enterprises. With a wealth of experience, Rob guides us through the complexities of steering companies toward sustainable growth, ensuring they can withstand the test of time and the changing tides of business culture.

Join us as we reflect on the shifts in family dynamics and their influence on the longevity of family businesses from the 1950s to our current global market. We weigh the tough decisions family businesses confront when choosing to prioritize the business or the family unit. Rob's expert perspective shines a light on how those who focus on the business side often enjoy greater longevity. Yet, he also emphasizes the unique strength that comes from integrating core family values into the business ethos, which can be a potent strategy for success across generations.

The crescendo of our discussion centers on the art of succession planning. It's a delicate balance that requires giving the next generation both guidance and the freedom to choose their path while ensuring a clear separation of wealth transition, ownership transition, and leadership transition. We explore the profound impact of involving multiple generations in business conversations and the establishment of family constitutions and mission statements. With the wisdom shared by Rob, families are empowered to craft legacies that not only survive but flourish for generations to come.

The Beginning of a PassionCreating Family Business LongevityFamily ValuesNavigating Conflict When Transitioning the BusinessAbout Rob FergusonConnect with Rob FergusonBook A Strategy Call

The Beginning of a Passion

Fifteen to sixteen years ago, Rob Ferguson was the CEO of a 5th generation industrial packaging company, with about 17 cousins involved in the business. Rob was brought in as the first non-family executive to get the business back into shape and sell it. While that was all in the works, Rob recognized that there had to be a way to prevent family businesses from getting to that point of “destruction,” in order to help more families keep their legacy alive and in the family.

[08:20] “Family businesses in America as we know generate—I think it was right after the pandemic—they generated 78% of all the new jobs. 60% of GDP comes from family business. Almost all of our philanthropy donations come from family businesses. And then if you think about all of the innovation that we’ve seen and experienced, again, they started off as family businesses.”

Ferguson Alliance was built from Rob’s passion for helping family businesses stay in business and keep the legacy alive. 

Creating Family Business Longevity

So what’s changing, and why is it important to keep fighting for family businesses in 2024 and beyond? So what is the major obstacle for family businesses? It’s getting families oriented around their “north star.” 

When Ferguson Alliance works with a new family business, the first thing they do is ask a very simple question with a very challenging, yet personal, answer. The first question is: Do you want to be a family-first business or do you want to be a business-first family? You can probably see why this is a difficult question, but there’s truly no right or wrong answer. There’s just an answer that works for your goals and your family dynamic.

Once a family business has that answer, they’ve got to commit to it, so that it becomes the center pull for all decisions made thereafter. This will help families stick to their guns more easily, rather than being swayed by temporary obstacles or opinions. 

What Rob can share is that business-first families tend to have a much longer longevity. The business Rob was initially brought on to help fix and flip 16 years ago was a family-first business. This isn’t to say one is a better choice than another, yet it’s critical to think about the implications of each model. And when you put the business first, you have a business that has a greater potential to help the family for generations to come. 

Family Values

How do you create a lasting family business? The secret, as Rob sees it, is that if you haven’t started planning your succession yet, you’re already late. In other words, you can never start too soon, and the next best time to start is now. You may not think you’re going to pass the business on to the next generation for some time to come, and yet life has a way of throwing curveballs. The more planning you can do around your business succession now, the better chance of success you have. 

In fact, like a generational wealth strategy with life insurance, much of the “generational” planning takes the form of family education. What values are you teaching your children? How are you getting them involved in the family business, and what skills are they building? Are you helping them to find their own place in the business structure, and teaching them the value of their work? Even if your children are very young, there are ways that you can instill the daily values in them so that they are primed to have an interest in the family business and to keep it going. Without this preparation, in addition to legal preparation, a generational family business is just a wish. 

Navigating Conflict When Transitioning the Business

In business and within families, conflict is sure to arise sooner or later. This can be especially true when transferring a family business from one generation to the next. Sometimes, that conflict is about compatibility—for example, an adult child wanting to be involved, but not having the right skill set. Sometimes, the adult children may not want to be involved at all, or not in the capacity the parents envisioned. If there’s multiple children, there may be competition for the same positions. 

[33:43] “What we believe will help in this, is going back to my first two questions. You have to decide, are you a business-first family, or a family-first business?”

There was a particular family business Rob worked with that took three months to answer this question. The patriarch of the family had a terminal condition and called in his two sons to see him. They had no ownership in the business but had experience. He told them that he was giving them each 50% of the business, and then said, “You’ll be bankrupt before the year’s end.” Then he died. That was his whole succession plan. 

So the two brothers took over this business, which was actually quite successful, and made a pact. They agreed that they would always do what was best for the family, and they would always make decisions together. But three years later, they called Rob to get his company’s help to keep their business running. What they realized is that one of the sons didn’t want to be CEO, but had felt obligated to step into this role. He realized that it was the other son who was best suited to the position, and who wanted to be in that position. So for their family, what's best for the family wasn't best for the business. By choosing to prioritize the business, they weren't neglecting the family, simply taking a different approach. And it changed everything for the better.

[37:25] “What we did do is we just helped the family discover what they truly were up to, and help them get aligned. That’s all we do.”

About Rob Ferguson

Rob Ferguson grew up in a family of “business guys”—both of his grandfathers owned businesses and his father was an executive. You can say he caught the business bug early, and Rob spent most of his career in leadership roles at both public and private companies.

When he started working for some large family businesses, he realized that these businesses had something uniquely different. They had an affinity towards their legacy and their businesses were deeply steeped in their family values—which translated into their business culture. This was intriguing to him, so he began to research, and he discovered that while family businesses tend to last longer than non-family businesses, over the past 100 years they had declined in lifespan by over 30 years! Rob recognized that the same family values and culture that made some family businesses great were getting in the way of other businesses’ survival.

Rob saw that he had the experience and expertise to help these businesses overcome these issues so they could survive from one generation to the next, to the next, and so on in perpetuity. His aspirational mission is to change the statistics so that family businesses live longer. In fact, it’s his contention that with the right foundation in place, family businesses can achieve an Infinite Legacy.

Connect with Rob Ferguson

Ferguson Alliance

The Prosperity Plan, get Rob's free ebook

Book A Strategy Call

Are you ready to take control of your finances and legacy? We offer two powerful ways to help you create lasting impact:

Financial Strategy Call – Discover how Privatized Banking,...

Join the wealth revolution and see how understanding banks and banking allows you to create financial freedom by becoming your own banker.

We're wrapping up our series on Nelson Nash's pivotal work on Infinite Banking, his book Becoming Your Own Banker.

Unlock the secrets to becoming the master of your own financial destiny with our eye-opening discussion on 'Becoming Your Own Banker.' 

https://www.youtube.com/live/K2xm9EKp67Q

Say goodbye to the days of simply being a cog in the banking machine and hello to wielding Infinite Banking to your advantage. We wrap up our enlightening series by emphasizing the shift from passive consumer to proactive controller of your capital. 

Diving straight into the heart of financial empowerment, we unravel the misconceptions sold by social media 'experts' and emphasize the importance of understanding and solving the core issues, rather than getting lost in product illustrations. It's all about prioritizing saving over borrowing to secure your financial freedom.

Bruce joins us to offer his insights into Nelson's critique of the banking and insurance sectors, and their reluctance to embrace practices that put you in the driver's seat of your financial journey. 

Discover the commitment required to build discipline and generational wealth, and the subtle art of respecting your own money as you would a traditional bank's. 

We also explore investment strategies for long-term growth, drawing inspiration from Warren Buffett, and delve into the importance of economic literacy for sustaining wealth. 

By the end of this episode, you'll have an arsenal of tools and resources to lay the foundation for a legacy of prosperity.

The Arrival SyndromeWhat Does it Mean to Become Your Own Banker?Book A Strategy Call

The Arrival Syndrome

Over the course of our year and a half spent dissecting Becoming Your Own Banker, one of the most stand-out lessons is to avoid “arrival syndrome.” Arrival Syndrome was Nelson’s term for thinking that you have everything figured out. And the problem with this mindset is that you become unwilling to learn, and often unwilling to revisit old ideas. And yet, there isn’t a single person who has everything all figured out. 

Arrival Syndrome is something to avoid whether you’re brand new, or you’ve been in an industry for decades. It is simply not a mindset that will serve you well. Even as Bruce and I dug into the book, we found ourselves seeing the same information in a new light, and we have both studied Infinite Banking for many years. Bruce himself studied with Nelson while he was alive. And so it really goes to show that you can always put yourself in a beginner’s shoes and learn something.

What Does it Mean to Become Your Own Banker?

A common misunderstanding about Infinite Banking is that you’re building your own bank. However, what you’re really doing is becoming a banker. By building cash value in a life insurance policy, you’re creating a pool of money that you have complete control over, that way you can be the one to assume the banking function, cutting out the middleman. Then, when you need access to capital, you don’t have to beg for it and convince an institution that you’re worth it. This means that you also get complete control over the financing terms, like when you pay it back, how frequently, and even how much. 

By assuming this kind of control in your life, you have a lot more power over your assets and their growth. When you have to rely on external forces for your banking, you can lose out on opportunities or otherwise find yourself limited. So remember—Infinite Banking is about taking on the role of the banker in your life.

It’s also important to note that Infinite Banking is for those who have already established good money habits. This is not a strategy you can implement if you’re trying to get out of debt or fix your financial problems. Good habits mean that you don’t have massive consumer debt, you’re saving money regularly, and you’re in a position of capital but you’re seeking the right place to store it. And if you don’t have these habits yet, you can build them for yourself—once you do, the concept of Infinite Banking will be waiting for you to tap into. 

[27:11] “The simplicity of this message is [to] store capital. Be in a position where you’re not just having to borrow from the banks in order to finance your life, [or] you’re not just having to pay cash. Because in either situation you’re paying interest—you’re either paying interest to the banks for their capital, or you give up the interest that you could have earned. Instead of either of those, store your own capital. Become your own banker.”

Book A Strategy Call

Do you want to coordinate your finances so that everything works together to improve your life today, accelerate time and money freedom, and leave the greatest legacy? We can help!  Book an Introductory Call with our team today https://themoneyadvantage.com/calendar/, and find out how Privatized Banking, alternative investments, or cash flow strategies can help you accomplish your goals better and faster. That being said, if you want to find out more about how Privatized Banking gives you the most safety, liquidity, and growth… plus boosts your investment returns, and guarantees a legacy, go to https://privatizedbankingsecrets.com/freeguide to learn more.

Are you an ultra-high achiever, but feeling the cost of that success?

https://www.youtube.com/live/AZ3FxdpPULY

Christine Jewell, author, keynote speaker, faith-based executive coach, and host of the Breaking Chains podcast, joins us today to provide a fresh solution. In her new book, Drop the Armor, Christine teaches you a transformational approach that allows you to stop the hustle and cultivate a life of total alignment and lead from abundance and flow.

We've all felt the weight of the world on our shoulders, chasing success at the expense of our peace. That's where Christine Jewell steps in, a faith-based executive coach who is redefining what it means to achieve. In our conversation, she shares her wisdom on living authentically, urging us to shed the armor of relentless hard work and embrace a life aligned with our true purpose. Unpack the journey of finding fulfillment that isn't tied to the next promotion or paycheck, especially resonant for those in high-stress fields like finance and tech. Christine's personal stories are not only insightful but also a testament to the impact of her strategies, which she has applied in her own life with remarkable success.

You might expect a discussion with an executive coach to focus solely on climbing the corporate ladder, but Christine's approach is anything but conventional. This episode takes us on a deep exploration of balancing masculine and feminine energies, navigating an identity crisis, and unraveling societal pressures. Christine's reflections on growing up with a high-achieving father paint a vivid picture of the toll that relentless ambition can take, guiding us through her transformative experiences. Learn how hitting rock bottom can be the beginning of true transformation, realigning life with core beliefs for a more peaceful existence. For anyone who's ever felt lost in the hustle, Christine's insights offer a beacon of hope.

Christine invites us into a profound dialogue about time, purpose, and fulfillment. She contrasts the chronological with the spiritual, inviting us to ponder life's mysteries and the human quest for understanding. Her book "The Perfect Storm" emerges as a centerpiece of the conversation, promising to guide readers toward true peace and alignment with divine will. We wrap up with a reminder that adopting the habits of successful individuals can enrich our lives beyond measure. It's not just about financial success; it's about crafting a life brimming with fulfillment and joy. Join us for this episode, where Christine Jewell illuminates the path to a more balanced, purpose-driven existence.

From Stressed to ThrivingThe Masculine/Feminine DynamicThe World’s Identity CrisisThe Journey to PublishingGet a Copy of Christine’s BookBook A Strategy Call

From Stressed to Thriving

If you’re a high-achiever who seemingly runs on stress, then you’ll understand exactly where Christine Jewell comes from. A world-class athlete and a dedicated worker who had been building businesses since her early 20s, Christine appeared to have it all. As she puts it, she was “always working it,” always seeking the next big break, and striving for accolades. Her motto was that second place is the first loser. This pressure fueled her, but not in a sustainable way.

By her 30s, Christine found herself going through a divorce and hitting the grind even harder. But underneath that tough exterior, there were cracks in the armor. Anxiety and fear were creeping in, and Christine found that peace and relaxation were impossible, even when that was her goal. Family trips, which were meant to restore, didn't even help this state.

[7:00] “I hit that breaking point where I was just like, I am done. My body was burnt out, my soul was dried up… my relationships were unfulfilling.”

This breaking point launched Christine into a real heart-to-heart with God about her faith and relationship with Him, wondering if the “hustle” was really part of the design. It didn’t make sense for life’s purpose to be an eternal struggle for more, and so she had the epiphany that life's purpose isn't about that at all. God has His design for man already, and it's not hustle culture. This revelation was the catalyst for Christine’s journey to where she is now, which is faith-based coaching for executives, to help them STOP the hustle and be both high-achieving AND at peace. And yes, it’s possible!

[07:54] “So here we are today on the other side of that journey of just walking through the valley... Just really reconstructing everything in my life so it’s in integrity with what I actually believe at the core.”

The Masculine/Feminine Dynamic

In Christine’s book, she often addresses “dropping the armor,” which has caused more than a few people to ask who she is addressing. Is her message for men or women? To that, Christine says that she is speaking to the warrior within. This “warrior” is very masculine in nature, but it’s also a persona that many high-achieving women adopt to survive in male-dominated fields. By dropping the armor, though, Christine believes that women can actually bring immense value to workplaces because, in God’s design, women are multipliers and life-bringers. 

To do this, women have to approach work from a rested place, where they’re tapped into God and their other relationships. This can feel like a massive shift from what you’re used to when you've spent your working life trying to prove something. But when you make that shift, the energy of your workplace evolves into something completely new and inviting. Women have the ability to breathe life into the spaces they inhabit.

Of course, the armor is also the masculine, and calls to men, too. Christine's book invokes the warrior from both the masculine and feminine perspective, showing each how to carve a path forward in business from a place of faith that will transform how you work. Her ideas will help to eliminate stress and create more peace, confidence, and groundedness than you may have thought possible.

The World’s Identity Crisis

There’s so much confusion in the world right now about gender, and about masculinity and feminity, and Christine tackles that head-on: “It’s an identity crisis.” And while, in her eyes, this identity crisis has been going on since The Fall, Christine sees that it’s worse than ever. She addresses this identity crisis in her book, diving into what we think we are, versus what and who we actually are.

From a very vulnerable human perspective, we tell ourselves lies about who were are. We believe that we humans are the source of everything in our reality, that we are our reputation, and that we are our things and our accolades. In truth, we are perfectly designed by God to be co-creators of our reality and our success. This means that your womanhood or your manhood is enough, and when you can embrace that, we can do incredible things within our wheelhouse. 

This identity crisis seeps into everything we experience—our worldview, our habits, our relationships, and so much more. And when we’re trying to fit ourselves into roles that are not in our DNA, as Christine puts it, it’s like fighting the current and trying to walk upstream. By learning more about God and developing a co-creating relationship with Him, you can get success and results without destroying your internal peace or getting stuck in a toxic cycle. 

The Journey to Publishing

Originally, Christine didn’t intend to write a book for public consumption. She was in a period of deep rest and restoration, and processing her raw emotions in journals, when she woke up feeling surrounded by the Holy Spirit. It was at that moment she knew it was time to start writing the book. In fact, her book was basically written already, in her journals, and in her work with clients; both centered around this idea of transitioning from warriors of the world to warriors of the heart.

The massive spiritual and emotional shift that Christine went through wasn’t for nothing. In her eyes, it was what she needed to get to the next step of her life and to help other people like her do the same. 

[31:17] “I believe we’re best equipped to help the person we just once were. When we go through something, it’s not just for us.”

This healing work isn’t just personal, it’s also meant for businesses. Christine’s book is about breathing life back into all spaces so that people have communities—not just at home, but everywhere. This allows people to be their Holistic selves, rather than compartmentalizing their lives into different “personas.” 

[33:20] “The currency of Heaven is people. We walk on gold, we don’t chase gold. People are the treasure, and when we get it, we start investing in the right things. The gold, the money, whatever–I believe is a byproduct of being in the right place.”

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Drop the Armor by Christine Jewell (check out the bonus goodies, too)

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