Fundamental Friday — October 3

Highlights

• Watch for phishing emails pretending to be the IRS.

• New recurring Friday training cadence announced.

• Framework for comparing asset classes.

• Whole life insurance positioned as a stable savings/cash-value tool.

• Using policy cash value to buffer sequence-of-returns risk.

• Practical retirement-planning guardrails and tax-smart income.

Topics & Takeaways

Suspicious IRS Email

• The “IRS” message was likely phishing.

• Verify sender domains, avoid clicking links/attachments, and go directly to the official site when in doubt.

New Friday Training Schedule

• 1st & 3rd Fridays: Open intro sessions (public).

• 2nd & 4th Fridays: Advanced client training.

• 5th Friday (when applicable): Case studies + open Q&A.

Characteristics of Asset Classes

Evaluate options using:

• Risk & Guarantees

• Penalties & Liquidity

• Creditor Protection & Leverage

• Tax Treatment

• Disability/Death Benefits

  Match choices to personal goals and risk tolerance.

Whole Life Insurance as a Savings Vehicle

• Beyond death benefit: cash value that’s generally non-correlated to markets.

• Offers liquidity, can serve as collateral, and may supplement retirement income.

Mitigating Sequence-of-Returns Risk

• Poor early-retirement returns can derail portfolios.

• Drawing from policy cash value during down markets can preserve invested assets and improve income durability.

Retirement Planning Considerations

• Save an appropriate % of income; don’t assume expenses drop dramatically in retirement.

• Use tax-advantaged tools (e.g., whole life policies) to maximize net retirement income.

Recap & Next Steps

• Whole life can provide stability, flexibility, and tax advantages alongside other assets.

• Offer: Free consultation to review your situation and outline personalized recommendations.

Quick Action Items

• Security: Review email-security best practices with your team.

• Calendar: Add the new Friday cadence to your invites.

• Planning: Schedule a consultation to map asset mix, income targets, and tax strategy.