One of the biggest mistakes people make when planning for retirement is…

the naive focus on “hoping” they’ll save enough, instead of sitting down, running the numbers,and deciding how much they’ll actually need.

Instead of:

“We’ll save whatever we can whenever we can, and hopefully it’ll be enough…”

They need to say:“We need XX million in YY years. How do we get there?”

Which sounds easier?

You bet — the first one.

Because it’s easy to hope.

But actual planning, with math and discipline, is harder. 😅

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So what’s the smartest way to balance “hope” and “know”? Between potential growth and guaranteed growth?

Let’s look at what we’ve always known:

💹 Stocks vs Bonds

🏠 Real Estate vs Bank Accounts

💵 Traditional Investments vs Tax-Advantaged Assets

🧠 And then there’s Cash Value Life Insurance (CVLI) — a non-correlated asset blending guarantees + potential growth.

Funny thing? Everyone knows about stocks and real estate…but so few understand life insurance as a strategic wealth vehicle.

Even though Walt Disney, JC Penney, McDonald’s, and the Rockefellers used it to build and protect their legacies.

Why doesn’t the public know about it?

Because it’s not taught in school.

Because nobody explained it.

Because most people don’t even know it exists. 🤯

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I met a brilliant woman recently — top 1% financially —who had never heard of CVLI.

When I explained it, she said:

“That makes so much sense… my family could really use something like that to fall back on — in case…”

Key phrase: in case.

Then, a 51-year-old business owner told me he’s unhappy with his 401(k).

He lost money, had to withdraw early, paid taxes and penalties.

And I thought — if someone had built a CVLI alongside it,

he could’ve borrowed tax-free, kept compounding,and still had a death benefit protecting his family.

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Sure, CVLI can feel like a stretch to start.

But here’s the math:

Roughly 30% of disposable income should go toward risk management.

If you earn $60K and spend $36K, that’s $24K left.

So $7,200/year ($600/mo) could go into protection.

That’s not bad — and $600/mo can go far with the right structure.

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💬 Want to see what $600/mo can do? 👉 Book an appointment with me — let’s find options.

💬 Can’t even find $600 to save? 👉 Book an appointment with me — we’ll find the leaks.

💬 Just got a raise? 👉 Hold off on that new car payment.

Let’s see if future income beats that new Camry. 🚗

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You either pay now, play later.

Or play now… and pay much later.

It’s all about long-term balance and intentional planning. 💎

– LTA