It’s Mailbag Day! We are back with one of our rare episodes where we answer questions from our listeners. Join us as we dive into selected three questions from our mailbag: whether annuities make more sense today because interest rates are a little higher, how to determine whether your financial plan is actually working for you and whether we should be concerned about the stock market with the news that Michael Berry has just placed a lot of Money in short positions, betting against it.

[03.22] Annuities – Starting the conversation, Grant defines both annuities and the most basic form of annuity, which is called a single premium immediate annuity.

[08.52] Interest rates – Grant explains why he thinks that higher interest rates don’t make annuities more attractive than before.

[15.18] Financial plans – Life evolves. You have to revisit the plans you previously made and make sure they are suitable for the current changes in your life.

[20.16] The Confidence – To have a successful financial plan everybody in your house should feel confident about where you are heading and what you are doing.

[23.37] The Big Short – Michael Lewis’s best-selling book of the same name was adapted into a 2015 Oscar-winning film titled The Big Short, based on the collapse of the housing bubble in 2007 and 2008.

[31.22] Shorting the Market – Grant shares his idea of Michael Burry shorting the market.

Resources

Understanding The Role Of Mortality Credits – Why Immediate Annuities Beat Bond Ladders For Retirement Income

kitces.com/blog/understanding-the-role-of-mortality-credits-why-immediate-annuities-beat-bond-ladders-for-retirement-income/

What You Need To Know About Annuities And Interest Rates

forbes.com/sites/bobcarlson/2023/01/19/what-you-need-to-know-about-annuities-and-interest-rates/?sh=6907d50c5061

Michael Burry, of ‘Big Short’ fame, just bet $1.6 billion on a stock market crash

edition.cnn.com/2023/08/15/investing/michael-burry-stock-market-crash/index.html

Michael Burry is Shorting the Market (Again) and Selling These 10 Stocks

finance.yahoo.com/news/michael-burry-shorting-market-again-210648498.html

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Grant Bledsoe Financial Planner to Business Owners

I'm a financial planner to business owners, and the founder of Three Oaks Wealth. Our firm helps business owners align their business interests with their personal finances, often including the exit or sale of equity holdings.

I hold several professional credentials, including the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, Chartered Financial Analyst, and Certified Exit Planning Advisor designations.