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Why this blog?
"A lie can be told in one sentence. The truth requires an entire chapter."
A lie fits in one sentence:
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“You’ll be fine.”
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“This is a great return.”
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“Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
Simple. Clean. Comfortable.
But the truth?
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The truth takes work.
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The truth needs math.
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It needs time.
It needs someone willing to slow down long enough to actually prove what’s happening.
Because real financial truth isn’t a slogan—it’s something you can see, test, and walk through step by step.
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PSA for Financial Advisors: The Unauthorized Practice of Law Is Closer Than You Think
Where “Helping the Client” Can Turn Into a Legal Problem There’s a growing push in our industry: Advisors are being encouraged to “add estate planning” using software platforms, turnkey systems, and white-labeled solutions. It sounds like a natural evolution: Serve clients more holistically Strengthen relationships Add a new revenue stream And to be clear— estate planning absolutely belongs in the advisor’s world. But here’s the problem: Estate planning and drafting legal doc
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Mar 228 min read
Myth #1: "The Life Insurance Company Keeps My Cash Values When I Die"
First, I’m going to start with a rant and then show some understanding. The training in the life insurance profession is severely lacking, and I don’t just mean selling skills to help agents be successful. In my first agency, we had product training every Monday morning from 9am to 11am. However, this was not GOOD product training. We learned WHAT we could do with the company’s products, but not WHY someone would want to do it. Why would someone WANT to spend $10,000 a
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Sep 22, 20187 min read
Industry Designations: What Are They? Do They Matter? Do Some Matter More?
The financial services and insurance industries are filled with initials: CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CFA®, CPA, RFC®, CIC, LUTCF, and many others. To consumers, the alphabet soup can sometimes feel confusing or even overwhelming. So what are industry designations? Do they matter? And do some matter more than others? The answer is nuanced. Designations vs. Licenses First, it is important to understand the difference between a professional license and a professional designation. A lice
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
May 288 min read
Life Insurance Is Like Baking Soda: More Uses Than You Think
When most people hear the phrase “life insurance,” they think of death benefits. Likewise, when they think of baking soda, they picture cookies. But both life insurance and baking soda are far more versatile than most people realize. From kitchens to boardrooms, from recipes to retirement, these two humble tools have an uncanny resemblance in their range of unexpected and powerful uses. 1. The Obvious Purpose: What Everyone Knows Baking Soda: It Makes Things Rise It’s a leave
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
May 243 min read
The Kyle Busch Pacific Life Case: A Painful Reminder About What Life Insurance Is Really For
The recent lawsuit involving NASCAR champion Kyle Busch and Pacific Life has become one of the most discussed life insurance stories in the country. According to public reports, Kyle and Samantha Busch alleged that they were sold Indexed Universal Life (IUL) policies using projections and expectations that ultimately did not perform as they believed had been represented. The lawsuit reportedly involved substantial premiums, aggressive policy illustrations, and concerns surrou
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
May 215 min read
What Building a Business Owner Consulting Program Taught Me About Professional Education
Over the course of my career, I have had the opportunity to study under some exceptional educational programs, learn from outstanding professionals, and spend nearly two decades refining how I communicate complex planning concepts to clients and other advisors. What I never expected was to eventually be asked by an established professional industry association to help develop and evolve a business-owner consulting designation program of its own. What began as a curriculum
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
May 1110 min read
Myth #19: “Borrowing Your Own Money” — And the Strategic Truth Business Owners Need to Understand
One of the most common—and misleading—statements about cash value life insurance is this: “Why would you borrow your own money and pay interest on it?” It sounds logical. It feels intuitive.And it’s completely wrong. If you misunderstand this concept, you’ll dismiss a strategy that—when used properly—can be one of the most efficient ways to access capital without disrupting long-term planning. Let’s clarify what’s actually happening. You Are Not Borrowing Your Own Money When
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Apr 24 min read
Consumer Alert: The Hidden Risks of DIY Estate Planning
What You Don’t Know About “DIY” Estate Planning Could Hurt the People You Love Most Estate planning has become easier than ever. You can go online, answer a few questions, click a button, and generate a will or trust in less than an hour. Some financial professionals even offer to “help” you through the process. It feels simple. Affordable. Convenient. But here’s what most people don’t realize: Estate planning is not just paperwork. It’s law. And when it’s done incorrectly—or
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Mar 224 min read
Why Tax-Exempt Retirement Planning Isn’t Just About the Math — And Why That Matters More Than Ever
Most retirement planning discussions begin with numbers. Rates of return. Tax brackets. Projected balances. Distribution strategies. Those elements are important—but they are not sufficient. Increasingly, people are making retirement planning decisions based on something deeper than spreadsheets: trust . And for many taxpayers today, that trust has been seriously shaken. When Taxpayer Anger Is Rational Recent reporting and ongoing investigations in Minnesota allege that hundr
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Dec 316 min read
Why Fee-Only Fiduciary Advisors Often Dismiss Cash-Value Life Insurance — and Why Consensus Is Sometimes Impossible
Fee-only fiduciary advisors are trained to be highly sensitive to cost. In the world of investment management, that discipline is not only appropriate—it is essential. Excessive fees compound negatively, erode long-term returns, and can materially impair client outcomes. Viewed through that lens, cash-value life insurance often appears indefensible. Permanent insurance policies carry mortality charges, administrative expenses, rider costs, and opportunity costs relative to ma
David H. Kinder, RFC®, ChFC®, CLU®
Dec 28, 20256 min read
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